For those of you researching your own cycle tour, this is not intended to be a definitive packing list. (There is no such thing.) Trust your own personal taste and experience. Tailor your equipment choices to the conditions you expect to encounter. In the context panel at right I list a few additions and options based on my own changing taste and experience.

Below is a full packing and gear list for a one-month bicycle tour up the British Columbia coast to fabled Haida Gwaii. At right are photographs for the setup for my 1998 China Tour (6 thousand kilometres over 6 and half months). There are a few significant differences in equipment setup. Most of these are commented on to the right below the photographs.

I did carry more spare parts across China due to the difficulty in purchasing them locally. I carried more extreme rain protection to Haida Gwaii, in deference to the thorough soaking to be expected in a temperate rainforest at the onset of the rainy season. A pair of 4-litre water bags helped pack the necessary water over western China's long, remote desert hauls. Indeed, choosing the bicycle itself is a decision best made in deference to the full spectrum of expected conditions including tour duration, local availability of parts, road conditions, etc.

Hover the mouse cursor over the (arrows) and a comment window will popup. (You need to have javascript enabled.) There's a range of novice to advanced information in the comments...a bit of a grab bag, but most touring cyclists should find some useful tidbits.

Most items listed here found at REI.com I use Eagle Creek bags and accessories

Cyclist, Bike & Trailer: the gear attached

• A touring cyclist's typical riding gear
  My favoured setup for a warm sunny day, which this trip provided more often than I had any right to expect.
• Helmet
  Light, snug, full cranial coverage with good, cooling airflow: that's what to look for.
  see contents
• Carnac Dune cycling shoe
  A stiff sole transmits more power from leg, through foot to pedal, and is more comfortable on long hauls. I go with a clipless shoe that I'm comfortable walking short distances in.
• MEC Chameleon sunglasses
  I prefer a 'shield' style frame with interchangeable lenses. I usually carry smoke and clear lenses on all rides, and on tours bring an extra set of frames.
• MEC Short-Sleeve Jersey
  Comfortable synthetic cycling jerseys wick moisture and breathe well. Unless you go after the shiny, graphically loud ones, you can walk into restaurants, malls and other public places without feeling too freaky either...well, just a little odd.
• Zoic Breakaway Cycle Shorts
  Durable, comfortable, functional cycling wear, and something I feel comfortable wearing into restaurants, shops and other public places.
• Defeet Woolie-Boolie Wool Socks

  I prefer the feel of wool on cooler days.

  Stay away from cotton in any weather, it holds moisture and can make for an uncomfortable day when wet.

• Specialized Full-Finger Gloves

  I prefer the additional protection and comfort of a good fitting full-fingered glove, unless the temperature gets quite high.

  Because I didn't expect any warm weather this trip, I didn't bring any short-finger gloves. That was a mistake.

• Gary Fisher Sugar-2 fully suspended XC ATB

  X-country bikes balance lightweight and sturdiness. The only touring upgrades to the stock Sugar-2 were the rear wheel (for additional durability and stiffness) and tires (semi-slicks for lower rolling resistance.)

  For extended remote tours (like China) I'd opt for something with less technology, like the Brodie Rocket pictured at right.

• Shimano XT/Mavic X618 CD ATB Wheelset
  This rim & hub combination is much beefier href="javascript:;"than the stock Sugar-2 rear-end. I tour with a trailer, no front panniers, so the rear wheel carries most of the increased load.
• Continental Goliath semi-slick front tire

  Tire choice is extremely important for a comfortable, efficient ride. Select a front tire which will corner well and roll smoothly on the surfaces you are most likely to ride.

  Semi-slick tires work well in a variety of condtions, except loose sand and mud. If you're going to spend most of your tour off-road, consider a grippier tread.

• Specialised Dirt Baldy semi-slick rear tire

  Choose a rear tire for traction, rolling speed and durability, particularly durability.

  Pumping to high PSI ratings improves ride stability, particularly under extreme load. My old Dirt Baldy (now discontinued) is rated for 85PSI, which I over-inflate to 90-95 PSI when on hard, smooth sufaces.

• Zefal Full Fender - ATB front fender
  A good, strong fender that I mounted using a zip tie on one fork, and the disk-brake braze-on on the other. It works really, really well. And it was free!
• Zefal Clip-On Fender seat-post fender

  I love these things; they're so cheap. Shape them with a knife to fit just about anywhere. Punch holes in them to thread zip-ties for attaching to frame tubes.

