Like most people I vastly overpacked the first time I went cycle touring. Over the years I refined and simplified my kit to the point where I feel very confident about recommending the following packing list as a starting point for a cycle tour of any length. If you are touring in a developing country or a remote location you may want to add more bike tools and parts, and for cold weather touring you will probably want to add warmer clothing and adapt your camping equipment to the anticipated conditions, but in my opinion the following items will prepare you well for most common bike problems and allow you to stay warm and dry in most types of weather.
I also want to reiterate that you can go cycle touring on any bike and make any equipment work for you. I have settled on the following system after several years of refining and upgrading my equipment, and as with anything it does pay in the long run to spend more in certain areas because your equipment will be more versatile and take up less space, but you can make almost anything work especially when you are first starting out. As long as you have clothes, shelter, and a way to attach your stuff to your bike nothing should stop you from getting out there and going on an adventure.
Bags/Panniers
You can go cycle touring on any bike and get very creative with how you carry your gear, but most people will use some kind of panniers mounted to racks as well as one or more accessory bags. An alternative is a bikepacking setup which allows you to carry a small amount of gear in bags strapped directly to your bike frame, but the extreme minimalism this type of touring requires is beyond the scope of this article.
When I go touring I use four panniers (Vaude Aqua Back & Vaude Aqua Front) plus a standard click on handlebar bag (Vaude Aqua Box). I have found that the Vaude bags are very similar to the timeless Ortliebs but slightly they are less expensive. I have had good luck with them.
As shown in the video above, the way I tend to pack is that one of my rear panniers is almost exclusively for food, one is for my camping gear, one of my front panniers is for clothing, and one is for any other miscellaneous stuff which doesn’t fit into the rest of the panniers. In a domestic tour I can very easily fit everything on this list into four panniers and probably even do it with two if I pack carefully enough. When traveling internationally I use a Ground Effect Tardis travel bag which is convenient because it fits into one of my front panniers when collapsed while still leaving enough space for all of my clothing, and even in this case four panniers is more than enough space to carry everything I feel I would need on a warm weather tour of any length.
Camping
This is the equipment which takes up the most space, so if you’re going to stretch your budget anywhere I would recommend doing it in this category. Here is the camping equipment I currently use along with approximate prices:
Tent: Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 Bikepack ($600, REI – buy it during an REI sale to save 20%!) + Matching Footprint ($90, REI)
Sleeping Bag: Big Agnes Sidewinder SL 20 ($300, REI)
Sleeping Pad: Alpkit Cloudbase ($55, Alpkit) or the Decathlon MT500 (Decathlon, $70)
Pillow (Optional): Decathlon Basic Camping Pillow (Decathlon, $7)
Camping equipment is highly personal and there are many options out there. I only have experience with tents, but some people also tour using hammocks of bivys. As far as tents go, I like a two person tent because this lets me spread myself out a little more, gives me a place to store clothes and other more sensitive items inside in case it rains, and lets me share with another person if I ever find somebody who wants to come cycle touring with me. I like packing my tent inside of a pannier, which is easier if your tent is smaller and lighter and also if it has shorter poles and a shorter stuffsack, which is common for many of the newer ‘bikepacking specific’ tents. I also like separating the poles from the rest of the tent because this also makes it easier to pack everything efficiently.
Sleeping bags are also quite personal, but as a side sleeper I like the extra roominess of the Big Agnes Sidewinder – to me the slight weight and size penalty is worth the added comfort. I have also learned that it is very important to match the temperature rating of your bag to your own body’s preferred temperature. If you’re like me and like to sleep with warm socks on, even in the spring or fall, definitely er on the side of a warmer sleeping bag. On the other hand, if you sleep with nothing but a sheet you can probably er more on the side of a thinner, cooler bag.
