Packing for a Supported Bicycle Tour (Tour de Nebraska)

Tour de Nebraska 2014

The kitchen sink? No. no you do not need the kitchen sink.
Now that we've got that out of the way let's establish why you should care about what I have to say. Who is this dude and what is his deal? Why should I trust his opinion? Great questions, it's almost like I asked them myself.

Tootin' my own horn

By day, I am a civil engineer, by evening/weekend I'm a cyclist and hopefully a nice dude. As of the writing of this article, I have ridden over 18,250 miles since May of 2012. Cycling is my passion and with things I'm passionate about, I try to learn as much about them as possible.

I have completed two self-supported bike tours (all gear carried on the bike) and have completed four Tour de Nebraska tours (2014 - 2017). For 2016 and 2017 I was the "official" TDN photographer, hence all of the pictures. In addition, I race cyclocross, gravel, road, and mountain for The Bike Rack. In the past, I've also raced for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, although I was never any good at road racing. Oh, and I'm an Eagle Scout and have done a handful of back-country self-supported trips.

(Left to right) Racing cyclocross, going touring, finishing Gravel Worlds

Out of all of that, I'm most proud to be a member of the Just Sayin' Cycling Team. Apparently, I was one of the founding members. I have yet to sign anything, so I dunno if it counts. If I have to sign in blood... I'm out. (I'm guessing beer would be management's fluid of choice, not blood)

Just Sayin' (TDN 2016)

Disclaimer

This is what works for me; it may not work for you. I'm assuming you are not me, if you are... get in touch, I could use a clone. Otherwise, take this information as a guide. To put it bluntly, I'm not responsible for your problems should you not pack something you ended up needing. That's on you, man.

The Situation

The following is geared toward a multi-day supported bike tour, specifically Tour De Nebraska (TDN). This type of a tour means that your overnight gear is carried by vehicle, not on your bike.

PDF Packing List and Quick Reference

If you want the Quick Reference version. Here ya go! It also doubles as a handy packing list.

Contents (click to follow)

Principles of the outdoors and packing

On the bike packing

Overnight packing

Packing tips and tricks

Let there be packing

1 - Principles of the Outdoors and Packing

From my college classes it seems that professors always want to discuss theory before diving into the useful application. So, I figured that must be how it's done and that I should follow suit. With that, class is in session! There are two main principles we will cover in today's lecture, Leave No Trace (LNT) and the ABCs of packing.

1.1 - Leave No Trace

Leave No Trace, or LNT, is a set of principles that tells you how not to be a dick in the outdoors. No offense to anyone named Dick. Regardless, the principles are as follows.

Plan Ahead and Prepare
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Dispose of Waste Properly
Leave What You Find
Minimize Campfire Impacts
Respect Wildlife
Be Considerate of Other Visitors

To behold the 7 principles in all of their unaltered glory, click here.

The Boy Scouts of America also do a pretty good job explaining it in this article.

Ben, I'm a busy person... just give me the basics...

First and foremost, don't be a dick. We're all here to have a good time.
Don't leave marked trails, only travel on surfaces where you won't leave an impact.

Stay off mud and loose soils. Don't trample vegetation.

Pack it in, pack it out. Anything you take with you, take away with you or dispose of it properly. Don't make your trash nature's problem.
Plan ahead. Know what challenges you'll face. Know what weather you'll face. Know what geographical challenges you'll face. All of this will make sure you have the proper gear and conditioning to complete the trip successfully.
When in camp after sunset:

Keep voices low, some people may be sleeping
Don't shine your headlamps on people's tents
Try and congregate in communal areas and away from tents, if possible
Watch out for tent guylines that you may trip over. If you are able, change out your guylines with reflective lines. (like this stuff)

When choosing a location to camp, stay with the group and concentrate your impacts to a single area, preferably where vegetation is absent.
Don't empty beverages or spit toothpaste onto the ground. The best choice is to use a sink that drains to a wastewater treatment facility. Your second option is to broadcast it over a large area. Sometimes dilution is the best solution to pollution. For toothpaste, purse your lips and blow. Try and vaporize it into a fine mist rather than a giant glob.
Leave what you find

Leave artifacts, pretty flowers, etc. behind for the next person to enjoy. If you take it, then you're lessening someone else's experience.
Basically, treat nature like a museum. Examine and enjoy the object, don't touch, and definitely don't take it with you.

