Unless you have the money to be able to afford to
have a touring bike custom built for you, touring bikes are very
difficult, if not impossible, to purchase in Australia. Unlike
Britain and some European countries where there is a wide choice of
touring bikes, most Australian touring cyclists rely on mountain
bikes which have been adapted to carry panniers or hybrid bikes.
Many mountain bikes with front suspension systems can be adapted to
have front pannier racks fitted. Many of the Tea Tree Tourers ride
adapted mountain bikes on tours involving long distances of dirt
road riding but use traditional touring bikes when sealed roads
predominate. Tubus,
a German manufacturer of steel pannier racks has developed an
interesting front rack for suspension forks. If it is of the same
quality as their 'normal' racks, it would be well worth looking at.
Ensure that any bike that you buy for touring is
fitted with low gears to make it easier to push the bike and its
load up that steep hill. Modern mountain bike gearing systems allow
low gears to be fitted to all touring bikes. The gears on racing
bikes are too high for touring and the bikes are not suitable to
carry the luggage.
With bikes, in common with many things in life, you
tend to get what you pay for. Buy the best quality that you can
afford whether it is buying a bike or the accessories to fit on it.
Again, the quality goes up as the price goes up.
Shop around and check out what is available. Remember, the bigger
the panniers you buy, the more weight you will end up carrying. It
is a bit like Murphy's law - if you have room in your panniers,
something will find its way in to fill it.
Panniers such as Ortlieb, Carradice and Wilderness
Equipment are at the top of the range in quality and price.
Ortlieb panniers (check their
website) are advertised as waterproof. David and Noelene have used
their Ortlieb panniers extensively and can vouch for their
waterproofing. They rode through flood waters and several days rain
in Austria with no leakages. If your panniers are not waterproof and
most aren't, pack everything in one or more plastic bags.
With pannier racks, it's that price/quality question
again. Strength and rigidity come at a price. Blackburn racks are
made from quality aircraft grade aluminium and have a lifetime
replacement guarantee but there are many other brands available at
lower prices which are adequate for most touring. If you are heading
to Europe, you might like to check out the high quality but high
priced steel alloy racks made by
Tubus in Germany and
St John Street Cycles in
England.
There are three main types of lightweight camping
stove and each type has its staunch supporters.
Stoves
Gas (butane or butane/propane)
Gas stoves are light, convenient and easy to use and
the flame is easily adjustable. There is no way of telling how much
gas is left in a cylinder so you always need to carry a spare. There
are three main types of cylinder available and they are
incompatible. You have to have the cylinder which matches your
stove. There is the old style small Campingaz cylinder which cannot
be removed from the stove until it is empty and a screw on Campingaz
cylinder which is self sealing. Numerous companies such as Coleman
who now own Campingaz and Primus produce screw on self sealing
cyclinders but they are incompatible with Campingaz. Both brands are
widely available except that it is almost impossible to buy Coleman
type cylinders in France. So if you are heading to France take a
Campingaz stove. An English company has produced an adaptor which
allows the old style Campingaz cylinders to be used with a
"Coleman/Primus" style screw on stove. MSR has recently launched a
stove which accepts both Campingaz and Coleman screw on cylinders.
Methylated spirits
Owners of Trangia methylated sprits stoves are
adamant that theirs is the best stove system. It is an integrated
system where the stove and the pots all pack together which is
convenient and space saving. However, there is no way to adjust the
flame level and it is sometimes difficult to tell if the meths is
alight or not. If the burner runs empty in the middle of cooking it
is necessary to allow it to cool completely before refilling.
Trangias work best in windy conditions.
Petroleum fuels
There is a wide range of petrol based stoves. Some
of the newer models are capable of adjusting the flame level and
some will burn almost any form of petroleum fuel. These are probably
the best stoves to take on an expedition where fuel supplies may be
difficult or variable.
 Remember
all stoves and all fuels are potentially dangerous and they need to
be handled carefully.
Pots and Pans
The price range is almost as wide as the choice of
colour and metal. Aluminium, stainless steel, titanium, non stick or
plain, black, grey or shiny? It's your choice. Cooking equipment
suitable for cycle touring is available in a variety of metals,
shapes and colours.
