The gear

A few readers requested a gear list, so here we go. I was surprised how much I had to say about every little item I brought with me. I did do a lot of research, and you develop a relationship with your gear when you use it every day. I hope this list may be useful for others planning a long tour.

Bike
– 2010 Surly Long Haul Trucker frame. 5/5. Comfortable frame, made for touring. Long wheelbase, low center of gravity, braze-ons everywhere you need them, and compatible with 26″ wheels.
– 26″ wheels. 5/5. It’s conventional to use 700’s for touring, but the larger diameter costs you strength and extra weight and only buys you gearage that you can also get through appropriate chainring combinations. 26’s are also more common and parts can be found anywhere.
– Marathon 1.5″ tire (front). 2.5/5. The mid-width thickness gave me options for riding on gravel trails that made other riders with skinny tires skittish. Accepts high pressure (100psi) for low rolling resistance. Picked up a lot of flats in spite of bearing less weight than the back tire.
– Marathon Plus 2.0″ tire (back). 5/5. Bore most of the weight over 6700km and didn’t get a single flat. The flat protection may add friction, but you save time and frustration with your patch kit. The flat protection works! Reasonably high pressure tolerance for low rolling resistance (70psi).
– Front and back racks. 5/5. A rack is a rack. Each ran about $45, I got one used from a friend. You can get cheaper ones, but rack failure is bad news on the road.
– Brooks Flyer Saddle. 5/5 Surprisingly quick break-in and downright comfortable – more than can be expected for any bike seat! Most other tourers also rode Brooks saddles, though not all were sprung like mine. It got compliments from the bike shop owner in Riviere du Loup: “I see you’re a man who knows his saddles.”
– Shimano XT/LX components. 5/5. Reliable mid-level components. Lightish, smooth operation, no problems.
– Butterfly handlebars. 4/5. Hard to find in shops, ordered online. Offers great variety for hand positions and ample room for mounting things. Didn’t use innermost hand grip and awkward to mount bar-end mirrors.
– 2 layers cork tape, handlebar foam cushion system, cotton tape outer layer. Kept my hands happy.
– AirZound horn. 5/5. Louder than a car horn. Didn’t need it often, but it’s empowering to know others can actually hear you. Can be tapped lightly for pedestrians. Inexpensive and refillable with your bike pump.
– Bulldog mini-ulock and cable. Used at most campsites and valuable in cities. Not for NYC, but gives peace of mind and extra flexibility.
– MEC front pannier (20L). 1/5. Poor mounting system didn’t fit standard rack and nearly caused serious damage. Requires separate waterproof cover. Frequently fell off or nearly fell off the bike. Inconvenient top-only loading. Inexpensive.
– MEC detachable front pannier. 4/5. Multiple zipper pockets, convenient quick-access mesh pockets, produces a daypack for use around town. However, mount jammed on rack and won’t come off.
– 2 Vaude back panniers. 4/5. Tough, flexible mounting system, truly waterproof. Quick-access velcro pockets. Large capacity. Pricey, but reliable and worth it.
– MEC bulldog handlebar bag. 2.5/5. Inexpensive. Velcro too short to mount properly. Just right for snacks, though I envied other riders’ map pouches and convenient pockets.
– 3 bottle cages. 5/5. Most people don’t think of using the braze-ons under their frame to stow a third bottle. You’ll appreciate the convenience of an extra bottle.
– Reflective tape on helmet and bike, plus rear caution reflector.
– Fenders.

Clothing
– 2 short-sleeved quick-dry jerseys with back pockets. 5/5. Those back pockets are right where you need them – perfect for quick camera access.
– 1 long-sleeved quick-dry jersey with back pockets. 5/5.
– 2 pairs padded cycling shorts. 5/5. The chamois makes a big difference. Three pairs would have been better.
– 1 pair quick-dry overshorts. 5/5. For cities, when you need pockets, or when flies are nipping at your spandex.
– 1 pair quick-dry long pants. 5/5. Essential protection from bugs and the cold.
– Bug jacket. 4/5. Essential protection from bugs, though not perfect! Good for hot days when the rain jacket is too heavy.
– MEC “whoosh” pants + jacket. 5/5. Pricey, but you’ll appreciate the breathable protection when you’re in the rain for days at a time. Doubles as a great shell layer.
– MEC helmet cover. 4/5. Goofy-looking, but keeps your head and neck dry. Easy to attach. When the weather changes, it keeps the sun off your neck.
– MEC booties. 3/5. Fairly good at keeping feet dry and warm in a storm. Awkward to put on. Not breathable.
– pogies. 5/5. Keep your hands warm and dry. You can leave these on your handlebars for quick installation in rain or wind.
– Sunglasses and neck strap. 5/5. Without the neck strap, you’ll lose or break them. I had clear and shaded swappable lenses, but it was too much hassle to swap them when conditions changed.
– 2 pair assorted quick-dry socks.
– 2 pair assorted wool socks.
– 1 quick-dry riding base layer (long-sleeved top and bottoms).
– 1 polyester sleeping base layer (long-sleeved top and bottoms).
– wool sleeping outer layer (sweater top and bottoms). Needed frequently mid-summer.
– Cotton touque. 5/5. Rest easy.
– Arm + leg warmers. 3/5. Very warm and ideal for variable conditions. I needed them only twice on very cold nights.
– 1 t-shirt and 1 button shirt for wearing in cities.
– 2 pair underpants for rest/laundry days.
– 1 bathing suit.
– 2 microfiber towels. Absorbent, dry quickly. Bring a big and small one.