  This one I tucked up against the seat tube, from bottom bracket up to the underside of the rack trunk. It kept the crank, front derailleur cable and my legs free from tire splash.

• No-name bar ends
  Give yourself as many riding position options as possible. On long days, over extended tours, under a variety of conditions, your comfort zone will change often. The longer I rode, the happier I was to have these.
• Dimension Mini Bell with Floating Compass
  A compass isn't essential in North America, unless you're getting into the back country, and then you'll want a more functional one than this. But even a bubble compass is useful for general navigation.

  The compass was essential for navigating China; the english maps were horrendously innacurate, and the Chinese characters on local maps were indecipherable at first. All that was left for navigating were the road lines on the Chinese maps, and a compass.

• Profile Design Century ZB Aero Bar

  See the bar ends comment concerning riding position options.

  An Aero Bar gets you low and aerodynamic. It's a position that may take some training to ride in comfortably, but the first day into the wind you'll be thanking yourself for the effort. And at the end of six months, you'll be ridin' low an' mean.

  Caveat: Aero bars and handlebar bags won't both fit on your handlebars, at least not without some creativity, duct tape and zip ties.

  • CatEye Enduro 2 Cyclocomputer

    Essential for navigation, but also for tracking and projecting ride parameters such as distance, speed and time. See the computer comments below about using a spreadsheet for tracking, trending and projecting.

    About the only additional feature I'd like to see added to the inexpensive Enduro 2 would be an altimeter function.

  • CatEye Microhalogen Headlight

    These things are great: high-powered halogen lamp, runs on AA batteries, detaches from the bike easily for use as a spare flashlight.

    And they're bullet-proof -- mine's popped off the bike a couple times at high speed and still works great.

    The LED version does not put out as bright a beam.

  • Louis Garneau Handlebar bag

    Handlebar bags are great for carrying oft-used items, like food, camera, maps and other things you want while riding, or at least straddling the bike at a stand-still.

    With the Aero Bar in the way of the handle-bar attachment system, I jury-rigged this to the Aero Bar with a piece of old handlebar, zip ties and duct tape. Ugly, but effective.

    see contents
• 2 plastic water bottle cages

  One is screwed onto the down tube; the other zip-tied to the top tube--a piece of tire-tube keeps it from slipping.

  I put the MSR fuel bottle in the down tube cage, and kept a litre of water on the top tube. There were two more cages on the trailer and next time I'll put the fuel in one of those. Velcro strapping will keep it from bouncing out.

  • 1-litre water bottle
    The "wide mouth" versions are easier to fill and clean. And bigger is better.
  • 950ml MSR fuel bottle
    The 950ml bottle fits snugly into some water bottle cages, a safer place to keep it than your bags. Next time I'll add some velcro strapping and place it in the bottle cages on the trailer.
• Work Force pump
  Your pump should be compact, lightweight, dependable and have a high PSI rating. Make sure it attaches securely to your frame.
• Generic Seatpost Rack
  With rear-suspension bikes the only option for a rear rack is this seatpost style. Not suitable for panniers, but rated for 11 kgs (about 25 lbs) in a rack trunk. That's a fair bit of stuff.
  • MEC 11-litre rack trunk
    For quick access items: rain gear, emergency shelter, tools, maps, etc.
    see contents
  • Forward Deflector Shield

    A thin sheet of plastic velcroed to the underside of the seat-post rack. Normally, this device attaches to the downtube in lieu of a front fender. Here, I've attached it to the seat-post rack, in lieu of a full rear fender.

    With rear suspension, keeping the back end dry and clean is something of a hassle. My rear "fender" consisted of three parts: a regular plastic fender cut down, shaped and zip tied to the seat tube; this deflector shield on the rear rack; and a second plastic fender attached to the trailer.

    Ugly as hell, but it worked great!

• Kryptonite Kryptkeeper Cable Lock
  Heavier gauge than standard cable locks, this is for locking the trailer to the bike. It attaches to the seat post with a special velcro strap.

• B.O.B. Yak Trailer

  A one-wheel trailer which tracks well, leans with the bicycle and distributes your load onto a third wheel, relieving the bicycle's rear tire. Hitches to the rear axle using a proprietary spindle.