Aluminium is lighter than stainless steel but
titanium is even lighter. Is it worth the price? Titanium pot sets
can cost up to three times the price of an equivalent stainless
steel or aluminium set but the weight savings is only about 25
percent. In other words, you are paying a lot more money for very
little gain. Non stick finishes can make life a little easier when
it comes to the washing up, but the quality of non stick finishes
varies enormously in their durability. If you want non stick
surfaces, by either the best you can afford or the cheapest. With a
cheap pot it doesn't hurt as much when you throw it away because the
surface has worn out.
What to take? Everyone has their own ideas on what
is best. Saucepan sets where a smaller pan fits inside a larger pan
are easier to pack than two pans of different shapes. For one person
on their own, you can probably get away with just one small pan but
two can make it a bit easier to prepare a meal. Not everything can
be cooked together in a one pot meal. A small aluminium non stick
frying pan like the one produced by Trangia can make frying eggs and
making omelettes a lot easier. A number of the Tea Tree Tourers
members carry small Trangia kettles to facilitate making lunch time
cups of tea but you can use one of your pots just as easily. Lesley
and Helen carried small, 20 centimetre, non stick steel woks with
them on their recent tips to Europe. They strongly recommend them
for their convenience and ease of use. These were cheap purchases
from an Asian grocery store and it didn't matter a great deal that
Lesley's only lasted the four months she was away.
The ideal cycle touring tent is as large as a hotel
room, light as a feather, packs as small as your toothbrush, strong
enough and waterproof enough to withstand storms and gales and
doesn't cost the earth. In other words, it doesn't exist.
Whatever tent you buy will be a series of
compromises. If it large and roomy, it will be either heavier or not
as strong. If it is designed to withstand winters in the mountains
it will be more expensive and heavier than a tent designed to give
you reasonable protection during the milder times of the year. And
do you need a four season tent if you only tour in summer? Aluminium
alloy poles are lighter and stronger than fibreglass which shatters
when it breaks. Tents made from polyester fabrics are more resistant
to damage from ultra violet radiation than nylon fabrics.
Good tents made from quality materials are expensive
and are a major investment. Your tent will be one of the more
expensive pieces of equipment that you buy. So spend some time
looking around at what is available. Most outdoor suppliers have
displays of erected tents so you can easily s ee
what you are being offered. Compare the materials used and their
waterproofing. If you are caught in a torrential down pour on the
west coast of New Zealand or in tropical North Queensland, a tent
with a waterproofing of 5,000 millimetres will be more reassuring
than one where the fly is proofed to 1,500 millimetres.
Finally don't buy a tent which is bigger than you
need. Remember you have to carry it up all those hills. A large tent
can give you room to have all your gear inside the tent. Gear stored
in tent annexes is more open to opportunistic theft. And, don't buy
one which is too small. Some two person tents are very squeezy
indeed and make very comfortable one person tents.
Down has long been the filling of choice for
sleeping bags. It packs small and has high lofting ability. Gram for
gram, ounce for ounce, a down sleeping bag will be warmer, pack
smaller and last longer than a bag filled with a synthetic
insulating fibre. However, down loses its insulating ability when
it's wet while the synthetic fibres tend not to. Some down bags use
a waterproof or water resistant and breathable fabric to reduce this
risk but this increases the cost.
Recent improvements in synthetic insulating fibres
has meant that the traditional advantage that down has held over
synthetics has been reduced. Anyone purchasing a new sleeping bag
should consider the synthetic filled bags along with the down filled
ones.
All the materials used to fill sleeping bags lose
their insulating capacity underneath where the fill is compressed.
If you are sleeping on a cold surface you can lose a lot of body
heat. An insulating sleeping mat will dramatically reduce this loss.
Some hardy people still use closed cell foam mats which while highly
insulating are not particularly comfortable. Us older people who
enjoy their comforts are more likely to enjoy the luxury of a
self-inflating air mattress such as a Thermarest by Cascade Designs.
These come in varying grades of comfort and insulating ability. Way
to go!
You do not need a lot of fancy lycra cycling clothes
to go cycle touring. Many people cycle quite happily for very long
distances in similar clothes to their normal day to day outfits. As
long as the clothes are lightweight, comfortable and quick drying,
they are happy. Having said that, two cycling specific items of
clothing can make a big difference to your comfort.