I used to use a self-inflating sleeping pad, but I would not recommend them because they are very bulky and in my experience also not very reliable. I much prefer the purely inflatable kind of sleeping pads because they are much, much smaller and lighter. They are also less expensive than something like a Thermarest, quick to set up, and very warm and comfortable so in my opinion there is no reason to go with anything else. These typically come with a patch kit which I do carry just in case.
Finally, of course there is the contentious subject of the pillow. Many people just use a piece of clothing, but if you pack your clothing correctly you might not have anything big enough to actually serve as a pillow, which is why I like carrying a cheap inflatable camping pillow.
Clothing
I have an entire article dedicated to clothing for cycle touring so I won’t go into detail here, but in general my theory is to keep things simple and practical and to choose things which dry quickly and which can be worn in different situations as much as possible. I stopped wearing cycle-specific clothing years ago, instead choosing to mainly wear zip off hiking trousers, Merino t-shirts, and hiking shoes, which are all good both on and off the bike. I pair this with a down puffer jacket as well as a hardshell rain jacket in case it gets cold or wet, and I sleep in a pair of linen trousers which I can wear both around camp and in my sleeping bag. I also basically carry two of everything – one to wear while the other is being washed.
Tools/Bike Maintenance
I am absolutely a bike geek so I probably carry slightly more tools than most people would, but the number one rule here is to not carry anything you don’t know how to use. If you don’t know how to use it at home, what makes you think you’ll figure it out along the side of a road somewhere? With that being said, it definitely pays to learn how to do some basic bike repairs before you set off. In my opinion, in order from most to least important, this would include knowing how to oil your chain, fix a flat, replace a shift cable, install a valve core, tighten a spoke, and install a quick link/repair a chain… with anything else being an extra bonus skill. Here is what I carry and why, broken down into what I feel is essential and the extra things which depend more on your specific situation and bike knowledge:
Essential Tools/Parts
Bicycle Multi Tool: Topeak Hexus X ($22, Amazon). I especially like the effectiveness of the chain tool, the 6mm allen key which I use to install pedals, and the fact that tire levers, spoke wrenches, and a valve core tool are included. Topeak tools also always impress me with their quality so I think this is an excellent choice overall.
Chain Oil: Finish Line 1Step ($9, Planet Cyclery). Any kind of dry lube will do including the old standby Tri-Flow – I would avoid wet lube because it can make an absolute mess of your bike. If you don’t have chain oil and use it regularly, you will destroy your drivetrain, so this is absolutely essential. Keep a rag in a ziplock bag with you too so you can wipe off the excess.
Pump: Topeak Mountain Morph ($37, Tree Fort Bikes). Another essential item, you will be using this regularly to top off your tires, even if you never get a flat. I like the Mountain Morph because it unfolds into a quasi-floor pump, making it much easier to add a large volume of air to your tires.
Spare Tube/Puncture Repair Kit. I like carrying both because it is much easier and much more reliable to replace a tube than to patch it at the side of the road. Keep the punctured tube with you and patch it when you get to camp.
Swiss Army Knife/General Purpose Multi Tool: Victorinox Handyman ($100, Victorinox). The price of swiss army knives seems to have absolutely skyrocketed lately, but I really like the Handyman because it has almost everything you need for cooking as well as hacking any bike repairs you don’t have the proper tools for. In terms of bike maintenance, I especially like the pliers, scissors, and file. The main cooking essential is, of course, the knife. In the past I have carried a Leatherman instead, which has the advantage of larger pliers, but what I really like about the Victorinox is the fact that the blade doesn’t lock, so you can carry it almost anywhere, and it is also quite a lot lighter than a pliers-based multitool while maintaining nearly all of the functionality.
Zip Ties: These can be used to secure a loose rack, fix a broken zipper, tie things together and make many other trailside repairs. They are cheap and light and extremely useful, so I like to carry more than I think I’ll need – say a handful or so in a variety of sizes.
Electrical Tape: Like zip ties, this has many uses including fixing peeling bar tape, keeping panniers from rubbing against your rack, fixing a broken water bottle cage, and much, much more. One full roll should do and this is also easy to find all around the world.
