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Packlist

Bicycle Junkies1220.2k views

So, this is what we carry around on our current world tour across the Americas. If you have any comments or want to know more about why we carry this load (and the massive amount of camera gear!!!), please do not hesitate to leave a comment!
For normal 3-4 week tours we travel a lot lighter!

Packlist for long distance cycling


This is what we took on our long distance ride, Elmar carries more than I do. I don’t have that huge rackpack 😉

 

Extensive packlist for long distance bicycle touring

Front pannier Elmar 1

Elmar’s Front Pannier 1

  1. 1. Vaude cycling shorts (3x)
  2. 2. tropical hat and The North Face windstopper hat
  3. 3. Therm-a-Rest NeoAir All seasons mattress
  4. 4. Mesh with Smartwool socks and underwear
  5. 5. Mesh with sleeping gear: pillow, pillow cover, Petzl headlamp, thermal underwear
  6. 6. Vaude shorts
  7. 7. Mesh with tooth brushes, tooth paste, deoderant, sun protection
  8. 8. Rudy Project sunglasses
  9. 9. Vaude Sport towels and washcloth
  10. 10.Topeak Minimorph pump
  11. 11.Swim shorts
  12. 12.Spare Gates CDC belt
  13. 13.Inner liner
  14. 14.iPod

Front pannier 2 Elmar

Elmar’s Front Pannier 2

  1. 1. Mesh with Buffy, Vaude waterproof helmet cover and Sealskinz gloves
  2. 2. Gore Bikewear Rain trousers
  3. 3. Agu long bicycle trousers
  4. 4. Bicycle shirts short sleeves (3x)
  5. 5. Vaude windproof Air Jacket
  6. 6. Arc’Teryx windstopper fleece
  7. 7. Arc’Teryx Gore-tex hardshell
  8. 8. Vaude knee pads
  9. 9. Craft baselayer long sleeves

Rear pannier Elmar 1

Elmar’s Rear Pannier 1

  1. Mesh with bicycle repair parts
  2. Mesh with Kitchen tools and spices
  3. Peanut butter
  4. Pasta sauce
  5. Spaghetti
  6. Cutting board
  7. Lonely Planet and maps
  8. Tea
  9. Optimus cookware
  10. Rohloff oil
  1. Coffee
  2. Mesh with cutlery
  3. Sea to Summit foldable plates
  4. Breakfast
  5. Oatmeal
  6. Milk powder
  7. MSR XGK-EX spareparts
  8. Foldable cups
  9. MSR XGK-EX stove
  10. Tea towel

Rear pannier 2 Elmar

Elmar’s Rear Pannier 2

  1. WD-40
  2. Katadyn Pocket waterfilter
  3. Toiletries
  4. Shampoo and soap
  5. Diary
  6. Shaver
  7. Spare parts for mattress, pillow and waterfilter
  8. Medication
  9. Inner tubes
  10. World plug
  1. Magura break pads
  2. Deet Anti Mosquito
  3. Mosquito headnet
  4. Mesh with chargers
  5. Tools and bicycle parts
  6. Leatherman
  7. Parktools toolset
  8. Spokes within spare tent pole
  9. Tyre repair set
  10. Medical passports

Elmar’s Top case

Elmar’s Top Case

  1. Hilleberg Nammatj 3GT tent
  2. Thermos bottle
  3. Gitzo tripod
  4. Bever ‘zitlap’
  5. Crocs

Clothes Elmar is wearing

Elmar’s clothes for mild-cold temperatures

  1. Arc’Teryx fleece
  2. Icebreaker 200 baselayer
  3. Hanwag Alaska Gore-tex boots
  4. Icebreaker 260 midlayer
  5. Fjallraven G1000 trousers

Ellen’s Front pannier 1

Ellen’s front pannier 1

  1. Cumulus Teneqa 700 down sleeping bag and Mammut stuff sack
  2. Therm-a-Rest NeoAir All season mattress
  3. Vaude Sporttowels and wash cloth
  4. Cocoon Inner liner
  5. Earplugs
  6. iPhone
  7. Knive
  8. Pumpsack
  9. Petzl headlamp
  10. Pillow cover
  11. Therm-A-Rest NeoAir Mini Pump

Ellen’s front pannier 2

Ellen’s front pannier 2

  1. Arc’Teryx Fleece
  2. Fjallraven G1000 unzippable trousers
  3. Cycling shorts (2x)
  4. T-shirt
  5. Vaude knee pads
  6. Mesh with underwear and Smartwool socks
  7. Long bicycle trousers
  8. Odlo Thermal underwear
  9. Bicycle shirts
  10. Lucky dolls
  11. Buffy
  12. Spare Gates Carbon belt

Ellen’s rear pannier 1

Ellen’s rear pannier 1

  1. Mesh with gloves
  2. Tropical hat
  3. Cumulus Teneqa 700 down sleeping bag and Mammut stuff sack
  4. Family pictures
  5. Warm hat
  6. Foldable kitchen sink
  7. Mammut pillow
  8. Down jacket
  9. Mosquito headnet
  10. Coca-Cola
  1. Cleaning gel
  2. Twix & Snickers
  3. MacBook Air
  4. Paper napkins aka Toilet paper
  5. Canon lens

Ellen’s rear pannier 2


Some fixed camera lenses were replaced by a zoom lens…

Ellen’s rear pannier 2

  1. Canon lens 300mm f/4.0
  2. Canon lens
  3. Canon lens
  4. Canon lens
  5. Canon Camera in Lowpro camera bag
  6. Lens filter
  7. Lee filters
  8. Arc’Teryx windproof jacket
  9. Sea to Summit foldable backpack
  10. Bikini
  1. Camera batteries
  2. Arc’Teryx Gore-tex jacket
  3. Mesh with various spareparts and repair kits
  4. Gore Bikewear Gore-tex rain trousers
  5. First Aid kit
  6. Western Digital external harddisk
  7. Hilleberg mesh and inner pole holders
  8. Cycling short

