How do you pack your tent

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
Steve X
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How do you pack your tent

Post by Steve X »

I have bought some front panniers, because I have been advised they make my bike handle better, letting me distribute weight better. I have so far carried our tent on the rear rack, but am thinking I way carry in tent bit and poles separate so I can fit in panniers and not on rack, and get weight lower. is this a reasonable plan?
Jdsk
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Re: How do you pack your tent

Post by Jdsk »

There's a constructive discussion of this in the archives: "Loading top of rear rack":
viewtopic.php?t=142682

For nearly all of our touring ours goes lengthwise on top of one rear rack. With the mats lengthwise on top of the other.

Jonathan

PS: We don't use front panniers. The low speed handling might be a bit better if we did, but that's outweighed by the ease of lugging fewer objects when they're not on the bikes... trains, ferries, hotels, stairs...
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MrsHJ
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Re: How do you pack your tent

Post by MrsHJ »

I’ve tended to go rear rack but my newest tent is a copper spur bikepacking model with shorter pole lengths so it fits in my pannier easily.

Have never fancied front panniers but I guess I would if I did a world tour (which seems unlikely). Even packing for a couple of months in the USA I stuck to 2 panniers but I’m all about whatever works for you being fine.
Last edited by MrsHJ on 18 May 2022, 9:10pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Paulatic
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Re: How do you pack your tent

Post by Paulatic »

Steve X wrote: 18 May 2022, 7:54pm I have bought some front panniers, because I have been advised they make my bike handle better, letting me distribute weight better. I have so far carried our tent on the rear rack, but am thinking I way carry in tent bit and poles separate so I can fit in panniers and not on rack, and get weight lower. is this a reasonable plan?
I’ve also heard that advice :D I acted on that advice and let me relate my recent experience.
I’d never done anything else than two rear panniers , tent along the top, and usually a bar bag. Yes it could make the front end a little light but never bothered me handling wise upto 30 mph . I’d start to brake from that point.
In 2019 I stole a bike off Ebay with racks front and rear. A few weeks ago I tried it out with 4 panniers. Packed it clothes and sleeping bag in one rear. Tent and air bed in other rear, kitchen in one front and food valuables and electronics in other front. Handling is definitely better as I clocked 45 mph down one hill.
Will I use that set up again? I have my doubts. Reason being with that extra space it encourages you to take things you don’t use, it’s all generally heavier simply because you’ve the weight of two more panniers. I’d two days of serious headwind and I couldn’t help but think four panniers catch more wind than two.
I did 8.000ft of climbing in three days so I might have had a different view on a leveller route but then it’s rare my rides are level.
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Psamathe
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Re: How do you pack your tent

Post by Psamathe »

I use rear and front panniers (Ortlieb "roller" ones). Everything goes in panniers, nothing on top of rear rack. Often tent will be split into two bags, wet fly in a supermarket heavy duty carrier and inner in tent bag. Although solo I take a 2 person tent. I seem to ens up with one rear pannier with wet (or unaffected by wet) stuff eg tent, Helinox chair, gas canisters, tools, etc. and other rear pannier with dry stuff e.g. clothes, sleeping bag, etc. one front pannier kitchen, washing, etc. and other front pannier waterproof, fleece, emergency food and odds and ends. They all seem to end-up adequately equally loaded. I also take a bar bad for valuables, quick access stuff (eg sunglasses). I tour solo so no sharing single items for two people.

Ian
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foxyrider
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Re: How do you pack your tent

Post by foxyrider »

Psamathe wrote: 18 May 2022, 8:32pm I use rear and front panniers (Ortlieb "roller" ones). Everything goes in panniers, nothing on top of rear rack. Often tent will be split into two bags, wet fly in a supermarket heavy duty carrier and inner in tent bag. Although solo I take a 2 person tent. I seem to ens up with one rear pannier with wet (or unaffected by wet) stuff eg tent, Helinox chair, gas canisters, tools, etc. and other rear pannier with dry stuff e.g. clothes, sleeping bag, etc. one front pannier kitchen, washing, etc. and other front pannier waterproof, fleece, emergency food and odds and ends. They all seem to end-up adequately equally loaded. I also take a bar bad for valuables, quick access stuff (eg sunglasses). I tour solo so no sharing single items for two people.

Ian
I use a similar set up, dry goods in one rear, tent stuff in the other. At the front one bag has upper body, the other lower - all valuables are in the bar bag. I could get everything in two rear 'Rollers' but there would be a lot of in and out to find stuff and i prefer to distribute some weight away from the rear wheel. I have weighed each bag and as i currently pack, the rear are within a few grams of each other and likewise the front. I did initially suffer from over packing but after many tours i now know what is sensible and so all my bags have spare capacity so i've room for the shopping, gifts, discarded clothing etc. All my panniers have been customised, all unused hardware and superfluous stiffeners etc have been removed, the extra bag capacity therefore adds @ 900g plus the rack which i have found to be useful in protecting the front wheel from damage many times!

