Planning: Gear (Update)

In this post I explain the changes I've made since I published Planning: Gear. The biggest change is with regard to the rear bag, so I'm going to discuss that change first, even though it requires putting the sections of this post out of numerical order.

To organize my gear I will be using durable mesh bags of various sizes all made by Walker Bags. I highly recommend these quality bags.

At the end of this post there is an outline of how I will pack my gear, a complete list of my gear, and a list of gear still to be chosen.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

7. Bags

When the large Ortlieb saddle bag arrived, I discovered that it needs 5.5 inches of seat post to be attached properly, but there is only 3.75 inches of seat post available. So this bag is not an option. Too bad I didn't read the specs before buying the bag.

There's enough seat post available to mount the medium Ortlieb saddle bag, but the bag is a little small for my needs. In addition to carrying my clothing, toiletries, sleeping bag, and air pillow, the rear bag also needs to carry the tent pole folded into a 19-inch bundle. I find it difficult to pack either of these saddle bags because of their non-rectangular shape.

It appears that my best option is the XLC trunk bag (apparently this model no longer available) shown below on a rack like the one in the picture except without side bars for panniers.

Ready for my ride home on May 30, 2016

I will pack my clothes, sleeping bag, air pillow, and keyboard in the main compartment of the XLC bag (shown expanded in the pictures above and below) and my toiletries and cleat covers in the four compartments on the outside of the bag. I will use the pairs of velcro straps on the right outside of the bag (shown below holding an air pump) to hold the tent-pole bundle. I hope to be able to start my trip with the main compartment not expanded, so that I have reserve capacity if needed.

I've been using this bag since I bought it at Al's Cycle Solutions for my first multi-day trip on this bike in May of 2016 (the first picture above is from that trip), so I like the idea of taking it on my 4000-mile trip this summer. You stick with the girl you took to the dance, right?

The handlebar bag weighs a total of 26.7 ounces, which I will reduce to 23.2 ounces by leaving the shoulder strap and internal divider at home.

The total weight of the three bags (handlebar, top tube, trunk) and rack is 4 pounds 1 ounce, so I've increased the weight by one pound by replacing the large saddle bag with the trunk bag and rack.

1. Bike and Accessories

In order to hold the trunk bag I will have a Delta Megarack Post Haste rack weighing 18.3 ounces mounted on my seat tube.

3. Personal items

I will use a 3" x 4" mesh bag as my change purse.

I thought that I would be able to take just a straight finger-nail clipper but I found that a straight clipper does not work well for my fingernails. I will therefore take a curved finger-nail clipper, a straight toe-nail clipper, and a file.

For decades I've been shaving with an electric shaver but it's much too bulky and heavy (7.6 ounces) to take on my trip. I saw an ad for Defender Razor on Facebook and ordered one. It weighs just 1.2 ounces and even without any sort of shaving oil I'm able to get a sufficiently close and comfortable shave for a bike trip.

After much consideration I've decided to take a 16-ounce bottle of contact-lens cleaner and carry it in the water-bottle carrier of my trunk bag. I need one third of an ounce of contact lens cleaner every day, so this bottle will last 48 days, after which I will replace it with another 16-ounce bottle. A full 16-ounce bottle weighs 18 ounces (16 ounces for the liquid plus 2 ounces for the bottle itself). Because I will be consuming the liquid throughout my trip, the average weight of the bottle will be 10 ounces, which is 7.5 ounces more than the average weight of a 3-ounce bottle. It's worth carrying that extra weight in order to avoid the trouble and expense of dealing with buying 3-ounce bottles every nine days, or of shipping them in advance to homes where I'll stay.

4. Electronics

My Bluetooth keyboard has no command key but does have a function key which can be used with the F4, F5, and F6 keys for selecting all, copying, and pasting. However, my friend Dick Demenus showed me that the Windows key works the same as the Command key, so I will not need to use the function key. What a help that will be!

5. Tools, Parts, and Supplies

I will take a sharp knife which weighs 1.5 ounces.

* * *

How I Will Pack My Gear

Following the adage A place for everything and everything in its place, and choosing the places in order to make accessing items as easy as possible, I have refined the packing of my gear now that I have the three main bags I will use as well as the mesh bags. My handlebar bag will contain gear I need throughout the day, my top tube bag will contain gear I use only when camping, and my saddle bag will contain gear I need only at night.

