France 2017
PAYLOAD DISTRIBUTION // FRANCE 2017 [TRUE TOTAL: 6.63 KG]
FRAME PACK (ALL ZONES) [3.15 KG - 47.4%]
⛺ Frame Pack - Upper half (1.59 kg)
Frame Pack (Alpkit Stingray Custom) — 315g (Worked well, though a little bulky)
Tent (Terra Nova Photon) — 990g
Poles (Terra Nova Photon) — 146g
Tent Pegs (MSR) — 84g
Velcro straps — 3x 17g (Total: 51g)
🚴 Bicycle & Bolted Gear (12.77 kg)
Bicycle (Kona Jake) — 10,500g (Heavy alloy, but it was the best I could afford at the time)
Lock 1 (Kryptonite D-Lock) — 1,153g (Over a kilo of dead weight. Massive rookie mistake)
Lock 2 (Kryptonite Cable Lock) — 308g (Would take again, paired with something tiny)
Pedals (Shimano SPD) — 380g
Water Bottles (Camelbak Podium 710ml) — 3x 91g (Total: 273g)
Bottle Cages — 3x 40g (Total: 120g)
Bottle Cage Clamps (Elite VIP) — 35g
🎒 Saddle Pack (1.96 kg)
Sleeping Mat (Sea To Summit Ultralight) — 395g (I generally find mats annoying, but as they go, this did the job)
Sleeping Bag (Sea To Summit Traveller) — 389g (+10°C limit left me a bit cold the second September hit)
Saddle Pack (Apidura 14L) — 350g (Did a sterling job)
Fleece (Mountain Warehouse Camber) — 205g (Dirt cheap, but way too bulky. Mistake)
Windshirt (Alpkit Arro) — 137g (A bit pointless, though I did actually wear it)
Toilet Paper — 115g (The single most important bit of kit on the bike!!!!)
Waterproof Jacket (Gore Active One) — 112g (Incredible jacket that dried instantly, I just bought it a size too tight)
Towel (Gelert Microfibre) — 94g (Completely pointless)
Cup (Stainless Steel Cup) — 62g (Nice to have, totally unneeded)
Socks (Alpkit Akcelerate) — 40g (Carrying a third 'rotation' pair was unnecessary)
Socks (Alpkit Aktif) — 39g
Spork (Ecoslurps) — 20g
🔧 Frame Pack (Lower Half) - Tool Kit (1.27 kg)
Inner Tubes (Continental) — 3x 175g (Total: 525g) (Got two punctures, so carrying three actually justified itself)
Battery (Anker Powercore 20800) — 356g
Lights (Lezyne) — 2x (Total: 199g)
Allen Key Set (Topeak 2, 4, 5 & 6mm) — 67g (Still use these today. Brilliant)
Pump (Topeak Micro Rocket Carbon) — 55g (Superb little pump)
UK USB Plug — 50g
Tyre Levers (Bontrager) — 2x 6g (Total: 12g) (Too chunky; snapped one and converted to metal levers)
Glueless Patch Kit (FWE) — 7g (Never used, but worth 7g for the peace of mind)
📱 Frame Pack - Document Pocket (0.29 kg)
Phone 1 (LG Nexus 4) — 170g (All I could afford at the time, but it did the job fine)
Phone 2 / Nav (Samsung Galaxy S3) — 118g
⚡ Top Tube Bag (0.07 kg)
Top Tube Bag (Alpkit) — 46g (Still strapped to my training bike today. Bulletproof)
Wallet (Oyster Card Holder) — 21g
👕 Cycling Clothes & Gear (Worn)
Helmet (Scott Arx) — 270g
Glasses (FWE 30) — 27g
Shirt (Pearl Izumi) — 186g
Shorts (Nike Football) — 162g
Socks — 27g
Shoes (Shimano) — 788g
Watch (Casio World Time) — 39g
Gloves (Electrical work gloves) — 28g
Passport — 36g
Spain 2018
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PAYLOAD DISTRIBUTION // SPAIN 2018 [TRUE TOTAL: 4.86 KG]
SADDLE PACK [2.96 KG - 60.8%]
🔧 1. Frame Pack - Tool Kit (1.13 kg)
Frame Pack (Alpkit Possum) — 170g
Inner Tubes (Continental) — 4x 175g (Total: 700g)
Tyre Levers (Bontrager) — 2x 6g (Total: 12g)
Allen Key Set (Topeak 2, 4, 5 & 6mm) — 67g
Pump (Topeak Micro Rocket Carbon) — 55g
Spork (Ecoslurps) — 20g (Moved from saddle pack for midday roadside access)
Multi Plugs (Anker) — 81g
Cable Ties — 4x (Negligible mass)
Gloves (Electrical work gloves) — 28g
🎒 2. Saddle Pack (2.96 kg)
Saddle Pack (Apidura) — 350g
Rucksack (Osprey Ultralight Stuff Pack) — 90g (Packable overflow capacity)
Tent (Terra Nova Photon) — 990g
Poles (Terra Nova Photon) — 146g
Tent Pegs (MSR) — 84g
Sleeping Bag (Sea To Summit Traveller) — 389g
Towel (Gelert Microfibre) — 94g (Still carried it. Still redundant)
Insulation Layer (Montane Prism) — 418g (Replaced the bulky 2017 fleece. Packability upgrade)
Waterproof Jacket (Gore Active One) — 112g
Toilet Paper — 115g
Phone 2 / Nav Backup (LG Nexus 4) — 170g
⚡ 3. Top Tube Bag (0.77 kg)
Top Tube Bag (Alpkit) — 110g
Phone 1 (Nokia 5) — 160g
Battery Packs (Anker 10,000mAh) — 2x 250g (Total: 500g — High capacity required for remote Spanish routing)
🚲 4. The Rig (Bicycle & Bolted)
Bicycle (Fuji Cyclocross 1.7 2018) — ~9,800g (Est)
Pedals (Flat) — ~380g (Est)
Lights (Lezyne) — 199g
Water Bottles (Camelbak Podium 710ml) — 3x 91g (Total: 273g)
Bottle Cages (Elite) — 3x 40g (Total: 120g)
Bottle Cage Clamps (Elite VIP) — 35g
👕 5. Worn Gear
Helmet (Kask Mojito) — 220g
Jersey (Pearl Izumi) — 188g
Shorts (Nike) — 184g
Socks (Rapha) — 2x 27g (Total: 54g)
Shoes (Shimano) — 788g
Watch (Casio) — 31g
Passport — 36g
The Minimalist Bikepacking Manifesto: Travelling Far and Light
When you commit to going lightweight, ruthlessness is your greatest asset. Every gram must earn its place on the frame. Here is the field-tested breakdown of how to strip away the dead weight without sacrificing survival, security, or self-reliance on the road.