I think worries about wind resistance are over hyped, i'm more concerned about overall handling and weight distribution which helps preserve tyres and wheels.
Convention? what's that then?
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Tiggertoo
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Re: How do you pack your tent

Post by Tiggertoo »

If I may, I'm going to drop a comment in here:
When I see by the avatars where people who post here live, I am struck by how nice and convenient it would be to just pack up the bike and leave home for a few days, ride away to somewhere interesting, and not have to mess with planes, trains and automobiles.
I'm not suggesting the posters don't sometimes venture further afield requiring public transport, but for someone tossed ashore in a rather grotty foreign place with nary a bit of countryside around for 30- 40 miles (and then only endless stretches of pretty much nothing) it does seem that most contributors on this board live in something of a cycling paradise. 8)
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Paulatic
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Re: How do you pack your tent

Post by Paulatic »

Tiggertoo wrote: 18 May 2022, 9:27pm) it does seem that most contributors on this board live in something of a cycling paradise. 8)
Guilty as charged :D
Dumfries & Galloway I’m surrounded by hills and quiet roads.
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matt2matt2002
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Re: How do you pack your tent

Post by matt2matt2002 »

Paulatic wrote: 18 May 2022, 9:31pm
Tiggertoo wrote: 18 May 2022, 9:27pm) it does seem that most contributors on this board live in something of a cycling paradise. 8)
Guilty as charged :D
Dumfries & Galloway I’m surrounded by hills and quiet roads.
I lived near New Galloway for 18 years. Lovely cycling.
Aberdeenshire now and just as happy.
( With 4 panniers 😉 )
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Ron
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Re: How do you pack your tent

Post by Ron »

Steve X wrote: 18 May 2022, 7:54pm I have bought some front panniers, because I have been advised they make my bike handle better,
I didn't notice much difference when cycling with four panniers, but the bike was better balanced for carrying up and down stairs or off and on boats etc.. Also with all of my gear stored in four panniers, a large pannier in each hand and the smaller ones under the oxters, it was easier to get everything from bike to my hostel/hotel room without having to worry about any loose items.
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MrsHJ
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Re: How do you pack your tent

Post by MrsHJ »

Ron wrote: 18 May 2022, 11:49pm
Steve X wrote: 18 May 2022, 7:54pm I have bought some front panniers, because I have been advised they make my bike handle better,
I didn't notice much difference when cycling with four panniers, but the bike was better balanced for carrying up and down stairs or off and on boats etc.. Also with all of my gear stored in four panniers, a large pannier in each hand and the smaller ones under the oxters, it was easier to get everything from bike to my hostel/hotel room without having to worry about any loose items.
Interesting- I think I’d have the opposite reaction. I can keep everything in 2 plus a bar bag and wouldn’t want to deal with any more bits when getting on and off trains etc as you so often have to unload the panniers from the bike.
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Paulatic
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Re: How do you pack your tent

Post by Paulatic »

MrsHJ wrote: 19 May 2022, 5:35am
Ron wrote: 18 May 2022, 11:49pm
Steve X wrote: 18 May 2022, 7:54pm I have bought some front panniers, because I have been advised they make my bike handle better,
I didn't notice much difference when cycling with four panniers, but the bike was better balanced for carrying up and down stairs or off and on boats etc.. Also with all of my gear stored in four panniers, a large pannier in each hand and the smaller ones under the oxters, it was easier to get everything from bike to my hostel/hotel room without having to worry about any loose items.
Interesting- I think I’d have the opposite reaction. I can keep everything in 2 plus a bar bag and wouldn’t want to deal with any more bits when getting on and off trains etc as you so often have to unload the panniers from the bike.
I did find that carrying 4 panniers off the bike was fairly easy and certainly no more difficult than carrying two and maybe a tent under your arm and a bar bag round your neck. I just put the backs of a front and rear together and picked up both handles in one hand. (Vaude and Ortileb roll tops btw)
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mxg01
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Re: How do you pack your tent

Post by mxg01 »

My tent, a Banshee 200, fits in an Ortlieb front roller. Pegs and poles go in there too. Doesn't matter if it's wet because nothing else is in there with it. I could fit a larger tent in the front roller as there is a bit of space if you compress it. Sleeping bag and mat and a few other bits go in the other front pannier. Works well for me. Handy that you don't have to unpack anything other than one pannier to set up the tent.
scottg
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Re: How do you pack your tent

Post by scottg »

Steve X wrote: 18 May 2022, 7:54pm I have bought some front panniers, because I have been advised they make my bike handle better,[snip]
Guide to weight distribution on touring bikes.

English bikes, weight goes in the rear
Old French bikes, Japanese French bikes and American French bikes, weight goes on the front
Italian bike, weight goes in the Team Car.

American French bike, illustrated.
American French bike.jpg
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Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-AG
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Paulatic
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Re: How do you pack your tent

Post by Paulatic »

Jdsk wrote: 18 May 2022, 7:59pm There's a constructive discussion of this in the archives: "Loading top of rear rack"
viewtopic.php?t=142682

For nearly all of our touring ours goes lengthwise on top of one rear rack. With the mats lengthwise on top of the other.

Jonathan

PS: We don't use front panniers. The low speed handling might be a bit better if we did, but that's outweighed by the ease of lugging fewer objects when they're not on the bikes... trains, ferries, hotels, stairs...
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