photos of lightweight set up please.

[Kim]

butterfly i did have the perfect bike in the thorn sherpa built like a tank and yeah a super ride but just hated front panniers,i dont believe for one second front panniers balances the bike, dont take me up  wrong i'm not trying to be a smart ass but just use rear panniers and  your bike will preform much better IMHO.

Front panniers do balance the bike.  The mistake is attaching them to the steering bit.

[antokelly]

Martin that is fantastic its exactly the set up i'm after.

I think the tent and clothes went in the SQR the sleeping bag and mat were strapped outside in waterproof bags;

I did about 1200 km in the US (where the photo was taken) and Canada with that setup; but it was flattish 

so obviously that set up worked spot on for you martin,or would you change anything i'm sure on that tour you came across many a well laded loaded tourer.

[Martin]

Martin that is fantastic its exactly the set up i'm after.

I think the tent and clothes went in the SQR the sleeping bag and mat were strapped outside in waterproof bags;

I did about 1200 km in the US (where the photo was taken) and Canada with that setup; but it was flattish 

so obviously that set up worked spot on for you martin,or would you change anything i'm sure on that tour you came across many a well laded loaded tourer.

In Michigan no hardly anyone 

the big disadvantage was having almost all the weight on the back; ideally I would have put half on the front but that would have involved side panniers or a very big bar bag;

you can borrow the SQR anytime 

[Efrogwr]

hi antokelly ,just a thought . why not tow a trailer . it does not affect the handling of your  bike and could be left on site on none moving on days so you could explore unladen 

Something like an Extrawheel would be quite good for this.  You could even use a rear wheel with different gearing and swap them over to ride unloaded.  Not sure that it qualifies as 'lightweight', so much as a way of doing loaded touring sensibly with lightweight bikes.

That's my reasoning (aided by reading Kim's (much) earlier posts about trailers).  An audax style bike and Carry Freedom means that I have a nice bike to ride and I can still transport camping gear for three (we share the towing!) Prperly loaded, it's stable at 50+mph!

I've only seen one Extrawheel on the road; it was impressively stable.

[Efrogwr]

butterfly i did have the perfect bike in the thorn sherpa built like a tank and yeah a super ride but just hated front panniers,i dont believe for one second front panniers balances the bike, dont take me up  wrong i'm not trying to be a smart ass but just use rear panniers and  your bike will preform much better IMHO.

Front panniers do balance the bike.  The mistake is attaching them to the steering bit.

If the mass of the load at the front is centred as close as possible to the steering axis and the wheel's axis of rotation it doesn't have much effect on the steering. Too much weight in a handlebar bag, however, is another matter. David Wrath-Sharman built at least one frame with a handlebar bag carrier brazed to the head tube in order to avoid that problem.

 

[zigzag]

i'll upload some photos of the bikes set up for the transcontinental race, when i get round to it. here are couple of examples:

http://worldcyclerace.com/endurance-cycling-tips-from-a-transcontinental-champion/

http://edwardpickup.com/transcontinental-race-2013/

the race was unsupported, which meant the riders had to carry their touring kit adequate for over 2000mi trip

[PH]

PH can i ask you a question please, this quilt came with 3 straps 2 long and 1 short there is attachments on the quilt for them  but whats the purpose of them .
silly question i know but i've got to ask.

I don't know, no straps with mine.  They're often used in a hammock  so maybe something for that.

[mcshroom]

butterfly i did have the perfect bike in the thorn sherpa built like a tank and yeah a super ride but just hated front panniers,i dont believe for one second front panniers balances the bike, dont take me up  wrong i'm not trying to be a smart ass but just use rear panniers and  your bike will preform much better IMHO.

I've tried all on the back and F&R panniers on my Vantage and the bike handled far better with the weight on front and rear wheels. Putting the weight at the back just makes an awkward bike with very light steering which makes the bike far less enjoyable to ride. The right touring bike comes alive when properly loaded IMHO.

[tatanab]

PH can i ask you a question please, this quilt came with 3 straps 2 long and 1 short there is attachments on the quilt for them  but whats the purpose of them .
silly question i know but i've got to ask.

I don't know, no straps with mine.  They're often used in a hammock  so maybe something for that.

I've been using the Thermarest equivalent this past year.  http://www.cascadedesigns.com/therm-a-rest/sleeping-bags/alpine-blanket-35/product  supposed to be good to 2C but I found that below 5 I needed to put clothes on as well even though I tend to be a warm sleeper.  It is far better than using an open sleeping bag which I've done for some years.  It also packs smaller because there are no zips or hood or baffles etc.  It cost me £150 and I am pleased with it.  It has poppers along the sides to attach to a Thermarest sheet, should you have one - I do not.

[antokelly]

butterfly i did have the perfect bike in the thorn sherpa built like a tank and yeah a super ride but just hated front panniers,i dont believe for one second front panniers balances the bike, dont take me up  wrong i'm not trying to be a smart ass but just use rear panniers and  your bike will preform much better IMHO.