Padded cycling knicks are comfortable and make long
distance cycling more pleasurable. If you are not into skin tight
lycra, consider some of the many baggy, off-road cycling shorts
available with a padded insert. This gives you the best of both
worlds. Cycling knicks and padded shorts are designed to be worn
without underwear. In this way, there are no seams to chafe and
irritate sensitive parts.
You will be a lot safer on the road if you wear
brighter colours.
Leisure cycling shoes which are designed to allow
easy walking but have a sole which is stiff enough not to absorb
your precious energy will help make the kilometres pass quicker and
easier. Jogging shoes have soles which are designed to absorb impact
and a lot of energy is wasted as they compress with each pedal
stoke.
It can be quite pleasant to ride all day in the
rain if you are dressed for it can remain dry and warm. A good
quality, waterproof and breathable top worn over one or more layers
which can quickly wick your sweat from your body can make a wet day
almost enjoyable. Just remember that there is no waterproof fabric
available which is capable of wicking body moisture fast enough to
cope with the rigors of cycling up long steep climbs. On a hilly
ride or a long climb in the mountains, you will end up feeling damp.
Even the best wicking and waterproof layering system won't be able
to cope but the modern fabrics are certainly far superior to fabrics
like cotton.
In bad weather, David wears a Goretex jacket over
multi layers of synthetic wicking fabrics. On the bottom he wears
cycling tights which have a waterproof and breathable front as well
as waterproof and breathable socks.
-
Bike Equipment
-
Camping Equipment
-
Food
-
Muesli bars
-
Noodles
-
Rice
-
Cooking oil
-
Vegetables & fruit
-
Tea & coffee
-
Sugar
-
Cereal
-
Bread
-
Treats
-
Other food
-
Clothing
-
Bike shorts x 3
-
Bike tops x 3
-
Jocks & socks x 3
-
T shirts
-
Tracksuit
-
Jumper
-
Going out pants
-
Going out shirt
-
Rain jacket
-
Wind/shower jacket
-
Bike shoes
-
Other shoes
-
Thongs (rubber sandals)
-
Toiletries
-
Shampoo & conditioner
-
Soap
-
Toothbrush
-
Toothpaste
-
Hairbrush
-
Deodorant
-
Razor
-
Shave cream
-
Shave brush
-
After shave
-
Tooth picks
-
? Hair dryer
-
Incidentals
-
Sunglasses
-
Reading glasses
-
Sunscreen
-
Lip gloss
-
Tissues
-
Toilet roll
-
Watch
-
Maps
-
Insect repellent
-
Camera & film
-
Stools
-
First Aid Kit
Obviously, there is no point in carrying a
specialist tool if you do not know how to use it. Alan is a mechanic
and his tool kit reflects this. These a re
the tools he carries for an extended tour but for shorter trips
closer to home, he reduces the load by carrying a smaller tool kit.
Combination tools such as the Topeak Alien and the many others like
it, are a good compromise for shorter trips. And don't forget
your puncture repair kit and pump!
-
Tools
-
Adjustable spanner - 6 inch or 150mm
-
Allen keys - metric sizes to fit all bolts
on your bike
-
Pedal spanner
-
Spoke key
-
Cassette remover
-
Chain whip for cassette removal
-
Chain breaker
-
Tyre levers
-
Spares
-
Tube (at least one - two on longer trips)
-
Spare spokes to fit your wheels
-
Brake cable
-
Gear cable
-
Puncture repair kit (make sure the glue is
fresh)
-
Spare bolts, nuts and washers
-
4 spare chain links
-
Pump
-
Chain lubricant
-
Piece of an old tyre to act as a tyre boot
-
Spare tyre if you have an un-common wheel
size or if you are heading off the beaten track
-
Most common breakdowns
-
Broken spokes on cassette side of rear
wheel. These almost always require the removal of the
cassette. Practise removing the cassette with the tools you
are carrying.
-
5mm bolts seem to break or become loose and
fall out. Use nyloc nuts were possible or a thread adhesive.
-
Punctures and split tyres. Everyone should
know how to fix a puncture on their own. Always start a tour
with tyres and tubes in good condition.
-
Keep and eye on the spoke nipples for signs
of cracking of the rear rim. Generally speaking, eyeletted
rims are stronger than rims without eyelets.
|
