Planning: Gear (Update II)

In this post I'll explain the changes I've made since I published Planning: Gear (Update). I'm still looking for the shoes I'll wear when not riding, so there will be at least one more update about gear. At the bottom of this post is a list of all my gear and a list of how I pack my gear. As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

The biggest change since publishing Planning: Gear (Update) is the replacement of my sleeping bag with a much smaller sleeping-bag liner. I will discuss that change first, even though it puts the sections of this post out of numerical order.

6. Camping gear

I've replaced my 25-ounce sleeping bag with a 14-ounce sleeping-bag liner that can add as much as 25°F of warmth. While the sleeping bag fits in a stuff sack measuring 6.5” x 6.5" x 8.5", the liner fits in a stuff sack measuring only 4” x 4" x 6", a 75% reduction of volume. Replacing the sleeping bag with the liner allows me to pack everything I need in the rear bag without using the expansion zipper, so I will have excess capacity for carrying food or anything else I might pick up on my trip. Using this liner along with the Cocoon Silk Mummy Liner that adds 5°F of warmth, I think I will be comfortable most nights June through August. I might feel a little cold on the coldest nights, but I think it’s worth paying that price in order to reduce the bulk and weight of what I carry.

1. Bike and Accessories

I've done a lot of experimenting with different options to determine which phone mount I will use. Because I'll use my iPhone for navigation and will sometimes be riding in the rain, I need a cover to protect my phone from water. I've chosen the Quad Lock mount with a Quad Lock case and the Quad Lock poncho.

I plan to keep my bike with me, or near me, at all times, but sometimes I might need to lock it up. For example, when I'm sleeping outside I will have my bike locked to my tent. For use in such situations I will take a 60-inch Ottolock which weighs 9 ounces.

Because I've broken three spokes on my front wheel and five on my rear wheel, I asked Hal Ruzal of Bicycle Habitat to replace the spokes on both wheels. When Hal inspected my wheels he recommended I buy new rims (specifically Mavic Open Pro) because of the age of the rims. At first first I was going to use the hubs from the old wheels to build new wheels, but then I looked on eBay and bought a pair of new-old-stock Shimano Dura Ace Series 7400 hubs. When I told my friend Tom Reingold, known on the internet as "noglider", that I was having Hal build wheels for me, he said I should do it myself and that he would teach me how. I accepted Tom's offer and I will be riding wheels that I will have built myself.

I will take a few reusable cable ties which I could use for various purposes.

2. Clothing

For off-bike, I'm taking only one shirt, one pair of pants, two pairs of underwear, and one pair of shoes. Other than my riding clothes, these will be the only clothes I wear every day for 75 to 90 days, so they must all serve their purpose perfectly well and I have to feel great wearing them.

I will take a black short-sleeved wool t-shirt made by Wool & Prince. It looks and feels great.

I will take a pair of North Face convertible pants that I will usually wear as shorts. Not only do they fit perfectly, they look dressier than camping pants even though they have several extra pockets (all of which are discreet).

 

As I wrote above, I'm still looking for the shoes I will wear when not riding.

So that medical personnel would know who I am and whom to contact in case of an emergency,  I will wear a ROAD iD on one of my biking shoes and will pay $10 per year for an online profile.

3. Personal items

I had previously planned to use one of my riding t-shirts to dry off after a shower, but because of the space made available by replacing my sleeping bag with a sleeping-bag liner, I've changed my mind and will take a micro-fiber towel that weighs 4.2 ounces.

I've decided to take tooth powder rather than toothpaste. I expect a 2-ounce bottle to be more than enough for my entire trip.

I will take a 1.69-ounce refillable bottle of saline for rinsing my contact lenses. This bottle flat packs better than a round bottle and its cap is secure.

I will take a case for my contact lenses.

In order to protect and improve my distance vision I always use reading glasses over my contact lenses whenever I read or do other close work for more than a minute or so. I'll be taking ThinOptics reading glasses, whose case measures 2" x 3.75". The case and the glasses weigh 0.6 ounces

Chris Barker, a friend from graduate school, reminded me to take insect repellent. I will take a 4-ounce bottle of Picardin lotion, which is considered as effective as DEET without the toxicity.