Ellen’s Top Case


The spare tyre we send home after a couple of months

Ellen’s Top Case

  1. MSR fuel bottle and pump
  2. Alite mini chair
  3. Spare Schwalbe Mondial tyre
  4. Ortlieb water bags 4L (2x)

On the bikes

On the bikes

  1. Vaude frame bags
  2. Map
  3. iPhone
  4. GoPro Hero HD3
  5. Garmin GPS Map 62 ST
  6. Bush+Muller Battery pack
  7. Cateye Enduro 8 speedometer
  8. Wallet
  9. Abus Cinus lock
  10. Axa Ferrox lock
  11. Busch+Muller E-work

 

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12 comments

Marco van Hummel April 10, 2015 - 22:25
Dear Elmar and Ellen , It's an inspiring journey you make and a good website! One great adventure! Now I have a question about your view about panniers. Front Bags are of course necessary if you 're on the road as long as you, but my ambition is to make cyclingtrips lasting only about a week to two weeks. In my view for this goal two backup rollers and a rack pack are sufficient, especially since I don't carry an extensive photographic set or something like that. (Sorry to read about the qualitie-issues of Vaude panniers because the 52ltr. volume really is an advantage) What strikes me is that you do not use handlebar bags (anymore). It seems to me especially useful for small stuff like a snack or a phone. What is your reason not to use a handlebar bag?
Bicycle Junkies April 15, 2015 - 23:16
Thanks Marco for your comment! For short trips you can easily get away with two rear panniers and a rack pack, especially if you don't carry that much photo equipment and probably a smaller sleeping bag, cloths for one weather type and less spare parts, etc. In the past we used handlebar bags and I agree, they are really handy. The thing is, it impacts your steering; you can easily say that 2kg in your handlebar bag has the same influence on your steering as 2 front panniers of 6 kg (3 each). I admit, I miss the handlebar bag sometimes for quick grabs, such as toilet paper, snack, phone and a wallet, but then again.. it only takes one second more to grab it from the rear pannier. So, I'm ok with it and don't think I will have one in the future. ;) Good luck with your choice! Elmar & Ellen
Patrick September 1, 2015 - 21:56
Hallo Ellen en Elmar, Graag had ik jullie mening,ervaring over de reistassen gekend. Zijn zij evenwaardig als hun Duitse soortgenoot (de standaard)? Het is leuk om jullie reisimpressie te volgen. Ik ben benieuwd naar het verslag van de fiets. Enyou the trip and travel safe Grtz,Patrick
Bicycle Junkies September 7, 2015 - 23:02
Hi Patrick, wij hebben helaas veel problemen gehad met de tassen: scheurende achterplaten en los springende ophanghaken. Nu weet ik niet hoe goed de Ortliebs vandaag de dag zijn, dus vergelijken kunnen we helaas niet. We zijn nu met de derde set bezig en die lijkt het vooralsnog goed te doen, hopelijk zijn ze verbeterd. ;) Leuk dat je ons volgt, we zullen snel onze impressies van de Pinion bekend maken! Grtz, Elmar & Ellen
wilchard January 3, 2017 - 14:10
Hoi Ellen en Elmar, Mooie nieuwe website. Jammer dat de pagina met reparatie onderdelen en gereedschap er niet meer op staat (of ik deze niet meer kan vinden). gr.wilchard
Bicycle Junkies January 3, 2017 - 14:18
Hi Wilchard, Is nu inderdaad wat meer verstopt, ik zal de link hier in de tekst er ook bijvoegen, maar hier kun je het artikel vinden: https://www.bicycle-junkies.com/what-tools-to-bring-on-a-long-distance-bicycle-tour/ Gr. Ellen
wilchard January 4, 2017 - 09:51
Dank je wel. Nogmaals: prachtige website (superfoto's) en we gebruiken met name deze pagina erg vaak!
Frank February 12, 2018 - 12:51
Hi, tremendous respect for you both. I am on the cusp of doing the same after many short trips. I admire your choice of gear, quality is clearly the watchword there. I have similar gear and bike. One thing i can't find but note in the gear list photo is reusable plastic food bags of a size able to take 500g or 1kg. I have tried ziplock freezer bags of all description. What are your foodbags please ?
Bicycle Junkies February 13, 2018 - 08:25
Hi Frank, thanks for your message. We use Ortlieb document bags as foodbags. Or zipock freezer bags, but they don't last as long. Good luck on your trip, enjoy!
Alan July 14, 2018 - 10:16
Great info, thank you for taking the time.
Josh February 12, 2019 - 14:21
what touring bicycle with 18 gear Pinion Gear box do you like ?????? What are your top 3 brands and models ? I am 70+ years old in NEVADA USA what to tour OFF ROAD with wide tires and racks for cargo Love your Web SITE Josh in NV where the wild horses run FREE
Bicycle Junkies February 14, 2019 - 09:09
Hi Josh, well, here are three great Pinion bikes: * Santos Travelmaster 3+ Pinion (also available with Rohloff hub) * Avaghon X29 Pinion (also available with Rohloff hub) * Idworx oPinion (or the BLT for more offroad work) I don't know if they are available in the USA, you might need to take a trip to The Netherlands (Bike4travel) ;) Thanks! And good luck finding your dream bike!
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