Chris Painter pauses at the entrance to North Cascade National Park in 2021 during a tour bike ride across northern Washington with his brother Jerry. While some of their gear was similar, both riders used different approaches.
Chris Painter pauses at the entrance to North Cascade National Park in 2021 during a tour bike ride across northern Washington with his brother Jerry. While some of their gear was similar, both riders used different approaches.
A few years ago I was riding my bike from Eugene, Oregon to San Francisco. Along the way, I saw a variety of ways to do this tour biking nonsense.
I met a couple who started in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada and were pedaling to Patagonia. Their mountain bikes were so loaded with stuff, they looked like hippos plodding down the road. I saw a hippy chick in a tie-dyed skirt riding an 8-speed townie bike pulling a repurposed kid’s trailer full of her gear, and she was singing as she cranked along. I saw three large college guys from Seattle on cheap bikes cramming into a two-man tent each night and sleeping like babies. Clearly, there is no one best way to do this type of adventure.
Recently I’ve been asked by semi-curious folk about the nuts and bolts of tour biking after I did my 1,000-mile ride from Idaho to North Dakota. What kind of bike do you use? Do you haul a trailer? Do you camp or stay in a motel? What do you eat? Can I do it on my e-bike?
The answer depends on you. There’s no right or wrong equipment or strategy. There are books, YouTube video series and websites devoted to teaching tour biking, but there’s no secret recipe. As the song says, “Go your own way.”
I can, however, tell you what I used and then you can figure out your own methods.
Tour biking is similar to backpacking in that everyone has their favorite gear and their own ideas. Some folks want to bring everything for comfortable hiking and camping and put in fewer miles. While others go ultralight and do big miles, and have minimalist setups.
Keep in mind that I’m talking about self-supported tour biking. The alternative to self-supported trips are companies (or long-suffering spouses) that will feed you and haul your gear for you or even put you up in a motel each night. It will cost you dearly, but you only carry water bottles and a few snacks. Some cyclists just carry a credit card and ride from one motel to the next.
Self-supported tour bikers more commonly ride from one campsite to the next and visit grocery stores and restaurants along the way, carrying what they need with them. Remember, the less you haul along, the easier the hills will be. On longer trips, RV parks or cheap motels come in handy for occasional showers or laundry.
To get more specific, I’ve broken the gear down to three main categories: kitchen, bedroom and bike. If you already backpack, you probably have most of this gear.
— Similar to backpacking, I try to keep it simple and easy. I take one pot, an alcohol stove, fuel, utensils and food. I bring a bag of quick oats for breakfast and stop at the store for lunch and dinner foods.
— I bring a nice air mattress, a light sleeping bag and a one-man tent. My goal is to keep the combined weight of these items to less than 6 pounds. I also bring a few warm clothes for cold or wet days.
— The best bike is one you’re used to riding. It helps if you can easily hang all your gear on it. That usually means using panniers (saddle bags) hung from racks, handlebar bags, frame bags, etc. Some people like trailers, but be careful not to overload them. You’ll want to bring along a few things to repair flats or make simple adjustments. Anything more complicated, I head for a bike shop.
Also, keep in mind how you plan to transport yourself and your bike back home once you’ve ended your trip. Airlines, trains and buses will transport boxed-up bikes, sometimes at an extra fee. Bike shops usually have free boxes.
Remember that wheels on bikes have a weight limit. You may have to buy beefier wheels to easily haul your tour bike loads. In my case, the combined weight of all my gear (roughly 30-35 pounds) and my body weight come to less than 185 pounds — well within the weight limit for most bike wheels.
I met one couple from Australia riding the Pacific Coast route on a tandem bike going from Vancouver, British Columbia to southern Chile. About halfway through their trip, they started popping spokes. When you added their combined weight and all their gear, I estimated they had about 370 pounds or more on their wheels.
One final “gear” category is electronics. You’ll want a battery charger for your phone, bike computer, lights, hair dryer, etc. The charger unit can be recharged whenever you find a handy socket.
One final thought: The best way to get in shape for these trips is to ride your bike, ride it often and keep riding.
Your comment has been submitted.
There was a problem reporting this.
We welcome comments, however there are some guidelines: Keep it Clean: Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexual language. Don't Threaten: Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful: Don't lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice: No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading. Be Proactive: Report abusive posts and don’t engage with trolls. Share with Us: Tell us your personal accounts and the history behind articles.
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Invalid password or account does not exist
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account.
Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
A receipt was sent to your email.