BIKING GEAR

INTRODUCTION

• We look after our gear but time and everyday use tests most equipment pretty hard. We had stars, breakdowns and dogs. We have our full equipment list below. Less is more. The trick is not how many things you can fit in your panniers, but how little you can bring for what you are doing. We used just about everything often.

• Everyone's list is different. We met one touring cyclist with a trailer; no tent but he had a hammock and plastic sheet for rain. The trailer was to haul is music and sound system around.

EQUIPMENT STARS

• ATM/Debit cards work well in all the European countries we visited (except Slovenia).
• Shimano components; we kept them fairly clean and they worked smooth all the way through.
• Bicycle shirts; loose fitting ones keep you cool and they wash & dry easy. "Sugoi" brand was especially good for us.
• "Look" SPD shoes; held well, although the plastic plates cracked towards the end of our 12,000 km (still remained functional). They eventually returned on warranty.
• Titanium pots; we have had them for years; they are light, don't bang up and keep going and going…..
• NorthFace Tekware trousers: they wash & dry easy and are guaranteed for life.
• MSR Whisperlite International stove; it runs on most anything but happy enough on petrol.
• Fleece jackets; where would we be without them?
• Western Mountaineering down sleeping bags ("ultra-lites"); light, compact and warm.
• Mountain Equipment co-op bicycle panniers and covers; still holding up after years of use.
• Plastic plates; great for salads.
• Cyclists' windbreaker; Sheila swears by her "Bellweather" jacked; it was used plenty.
• Short-wave radio; the BBC World Service kept us informed and entertained. Good batteries last a long time.

EQUIPMENT FAILURES

• Bicycle computers seem to die every so often.
• Lightweight Thermorests; delaminated and bubbled (exchanged under warranty)
• German "Jeantex" cycle rain jacket; useless.
• Bicycle helmet pads; they wear out, sweat out.
• NorthFace tent floor; the waterproofing wore out very quickly. Returned and replaced under warranty. We would still buy another NorthFace tent. The manufacturer stands behind their products! On a subsequent trip we were very disappointed with our Sierra Designs Meteor Light tent; it was not waterproof. We retrned it to the manufacturer. On our last trip to France, we used the Marmot Equinox and found it to be an excellent tent (good design and very well made).
• Cheap tires; sometimes unavoidable. They split or blow without warning. Buy the best tires whenever you can.
• Cheap wheels;on our 1999/2000 trip to Madagascar/NZ we rode inexpensive bikes. We found the components worked well but Glenn's back wheel didn't measure upto the load and broke plenty of spokes.

DOGS (Equipment that didn't measure up)

• Bicycle padded shorts; hot, smell, uncomfortable and a pain to wash/dry. We were happy without them.
• Waterproof socks (sealskins); not really required even in a very wet summer.
• Shimano cantilever brakes; we put 'kool stop' pads on them and then they worked very well.

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MOUNTED ON EACH BICYCLE

• Bicycle computer
• Bell
• Racks (lowriders on front) with elastic cord for rear rack.
• Mudguards (fenders)
• Pump (shared amongst 2); a good one.
• A good seat!
• One water bottle (you can supplement it with small PET soft drink bottles in hot weather)

• Camping carnet(very useful to provide obligatory identification at most campsites, rather than a passport. Some discounts available).
• Youth Hostel cards
• Tent (cyclists can generally bring a larger tent than they would use for back-packing)
• Camera, some film and spare battery
• Locks; Kryptonite U-lock (heavy but secure if you are planning on visiting larger towns and cities) and Kryptonite cable lock (or 2 cable locks)
• Small day pack
• Lantern (candle or gas) for the campsite if cycling in short days

Bicycle tool kit and parts (don't over do it in Europe; plenty of bike shops around)

• Good chain oil and teflon oil
• Chainbreaker (we never had to use it)
• Spare chain (not used)
• "Park" tool (allen keys and screwdrivers)
• mini vice grips
• multihead socket wrench
• patch kit and plastic irons
• rag
• small pliers
• anti-lock grease (for pedals) in ziploc bag
• emergency tire patch (for tire splitting). Piece of plastic in a pinch.
• spoke wrench
• misc allen keys
• a few nuts and bolts
• spare spokes
• wrench for pedals (for flights on airplanes)
• tool to remove the free wheel (rear wheel cluster) to replace broken spokes (for more remote trips)
• latex gloves (for bike cleaning)
• spare inner tube
• sometimes a spare tire (when one is wearing thin)
• Thermorest repair kit (used once)