Don't alter nature. Trimming trees, building things out of logs, digging holes. Don't do it.
Respect wildlife. Don't chase after squirrels or rabbits.

Observe wildlife from afar and try not to disturb them.
Don't feed the animals and dispose of food scraps properly.

Let nature's sounds prevail. Keep noise down. If you must listen to music, listen with headphones at reasonable volumes so others cannot hear it. (I'm looking at you Apple users, the new version of headphones leak a hideous amount of noise)

If you take a phone call, do so away from the group.
Do not ride with headphones, although if you are in a rough spot mentally, it can give you a good boost. BUT, you must be able to hear approaching traffic and riders over your music. Only do this as a last resort, try and be social and talk to other riders (the people are the best part of the experience).
Use the trip as a reason to disconnect from the "world" and get in touch with the real world. Leave your phone off or in your car. You're not that important, unless you're the governor... then you have body guards to do that stuff for you. (pic below)

Leave things as you found them. (or better yet, Leave No Trace)

Pretty simple, right? Be thoughtful and courteous of others (past, present, and future), be an ethical human person, and have respect for nature and others.

Really, just think about the squirrels... and their beautiful bushy tails.

A squirrel in Pierce, NE. I was on a footpath when I took this picture, LNT dudes. (TDN 2014)

Riding with Governor Pete Ricketts (orange, front center) and his body guard (left, red/black) (TDN 2015)

Yes, you can still pet the puppies. Belly rubs are mandatory if they walk up to you and roll over (TDN 2016)

1.2 - ABCs of packing

The real ABCs that they should teach in grade school are as follows. Accessibility, Balance, and Compression. Ok, maybe I'm being a little self important.

When packing your gear, think about the ABCs. This comes from backpacking, but is just as applicable to any type of packing.

Accessibility

Think about the location of gear in your pack and pockets. If the weather forecast says that it may rain don't put your rain jacket in the bottom of your bag, put it on top.
When riding on the bike, think about the things you need to have access to while riding. Food, water, directions. Then make sure those items are easily accessible while riding. So, put them in jersey pockets or in a feed bag/top tube bag. Your repair kit should be in a seat pack or somewhere that you get at only when you are off of the bike.
It takes time to figure out what works for you. Try it out, take notes, ask others for tips.

Balance

In backpacking, having a balanced pack is very important. In biking, still very important. To even out the wear on your jersey, seat pack, duffel bags, etc. try and pack everything so that the load is equally distributed across the bag. Try and balance it. Think of a duffel bag like a see-saw, you don't want one end of your duffel to be super heavy. The more weight you put on one end, the more you'll hurt your wrist trying to pick it up from the straps in the middle. You'll also be adding moment, or torque, to the straps which they were probably not designed to carry. This means more broken gear.

For backpacks, try and keep the heavy things towards the bottom of the pack and put most of the weight onto your hip belt, if you have one. In general, it's a good idea to put weight on the bike and off of yourself. This is less work that your body has to do. Which also means less pain.

Compression

Finally, compression. Take those big things and make them small and dense. There is no sense in carrying around a bunch of air. The closer you can get things to the frame of your bike and to your body, the better it will be.

2 - On the Bike Packing

The first question you need to ask yourself is what do I need to carry? Be ruthless, the more you carry, the more the man will weigh you down and ruin your ride by stealing those precious, precious watts. Anyway, here is what I carry. Everything is on the bike, in my jersey pockets, on my person, or in the seat pack.

2.1 - What I carry on the bike

My short list for stuff on the bike.

Two 21 oz Camelbak Podium Chill water bottles
A seat pack full of goodies. Read this for full details.

