Touring Equipment

the following worked for me: battery, charger, handlebar (saddle) bag and or top tube bag.

ha. touring on deep crabon, I like it!

I do like the Carradice bar bag tho-looks perfect for size and fit. Going to have extra bottles mounted behind my saddle but could almost get away with having the carradice, topeak and my chrome backpack strapped to the top of my rack to save taking any panniers.

I ride 23mm tires but got the 25's for my tour and they gave great comfort, handling and didnt puncture once over almost 3000 km. Michelin Endurance Pro 4 25c.

The lock is simply perfect. It doesnt go off unless there is really being tapered with. I usually strapped my extremely cheap, small and light but proper quality cable lock around a pole or tree, my chain and chainstay and clamp the alarm lock around the cable lock, chain and chainstay. If they try to cut your cable lock, the alarm goes off. If they manage to cut the cable lock without the alarm sounding, the alarm lock will rattle against the chain, chainstay and spokes, which will activate the alarm.

I will try to contact them about the lights later. But basically what you want to look for is a 1200 lumen LED light attachable to bar and/or helm (note that for some you may need to order a separate clamp for the helmet) with about 6400mAh battery pack, for around €40 you do the math.

Honestly 2 bottles is enough as there are plenty of places for a refill if needed.
What casette are you running? For my tour I ran triple 12-28 9speed. I could have managed with a 25, even on the big cols, but I was glad to have the 28 back there to keep the cadence up anyway.

other than wearing baselayer/gabba/armwarmers should I be planning on legwarmers and/or winter tights for riding the alps in early-mid Oct?

Given that some of the passes start to get closed because of snow by the end of October I think you can assume it will be cold.

25th of July near Col du Galibier

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Tt8PKbqCWUI/UiWwOwDRQQI/AAAAAAAAApk/vWix26f6Cow/w1207-h905-no/CIMG0587.JPG

h+son sl42 and formation face.
gutted to have lost the black anodising descending in the rain on day 1. went one month without using the brake then gone in a day!

with the carradice, if you ride with your hands wrapped around the tops, then you may want to get a bar extender. bars are 44cm, fitted perfectly.

bottles on the seat stays are noiser trademarked; so even if you wanted to you'd need permission. anyway, it's only an option for those of grand stature (leg strike only avoidable on gates).

oh with a rack you'll be safe as. had zero mounts on the ridley.

ha. touring on deep crabon, I like it!

I do like the Carradice bar bag tho-looks perfect for size and fit. Going to have extra bottles mounted behind my saddle but could almost get away with having the carradice, topeak and my chrome backpack strapped to the top of my rack to save taking any panniers.

My only lights are knogs. Decent but not fucking crazy £ lights that will actually give some night visibility sans streetlights?

There's a lights thread here: http://www.lfgss.com/thread10329-55.html#post3804691

There are obvs two parts to lights; 1) being seen by others, and 2) you seeing your way.

Decent lights tend to last if they're looked after so it's something that won't be a waste if you invest in a decent one.

That said for the rear I would just go for the cheap chinese ones on ebay. As a driver IME more cheap rear lights are better than less brighter ones. I'd say definitely have at least 2 rears (one constant + 1/2 flashing). If you mount then near or over something reflective then it makes a significant visible difference from a drivers perspective. TBH reflective stuff is always great for drivers.

For the front from a visibility POV I think more cheap ones as still probably better. But if you need something for country roads then you'll want something you can actually see by. I've got a Hope and an old catseye like this:

The Hope is much nicer and brighter, but I can still see my way with the old Cateye so I reckon something like this would probably be fine as well.
The lights thread should give you a pretty good answer though.

I use one of these strapped to the handlebars or my helmet. Bright as a bastard and really tiny.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fenix-E15-Cree-XP-E-LED-CR123A-Flashlight-Torch-140-Lumens-/121074001120?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item1c3092a4e0

Alpkit branching into the world of bikepacking:

http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=category&category_id=324

a friend of mine strongly recommended a good dynohub for my upcoming tour... anybody with any experience on this? It would set me back a good £250 so i'm quite hesitant

I've got a Sony nex5 with 16mm and 18-55mm lenses. I'm undecided whether to take in addition to my iphone 4 or just use my phone. Although now I'm typing this, my phone's camera is shit and I would like to take some nice phots of the journey.

I could just take the pancake lense (16mm)...

it's a small camera anyway, i'd take it. I always put my Fuji xpro in my handlebar bag.

Blacks currently have a sale on guys. Popped in there at lunch and the Vango Banshee is £60 at the moment.

Surely the best tent for that sort of cash?

Ellis Brigham have a sale on with up to 40% off. Some nice jackets and shirts etc.

Asda also have a strange section of mini toiletry products, which might be useful for touring. Tooth pastes, body washes, mouth wash, etc etc. 3 for £3 in the Leyton store.

checking out this weekend ChrisMSG, cheers

What's the view on panniers vs a saddle bag? I overpack panniers with what feels like random crap, but then it turns out I need long-legged trousers or something that I wouldn't have otherwise taken. Will a saddle bag force me to rationalise? Are any big enough for longish tours? Or should I just stick with the panniers and carry what my legs will take?