Shift Cable: These can break, especially if you have brifters , but luckily they are cheap and light and easy to replace in the field.
Spare Bike Screws: I would recommend carrying a few spare screws with you in case a rack, fender or bottle cage comes loose but depending on your bike you might already have extras… especially if you have an ‘adventure’ fork with extra eyelets. If not you could scavenge some spares off of another bike or buy some at your local bike shop.
Optional Extras
FiberFix Spoke/Spare Spokes ($16, Amazon): This is really dependent on your mechanical ability to replace a spoke, but luckily breaking a spoke is pretty uncommon. The FiberFix kit is cool because it will work on any wheel, and I think that you can also use it to fix a drive side rear wheel spoke without removing your cassette or freewheel. I like carrying this, but if you have enough (32 or 36) spokes on your wheels, you can also simply zip tie a broken spoke to an adjacent spoke, retrue your wheel enough to get you moving, and bike to the next bike shop. It’s much more important to know how to use a spoke wrench to adjust your spoke tension than to have this kit with you and not know how to use it.
Spoke Wrench: Park Tools Spoke Wrench ($9, JensonUSA). On one of my tours I had several spokes come loose, which I fixed using the spoke wrenches on my Topeak Hexus X multi-tool, but having a proper spoke wrench makes this much easier and makes it much less likely that you’ll damage your spoke nipples. Spoke wrenches are specific to the spokes used on your wheels, so make sure you get the right size for your bike.
Quick Links/Masterlinks: These are individual chain links which snap together to help you fix a broken chain. This is less critical if you have a 6, 7 or 8 speed bike, because you can also use a chain tool to fix a broken chain, but it is very difficult to reconnect a modern 9, 10, 11 or 12 speed chain without damaging it so in my opinion carrying a quick link is cheap insurance. Of course it’s even more important to regularly oil your chain which can help prevent it from breaking in the first place.
Cone Wrenches: Park Tool DCW (Biketiresdirect, $6): Cone wrenches are used to adjust loose hubs, and I am very good at causing hubs to loosen while riding, so I like carrying these in order to fix that relatively common problem in the field. My hubs use two 17mm cone wrenches both at the front and at the back, so I carry two Park DCW-3 cone wrenches, but exactly what you need depends on your specific wheelset. Most bikes with adjustable cones require 13mm, 15mm, and 17mm wrenches, but there is more variation when it comes to cartridge bearing or thru-axle hubs.
Allen Keys: If you need to do any significant disassembly of your bike, for instance if you are going to fly with it, it may be worth carrying actual allen keys rather than relying on your multi-tool. This makes it especially easy to reinstall hard-to-reach bolts such as those used to install fenders or bottle cages. My Fairlight Faran uses 4mm allen bolts everywhere, so I carry a single 4mm allen key.
Separate Pliers/Wrench: Some bikes use hex bolts or nuts, especially when it comes to adjusting racks, and in this case it may be worth carrying a suitable wrench. Options include the specific open-ended wrenches you need, a crescent wrench, a pliers-wrench, a dog-bone wrench, or a pair of waterpump pliers. I would personally go with the lightest option which is probably the dog-bone wrench or a small crescent wrench. Crescent wrenches or small pliers wrenches are also good for bending metal or as a makeshift vice for holding small objects.
Unior Emergency Cassette Remover (Trek, $10): If you break a drive-side rear spoke, your cassette or freewheel will normally be in the way of you being able to thread a replacement through the holes in the hub. It is very difficult to remove a freewheel by the side of the road, but if you have a cassette you can remove it without a chain whip using the Unior pocket cassette tool. This tool basically gets installed onto your lockring, and is then wedged against your frame to allow you to use the leverage of pedaling to remove the cassette. As an alternative it is also often possible to remove a cassette by removing the axle using cone wrenches, and on my bike the freehub body actually just comes off without any tools, but this is a much easier and neater solution which should work with any cassette.
