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What road bike to get out of these two?

What is the easiest and cheapest way to outfit my road bike for a long distance trip?

  • My first trip is a little over 300 miles and my second is over 1000. I have a brand new road bike, so the bike itself (over $1000 bicycle) will be fine. As will I, (28yrs old and very healthy/active). I want to be able to get the most amount of gear on my bike as possible without spending an arm & a leg. My local bike shop sells a Specialized (brand) set of saddle bags. The bags are $40 for a set of two (would need 2 sets, 1 set for each wheel) plus the cost of the mounting hardware. That is just the cost to buy the equipment I am using to carry everything else (have to buy all that, too -- tent, sleeping bag, utensils, nourishment, etc...). Gear/supplies tips would be so helpful. If you took a similar distance trip, ANY recommendations? Did you camp out EVERY night? Did you ever take a shower, and how? Did you take food with you or buy it along the way? How many miles did you average per day? All advice on gear and anything else is greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot!

  • Answer:

    Ditto Boneman. I have never done 1000 but boy that does get the mind racing. On that, I would prob stay at a hotel one or two nights depending on where you were. One of my life goals is to cycle France and climb Mont Ventoux. That trip would be more hotels and a light backpack. With the trip you are talking about I would be a fanatic about weight. I would be cutting labels out of clothes to try and save weight. Anything you can buy along the way, buy it along the way. I've done 100 in a day, with moderate climbs. I had to work up to that distance and had to pay close attention to what I ate. 60 in a day with moderate climbs is no problem. I could do that right now five days in a row. The sixth day I would sleep in. I ride a carbon frame but might recommend an aluminum frame for durability on a trip of 1000.

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Cheap, light, and quality: choose any 2. Sorry, but good quality costs money. Cheap units will fail at the most inconvenient moment. I've seen it happen to others but never had a problem since I bought good quality Jandd panniers and racks from the start. Jandd is probably the best bang for your buck. They make quality products at reasonable prices. I've had mine for 10 years without a hitch. The standard panniers are water resistant which handle most lighter rain easily. If it pours, then you'll want either a dry bag or the water proof units. Water proof has disadvantages. Yes, you read that right. If you clothes get wet and you store them in the water proof panniers, they stay wet. Water resistant units often have mesh pockets to help dry things out. This is actually a pretty nice feature. The most consistently praised panniers are Ortlieb, and they cost like it too. They are waterproof. If cost is still the driving factor, then see the 2nd link below for a way to make your own out of old cat litter boxes. The last option is a trailer like the BOB Yak or Ibex. Some people love em, some hate em. While I do have experience, I highly recommend the 3rd and 4th sites below for a more thorough list of things to look for and do. Camping stores can supply you with a lot of gear that works very well for bike camping. Most of all remember that the destination is only a place, the memories come from the journey.

Boneman

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