(for explanation - had lots of knee surgery and so am not sure I can lug what I used to be able to lug quite as easily)

Maybe i'll just keep my 25's on then-really want to keep my luggage to a minimum and would prefer to be nipping along than dragging heavy tyres.

28s are great for touring IMHO. Not too heavy, not too harsh. 25s are great for going fast, after a bit of bumpiness they make my limbs feel more tired, though. YMMV, of course.

Sorry, final question. I have some reasonable Lezyne 'be seen' urban lights and an Exposure Joystick light for to see when it gets dark. Should I get a brighter rear light for touring, though? Previous tours I've been earlier in the summer and always knocked off before it got too dark.

@spenceey
For what purpose is the tent exactly? If you're in for some serious reading, here's all you need to know about tents:
https://www.lfgss.com/thread22487.html

@h2o
There are some quality saddle bags out there in different price ranges. Again, for some serious reading go here: https://www.lfgss.com/thread71480.html

As for the trousers, consider lightweight Nylon zip-offs. They saved me alot of weight, space and hassle.

I've packed my make-shift saddle bag and strapped it to the seat post and saddle rails. I"ve packed the clothes, sleeping bag and inflatable mattress as in a narrow configuration to allow my legs to pass unimpeded (approx 6cm wide at seat post ), I haven't tried riding it yet, that all comes Sunday on a trail run.

It's seems to be quite loose it terms of swing, I've got three straps on (2 around seat post and one around saddle rails) it but I don't seem to be able to ratchet enough tension to remove swinging. Would you think elasticated straps would provide more tension? How much swing should I expect, as pictured I'd say it swings 2-3cm each way when I rock the bike from side to side.

Although I always envisaged the bag rising from the rear of the saddle all a noiser's a (pictured a few posts above).

P.s. all that excess strapping will be cut and singed before riding.

a friend of mine strongly recommended a good dynohub for my upcoming tour... anybody with any experience on this? It would set me back a good £250 so i'm quite hesitant

I have had a Son Classic dynohub, on this page
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/schmidt.asp
(not made anymore, the newer ones are supposedly much better!)
and an edelux front light
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s197p1088
I recently added a rear toplight flat s plus as here:- http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/b--m-toplight-flat-s-plus/aid:450592?gclid=CM3M6c_et7kCFTLMtAodrA8AkA
difficult to get here, but very cheap and pretty good
I leave them on all the time, and never notice the drag (it is minuscule)
It means I can carry a small battery powered light for off the bike, and also have a rear battery powered led light which has the same batteries as the light, so I have a source of spares in needed.
I have used the dynamo for years, including several winters commuting, and lots of touring. I reckon if I advertised it all for sale now I would get back most of what I paid for it. Not that I am going to!

Chebeef, It would possibly help if the straps were fixed at the seatpost so they cannot just swing around the post and you are tightening against something. Tie the middle of the strap around the post then use the long ends to secure and tighten the bag. Hard to explain

Given that some of the passes start to get closed because of snow by the end of October I think you can assume it will be cold.

25th of July near Col du Galibier

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Tt8PKbqCWUI/UiWwOwDRQQI/AAAAAAAAApk/vWix26f6Cow/w1207-h905-no/CIMG0587.JPG

There's a lights thread here: http://www.lfgss.com/thread10329-55.html#post3804691

There are obvs two parts to lights; 1) being seen by others, and 2) you seeing your way.

.

28s are great for touring IMHO. Not too heavy, not too harsh. 25s are great for going fast, after a bit of bumpiness they make my limbs feel more tired, though. YMMV, of course.

Cheers for the input chaps-it's not gone unremarked and considered.

Have new leg/arm warmers in the post, cree-type front/rear lights and some cheapos, and will stick with 25's in the hope that I can ride fast enough during the day that lights won't be necessary and I can get some time to sink some beers in the evening. Am going to look like a castelli freak as since buying a fawesome gilet in May and being genuinely impressed I've now splurged on (secondhand) neon gabba jersey, and courtesy of chainreaction sale, nanoflex arm/legs warmers and also bibs.

Not seen any bar-bags better suited to my needs than the Carradice yet, only downer with that is that its not quick releasable but hey ho... think I'm better just not ever locking bike up unattended and trying to blag my it into hostels with me anyway.

Excited.

if you put your things in a waterproof bag in the carradice, you have a quick release. sorted.
having the buckles fasten from the inside means removing it is sufficiently tricky that noone is going to nick it.

i ran 28 rear 25 front (above photo).

i wish i'd had overshoes.

a friend of mine strongly recommended a good dynohub for my upcoming tour... anybody with any experience on this? It would set me back a good £250 so i'm quite hesitant

Spa have a dynohub wheel on offer, at a much reduced price
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s170p833
and with this light you would be just over budget
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s197p2030