Cooking and Eating
Cooking and food prep is another quite personal part of your cycle touring kit, but it also doesn’t have to be overly complicated. Here is what I use:
Stove: Cheap Gas Backpacking Stove ($16, Amazon): I have always used gas stoves because they are cheap, reliable, efficient, and you can find gas canisters almost anywhere. I have had a cheap knock-off I bought on Amazon for over 10 years and it has never failed, but the branded version is the MSR WhisperLite. Alternatives to gas stoves include solid and liquid fueled stoves, but depending on where you go you may find restrictions on using solid fuel, and neither of these options are as easy to use or efficient as a simple gas stove. I also carry a Swedish firesteel from Light My Fire ($15, Amazon), which is an easy and reliable method of lighting the stove.
Cookpot: I have a cheap aluminum pot I got from Decathlon years ago along with a matching lid which doubles as a plate. My setup is no longer available, perhaps because there are possible negative health effects associated with cooking on aluminum, but you should be able to find something suitable at any outdoor retailer or on amazon. Whether you choose aluminum, stainless steel or titanium, all you really need is a pot to hold about a liter of water and some sort of lid. I use my pot mainly to boil water, to make oat meal, and to heat up premade stews and other simple camp foods. I don’t carry anything else to eat out of because the pot also doubles as my bowl.
Light My Fire Titanium Spork ($20, Amazon): This is my favorite eating utensil because it does it all. You can use it as a spoon, fork, and in a pinch it will even work as a knife… and as an added bonus I have never had a problem getting this through airport security. There are plastic versions of this but they break easily so in my opinion it is well worth splurging on the TI version.
Thermos: Klean Kanteen TKPro 24 oz ($45, Klean Kanteen): I mainly use this to make tea in. I have an older version of this thermos and it works very, very well to keep drinks hot – my version is also slim enough to fit into a standard bottle cage, but it appears that the newer versions are slightly wider. Still an excellent product – there is nothing quite like a hot cup of tea to boost your motivation during a long day of pedaling, especially if it’s cold or wet!
Mug: I bought a cheap stainless steel mug from a camping store to use with my Klean Kanteen thermos. I don’t know what the brand was but anything light and durable will work-I like steel because it doesn’t impart an off taste to my drink the way plastic does.
Steel Water Bottle: I much prefer metal bottles to plastic because I am very sensitive to the funky taste plastic adds to the water. I have a Klean Kanteen bottle as well as an off-brand insulated steel water bottle, and both work equally well, although if you go with Klean Kanteen I would get the ‘Reflect‘ model rather than the ‘Wide‘ model because it has a much better lid design. No matter which bottle you choose make sure that you get something which fits into a standard bottle cage.
Water Filter (Grayle Geopress, $100): This is probably one of the most underrated pieces of kit you can buy as a cycle tourist. In contrast to a backpacker you’re probably not going to be relying on natural water, but a water filter will immediately unshackle you from having to buy bottled water and also eliminate any anxiety about not knowing where the next treated water source is. 10/10 recommend.
Food
I figured I should add a section about food, although obviously the specific things you buy will depend on your personal taste and where you are in the world. In general the main thing to note is that you will be consuming significantly more calories than normal-during a cycle tour is not the time to go on a diet! Here are some of my staples:
Main Courses: As a vegetarian I normally buy things like pre-cooked lentils, beans, or stews, which you can often find in pouches and which are very easy to heat up using a camping stove. I also often add a cheese such as feta or fresh mozarella, and if I just have lentils I will add tomatoes or avocado just to add extra nutrition as well as calories. Another option is freeze-dried camping food, but this is an expensive option and in my experience these types of food are usually completely over salted. You might come up with something completely different to eat which works for you, but the main thing is to make sure it’s filling and to make sure that it doesn’t take too long to cook.