4. Electronics

For use while typing on my Bluetooth keyboard, I will take a phone stand slightly smaller than a credit card and weighing 0.4 ounces to hold my phone at an angle, rather than horizontal.

Having decided to use my rear trunk bag (rather than a saddle pack) and to carry my keyboard in it, and because of the space made available by replacing my sleeping bag with a sleeping-bag liner, I considered taking an Apple bluetooth keyboard rather than a folding keyboard. The Apple keyboard weighs 8.2 ounces (1.8 ounces lighter than the folding keyboard) and has a command key, whereas on the folding keyboard I would need to use the Windows key which is in a slightly different location. But because the Apple keyboard does not fold I would not be able to store it in the inside pocket of the trunk bag. I am therefore going to stick with the folding keyboard.

5. Tools, Parts, and Supplies

I will take a paring knife that weighs 1.4 ounces.

I considered taking a cone wrench for centering my brakes but I'm able to center them without that tool so I will leave it at home.

7. Bags

I had Uriel Gurgov of Uriel's Shoe and Watch Repair close a seam of my XLC trunk bag that had opened and shorten the bag's velcro straps for maximum effectiveness. Since I moved to Manhattan in 1995, Uriel has added pieces of leather to the bottoms of my toe covers, replaced the velcro on my biking shoes, and put new soles and heels on several pairs of my dress shoes. I highly recommend him for his great work.

* * *

How I Will Pack My Gear

A (logical) place for everything and everything in its place

1. Handlebar Bag
1. Main compartment
1. Zippered pouch
1. Wallet
2. Change purse
3. Paring knife
2. Cover for phone (when not in use)
3. Sunscreen
4. Battery, cables, and adapter (in a 3.5" x 7" mesh bag)
5. Cable lock
6. Clear goggles
7. Rain jacket (in stuff sack of footprint)
8. Supplies except for shop gloves and rag (in a 4" x 9" mesh bag)
9. Shop gloves and rag (in a clear vinyl bag)
10. Parts except for tubes (in a 3.5" x 7" mesh bag)
11. Tubes (2)
12. Reusable cable ties
13. 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 2
3. Trunk bag
1. Main compartment
1. Clothing except for rain jacket
2. Sleeping bag liner 1 and air pillow (in stuff sack of sleeping bag liner)
3. Towel
4. Inside pouch
1. Bluetooth keyboard, phone stand, and reading glasses (in a plastic bag)
2. 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
3. Insect repellent

* * *

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, case, and cover
7. Cable lock
2. Clothing
1. Bike
1. Shirts (2)
2. Shorts (2) 
3. Socks (2 pairs)
4. Shoes
5. ROAD iD
6. Helmet
7. Gloves
8. 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. Towel
7. Reading glasses
8. Insect repellent
9. Toiletries
1. Eyes
1. Contact lens cleaner (16-ounce bottle)
2. Saline solution (1.69-ounce bottle)
3. Contact lens cup
4. Contact lens case
5. Contact lenses (three extra pairs)
2. Teeth
1. Folding toothbrush
2. Tooth powder (2-ounce bottle)
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. Razor and extra cartridges
4. Nails
1. Finger-nail clipper, toe-nail clipper, and file
10. Food
4. Electronics
1. Cellphone
2. Bluetooth earpiece
3. Bluetooth keyboard
4. Phone stand
5. Battery, cables (USB to micro-USB, and 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. Paring knife
4. Reusable cable ties
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
5. Extra shaving cartridges
3. Supplies
1. Tire patch kit
2. Air mattress patch kit
3. Lubricant (2-ounce bottle)
4. Electrical tape
5. Plastic bags for keyboard
6. Shop gloves (6)
7. Rag
6. Camping gear
1. Tent
2. Footprint
3. Air mattress
4. Air pillow
5. Sleeping bag liner 1
6. Sleeping bag liner 2
7. Headlamp
7. Bags
1. Handlebar bag
2. Top-tube bag
3. Trunk bag