Here was my set up for 9 days in France. Very much budget kit but it did the job. Saddle bag was an Alpkit Airlok Xtra, 13L size, which cost me £8.50. I lashed it to the seatpost with two horizontal comp[ression straps and vertical, from the top of the bag through the hole in my Romin saddle. I then strapped my sleeping mat to it, and also anything else I needed to, often things worn the day before that weren't dry yet.
The framebag cost me £12 and help all manner of crap, from tools and pumps to chargers, energy bars, maps and bike lock.
I went with a bivvi bag not tent, big mistake as I got eaten alive by the insects. Not something I had considered at all. I also spent 20 minutes trying to remove a squirming beetle from my aural canal. Not an experience I care to remember. The right tent would only bring the volume and weight up a little, so maybe a larger drybag at the rear.
Overall with careful packing it worked and was stable, apart from when I got up out of the saddle, so I avoided that. The saddlebag would bump the back of my legs at the rear of the stroke but it wasn't that annoying or detrimental to my riding. I reckon some creative use of duct tape and/or sticthing to taper the end of the bag and job's a good 'un.
The weight wasn't that noticable on the flat and I was clocking 80-100k comfortably a day, although wrists and arse began to suffer, so I remember what Ed has said and tilted the saddle back and raised the bars to give the bike a more audax-suited cabin, both of which helped my wrists, although my arse still hurt.
They say you do a trip, then look at what you did and didn't use and pack accordingly next time. I would certainly ditch the bivvi bag, ironically they are probably better for colder, wetter conditions. I also never had to wear my base layer or my rain jacket, however I would probably include both again. The best bit of kit was my swrve hoodie thing, the really thin one made from charcoal or something. Lightweight, packs down small, perfect for shoving on after a ride, on its own cool, and protects you from the sun. Although not mozzies, as I would catch them biting me through it.
Next time I would be tempted to use the saddle bag with a rear rack, a bigger saddle bag and a tent. Depending where I was going possibly a MTB or CX bike to give me more off-road options. That said the Guerc performed admirably with whatever I threw at it.
Here was my set up for 9 days in France. Very much budget kit but it did the job. Saddle bag was an Alpkit Airlok Xtra, 13L size, which cost me £8.50. I lashed it to the seatpost with two horizontal comp[ression straps and vertical, from the top of the bag through the hole in my Romin saddle. I then strapped my sleeping mat to it, and also anything else I needed to, often things worn the day before that weren't dry yet.
The framebag cost me £12 and help all manner of crap, from tools and pumps to chargers, energy bars, maps and bike lock.
I went with a bivvi bag not tent, big mistake as I got eaten alive by the insects. Not something I had considered at all. I also spent 20 minutes trying to remove a squirming beetle from my aural canal. Not an experience I care to remember. The right tent would only bring the volume and weight up a little, so maybe a larger drybag at the rear.
Overall with careful packing it worked and was stable, apart from when I got up out of the saddle, so I avoided that. The saddlebag would bump the back of my legs at the rear of the stroke but it wasn't that annoying or detrimental to my riding. I reckon some creative use of duct tape and/or sticthing to taper the end of the bag and job's a good 'un.
The weight wasn't that noticable on the flat and I was clocking 80-100k comfortably a day, although wrists and arse began to suffer, so I remember what Ed has said and tilted the saddle back and raised the bars to give the bike a more audax-suited cabin, both of which helped my wrists, although my arse still hurt.
They say you do a trip, then look at what you did and didn't use and pack accordingly next time. I would certainly ditch the bivvi bag, ironically they are probably better for colder, wetter conditions. I also never had to wear my base layer or my rain jacket, however I would probably include both again. The best bit of kit was my swrve hoodie thing, the really thin one made from charcoal or something. Lightweight, packs down small, perfect for shoving on after a ride, on its own cool, and protects you from the sun. Although not mozzies, as I would catch them biting me through it.
Next time I would be tempted to use the saddle bag with a rear rack, a bigger saddle bag and a tent. Depending where I was going possibly a MTB or CX bike to give me more off-road options. That said the Guerc performed admirably with whatever I threw at it.