Chamois Butt'r individual packet
Spare inner-tube, wrapped up nice and neat (see link for details)
Crank brothers M17 multi-tool
Park Tool TL-4.2 tire levers (pair)
Park Tool TB-2 Tire Boot
Park Tool GP-2 Super Patch glueless tube patches
Presta to Schrader valve adapter
Shimano disk pad spacers with rubber band (if you have disk brakes)
SRAM Powerlock chain connector or "quick link"

In a plastic baggie (to protect against sweat/water)

Cell phone
Wallet (DASH co. premium slim wallet. Excellent investment for everyday life)
Glasses cleaning cloth

Road ID (Slim ID bracelet)
Lezyne Pressure Drive hand pump
Cycling Computer
Small tube of sunscreen
Helmet
Bike Shoes (don't forget these)
Sun glasses
Small point and shoot camera (or your smart phone) (with an extra plastic baggie for waterproofing) (could put this in a top tube bag, if you so please)
Gloves of your choice (I typically choose no gloves)
Small pocket knife on my keys (Typically in seat pack during TDN)
Front and rear lights
Miscellaneous food from rest stop or a Clif Bar/Banana.

How much food do I need to carry? Well, not much. I always carry a precautionary Clif Bar, but almost never eat it. I try and support the rest stops and host towns along the way and you should too. Typically I will take a banana from the Penske every morning and then add things as the day goes on. That way my mother doesn't bother me about eating my fruit!

Really though, support the children. They have tacos, sometimes. They also have pie. Really good pie. You'll burn off the calories, right?

Keya Paha County 4-H, dishing up tacos, drinks, and desserts (TDN 2016)

Not convinced that you should support the children? Well if this doesn't do it... I don't know what will.

A cutie and a kitten in Eli, NE (TDN 2016)

At any given time, I usually have one Clif Bar or granola bar with me and maybe a banana. Although, if you need a banana you could probably just ask Craig. Just don't ask him where it has been...

Need a banana? Craig has one. (TDN 2015)

On the topic of food... watch out for Murphy. (TDN 2016)

So, let's unpack that list a little bit. Yes, the pun was intended. To save time assume all puns are intentional.

Road ID Bracelet

Get one. A cheap and simple way to keep yourself safe and to make sure your emergency contacts, allergies, etc. are easily accessible in an emergency. I use a slim ID. You could attach it to your bike, but what happens when you aren't with your bike or your bike is annihilated by a semi truck? I'd just put it on your wrist, that's where the EMTs will look first and it will always be with you, unless you lose a hand. https://www.roadid.com/

Bike Computer

Helps you have an idea of how far until the next stop and helps with pacing. Entry level computers are great, if you are a data nerd, get a GPS based computer. I use a Garmin Edge 810. There is really no need for navigation on TDN because the route is very well marked.

Cash Money

I will have about $140 to spend on the trip at rest stops and for meals. Small bills are great to have in the given denominations. Use credit and debit cards where available to get that sweet, sweet cash back.

Denomination	Quantity
$1	20
$5	8
$10	4
$20	2
Total	$140

Optional Items to add

Sun sleeves

Great for keeping your arms protected. Splash some water on them to keep your arms cool.

Shoe covers

Waterproof shoe covers are great to keep your feet dry on the occasional rainy day.

Heart rate monitor

For the data nerds… don’t look at it during the trip, enjoy the ride and analyze data later.

Arm warmers, knee warmers

Easy and very pack-able way to add more warmth in the mornings without having to carry a jacket all day. Unlike a jacket, warmers don't turn you into a mobile sauna of your own sweat.

Rain jacket

Sometimes it rains, other times it pours. In the last 3 years I've only had two rainy days on TDN. Sometimes it's warm enough you don't need a jacket. Sometimes it's cold. Don't roll the dice, bring a good cycling jacket with a full length zipper.

Cycling clothing I take and wash once during the week.

3 cycling jerseys (full zip, that's the only way to live in my opinion)
3 cycling bibs or shorts (If you have only shorts, you should really try bibs. They're great)
5 pairs of cycling socks

Oh, and don't forget your horse head.

Ready to work. (TDN 2016)

Four legs... long snout... looks good to me. (TDN 2017)

It's not often you get your daily news straight from the horse's mouth! (TDN 2016)

Enough horsing around, let's get back to riding! I mean writing.... (TDN 2016)

2.2 - How to Carry Your Stuff

The next question is to figure out how are you going to carry all of this crap.

There are a lot of different ways to carry things on a bike. With the rise in popularity of ultralight bikepacking there are also a whole host of new ways to carry things. So, what are some of the different ways? What are their pros and cons?

For the sake of brevity, and because I want to finish this article in my lifetime, we will keep it simple by looking at only the following types of carrying methods.

