Is my tent too heavy for cycle touring

[JINKY230]

HI guys was wondering if you could help.The wife and myself have decided to try cycle touring, ( first experience ).So started looking at the stuff i had and the stuff i would need, to do a few days cycle touring per camp sites.I had 2 tents up the loft bought years ago but never used and after putting them up they are like brand new.The tents are northface ve-25 3/4 man tent and northface stratos 3 man tent.They both weight about 12 lbs and I was wondering is this tent too heavy to carry or buy a lighter tent.just thought with these tent being pratically brand new in condition,why not use them.Other things i have looked at is I have vaude 46 litre panniers and a jetboil with frying pan attachment for cooking breakfast only, being loaded to a tricross sport.I thought about putting the tent in a waterproof heavy plastic stuffa bag.So looking for all the advice you can fire at me,as totally in the dark to cycle touring apart from info on the net which I am soaking up like a sponge.

Any help of any kind highly appreciated

[Barrenfluffit]

At 5.5kg its a bit heavy but not significantly so. Packed size is more relevant issue. Touring is not racing and weight isn't the main concern. I put mine in a drybag and strap it to the top of the rear rack but anything waterproof and robust enough will do.

Write a list, do a trial pack and return to your list. The general idea is to take things which are flexible/multipurpose. Clothes generally divide into on bike and off bike. Its all a compromise.

[MLJ]

Back in the 1960's my wife & I toured Ireland with a Blacks cotton tent weighing in at about 5.5 kgs. With two bikes, you can share the load! A decent newer two man tent will weigh in at about half that but you can cut down on other items. As our bikes were three-speed utility ones, we walked/pushed up some hills, but we were on holiday! You should not need to use a heavy waterproof bag for the tent: the flysheet could often be damp when packing, and need to drip or dry out en route. A black sack could be used for the inner tent if not fitting into a pannier.

[andymiller]

It depends a bit on your budget: if you can't afford a new tent then you'll get by with the one you have, but if you can afford a new one then you could certainly save two or three kgs.

[al_yrpal]

You can find roomy tents - 3 man, weighing a bout 3 kg for about £100.

Al

[JINKY230]

I will need to rethink everything guys looked at the stuff tonight and the sleeping bags when packed look massive,again they are northface 4 season , expedition sleeping bags ,the tents and sleeping bags are all top notch equipment but not suitable for cycle touring.Could you recommend light weight sleeping bags

[bogmyrtle]

Alpkit Pipedream. Sometimes need to wait for them to be in stock.

[binka]

I've been waiting over six months for them to be in stock.

[iviehoff]

To my mind it's ridiculously heavy.

We used to own some Vaude panniers as a cheaper but rather heavier alternative to Ortlieb, but eventually we decided they were too bad and bought some proper Ortliebs and threw the Vaudes away. I don't know if they have improved them since.

[horizon]

I was wondering is this tent too heavy to carry

JINKY: you're implying that cycle touring comes in one shape or size. I think we all assume that you mean a reasonable daily mileage, say 50 - 60 miles but we don't know for sure. Tell us your proposed daily mileage, the likely terrain, your gears, your bike and your target weight for all your luggage and we can tell you whether it is too heavy. You can take a 10 kg tent plus the kitchen sink on a 25 mpd ride in East Anglia. BTW in broad terms IMV 5 kg between two people isn't too heavy but it is for 80 mpd on a light bike.

[Merry_Wanderer]

My tent's a North Face Mountain 24 bought 15 years ago for winter mountaineering and it weighs around 4kg. I'm intending to use this on a short tour on my own later this year to see if I like cycle camping. I'd be interested to hear how the OP gets on.

I won't be buying new gear for what could be potentially a one-off experiment so I'll be using my mountaineering gear. I expect a max of 50 miles a day in mildly hilly terrain would be enough for me

[JINKY230]

I was wondering is this tent too heavy to carry

JINKY: you're implying that cycle touring comes in one shape or size. I think we all assume that you mean a reasonable daily mileage, say 50 - 60 miles but we don't know for sure. Tell us your proposed daily mileage, the likely terrain, your gears, your bike and your target weight for all your luggage and we can tell you whether it is too heavy. You can take a 10 kg tent plus the kitchen sink on a 25 mpd ride in East Anglia. BTW in broad terms IMV 5 kg between two people isn't too heavy but it is for 80 mpd on a light bike.

guys thanks for all the repliesgreatly appreciated- horizon further to your question

bikes- tricross sport 50/39/30 11/32 cassette
- ridgebac supernova 48/38/26 11/32 cassette

distance about 40-50 miles
area scottish island, Islay Mull etc

present sleeping bags 4.1 lbs x 2
tent 12.00 lbs
vaude panniers 46ltrs dont know the weight

touring summer months only 2-3 days camping

now looking at a 3 man vaude tent 6 lbs £150 seems I dont need expedition equipment for summer months,will do the seams with seam sealer and use proofer for extra protection.

also looking at lighter sleeping bags just under 3lbs but pack very small

Hope i am going in the correct direction, if not please shoot me down, always willing to learn.

[nmnm]

Sounds good. You might consider a trailer as another option, rather than buying lighter camping gear. I suppose if you are using the train at all, you'd need one that folds into a bag, maybe?

For my money, new midrange tent and sleeping bag would be the plan.

[Gearoidmuar]

I don't camp but I bring lots of kit on a cycletour and my average is about 28 lb and I've gone as high as 35. Lightest ever was 12. Don't obsess about the weight as long as you have really low gears.

Mull is fab. Cycle to Fionnaphort and go to Iona. Iona is one of the prettiest places imaginable for its views of elsewhere.

Return and then climb over the hill to Loch na Keal. The cycle along the shore here is a huge favourite of mine. Do not continue around the shore around the full circumference as it's horribly horribly hilly. Take the more direct route to Tobermory

[willem jongman]

I am on record as someone who likes to travel rather light. However, I would start with the sleeping kit. Your bags are not only heavy, but also bulky. So it is unlikely that with these you could leave the front panniers at home. Yet doing without those is the biggest saving in weight and money. So I would go for light summer sleeping bags, and modern ultralight mattresses, and take the lightest of your current tents on top of a rear rack (just put it in its own bag - you don't need a special heavy and expensive waterproof bag for a tent). Alpkit do good lightweight budget sleeping bags, and PhD have great ultralight bags for rather more money (their sale is a lot cheaper). An alternative is a two person topbag like this one that was designed for us: http://www.tatteljee.nl/slapen/tweepers ... e-persoons I like the Exped mattresses. We have their Downmats for the cold season, and I have just added a Synmat UL for the summer (good for a few degrees above freezing, but not really much colder, whatever some say). It is very light at 460 grams, ultra compact, and yet very comfortable. The Thermarest Neoair line is comparable. If you still want a great lightweight summer tent, and budget is ample, look into the Hilleberg Anjan 3.
Willem