1. Handlebar Bag
1. Main compartment
1. Zippered pouch
1. Wallet
2. Change purse
3. Knife
2. Sunscreen
3. Battery, cables, and adapter (in a 3.5" x 7" mesh bag)
4. Cable lock
5. Clear goggles
6. Rain jacket (in stuff sack of footprint)
7. Supplies except for shop gloves and rag (in a 4" x 9" mesh bag)
8. Shop gloves and rag (in a clear vinyl bag)
9. Parts except for tubes (in a 3.5" x 7" mesh bag)
10. Tubes (2)
11. Food
2. Right outside zippered pocket
1. Tire levers (in a 3" x 4" mesh bag)
2. Multi-tool
3. Left outside zippered pocket
1. Headlamp
2. Bluetooth earpiece
2. Top Tube Frame Bag
1. Tent except for pole, stakes, and lines
2. Air mattress and footprint (in stuff sack of air mattress)
3. Sleeping bag liner
3. Trunk bag
1. Main compartment
1. Clothing except for rain jacket
2. Sleeping bag
3. Inside pouch
1. Bluetooth keyboard (in a plastic bag)
2. Air pillow
3. Extra contact lenses
2. Outside left
1. Velcro pocket
1. Cleat covers
2. Water-bottle carrier
1. Contact-lens cleaner
3. Outside right
1. Zippered pocket
1. Toiletries except for contact-lens cleaner, extra contact lenses, shampoo, and liquid soap (in a 7" x 9" mesh bag)
1. Velcro straps
1. Tent pole, stakes, and lines 
4. Outside rear zippered pocket
1. Shampoo
2. Liquid soap

* * *

Complete List of My Gear

I've omitted brand names and model numbers in the list below. Click the link to see the exact item I'm taking.

1. Bike and Accessories
1. Bike
2. Water bottles (2)
3. Lights
1. Front
2. Rear
4. Air pump
5. Rear rack
6. Phone mount and cover
7. Cable lock
2. Clothing
1. Bike
1. Shirts (2)
2. Shorts (2) 
3. Socks (2 pairs)
4. Shoes
5. Helmet
6. Gloves
7. Rain jacket
2. Off-bike
1. Shirt
2. Convertible pants
3. Lycra underwear (2)
4. Shoes
5. Swimsuit, cap, and goggles
3. Personal items
1. Wallet
2. Change purse
3. Sunglasses and clear goggles
4. Cleat covers
5. Sunscreen
6. Toiletries
1. Eyes
1. Contact lens cleaner (16-ounce bottle)
2. Contact lens cup
3. Saline solution (2-ounce bottle)
4. Contact lenses (three extra pairs)
2. Teeth
1. Folding toothbrush
2. Toothpaste
3. Floss
3. Hair and Skin
1. Shampoo (3-ounce bottle)
2. Liquid soap (3-ounce bottle)
3. Skin protectant (1.75-ounce tube)
4. Shaving
1. Razor and extra cartridges
5. Nails
1. Finger-nail clipper, toe-nail clipper, and file
7. Food
4. Electronics
1. Cellphone
2. Bluetooth earpiece
3. Bluetooth keyboard 
4. Battery and cables (USB to micro-USB, USB to Lightning) and adapter to charge iPhone, earpiece, and keyboard
5. Tools, Parts, and Supplies
1. Tools
1. Multi-tool
2. Tire levers (3)
3. Knife
2. Parts
1. Tubes (2)
2. Brake pads (2 pairs)
3. Lithium batteries
1. For air pump
2. For front and rear lights and headlamp
4. Master links
3. Supplies
1. Tire patch kit
2. Air mattress patch kit
3. Lubricant (2-ounce bottle)
4. Electrical tape
5. Shop gloves (6)
6. Rag
6. Camping gear
1. Tent
2. Footprint
3. Air mattress
4. Air pillow
5. Sleeping bag
6. Sleeping bag liner
7. Headlamp
7. Bags
1. Handlebar bag
2. Top-tube bag
3. Trunk bag

* * *

List of Gear Still to be Chosen

1. Bike and Accessories
1. Phone mount and cover
2. Cable lock
2. Clothing
1. Off-bike
1. Shirt
2. Convertible pants
3. Shoes