– 2 thin drybags for separate protection of clean / dirty clothes.
– Reflective safety vest. Good to have for high-traffic moments.

Camping / Food
– MEC Hubba Hubba tent with groundshet. 5/5. lightweight, compact, quick to assemble, kept me warm, kept the bugs out, didn’t leak in the worst downpour, dries quickly, 4 years old.
– MEC thermarest 5/5. lightweight, compact, comfortable, keeps you warm, dries quickly.
– Silk sleeping bag liner. 3/5 – For added comfort and for those cold and hot nights. Luxury item.
– Camping pillow 2.5/5. Nominally a pillow, nice for that reason.
– Sleeping bag – 3/5 – a warmer one would have been nice.
– SilTarp – 4/5 – Useful for concealing/waterproofing the bike. Not needed for a good quality tent like mine.
– 30L MEC drybag. 5/5. Snaps plus a bungee are ideal for stowing and protecting camping gear on the back rack.
– 20L MEC drybag. 4/5. For food. I found it a little small.
– 30L MEC mesh bag. 4/5. Keeps your wet tent fly and tarp separate from other gear. Air dry on the road, though not a perfect dry.
– Compression sack. 5/5. Perfect for keeping sleeping gear together, all of which can be compressed. Big space-saver, adds dampness protection.
– Camping stove, butane and mini camp stove. 5/5. Compact and widely broadens food horizons.
– Reusable plastic camping utensils.
– 3 water bottles (bike). Try different kinds. I liked the Polar insulating bottle and cheap MEC big-mouth bottles.
– 3L+ additional water capacity (Nalgenes or collapsible bladders).
– Sunscreen, bug spray, hand sanitizer (small containers).
– Toiletry kit.
– Good first aid kit (add tylenol, after-bite, anti-hystamine, other necessities).
– Bear spray. 5/5. Never needed it, but brings peace of mind in the wilderness or just facing down aggressive dogs on the road. Keep it handy, just don’t fly with it, not even in checked bags.

Gizmos
– Netbook with flash hard drive (no moving parts). Essential tool. Helps for coordinating, staying in touch, route/travel research, keeping a journal, uploading photos, backing them up at home, charging/stocking an ipod, and more. Inexpensive, light enough, rugged.
– Cell phone. Coordination, booking accommodations, emergency communication, checking in at home.
– Emergency beacon. Loved ones will be reassured that you can call for help anywhere, anytime.
– Digital camera. Would you really do a tour without saving your memories?
– iPod shuffle or other MP3 player. There will be days where you need the stimulation, but don’t risk toasting your ipod or iphone. I toasted my own ipod touch and heard many stories about dead iPhones, etc. They are quite fragile and don’t like sun or humidity. One earbud for safety!
– Cateye wireless speedometer. 3/5. Accurate, nice display, all the basic functions I needed, good quickmount system. It’s a little too easy to accidentally reset the odometer. The transmitter has no “low battery” warning and is not easy to position, since it tolerates only a tiny gap from the spoke-mounted magnet.
– Head-mounted LED lamp and flashing back lamp. Find your way around camp. Be noticed at dusk, at night or in the rain.

Tools
– Bike pump. Get one of the ones that folds out into a floor pump and has a PSI indicator.
– Spare parts in mesh parts bag (for easier location): 2 patch kits, 3 spare tubes, 3 spare spokes, 2 spare brake pads, 1 spare brake cable, 1 spare gear cable, 1 spare key for lock, 4 spare braze-on nuts (various lengths), 1 spare tire (optional).
– elastic bands, zip ties (various sizes), hose clamps (2 medium, 2 small).
– Multitool, adjustable crescent wrench, spoke wrench (correct size), complete allen key set, chain tool, 3 tire levers, cassette lockring remover, sewing kit.
– long lengths of string, shoelaces, segment of bicycle tube.
– tenacious tape, duct tape.
– chain lube, low strength threadlocker.
– small vial of foot powder, Worx (optional).