  Advantages: keeps the load low and aerodynamically behind the bike improving ride stability. The waterproof bag lifts in and out of the trailer with minimal fuss. One bag package rather than two to four with panniers.

  Disadvantages: With no weight distributed to front wheel, the rear axle becomes a point of significant torque with heavy loads -- requires some adjustment to riding style (higher tire pressures reduces instability). Also, ride partners can't draft anyone towing a trailer.

  • Zefal clip-on fender

    I love these things; they're so cheap and, with some ingenuity, quite versatile.

    I zip-tied the plastic fender to the trailer fork's pivot tube. An efficient and effective means for keeping rear-wheel spray from dousing the trailer and its contents.

  • Dry Sak waterproof trailer bag
    A vast improvement over BOB's original bag. PVC-coated nylon bag uses kayak/canoe style folding closure to assure total imperviousness to water. Huge cargo area.
    see contents
  • 2 plastic water bottle cages
    These are zip-tied to the trailer's rear uprights and carry 1-litre water bottles in reserve.
    • 2 1-litre water bottles
      As noted above, wide-mouth bottles are easier to fill and clean.
  • Jury-rigged fishing pole mount
    A piece of thin-walled ABS tube I found in my brother-in-law's shop. I inserted cylindrical pipe insulation which snugly holds the butt-end of the fishing pole handle. A notch at the top seats the reel attachment post and a strip of velcro secures the whole thing in place.
    • Cheapo Fishing Rod&Reel combo

      The first one was too cheap ($19 CDN, including a small tackle box stuffed with stuff) and the reel broke in short order. I'm still using the replacement set purchased in Queen Charlotte City for a whopping $49 CDN.

      Did manage to catch dinner on a couple occasions. Between rod&reel costs, lures, license, etc., those trout came in at about $20/lb. ;-)

  • Bungee Cord

    The Yak trailer comes with a complex bungee attachment system. I gave up on it within hours of purchasing the trailer.

    One or two bungee cords works well enough, and are so much simpler to work with. You really only need the bungee to strap extra bits on top of the trailer.

    • 6'X8' Polyethylene tarp
      Multi-purpose and cheap...serves as weather protection for items loaded on top of the trailer, a tent drop-sheet and it's large enough to cover both bike and trailer when you stop for lunch or overnight.
    • Light Hiking boots

      My first set finally blew apart after a couple years heavy use. Bought the replacements at SAAN in Prince Rupert for $29.99. Cheap, and they wouldn't last the year, but they got me back to Vancouver.

    • Daypack
      For getting away from the bike, or from camp, or into town. This one's specifically designed for cycling, with the ability to carry helmet, water, food, extra clothing and more.
      see contents
    • Kryptonite Evolution 2000 Series U-Lock
      For locking the bicycle frame to something sturdy.

• Louis Garneau Handlebar bag
  Chain lube, zip ties, business cards, and buddha found themselves in the outer pockets while everything else fit snugly into the main compartment.
  back to gear
• Pedro's Extra Dry Chain Lube
  For dry conditions, which I did not expect much, but came prepared anyway. Good thing too, because it hardly rained at all.
• Finish Line Cross Country Wet Lube
  Wet weather chain lube. Fortunately, I never had to break this out.
• Assorted Zip Ties

  I love these things; A couple dozen of them hold various items onto the bike and trailer. They're strong, attach extremely snugly and their usefulness is limited only by your imagination.

  While travelling China I met a couple who'd field-repaired their broken pannier rack struts using aluminum tent pegs as splints attached by zip ties. Brilliant!

• 100% DEET insect repellant
  Nasty stuff -- it'll eat right through synthetics, and don't handle plastics with deet on your fingers. On the other hand, mosquitos truly hate it.
• Small fishing tackle box
  Small plastic box with hooks, sinkers, jigs and a few spinners. Could've gotten by with no more than the sinkers and spinners, which the trout hit hard in the small rivers I fished.
• Sunglasses Case
  The case I use carries one frame and two or three replacement lenses, protecting all contents with a hard shell.
  • Spare MEC Chameleon Sunglasses frames

    I like these sunglasses with interchangeable lenses for obvious reasons: pack for multiple lighting conditions with minimal expense, space and weight. With an extra set of frames, you've got eye-protection backup, and maintain the full range of options.

    Typically, I'd ride with smoke lenses and have the second frames in reserve with clear lenses for extreme overcast and night riding.

