Touring Equipment

I guess in africa I would want to go as light as possible.. The heat could easily get to you, especially when carrying a big load. I'd probably go for a carbon disc bike with low profile CX tires.

A bit late to the party with this but a sleeping bag liner can make a difference. I've got a silk one that was about a tenner. I pack it down in my sleeping bag when out and about so you don't notice any additional bulk. Makes it warmer in the bag and easier to wash as you wash the liner and not the whole bag.

Nice. I decided to hang onto them and add in a silk liner (£15 + postage from Vietnam). I sleep pretty warm anyway so I'm sure I'll be ok.

Does anyone want one of those army poncho things for free that you can turn into a basha?

It might need a clean and reproofing.

Let me know.

pm Apollo, reckon he be interested.

I thought he was just using the utility bike to navigate the Spice Route.

Seems like overkill.

Spice Route are serious business.

Need all the biscotti he can carry.

Any recommendations for a lightweight lock to stick in a pannier on the end to end? Probably just be used for nipping into shops etc. Still undecided about whether to take my krypto new york. Seems like a lot of weight...Cheers.

The 1 quid lock at PX is allright! I used it on tour for quick shop stops etc and it was perfect in combination with a Kabrus alarm lock at night.

Thanks Machine. Think I might need something a little more substantial than that. I'm not sure my nerves could handle it, having seen these cut through with a pair of side cuts.

Still not totally decided on how to carry all my gear on my short tour in April. I have a front lowrider to carry my two panniers, but not sure how to carry the tent, sleeping bag and sleeping mat. Can I feasibly attach these to the frame with straps/bikepacking equipment or should I just get a rear rack?

cost vs future usage?

Precisely. Good point. Considering I've got an off road touring bike on it's way to me I should probably get bikepacking stuff to do the job as I won't use the rear rack that often...

@jollyjon
How about one of those folding ones? Nice cos they're small, yes little weighty but seem like they might take a couple of minutes to break at least.

Or buy a mini evo. Not that heavy but still pretty damn resilient to attacks. A primary lock for many.

@JB
If you wanna go cheap you might be able to strap the sleeping bag & mat to your bars (or even under saddle) in a drybag and strap the tent pole(s) to your top tube. If its really a short tour I assume the tent itself should be able to fit in the panniers right?

Well, it's just over 500 miles so not that short. About a week I expect. I'm staying in LA for a week and a half after it though so I'll still need to take other stuff with me that I won't necessarily use on the tour itself. Think I'll give the cheapo dry bag strapped to bars/saddle a go. Don't really wanna buy a saddlebag right now.

FedEx Jake, FedEx the stuff that you won't be using during the tour till you get to LA.

Much easier than having to carry it 500 miles just is you can wear your party pants.

And you wont have to worry bout that UPS man!

Anyone use the Mounty Space Bar? Is it any good?

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/mobile/mounty-space-bar-prod27156/

looks like a safe bet, gonna be hard to be shit

You can get them cheaper, or make your own if you have enough steerer.

15 Quid is most definitely too expensive m8. Make one yourself or google for cheaper. If I wasnt drunk as fuck I wouldve done it for ya.

Too drunk to make me one or too drunk to search Google?

Ta tho, will look at other options too.