Backpack/Hydration Pack

Overall easy to use; it's a backpack. If you have a hydration pack, like a Camelbak you'll have easy access to water with the included reservoir and straw. But, you'll probably end up using more water because you'll be sweating from having a bag on your back. For TDN, there are ample refill points. For me, there is really no reason to have more than 1.5 liters. Whether that is in the form of two 24 oz. bottles or a hydration reservoir. Make sure to get plenty of training rides in and take inventory of how much water you use, everyone is different.

Keep in mind with a backpack you may have interference with jersey pockets. As well, you won't be able to access stuff without stopping and taking the bag off, unless you have a hip belt with pockets. So think ahead and test your pack out before you get to the tour.

For all of my camera gear on TDN, I use an Osprey Talon 11 with no water reservoir (I use two insulated bottles for fluids). For events like Gravel Worlds, I use a Camelbak rouge with a 2 L reservoir. Pro-tip, Camelbak makes hydration tablets that don't get your reservoir and tubes clogged up. And they're tasty and fizzy!

Frame bags - including accessory bags

Man... frame bags and accessory bags... I could spend months and not scratch the surface. What you need to know is that frame bags are pretty great. They take the wasted space of your frame and make it usable and also keep the weight on the bike. You can find pre-made bags from many manufacturers. Some of the most popular companies are Revelate Designs, Porcelain Rocket, Apidura, and Jandd Mountaineering. There are a lot of smaller companies that make custom and ready made bags. Yeah, you can get them custom made to fit your bike! Check out Rogue Panda Designs and others. I personally own Jandd, Banjo Brothers, Apidura, and Ortlieb bags. Highly recommend Ortlieb and Apidura. Jandd is great if you're on a budget. If I were to get a custom bag, I'd go with Rogue Panda Designs.

Accessory bags are nice as well. Top tube bags, feed bags, handlebar rolls, etc. All good stuff. Figure out what you think would work for you. Then do your research. I suggest bikepacking.com for reviews and information. It's a really great site that is sure to give you wanderlust. For top tube bags, check out the Louis Garneau Aero XT Bag, cheap and works well.

Trunk bags

They're practical and "cheap". They're also heavy. I don't know much about trunk bags, but I do know that there are a lot of people that use them on TDN. It's a good way to get a lot of crap on your bike and out of sight. I'm not a huge fan, but I see their place and purpose.

Panniers

No. For TDN, no. If you're carrying enough to warrant panniers, get rid of your stuff. If all you have is panniers, use them. Panniers have their place, I love them for bike camping and commuting when I need the storage space, but for TDN it's the wrong choice. Why? Weight and drag. They increase the amount of cross-sectional area you have, which increases the drag you experience, which makes you less efficient and you'll have to work harder all day. It's basically like using a tractor-trailer to haul a box you could put in your Prius.

Jersey pockets

If you aren't using your jersey pockets... what are you doing? This is where you should have your money, phone, identification, extra nutrition (granola bar, banana, etc.). I understand that it can be awkward to have stuff in your pockets and it does make sitting down in a chair slightly more uncomfortable, but it's free storage space, it moves with you, and it is always accessible.

My TDN Recommendation

Go with a trunk bag or small backpack if you are just starting and you cannot fit everything into your jersey pockets. Seriously, try and go ultralight if you feel comfortable doing so. Less is more on the bike. Have a seat bag with your repair gear. Everything else should go in your jersey pockets. If you run out of room, next get a top tube bag. After that, if you run out of space seriously consider your life choices... or get a trunk bag.

3 - Overnight Packing

On TDN there are three main ways you can go for overnight accommodations. I've done them all, so that makes me uniquely qualified to talk about this topic. In fact, I did all three of them on TDN 2016. Ain't I special?

3.1 - Hotel

Pack like you're going to a Holiday Inn Express, just bring your bike stuff along. Don't overthink it, it's that simple. If you think the inn will be full and want to be prepared, pack like you're indoor camping. (FYI, hotels fill up immediately after the route is announced in December)

3.2 - Indoor Camping

Indoor camping means you'll be sleeping inside in a gymnasium or something similar.
Pack like you will be going to a hotel with your bike stuff, but add in some things. You'll need some sort of sleeping arrangement, whether a cot, air mattress, or sleeping pad. That also includes some sheets or a sleeping bag. (If you have an air mattress, bring a patch kit and a pump. Power isn't always easily accessible.)