  • 2 Replacement Lenses
    1 clear, 1 smoke lens in case of breakage, loss, scratches, etc.
• Notepad & pen
  For taking phone numbers, addresses, directions, notes, and for logging ride data.
• Trail mix in ziploc bag

  I discovered in China the value of carrying energy food at hand. Having it in the handlebar bag allows refueling while pedalling.

  Don't wait until you're hungry to replenish your stomach. Keep fueling.

• 1 spare 26" tube

  One spare here, another in the rack truck. More than two punctures in a day and I'm either digging into the Dry Sak for the other two spares or hitting the patch kit.

  More than two flats is a bad day.

• Ricoh RF-5000 35mm camera
  My
• 1 roll Fuji Velvia 35mm Color Slide Film
  This professional grade, low-grain film provides stunning colour and excellent resolution. It's a bit more expensive than Kodacolor Gold, but it's worth every penny...unfortunately, I can't find a retailer online, so I've linked Sensia 100 instead.
• 1 roll Fuji Provia 35mm Color Slide Film
  A faster professional film than Velvia makes Provia better for lower light conditions, with nearly the same resolution and all the colour. Available in 100 and 400 ASA speeds, though the 400 can be a bit hard to find....unfortunately, I can't find a retailer online, so I've linked Sensia 100 instead.
• Buddha Figurine
  For good fortune and prosperity.
• Petzl Tikka headlamp

  I went through China and the first week of this trip without one, relying on the Cateye detachable headlight for getting around camp. What an idiot.

  The Tikka's a low-wattage LED that doesn't cast nearly as much light as the halogen Cateye, but it fits snugly on your head, is small and light, and casts enough light to get on with pitching your tent, cooking dinner, and plotting the next day's ride on the maps. Three AAA batteries provide days of illumination.

• keys for Cable lock and U-lock

• MEC 11-litre rack trunk
  Auxilliary quick-access stowage. You've gotta fully dismount the bike to get in here, but 11 litres (25 lbs) is a lot of handy stuff. The trunk I took across China gave up a bit of space in favour of a water-bottle pocket.
  back to gear
• Topeak The Alien multi-tool
  Originally purchased in 1998 for crossing China, The Alien remains the best multi-tool on the market. Newer versions are even lighter.
• Rucksack Lockback Swiss Army Knife
  A 4" locking blade, a saw blade and the usual complement of Swiss Army tools. My favourite knife.
• Patch Kit

  This kit came with tire levers and I've augmented it with scads of additional patches.

  Generally, I don't bother patching tubes roadside. The result is often substandard, and it's just more convenient to change tubes. There are those bad days, however, with multiple punctures...so here it sits, easily accessible for the worst of times.

• 1 spare 26" tube

  There are 4 or more tubes spread around the bike. One in the rack trunk and one in the handlebar bag for quick access, and two more in the parts box stowed in the Dry Sak.

  With all these tubes I never have to patch on the road.

• 1 spare 16" tube
  For the BOB trailer.
• Road Maps

  On the day I collected this list, Vancouver Island and Vancouver Island North Coast. These are in the top pocket for relatively easy access. The standard fold-out map format doesn't quite fit the handlebar bag without an extra fold.

  Additional maps are buried in the Dry Sak.

• small waterproof stuff sack
  The stuff sack was perfectly sized to cram all this gear inside with good compression. The stuff sack that fit quite snugly inside the rack trunk bag.
  • MEC neoprene gloves

    For extreme wet in cold or cool weather.

    Fortunately, neither of these conditions arose, so I never got the opportunity to test these.

  • MEC neoprene socks

    Extreme wet and cold weather socks. Neoprene thin enough to wear inside your cycling shoes.

    Fortunately, it never got entirely cold or wet, so I never got the opportunity to test these.

  • shoe covers

    I did use the shoe covers and pants in some light rain on Haida Gwaii and in considerable rain and cold while in China where they performed extremely well.

    My feet particularly prone to cold so the shoe covers are great.

  • rain pants
    Light weight with an articulated knee for riding comfort. The most important feature is water repellency. Also useful for cold days for wind protection.
• Integral Designs Siltarp 5'X8'

  This tarp is extremely light and you could pack it in your pocket. I used mine frequently for secondary camp shelter, typically over the picnic table. I'd use the BOB flag pole and sticks for support poles.