Breakfast: I often buy pastries or chocolate (especially with hazelnuts to make it more filling), but another great option is oatmeal. Mix it with walnuts and brown sugar and only use a little water to avoid making it soupy and you’ll like it even if you don’t think you like oatmeal. Breakfast is also a great time to eat some fruit like a banana to make sure you get some vitamins along with those all-important early morning calories.
Lunch/Snacks: I typically just snack throughout the day while cycle touring and will often eat two or three times between breakfast and dinner just because I simply need that much energy. The types of food I will often consume here include bread, peanut butter, cheese, crisp bread, nuts, and seeds. I also eat a lot of fruit such as apples, strawberries, or bananas (depending on what’s in season), as well as easy to store and eat vegetables such as radishes, carrots, or avocados.
Gum: I like carrying gum because it helps me clean my teeth after eating all that chocolate, and also just helps me feel less hungry if I don’t want to stop and have a snack. As an added bonus you can try all kinds of crazy flavors if you buy gum in foreign countries.
Personal Hygiene
I think that this category is pretty self-explanatory, but I thought I would list what I carry anyways because there are a few things here which have other uses I think are worth mentioning:
Toothpaste, toothbrush, and floss: Nothing special here just take what you use at home, but if you’re flying make sure your toothpaste is smaller than 100ml! I keep these items in a small ziplock bag.
Soap: I like to carry some kind of universal biodegradeable soap which can be used not only for washing your body but for doing dishes and washing clothes as well. In the US Dr. Bronnor’s is an excellent choice, whether you go for the liquid or the solid bar option, but if you can’t find it most camping stores will also sell something suitable.
Sunscreen: Get something with a high SPF rating and buy it locally if you’re traveling abroad.
Towel: I have a packable microfiber towel from Decathlon which works well but will start to smell if you put it away while wet so if you go with this option make sure you hang it up in the sun any chance you get! Otherwise strap it to the outside of your pannier so it doesn’t make the rest of your clothing smell. I’m not really sure if there are any better options but I would definitely not recommend using a t-shirt because that will dry even slower than microfiber will!
Nail Clippers: These are obviously for keeping your nails trimmed, but they also work very well for cutting bits of thread or zip ties, and as an added bonus they are TSA-friendly unlike scissors or a knife!
Tissues: Self-explanatory but you can buy these locally!
Wet Wipes: These are excellent for keeping clean after using the bathroom, especially if it’s a roadside emergency, but I also like them to wipe my hands after eating as well as to stay clean if I don’t have access to a shower.
Ibuprofen: As someone who suffers from migraines this is indispensable, bring it from home because you can’t get this over the counter everywhere!
Ear Plugs: I like to carry a few pairs of disposable ear plugs just in case I need to sleep in a noisy environment, and I also like using them on airplanes. They are also good to have in case you go to a spontaneous rock concert while on tour!
Electronics
My goal with electronics is to keep things as simple as possible, but one thing I have learned over the years is to make sure to have enough chargers to be able to charge more than one device at a time. Electricity is not always easy to come by so you want to be able to take full advantage of it when you can. Here is what I take:
Charger: Anker PowerPort III ($50, Amazon): This charger has two USB-C outlets as well as one USB-A outlet which means that I can charge three gadgets at once. I paired it with some braided USB cable from Anker which supports fast charging, and with a 65 Watt peak output it is also capable of charging my laptop.
Travel Adapters: This is self-explanatory but if you are traveling abroad, get something to convert your charger to whatever the local outlets are.
Power Bank: In my opinion it’s worth getting a power bank with a decent battery for the peace of mind alone. Instead of worrying about finding electricity every day you only need to think about it every few days, and rather than having to charge up every device you have in a campsite bathroom somewhere you can simply plug in your power bank and then recharge your devices in your tent later. I think my power bank has 20,000 mAh which is a good capacity, but there are models out there with more capacity which are actually not all that expensive.
