Ryan’s notes

Bike camping packing list

Essentials

  • [ ] Bike shoes

  • [ ] Bike shorts

  • [ ] Helmet

  • [ ] Water bottle(s)

  • [ ] Money, photo ID, house keys

  • [ ] Toothbrush & toothpaste

  • [ ] Contacts and solution

  • [ ] Extra bike tube

  • [ ] Multi-tool

  • [ ] Bike pump

  • [ ] Rear bike light

  • [ ] Headlamp

  • [ ] Sleeping bag

  • [ ] Sleeping pad

  • [ ] Tarp or tent

  • [ ] Warm tights

  • [ ] Clean shirt

  • [ ] Extra pair of socks

  • [ ] Light jacket / windbreaker

  • [ ] Mug / cup

  • [ ] Lighter

If it's sunny

  • [ ] Sunglasses

  • [ ] Sunscreen

If it's cold

  • [ ] Puffy jacket

  • [ ] Warm hat

  • [ ] Warm socks

  • [ ] Gloves

If it's wet

  • [ ] Rain jacket

  • [ ] Tent rain cover

Nice-to-have

  • [ ] Jetboil & tea

  • [ ] Chocolate

  • [ ] Running shoes & shorts

  • [ ] Swimsuit & camp towel

  • [ ] Pocket knife

  • [ ] Camp wipes

  • [ ] Bluetooth speaker

  • [ ] USB charger & cables

  • [ ] Ambient campsite light

Setup

Notes

  • Bike feels well-balanced and easy to ride; I almost snagged a Camino Alto PR with it fully packed 😂

  • Bags are waterproof, but I haven't been in the wet yet, so utility TBD; the waterproofing makes them a bit more rigid and harder to pack full than other bags.

  • I tried strapping my sleeping bag directly onto the front at first, but it was more trouble than it was worth (kept slipping onto my front wheel and sometimes interfered with my brake levers) so I bought an accessory pack and am happy I did.

  • I wish I had chosen the larger seat pack; my tent poles barely fit in the smaller one, and I'm pretty sure there's no downside except it swinging a bit more if you hop out of the saddle.

  • I originally purchased the Ortlieb top tube pack, but I kept brushing up against it, so I switched to a different, narrower one that I like better.

  • My bike frame is too small to fit most frame bags, so I didn't try.

  • This setup has been great for more than bike camping! Throw some trail running shoes in there for a bike-to-run adventure, or pack it up with some serious picnic gear :)

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