  That said, next time I'll opt for the 8'X10' version. The 5'X8' tarp just barely covers a standard picnic table; keeping drips from striking the table was problematic, and in a stiff rain you really have to hunker into a tight space to stay fully dry.

• 7 aluminum tent pegs
  Additional tent pegs for staking out the Siltarp.
• 7 lengths synthetic cord
  General use utility 'parachute' cord, but used most often for staking out the Siltarp.
• Pristine water purification system

  After carrying a pump across the desert in China (used rarely but essentially), I opted this time for two small bottles of treatment. The chlorine dioxide system is apparently tasteless, with better purification properties than iodine. The two small bottles (2.8 oz/80grams) purify up to 30 gallons of water.

  Drinking water on this trip was plentiful, so I never got the opportunity to test this out.

• Daypack

  For carrying items away from the bike or camp. Contents subject to conditional needs. During a ride, however, these were the most likely contents.

  I could fit the computer in here, but its weight on top of the Dry Sak ruined the trailer's riding balance.

  back to gear
  • Taiga fleece vest
    A vest keeps the torso nice and warm, without much bulk or weight. Works well as a layer.
  • Activa weatherproof cycling jacket
    Breathability, ventilation, weather protection, riding comfort, visibility. Not a list conducive to a night on the town, but that's not what you buy this jacket for.
  • long sleeve jersey

    Thinking layers again. Snug enough for riding comfort, but loose enough to allow a couple thin layers underneath.

    The one I took is quite warm but has lousy breathability characteristics. I sweat extremely hard in it.

  • telephone cable
    For connecting the computer to the world.
  • Acoustic coupler for internet connections

    A device for attaching your modem to the telephone handset. Works great on most private phones but I've only had intermittent success with this on payphones. Often easier to wait until you find either someone who'll let you use their phone jack or a payphone with a data jack. These latter are increasingly frequent.

    I got frustrated on this trip and sent the coupler home in the early going.

  • Motorola StarTAC cell phone
    Well, what can I say. There was a time I swore I'd never own one. Now I just can't ignore the convenience.
  • Cell phone AC power cable
    My
  • Whatever fresh food was purchased that day
    Typically fresh fruit for the ride, vegetables and/or meat for dinner.
  • Eagle Creek Passage Wallet

    Stuffed w/ cash, cards, ID and receipts. Not as much cash as I'd like.

    This is a large foldout wallet with neck string, with zippered pockets large enough to hold a passport. It's what I travel with when budget backpacking. In places where I feel less secure I'll fall back on a money belt.

  • Other miscellaneous stuff picked up during the day's travels

• BOB Dry Sak
  Kayakers will be familiar with this style of waterproof bag.
  back to gear
  
  Computer

  I've carried a laptop on every journey since 1994. Primarily used for writing and keeping in contact via email, I've also tracked receipts and expenses, and logged bicycle touring statistics.

  This last use, made possible by the cycling computer on the bike, allowed me to fairly accurately plan upcoming riding days, and I learned a lot about how I tour.

  Before leaving Beijing, I input the mileages between major waypoints on my itinerary. On the road I logged daily stats, including terrain difficulty and ride difficulty. Applying the spreadsheet's graphing and statistical functions I was able to chart progress and performance and make projections, plot side trips and itinerary changes.

  • Leather computer slip-case

    Nice slip case, like a small brief case. But way too heavy for cycle touring.

    Eagle Creek makes a 'computer vault' using padded nylon (there's a link in the context panel to the right.) Something like that's much better for touring purposes.

    • Dell Latitude C400 notebook computer

      When travelling, the laptop will likely be the single heaviest item in your pack. You need to make some compromises here, and spend the extra dollars for the smallest footprint.

      I love everything about my C400 except it has an external CD drive. I'd re-evaluate that compromise next time for two reasons:

      1: no real weight or footprint savings -- laptop+external CD drive+extra cable >= laptop with internal CD

      2: It's a hassle working with an external drive.

    • A few business cards
    • A cheque book
      Don't ask me why cheques are in my computer case... They didn't fit in the passage pouch, but I could've left them in the day pack, or something.
    • Pen & pencil
  • Powersupply for Latitude C400

    It was quite a surprise when the slip case arrived and it included no pocet for the computer's power supply. !?!

    I'd keep it loose in a ziploc. Tried keeping both the computer and the power supply in a large spare Stuff Sack , but that was too awkward. Another good reason to shop around for the right travel case for your computer.