Phone: I have a Google Pixel 6a which is a decent phone but the battery life is terrible, so given the choice I would get something with a bit more juice in case you get lost or stuck in a tricky situation. These days it’s almost unheard of to travel without a phone and no matter where you are it will always work with if there’s wi-fi, but depending on where you go it may be worth buying a local SIM card with a data package to help you navigate or plan your trip.
Laptop: Unlike a smartphone, I would generally recommend most people stay away from carrying a laptop. They are bulky, expensive, and just not really needed – the only reason I carry one sometimes is if I am expecting to do any video editing during my tour. I like keeping mine in the same pannier that I keep food in, because that way I remember to take it with me when I go shopping.
Cycle Computer: This is absolutely not necessary in my opinion, but after I finally broke down and got one I realized how nice it is to know how far you’ve cycled each day, and I also like that you can use this to track your tour on Strava. Mine is an old black and white Wahoo Elemnt which appears to be discontinued… newer models have better mapping but probably at a higher cost and at the expense of battery life.
Headlamp (Decathlon Forclaz Trek 100, $22): Backpackers typically like headlamps with replaceable batteries, but for cycle touring I like a rechargeable model because they are so easy to charge using your power bank. Headlamps are good for reading but especially good for navigating a campsite at night.
Kindle: In my opinion this is the only realistic way to read while on a bike tour unless you spend a lot of time in hostels with book swaps!
Miscellaneous
Here are the things I carry which don’t really fit into any other category:
Cloth Bags: I keep several cotton grocery bags with me which are excellent for shopping, but also good for keeping things separate in my panniers.
Ziplock Bags: These are also good for separating things like toiletries, as well as dirty tools or bike parts.
Bike Lock: This is definitely optional some people cycle around the whole world with no lock at all and never have any problems but I like the added peace of mind a decent lock affords. My touring bike has an Abus ring lock on it which stops people from pushing or riding your bike away, but I also like carrying a U-lock with me for when I go into shops. I also carry two sets of keys for any locks I’m using just in case.
Phone Handlebar Case: Topeak Smartphone Drybag ($34, Amazon): Although it is sometimes nice to have your phone on your handlebars I honestly wouldn’t waste my money on this if I didn’t already have it. Using navigation excessively is a huge drain on your phone’s battery, and phones are also very prone to overheating in these types of cases. To me a handlebar mount is really more of an added luxury than essential piece of equipment, but I’ve included it in this list because I do have one and I do take it on tour with me.
Pen & Paper: I don’t really journal but you never know when you might have to write something down.
Plastic fork/dropout protectors: If you fly with your bike and have to remove your wheels to get your bike packed it’s very good practice to protect the fork and frame by installing plastic spacers where the wheels were. My Ground Effect Tardis bag came with some but otherwise you can simply make your own out of a piece of 1/2″ PVC.
Disc Brake Caliper Spacers: These are little plastic spacers which keep your brake pads separated if you remove your wheel-cheap insurance against having your pistons fall out or your brake pads wedge together while traveling.
Sunglasses: I’m personally in the camp of get something cheap and replace it when it breaks rather than getting something expensive which I’ll constantly be worrying about.
Wallet/passports: I like carrying my normal wallet rather than using a travel wallet, but in my experience it is extremely important to have at least two sources of money – perhaps two debit cards stashed in different places on your bike.
Helmet: Many people don’t use these but as far as I’m concerned this is really cheap brain insurance. Get anything you feel comfortable wearing, but modern helmets with MIPS (protection against injuries caused by your head twisting) are far superior to non-MIPS helmets.
Conclusion
I have done enough cycle touring at this point to where I am happy with my packing list for myself, so part of the reason why I wrote this article is to remember what I like to bring for my own sake, but I also figured it might make some of you guys to think about your own packing lists, whether this is your first cycle tour and you’re looking for inspiration or whether you’re a seasoned traveler looking to tweak your setup and see how other people do things. Check out my YouTube channel if you’d like to see some of this stuff in action, and if you want to discuss anything with me send me a message on Instagram @crazycyclingchannel.