Kit list bike touring

Considered a mix of backpacking and bike riding, bike touring is a popular and still a growing choice of adventure for many outdoor enthusiasts all around the world. 

Compared to other ways of traveling and exploring, bike touring is cheaper, healthier, and more slow-paced. The bicycle lets you cover more ground while still being slow enough to enjoy the views and interact with nature, the people, and the places along the way. 

What is bike touring?

“Bicycle touring” (also referred to as “cycle touring, bike touring, bike travel, bicycle travel, and bike-packing”) is the act of riding a bicycle for days, weeks, months, or even years on end as you travel across entire cities, states, and countries under your own power (without the assistance of a motor).” - https://bicycletouringpro.com/

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Types of bike touring

There are a lot of different types of bike touring. Which one is for you depends on the time, money and how long you can ride at a time.

The traditional way is ‘Self-Supported’ bicycle touring where you carry all the gear needed for your trip including clothing and food. In this type of bike touring, you usually travel on paved roads and camp/ cook outdoors at night. 

Its opposite is the ‘Supported’ bike touring where a touring company assists you in your adventure by carrying/ transporting your gear and navigating your route. This is best for beginner riders who need assistance with planning while on the road.

Another suggested type if you are a beginner is the ‘Day Touring’ which is typically done in 24 hours or less. This can be done near your home or when you travel somewhere far and choose to explore the local area by bicycle. 

Each of the many types of bike touring has a different duration, gear logistics, road preference, etc. Make sure to research and test which one is suitable for you. 

Kit List

After you decided what type of bike touring adventure you’d like to indulge in, it is time to build your kit list. This is daunting for every beginner. But spend time researching and testing to see what’s needed and what's not. 

The kit list followed in this article is what worked for us on our bike touring. Even so, we changed the place of most items several times during our trip, depending on what we needed easy access to on specific days, etc.

Trying it out there is the key. Eventually, you’ll figure out your final bike touring kit list and the perfect place for each item.

Parts of a Touring Bike

Your bicycle is your lifeline and buddy when bike touring. It is essential to know its parts, usage, and how to do basic repairs. These are also important when packing your gear. 

Let’s take a look:

Front Panniers

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Back Pannier 1

Back Pannier 2

Handle Bar Bag

Rack Top

Saddle Bag

Important tips

• Spend time planning and testing
• Get the right kind of bike
• Learn basic bike repair and maintenance
• Depending on where you’ll be bike touring, choose the best season to head out

Bike touring is one of the greatest ways to travel and explore. A perfect spot in between fast travel by air (or other faster vehicles) and slow-paced adventures like hiking. Smell the flowers, swim in the rivers and lakes, meet locals, witness every sunset outdoors, and greet every glorious morning from your camp!