    
    
    Camping

    The intention was to camp more often than not, in the cheapest facilities possible. So a full complement of camping equipment was necessary.

    Weather was a primary concern: Prince Rupert and Haida Gwaii are among the wettest places on earth; the heat of summer was rapidly turning to the cool of fall. All gear had to be three-season capable.

  • Coleman Exponent Inyo lightweight 2-person tent

    Many considerations in tent choice. Paramount is weatherproofness. Important are weight and packing dimension and you need to tailor these to your bags. Consider the likely conditions you will be camping in, then compromise functionality before the three considerations above.

    Although I already had a serviceable one-man tent that got me across China, it wouldn't have stood up well in coastal British Columbia's heavy weather. I upgraded to something significantly more rain-proof (lighter and smaller packing dimension too!)

  • Compression sack
    • The North Face Cat's Meow Sleeping Bag

      This is the one place you cannot afford to skimp. I did and was forced to upgrade on the road or face shivering through every night of the trip. Get a tent that will keep you dry, and a sleeping bag that will keep you warm. All other considerations are secondary.

      Temperature ratings for sleeping bags are guidelines and vary in accuracy between manufacturers, and individuals. Best if you can field test it in conditions you expect to encounter.

  • compression strap
    • Generic self-inflating sleeping pad

      Way more compact and comfortable than closed-cell foam. Choose a size and thickness that compromises between weight/bulk and comfort. (ThermaRest is the way to go here. Cheap imitations are cheap imitations.)

  • Padded nylon zippered stuff 'box'
  
  A great find, it neatly fit the stove, foil windscreen and base, maintenance kit and lighter. Convenient, easily packable, and the parts are so much more accessible than a stuff sack .
  • MSR Whisperlite Stove
    A great purchase. About as light as they come yet produces plenty of heat. Designed to utilize the light-weight fuel bottle as the feed tank. Just screw the stove attachment into the fuel tank and go.
  • MSR Whisperlite Maintenance Kit
    Critical spare parts for the stove.
  • Bic Lighter
    No one has been able to explain to me the advantage of waterproof matches over a Bic lighter. If you're worried about reliability: carry two.
  • Plastic plate, bowl and mug
    Three of the most awkward items to pack. I cut the high lip of the plastic plate down to make it flatter, but what do you do with a bowl? And what about the inside of a mug? What a waste of space! Urgh.
    
  • Collapsible Water Tank, 4-litre

    For toting water to the campsite. The other option is a water bag or water sack, which packs smaller and lighter.

    I prefer the collapsible plastic tank for convenience: it stands upright on the ground or picnic table, and is less awkward to pour.

  • Cookset sack
    • 2 aluminum cookset pots w/ lids
      I sent the frying pan of this cookset home after not using it. With a one-burner stove, three cooking pans was overkill and the frying pan was the least utilitiarian of the three.
    • small squirt bottle of dish soap w/ scrub sponge in ziploc
    • spare spice containers
    • MSR folding spatula
      Looked useful when I bought it. Never cooked anything that needed flipping, though, so I posted it home with the frying pan.
  
  Clothing
  Layers. Note all the layers. T-shirt, long-sleeve t-shirt, light sweater, fleece vest, fleece jacket, cycling shell. In a pinch, I'd have a cycling jersey on over the initial tee.
  • Medium stuff sack
    Stuff sacks are great, but Eagle Creek Pack-It Cubes are better for packing clothes. See the link in the context panel to the right, with photo.
    • quick drying light pants
      Wind resistant, water repellent, quick drying, and they look like street clothes, which is good for getting on the beaten path and fading into the local crowd.
    • Cotton cargo shorts

      Convertible pants would provide an equally comfortable short and less overall weight, but I don't like the look of convertible pants.

      On the other hand, I took a pair of standard cotton shorts along. With a few spare bucks, I'd have opted for a lighter fabric.

    • long-sleeve button-down shirt
      Something for wearing around town when you want to look presentable. Use t-shirts for an underlayer in cooler weather.
    • long-sleeve tee shirt
      Thinking layers again.
    • 2 tee shirts

      Layers for day wear (cotton's not great for cycling: gets wet; stays wet; soaks sweat; smells awful.)

      Also function as my night shirt.

