Gear List

"Lightweight tour" is not a phrase that you could apply to this endeavor. I'm probably carrying too much and I'll update this list as I send stuff home or just get rid of it, but here's what's hanging off my bike as I leave Vancouver.

I'm carrying everything in 5 bags: Ortlieb Back Roller Classics, Ortlieb Front Roller Cities, and a Schwinn saddle bag. Living in the PNW, I wanted waterproof panniers and when it comes to waterproof, Ortlieb is really the only brand to consider. I picked up the Back Rollers off Craigslist when I first started doing some short tours a couple years ago, then the Front Rollers for this adventure.

I went with the Cities instead of the Classics because they were $45 cheaper and got them $70 from Germany. I figured I could compensate for their smaller carrying capacity by over stuffing the back ones. And for that price I can probably Craigslist them for the same cost after this tour if I decide I want the Classics.

The saddle bag is a random one that came stock with the Costco bike I owned when I was twelve. Didn't need to be waterproof, so figured why pay for what I already own?

These panniers will be hanging from two racks: a Tubus Tara in the front and Topeak Explorer in the back. The Tara is one of the premier front racks and I picked it up for a steal from Germany when I ordered the Front Rollers. I wanted a low rider that was light and strong and the Tara fit the bill perfectly. I put the Explorer in the back because I found it sitting on top of a dumpster one night at about 2am when I was wandering home from a brewery crawl.Who am I to argue with free?

Here's what's going to be filling these panniers

Clothes

• 1 Bike Jersey
• 1 South African Rugby Jersey (Go Springboks!)
• 1 T-shirt repping my local velodrome (purely for off the bike time and sleeping in)
• 2 Pairs Bib Shorts
• 1 Pair Loose MTB Shorts (For when I'm off the bike. Doubles as board shorts if I go swimming. Triples as sleepwear if it's too warm for pants.)
• 1 long sleeve Nike baselayer
• Armwarmers
• Knee warmers
• Short finger bike gloves
• Long finger bike gloves (I have ridiculously poor circulation in my hands)
• Showerspass rain jacket (It's the PNW. I own a good rain jacket.)
• Outdoor Research Cathode Jacket (I won it for being Season Points leader in a Cross series. Great jacket. Warm, light weight, and pretty damn water resistant so I don't have to wear the Showerspass onewhen I'm off the bike.)
• 2 Sports Bras
• 3 pairs underwear (I know, I know. Most people only carry 1 pair, but I just can't...)
• 2 pairs tall bike socks
• 1 pair tall wool socks
• SPD bike shoes (I prefer clipless. It means I have to carry another pair of shoes, but I just like being clipped in.)
• 1 pair "Jesus style" sandals for off the bike
• Triathlon warm up pants (Like a thicker pair of bike tights. Skintight, but have pockets and am more comfortable off the bike.)
• 1 Baseball cap 
• Rapha eared cap aka my Holden Caulfield cap(I won it in a Cyclocross race. All my expensive gear is because I won it, not because I can afford it.)

I went with my rugby jersey over a second bike jersey because I wasn't sure I'd really need the benefits of a bike jersey, such as pockets, since I'm carrying all my gear on the bike. My thought process is if I like the rugby jersey as much as my bike jersey, then I'd ditch the shirt in Santa Barbara with my folks and swap the bike jersey out for a second sports jersey. Then I'd only have to carry two shirts instead of three.

Fun Stuff/Misc

• Kindle Fire Tablet
• Cell Phone
• Garmin Edge 510
• Tiny tripod
• A shitload of cords to charge everything 
• Kryptonite U-Lock 
• Leatherman multitool
• Passport/credit card/drivers license

I know, bike touring wisdom is that U-Locks are too heavy and just bring a cable one. Fuck it, I will carry the extra 3 lbs and not have to worry every time I go into a store that my bike is going to be stolen.

Bike Tools

• 2 Spare Tubes
• 1 Spare Tire
• Patch Kit
• 1 spare 5mm bolt and 2 spare 4mm bolts
• Duct tape
• Electrical Tape
• Zip ties
• Topeak Multitool
• Spare Shift and Brake Cable

Camp Gear

• Eureka Backpacking Tent (I'm a giant target for mosquitoes, so the hammock style of camping doesn't work for me. Plus, rain.)
• Synthetic sleeping Bag (I'm also stupidly allergic to down, so I have to go with synthetic. Slightly heavier and much bulkier, but I can breathe all night.)
• Klymit Staic V Sleep Mat
• Trangia Mini Camp Stove and fuel
• Backpacking cup, fork, and spoon
• Lighter
• First Aid Kit

Personal Items

• Triathlon Transition Towel. (About the size of a camp towel. I wrap it around my shoes and use it as a pillow when I backpack.)
• Travel Size shampoo and soap
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Glasses
• Contacts, case, solution, and spares
• Mouth guard (I grind my teeth.)
• Sunscreen
• Bugspray (Give me all the DEET)

Food

• Clif Bars/Gels for on the bike
• Skratch and Nuun powder
• Instant Oatmeal Packets
• Babybel Cheese
• Jerkey
• Various tea flavours 
• Peanut butter

I have a real hard time drinking on the bike early in the morning or if I'm cold and putting some sort of powder in the water is the only way to get me to drink. I like the taste of Skratch better and the extra salt makes me drink more, but Nuun is super popular in the PNW, so I always have a handful of tablets on hand from promo events. My digestive system gets along with both of them, so it's really whichever I can find.