I've tried all on the back and F&R panniers on my Vantage and the bike handled far better with the weight on front and rear wheels. Putting the weight at the back just makes an awkward bike with very light steering which makes the bike far less enjoyable to ride. The right touring bike comes alive when properly loaded IMHO.

ah each to there own oh and btw your a bloody good singer

[mrcharly-YHT]

,i dont believe for one second front panniers balances the bike, dont take me up  wrong i'm not trying to be a smart ass but just use rear panniers and  your bike will preform much better IMHO.

hmm.  Try riding up a really steep hill.

All the weight on the rear and you'll have trouble keeping the front wheel down.

[antokelly]

on the sherpa i used rear panniers only even my tent was on top of the rack, ortlieb barbag up front. t i passed bikepacker going down hill at 52mph ask him if you dont believe me the bike was rock solid he took me up some very steep hills in the cotswolds (actually think he was trying to kill me) the bike again was solid  cant say the same for the pilot though.

lads and lassies its all in your head, oh i must have front panniers to balance my bike rubbish
like how many time if at all you went to the shops with just one rear pannier full to the gullit  i bet it made no difference  once you start cycling,but put that same load on the front and see what happens.
honest to god burn all your front panniers yiss are been fooled into thinking there a must have you dont need them honestly.
ok so put me up against the wall and shoot me.

[bikepacker]

For a ride from Santander to home in 2011 my cycling friend used his Titanium bike loaded only at the back but the bike didn't handle at all well.



After this trip he went back to using front panniers and spreading the load.

[bikepacker]

on the sherpa i used rear panniers only even my tent was on top of the rack, ortlieb barbag up front. t i passed bikepacker going down hill at 52mph ask him if you dont believe me the bike was rock solid he took me up some very steep hills in the cotswolds (actually think he was trying to kill me) the bike again was solid  cant say the same for the pilot though.

Maybe but it was slow going up hill. 

[mrcharly-YHT]

he took me up some very steep hills in the cotswolds (actually think he was trying to kill me) the bike again was solid  cant say the same for the pilot though.

If you didn't have trouble keeping the front wheel on the ground, the hills weren't steep. I'm talking about the sort of hill where even when riding unladen you need to lean forward to keep the wheel down.

[antokelly]

i stay well away from hills like that mrcharlie aint no shame in walking me thinks.

bikepacker your a feckin animal on a bike going up or down it doesnt seem to matter.

lads i'm only winding you lot up dont please take offence.

[RichForrest]

You're only going lightweight as it saves you dumping the gear in a van to get it home 

[antokelly]

thats whats known as using the noggin

[Kim]

lads and lassies its all in your head, oh i must have front panniers to balance my bike rubbish
like how many time if at all you went to the shops with just one rear pannier full to the gullit  i bet it made no difference  once you start cycling,but put that same load on the front and see what happens.
honest to god burn all your front panniers yiss are been fooled into thinking there a must have you dont need them honestly.

Don't be silly.

Balancing the bike is a convenient side-effect of front panniers that some bikes can benefit from, but it's not the main reason to use them.

The main reason to use them is to give yourself enough luggage space.  You keep talking about unnecessary kit, as if that's what the extra space is for.  Well, okay, sometimes it is.  But you're assuming that everyone can make do with a wispy summer sleeping bag, ineffective mat, minimal spare clothing and has no need to carry significant amounts of food or spares.  That might be the case for your body and your tours, but it isn't going to be true for everyone.  Some of us need much more substantial gear to keep warm.  Some might need half a trailer for our medication (in bulky original packaging, so it can be carried through border control).  Some of us are riding for days on end away from sources of food and water, let alone tyres and tubes.  Some of us want to carry clothing or equipment for other activities (eg. hiking, business meetings, amateur radio or photography) while we tour.

Panniers, trailers, banana bags, bikepacking, credit card in a saddlebag... There is no one true way.  It's all good.

[bikepacker]

You're only going lightweight as it saves you dumping the gear in a van to get it home 

I glad you said that Rich. He would have shouted at me I had said it. 

[antokelly]

Kim i think you need to take up a new hobby.only joking.
  rich ' alan what was the point in me taking the loaded panniers back 50 miles when my nice was heading there  in her caravan, besides it was the only time i managed to pass the big guy ,only lasted 50 yds but still he's still peaved about it.

[PH]

For a ride from Santander to home in 2011 my cycling friend used his Titanium bike loaded only at the back but the bike didn't handle at all well.

If I'm carrying that amount of kit it's in four panniers as well. IMO it would be silly not to.
It would be equally silly to spread what I usually carry for a couple of weeks any more than I have here

[antokelly]

nice i like it.

[antokelly]

latest update,i seriously think i bit off more than i can chew here, my set up is never gonna work
i have the camper saddlebag packet with all i need have it on the  rear rack and it's wobbling all over the feckin place and i still need to tie my 3kg tent on top.
i think i need a touring bike simples.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Put a front rack on your bike and stick the tent on that. 3Kg isn't going to stuff up the handling.

Your saddlebag shouldn't wobble. Unpack and chuck away half of it.