    • light synthetic sweat shirt
      Yet another clothing layer. Like the long sleeve jersey, this polyester item did not breathe as well as advertised, so exertion could easily cause sweating. It was great for wearing around camp with either the fleece vest, or fleece jacket.
  • Medium stuff sack
    Stuff sacks are great, but Pack-It Cubes are better for packing clothes. See the link in the context panel to the right, with photo.
    • 2nd pair Zoic Breakaway Short
      Durable, comfortable cycling wear, and something I feel comfortable wearing into restaurants, shops and other public places. Two sets of shorts and boy, could these things get rich after a couple days of riding!
    • classic lycra stretch cycling short
      A light weight option for hot weather or for layering under or over tights, etc.
    • 2nd short sleeve jersey
    • polypropylene cycling tights
      I use these for everything; for long underwear as well as for cycling.
  • compression strap

    The fleece jacket was the bulkiest item I carried, and this compression strap reduced that bulk to the minimum without reverting to the inconvenience of a compression sack.

    After rolling the fleece jacket as tightly as possible, the compression strap holds the roll snug and gets a little extra compression.

    • Columbia heavy, lined fleece jacket
      The most powerful layer against cold and it decent wind protection on its own. This is a thick fleece with a light, wind-resistant liner.
  • Small stuff sack
    Stuff sacks are great, but Eagle Creek Pack-It Cubes are better for packing clothes. See the link in the context panel to the right, with photo.
    • DeFeet Air-e-ator cycling socks

      A light, thin cycling sock with moisture wicking synthetic material.

      For warm or hot days, or as a liner for the neoprene sock on extremely wet days.

    • DeFeet Wool-e-ator cycling socks
      A mid-weight cycling sock. For cooler days.
    • 2 pair white cotton sport socks
      Something to wear with street clothes. Next time I'll trade these in for additional cyclilng socks, which are lighter and less bulky in the bags.
    • 3 pair cotton boxer briefs
      In a pinch, two pairs would be sufficient for street wear purposes.
    • Laundry stuff sack
      I had some detergent packages in here at the end of the trip. One laundromat sold no detergent, so I bought a box of packets. I was a hit at the hostel later when I handed out the excess.
    
    
    Food
  • SealLine See Bag 5 Dry Bag

    Clear so you can see what you're after; dry to keep water out and food smells in (out of bear noses.)

    On the very first day out, I didn't bother cacheing the food bag--there were no bears in the area. So, instead, the squirrels nibbled holes into it. Sigh. Break out the duct tape.

    Always cache your food!

    • Hot chocolate mix

      Breakfast was typically a couple packets of oatmeal (with additional dried fruit mixed in) and a cup of hot chocolate mix.

      Rather than individual serving bags, I'd buy a tin and transfer it to a ziploc bag.

    • Powdered milk
      For making milk-based soups, adding to oatmeal and other situations calling for milk.
    • Trail mix

      M&Ms, Reeses Pieces, granola, dried fruit, assorted nuts, etc.

      To save money, I bought most of the ingredients in bulk, separately...and brought way too much. On departure there must have been 3 or 4 kilos of the stuff (6 or 8 lbs)! So much, there was still some left when I returned.

    • spices (dill, salt, pepper, oregano)
    • Assorted instant oat packets
      Yeah, single-serving packets are a huge waste of space, but I like the instant variety of flavours available.
    • rice
    • lemon juice in squeeze bottle
      For cooking the fish, man.
    • canola oil in squeeze bottle
    • Assorted instant soup and stew mixes

      Straight from your grocer's shelves. Read the ingredients carefully to make sure you're getting decent nutrition.

      Some mixes call for adding milk: substitute milk powder and the appropriate amount of water.

      Add fresh vegetables, mushrooms sausage, fish, etc., as available.

    • Lexan 4 piece cutlery set
    • tin foil

      Not the whole roll, about 3 metres folded up.

      Quick&Easy campfire fish:

      Place fish on a sheet of tin foil.

      Mix dill, lemon juice, canola oil, pepper to taste.

      Pour over fish.

      Wrap tinfoil snugly around dressed fish.

      Place on low campfire coals.

      Turn once or twice until fish smells done.

      Enjoy!

  
  Personal health & hygiene
  • First Aid Kit
  • travel towel
  • Toiletry kit
    • Toothbrush & toothpaste
    • Razor, shaving gel, spare blades
    • Combined shampoo/conditioner in squeeze bottle
    • soap in travel case
    • Q-tips
    • multi-vitamins
    • Ibuprofen
    • hair brush
    • deodorant
  
  Bike parts&tools/business/computer/miscellaneous
  • Shoe box

    More crush-proof than a stuff sack. I applied packing tape to all external surfaces for increased toughness and moisture retardation.

