How I Pack My Gear - Cross Country 2024

This page describes the way I packed my gear for my Cross Country 2024 trip.

I planned to be camping when the temperature might be as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit. I expected that many days it would be in the 90s during the day but I was advised that until I got to Colorado there could be temperatures below 50 during the riding hours.

I pack according to the adage A place for everything and everything in its place, and choose the places in order to make accessing items as easy as possible. Here are two rules I follow:

• Items needed during the riding day must be in the handlebar bag, in the saddle bag, on top of the trunk bag, or mounted to the frame of the bike.
• The top-tube bag may carry only camping gear.

According to these rules, the handlebar bag may, and did, carry items not needed during the riding day, and all three bags other than the saddle bag may, and did, carry camping gear.

The total weight of my bike and the loaded bags was 62.4 pounds. This was the heaviest I've ever ridden my bike.

See Complete List of My Gear for a list of my gear organized by type, rather than by where packed, including links to the specific items I own. The links in the outline below refer to lists on that page.

See also Review of My Gear.

Missing from the pictures above is the bottle of bear spray that was carried in the cage on the handlebar. Also missing is a pair of Infinity Tool straps used to secure the blue and orange stuff sacks to each other. The green bungee cords were eventually replaced with a pair of Voile rack straps.

How I Pack My Gear

• BIKE - 30.6 pounds
• Handlebar
• Mount for handlebar bag
• Phone mount and phone
• Mount for bear-spray cage
• Bear-spray cage
• Bear spray
• Left and right mirrors
• Left fork blade
• Front light
• Down tube
• Water bottle in cage
• Seat tube
• Rack
• Spare tire in a custom-made bag secured under rack with two Voile straps
• Water bottle in cage
• Air pump
• Left seat stay
• Rear light

• HANDLEBAR BAG - 8.6 pounds
• Main compartment
• Zippered pouch
• Wallet
• Change purse (3" x 4" mesh zip case)
• Pen with rubber tip for phone screen
• Bluetooth earpiece (when not in use) in a small bag
• 6 mm hex key (to install stem)
• Key holder
• Key for handlebar bag
• Key for trunk bag
• Cutlery in utensil bag
• (2) bungee cords in a bag (when not in use)
• Rain jacket in a sock as a stuff sack (i.e., stuff sock)
• Sunglasses, clear goggles, and reading glasses in a bag, each in a cloth bag
• Cable lock
• Water filter cap in stuff sack of water bladder
• First-aid kit
• Camping supplies in a 3.5" x 7" mesh zip case
• Bike parts (all except inner tubes) in a 4" x 9" mesh zip case
• (2) inner tubes
• Biking supplies (all except shop gloves and rag) in a 4" x 9" mesh zip case
• Shop gloves and rag (in a ziplock bag)
• Electronics accessories (except one battery connected to phone) in a 4" x 9" mesh zip case
• Velcro strap
• Battery connected to phone
• Right outside zippered pocket
• Headlamp
• Pump for air mattress
• Clothesline
• Left outside zippered pocket
• Tools in a 3.5" x 5" mesh zip case

Handlebar bag and its contents - 8.6 pounds

Missing from the picture above are two bungee cords in their bag.

• TOP-TUBE BAG - 3.0 pounds
• Light sleeping-bag liner in its stuff sack
• Footprint folded in eighths wrapped around air mattress folded in quarters
• Tent body and rain fly in stuff sack of air mattress
• Air pillow and pillow case in stuff sack of air pillow

Top-tube bag and its contents - 3.0 pounds

• SADDLE BAG - 0.2 pounds
• Cleat covers when not in use

Saddle bag and its contents - 0.2 pounds

• TRUNK BAG - 20.0 pounds
• Main compartment
• Clothing
• Bike clothing (extra shirt, shorts, and socks)
• Off-bike clothing
• Sleeping bag (or heavy-duty sleeping bag liner not shown in picture)
• Microfiber towel
• Inside right pocket
• Bluetooth keyboard and phone stand in a cloth bag
• Inside left pocket
• Sewing kit, backup monthly contact lenses, and extra shaving cartridges in a 3.5" x 5" mesh zip case
• Key holder
• Key for handlebar bag
• Key for trunk bag
• Outside right
• Large zippered pocket
• Toiletries in a 7" x 9" mesh zip case
• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen
• Flat zippered pocket
• Emergency-cash purse (3" x 4" mesh zip case)
• Velcro straps
• Tent pole, stakes, and lines in tent pole bag
• Outside left
• Large zippered pocket
• Thirty-day supply of daily contact lenses in a 7” x 7” resealable plastic bag
• Two cups (192 servings) of powdered electrolytes in a 7” x 7” resealable plastic bag
• Liquid chlorophyll in a 3” x 6” resealable plastic bag
• Flat zippered pocket
• Spare cellphone with activated SIM card and paper clip to change SIM card in a plastic bag
• Outside rear tab
• Satellite communicator
• ROAD iD tag
• On top of trunk bag secured together with two Infinity Tool straps and to the trunk bag with two Voile rack straps
• 3L stuff sack containing water bladder
• 5L stuff sack containing (when not worn) jacket, fingered gloves, tights, socks, long-sleeve wool shirt, and cap

Trunk bag and its contents

Missing from the picture above is a thirty-day supply of daily contact lenses in a resealable bag.

Stuff sacks for water bladder and cold-weather clothing, and Voile rack straps

Missing from the picture above are the two Infinity Tool straps used to secure the two stuff sacks to each other.

See Complete List of My Gear for a list of my gear organized by type, rather than by where packed, including links to the specific items I own. See also Review of My Gear.

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