Bring all of the same toiletries that you would need in a hotel, but there are no fresh towels or little bottles of shampoo to steal. Make sure to pack the things you would normally steal! Showering accommodations are usually the showers at the high school gym/swimming pool. If you are modest, you can bathe in swim trunks or what not. Just make sure to bring them along. In general, please try to be considerate in the showers. Not trying to body shame, but not everyone wants to know what you've got going on. If you're by the entrance to the shower room and someone walks in and gets the full frontal experience... stuff like that can give you whiplash! Everyone needs a little time to acclimatize!

3.3 - Outdoor Camping

For outdoor camping, just pack a little more gear than if you'd be indoor camping. The main item to add is a tent. Beyond that, maybe a camp chair or a blanket. Really whatever it takes for you to be comfortable outdoors. Tent camping is usually in the city park or on the high school's lawn or football field. I would recommend getting your tent up first thing when you arrive. The beer can wait, a bad site will ruin your sleep and the next day. That little sacrifice can make a big difference.

Here are some things to consider when picking a tent site. Make sure to think about which way the sun will move. Shade is a huge commodity! It gets hot out there! If rain is in the forecast, think about indoor camping so you don't have wet gear to deal with. Or you could tough it out, just make sure you aren't in a drainage path. On a scouting trip in years past some young scouts set up in the drainage path, their tent started floating along with them and their gear. It's a good thing they staked it down. I'm not making this up. Their dad was in the tent with them! Also, try to find level and clear ground. Remove any sticks or uneven materials from under your tent, otherwise you can pierce the tub of the tent or you'll have a stick up your butt all night. You'll probably also have a metaphorical stick up your butt the next day because you couldn't sleep.

If you like camping outside, but don't want to deal with the logistics, check out UNL Outdoor Adventures tent service. They make it super easy and they're rad peeps.

4 - Packing Tips and Tricks

As far as specific gear recommendations, my advice is to buy the best you can afford. It's hard to recommend a single piece of gear, because what's available is constantly changing. Do your research and buy the best thing you can afford if it's something you'll use often. Otherwise, get something a little cheaper to see if you'll like it and so you can figure out what features matter to you. When you break the cheap version, buy the nicer one!

You can stick things under your cycling shorts or jersey. - need an extra gel or bar; pop it under the leg of your shorts. Want to get rid of a rain jacket, put it under your jersey on your back. You'll look like hump back, but you won't have to hold on to that jersey!

Roll up jerseys, shorts, bibs, arm/leg warmers... Check out the first two tips from GCN in this video. I use them all the time... packing for a race, for TDN, for keeping arm and leg warmers together while being stored... changed my life.

When packing your bags, pack the things that are firm and rigid first. Then put the malleable stuff around that to fill in the voids.

Don't start the tour with a new piece of gear. Everything you have with you should have at least 10 rides on it. Work out the kinks before the tour so you can enjoy it while you are there.

If you're doing TDN. Check in first, then load your overnight gear on to the Penske. I made this mistake my first year and ended up having to carry around stuff I didn't need for the first day. You'll get daily itineraries, a t-shirt, bottle, and some other goodies. I'd pack the t-shirts to wear at some point during the tour. The rest of that stuff can go in your car. If you have a smartphone, there's an app for the daily itinerary. Paper was so 1893...

Put the lens of your camera facing outwards in your jersey pocket, or away from your body. Otherwise, moisture will cloud the lens. Learn from my mistakes. Don't believe me... here is proof from Gravel Worlds 2016.

At the end of the day, just enjoy yourself. Try it, learn from your mistakes, and put some good into the world.

The legend, David Hill, descending like a boss (TDN 2016)

George, it's not polite to point. (TDN 2016)

Just along for the ride (TDN 2016)

Horsing around with the Governor. Did you really think I'd let this horse thing go? (TDN 2016)

If you have a question, leave it in the comments below. I'll try and address it when I get the time. I'm leaving a lot out, but this will get you thinking about it what to take. When in doubt, look at the quick reference for what to pack. (Packing Quick Reference)

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