    Amazing how much stuff you can stack in a shoebox.

    • Bontrager spare semi-slick tire

      A kevlar-beaded tire so it can fold up into a neat little package, and then pop out of the pack when needed, all nice and round.

      As per the longer note for tires above, when choosing a tire go for high inflation and the proper balance of traction and low-rolling resistance for the surfaces you're most likely to ride.

    • B.O.B. Quick-Release Skewer

      Good thing I brought an extra...I bent the original. You can ride a bent quick release, but it's weaker and has a higher probability of catastrophic failure, so best to play it safe if you've brought along an option.

      The first quick release had taken me across 6,000 km of often rough Chinese roads, so it's not like these things bend or break all the time. Other riders have been less fortunate, though.

    • ATB Brake Cable
      Happily, I've never needed to use the spare brake cable. I can think of at least one condition for which I'd be thankful to have it along.
    • ATB Shifter Cable
      Happily, I've never needed to use the spare shifter cable either.
    • ViseGrip Long Nose Locking Pliers

      Other people opt for a multi-tool with pliers. I prefer a Swiss Army Rucksack knife and these compact ViseGrips. More weight, but the visegrips are more powerful and functional than the pliers on a multi-tool.

      They were exceedingly useful in China for a variety of tasks.

    • Assorted Zip Ties
      Light, durable, strong. There are at least a couple dozen strapping various things to the bike and trailer frames. The most useful item in the pack.
    • Duct tape

      You only need two things in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop.

      Never used this on the trip, though some was used to jury-rig the mount for the handlebar bag. It would be too scary to travel without this singularly useful stuff.

      In lieu of WD-40, I carried chain lube.

    • Electrical tape

      Electrical tape has certain advantages over duct tape. On reflection, though, these are primarily cosmetic--black and smooth versus the ragged pewter finish of duct tape.

      Next time around, I'll leave it behind.

    • spokes and nipples

      The longer the trip, the more likely you'll be needing these. Never broke them out on this trip, but in China I nearly went through them all.

      See the kevlar emergency spoke link on the right. Great for temporary roadside repairs, particularly for cog-side spokes.

    • spare chain links

      Another item I never needed on this trip, but which sure came in handy in China.

      In fact, in China I carried an extra chain!

      For a cog-set removal method using your spare chain, see the Random Notes on Cycling China page (there's a link in the Context bar to the right.)

    • assorted nuts & bolts
      Ideally, carry a couple replacements for every type of fastener on the bicycle. More for longer duration journeys in remote areas, particularly for fasteners which often vibrate loose, such as on pannier racks.
    • roll of Velcro
      About 2' of hook&loop strap. Useful for fastening items which are used often or, in a pinch, adequate as a compression strap.
    • synthetic 'parachute' cord
      Strong & light. Useful stuff, particularly for erecting tarps when the picnic table's too far from the trees. Carry several extra metres of the stuff.
    • couple hundred business cards
    • ziploc full of receipts and other paper work
    • additional maps
    • CDRW drive for Latitude C400
      A bit of a pain in the neck. Fortunately, used rarely. Indeed, I probably could have gotten away with not bringing the external drive at all.
    • CD wallet
    • Blank discs, backup discs, software
    • DC to AC inverter, auto adaptor

      A handy device for powering up all your electronics from your car. Plug it into the car's cigarette lighter and then plug your device into the AC output plug. Works great!

      But, I don't know what I was thinking--this is a bike tour! I sent it home without ever using it.

    • 2 spare compression straps
    • Spare ziploc bags
      I carry several in both small and large sizes, the heavy duty kind. My preference is those zipper-lock ones, with the pull tab you slide across the bag to seal it. They're the toughest and, they're easiest to seal.
    • Doris Lessing's novel Shikasta
    • Several rolls Fuji Velvia & Provia Color Slide Film

      Storage for both unexposed and exposed film.

      Velvia and Provia are professional slide films and produce rich, saturated colours with fine detail. Great stuff for fine art travel photography.

      If all you want to do is record your trip with snapshots, I'd go digital, particularly if you're already carrying a laptop. See the context bar at right for a digital camera recommendation.