• Clothes pegs
• Clothes line
• Scrubber brush
• Liquid laundry soap
• Portable folding wash basin (e.g. Ortlieb brand); not required in Europe but we used one in Madagascar and Canada/USA
• International plug

• Soap in dish
• Shampoo in travel container
• Sponge

• Sewing kit and folding scissors
• Toothbrushes, paste, floss
• Hairbrush
• Deodorant
• Creams
• Ear plugs
• Nail clippers
• Razor
• Eye visor (for sleeping)
• Lip balm
• Small mirror
• Sunscreen (tube of SPF 70 for face, SPF 20 for body)

• Duct tape, spare bike lock keys
• Painkillers (Ibuprofen)
• Band-Aids
• Polysporin ointment
• Moleskin (for hiking)
• Gauze bandage/dressing
• Lemsip (Neocitrin), anti-histamines, penicillin
• Toilet paper
• Extra ziploc bags

• Address book
• Notepad, pen, cellophane tape, envelopes
• Writing paper, diskette, traveler cheque records
• Amex addresses, a few blank cheques

• 2 interfitting titanium pots
• 2 plastic bowls
• 2 plastic plates
• 2 plastic forks, spoons and basic Swiss army knives (one with corkscrew)
• rubber gloves and detergent container (500 ml)
• 2 lighters, tiny dish towel
• MSR multi-fuel stove (whisper or dragon) Alcohol burning stove is a good alternative in Europe.
• I medium, 1 small fuel bottle (1 liter total)
• Coffee filter (nylon for making by hand)
• Plastic containers of; olive oil (500 ml), mustard (200ml) and vinegar (200ml)
• Spice kit in ziploc bags; oregano, basil, garlic powder, paprika, curry, chili, black pepper. Maggi cubes and hot sauce or chili peppers.
• Herbal teas
• Coffee
• 'Platypus' water bag (used in campsite and sometimes while riding)

• Front and rear panniers with back rain covers (the bigger they are, the more stuff you will bring with you). Waterproof panniers are preferable.
• Rain jacket and rain trousers (double layer systems or Gortex if you can afford it and keep it clean)
• Sleeping bag (we have 750 fill goose down; light and warm)
• Sleeping sheet (to save your bag from wear/dirt, provides extra warmth)
• Lightweight Thermorest (full length!!)
• Bicycle lights; front and back (used infrequently, not required for summer trips)
• Towel (hand towel size)
• Safety vest (bands, always be visible when riding!)
• Bicycle helmets with sun visors; thankfully not called into action
• SPD light cycle shoes
• Cuff (ankle) reflective band for long trousers
• Watch
• Sunglasses or clip-ones (good ones)
• Map pouch (maps must be accessible ; one only)
• Spare glasses or contact lenses (and other person specific items)
• Clear plastic glasses for non-glass wearers (because of insects)
• 1 pair of gloves; options of leather, cycling polypro, waterproof cycling gloves; all sorts of combinations possible. Leather gloves were useful for stove work and riding
• Sun hat (ball cap type)
• Thin wind jacket (optional)
• Waterproof socks (only used in very wet conditions) (optional)
• Moneybelt (for when in town);ATM card, money, credit cards, passport

Often driven by personal preferences rather than strict necessity.

SHEILA'S CLOTHING (in waterproof sack)

• Bathing suit
• 2 short sleeve cycling jerseys (loose fitting)
• 1 NorthFace Tekware long sleeve shirt
• 1 long underwear (top and bottom)
• 1 black cycling shorts (without chamois lining)
• 1 NorthFace Tekware trousers
• 1 stretch long trousers
• 4 pr underwear
• I undershirt, bra
• 3 pr. Socks
• 1 wool vest sweater
• 1 full fleece jacket
• 1 wool hat
• 1 head band (to fit under helmet; not used often)
• 1 cotton/poly summer dress
• 1 bandana (good in hot weather only)

GLENN'S CLOTHING (in waterproof sack)

• Bathing suit

• 4 pr wool socks (thin and medium)
• 4 pr underwear

• 1 NorthFace Tekware trousers
• 1 NorthFace Tekware shorts
• 1 NorthFace Tekware long sleeve shirt
• 2 cycling jerseys
• 1 pr long underwear (top and bottom)
• 1 bandana (good in hot weather only)
• 1 lightweight fleece jacket
• 1 wool hat