Packing

There are many bike touring and bikepacking websites and blogs with “what to take”.  There is no right answer- everyone is unique, and where you’re headed plays a big factor.

Here is my list, and some of the logic.

• Lights- see Endurance Ride Gear for details
  • 2 Lezyne headlights
  • 2 tail lights: a Lezyne, plus Garmin Varia radar
• Phone: my single most critical piece of equipment. Maps (getting off route happens on every ride), locating food and accommodations, communication (duh), and photos make it the 1 thing I’d least want to do without.  Except maybe my Garmin.
• Phone wrist-strap: dropping my phone in a scenic river has almost happened more than once.
• Charging cables in a sealed plastic bag:
  • iPhone
  • 2- USB micro for Garmin, lights, & Quarq Qollector
  • Charging “brick” with 2 ports
• Portable battery- 10000mAh sealed, to charge the Garmin, phone, and other accessories.  I use a short Velcro strap to mount the battery to the stem:

The battery, my phone, and USB cables are kept in a jersey pocket or readily accessible bag.

• Garmin 1000 bike computer
• Quarq Qollector: live tracking for ride followers, without taxing my phone battery
• Helmet: I wear a Giro Vanquish that has a clip-on sunvisor (since I wear glasses), with a flashing light attached to the rear using plastic wire ties
• Cycling attire:
  • 2 sets of kit (jersey & bibs/shorts)
  • Jacket(s): rain and/or wind vest depending on potential weather
  • Gloves: long & short finger depending on weather
  • Socks: 2 pair, at least 1 normally is wool depending on weather
  • Cycling cap (skull cap- under helmet) if temps below ~50F are possible
  • Legwarmers (below ~50F for me)
  • Arm warmers, or sleeves in warm weather (for sun protection)
  • Cap/bandana covering ears and back of neck (for sun protection)
• Skin protection & toiletries:
  • Sunscreen
  • Aquaphor (good for chapped lips and any other skin chafing)
  • Chamois Butt’r anti-chafe cream
  • Insect repellent
  • A few Band aids
  • Finger nail clippers
  • Ibuprofen
  • Deodorant
  • Tooth brush & tooth paste
  • “1 time use amount” of toilet paper, folded: never needed it, but just in case
• Food- per day between stops (carry max 3-4 days between resupply locations)- depending on mileage.  I plan on roughly 150-200 calories an hour.  That’s way less than you’re burning, but it’s highly individual and long training rides have taught me what works.  And what doesn’t.
  • 2-3 Clif bars
  • 2 Clif Nut butter bars
  • 4 Clif bloks
  • 1-2 Clif Energy food
  • 1 Clif granola bar (night time snack)
  • 4 servings of drink mix- kept dry in a snack size plastic bag- now using Hammer Nutrition Heed and Perpetuem
  • 2 servings of Hammer Recoverite drink mix- keep in plastic bag same as drink mix

Each gallon bag is one long day of “on the bike” food- what is listed above:

• Promotional info for ride (such as a few business cards and a WBR banner)
• Off-bike clothes:
  • WBR t-shirt & hat
  • Shorts
  • Nylon sweatpants if cool weather expected (extremely light and packs tight)
  • Sandals (I do not carry these on shorter rides and rely only on walkable cycling shoes)
• Bivvy sack
• All clothes are packed in 2 gallon zip loc bags
• Food is packed in 1 gallon zip loc bags- 1 bag per day as shown above
• Water bottles: 2 or 3 depending on the bike and ride distance
• Camelback hydration pack if I expect to go more than 75 or so miles without available water (less if it’s hot)
• Standard repair kit I use for everyday riding:
  • Cash
  • Credit card
  • Silca multi-tool including chain repair tool and a spare SRAM PowerLink (which I’ve never needed)
  • Silca frame pump, mounted behind water bottle cage
  • eTap derailleur spare batteries (2- though I have never needed more than 1)
  • Tire levers and 1 tube (I ride tubeless, so flats are rare).
  • Emergency tire boot (Park Tool TB-2)
• Long-distance ride repair tools & parts:
  • Tubeless repair sealant (2oz bottle), plug kit, & tire boot
  • Folding spare tire on remote rides in case of severe tire damage
  • Superglue- 1 time use size
  • 2-3 plastic wire ties
  • Chain lube
  • Spare link of chain (3-4 links which have minimal weight)
  • 2 disposable nitrile gloves
  • Partial roll of electrical tape
  • Spare derailleur hanger
  • Leatherman- most important is a sharp knife and pliers (which, among other things, I’ve used to loosen a corroded pump head and valve nut)