1. The Rig & Security
When touring lightweight, heavy urban security is the very first category that needs radical reconsideration. What you carry depends entirely on your routing and where the bike sleeps at night.
- Bicycle Frame: After cracking two separate aluminium frames under touring stresses, making the conversion to steel is the definitive move. As the adage goes: steel is real. It carries a slight weight penalty over alloy or carbon, but it offers a bombproof foundation that absorbs road chatter and can be welded by local mechanics almost anywhere in the world if disaster strikes.
- Pedals: While Shimano SPD clipless pedals offer superior cadence efficiency and foot retention and are brilliant to ride in, swapping to flat pedals paired with lightweight running shoes is a pragmatic choice for world touring. It sacrifices a bit of bike control and power transfer, but running shoes are inherently lighter off the bike, effortless for camp exploration, and easily replaced in any basic market or shop globally.
- Hydration Setup: For populated regions with frequent supply stops, you can comfortably get away with one or two standard bottles. However, adding extra mounts for remote stretches is never a bad insurance policy. Just remember the brutal physics of water weight: 1 litre equals exactly 1 kilogram. Carry what you need to reach the next tap, not a drop more.
- Bottle Cage Clamps: When your frame lacks extra braze-ons, strap-on bottle clamps allow you to mount a vital third bottle underneath the down tube, utilising otherwise dead space.
- Primary Lock System: A lightweight woven cable lock paired with a compact café/pack lock is all you need to immobilise the drivetrain and deter opportunists while running into a supermarket.
- Ditch Heavy D-Locks: Rookie Mistake. Carrying over a kilo of dead metal weight across continents makes no sense for nomadic touring. If you want to spend a day wandering around a city on foot, check into a secure hotel or hostel and leave the bike safely stored inside. Otherwise, the golden rule applies: the bike stays within eye line at all times.
2. Luggage & Cockpit
Adopting a rackless bikepacking setup forces strict packing discipline. Eliminating metal pannier racks removes mechanical points of failure and keeps the bike agile, narrow, and responsive on rough terrain.
- Saddle Pack: The bulletproof main storage compartment. This is the designated home for bulky, low-density essentials like your sleep system and spare clothing.
- Frame Pack (Triangle Bag): The core of your weight distribution. Keeping heavy, dense itemstools, spare tubes, and power banks centred and low in the frame triangle preserves the bike's low centre of gravity, preventing top-heavy handling wobbles on fast descents.
- Top Tube Bag: Your quick-access cockpit storage. Essential for items you need on the move without stopping: smartphone, wallet and a steady supply of roadside calories.
- Overflow Pack: An ultralight packable stuff sack or that rolls down to practically nothing. It is invaluable for hauling bulky evening supermarket runs from the last town up to wild camp. (Note: Arguably redundant if you are trying to shave your setup down to absolute bare-bones minimalism).
3. Shelter & Sleep System
Hitting sub-1.2kg for a complete, weather-proof shelter is elite-level touring, but sleep insulation ratings always require careful padding when pushing into unpredictable shoulder seasons.
- Tent vs. Hooped Bivvy: A standard lightweight tent is fantastic and spacious for warm weather touring. However, transitioning to a hooped bivvy like the Rab Ridge Raider is a game-changer for stealth. While weighing roughly the same as an ultralight solo tent, a hooped bivvy effortlessly fits into tight, concealed wild camping pitches where a tent footprint simply wouldn't fit.
- Sleeping Mat: Never underestimate ground chill. A quality inflatable mat provides essential thermal isolation from the cold earth; without it, even the warmest sleeping bag will lose its heat to the ground.
- Sleeping Bag: Entirely dependent on the route's climate profile:
- Summer/Early Autumn: A compact +10°C comfort rating easily handles warm European routing like France and Spain.
- Winter Domestic: Hiking or riding through freezing damp winter conditions in England demands bulky synthetic protection down to a 0°C comfort rating that still insulates when wet.
- Round-the-World: A -5°C comfort rating is the versatile baseline target. As a general survival philosophy: if ambient temperatures drop below -5°C, you are likely in the wrong geographical location for your intended route schedule!
4. Clothing & Wearables
Layering efficiency beats raw bulk every time. The rule of thumb for cycling wardrobes is absolute: if you aren't currently wearing it on the bike, it must compress down into a fraction of its size.
Worn on the Bike
- Helmet: Comfort and safety are paramount. Brands like Kask offer excellent fit and ventilation, but any solidly constructed, certified lid does the job.
- Riding Kit: A breathable cycling jersey ideally featuring classic rear zipped pockets for stash space paired with lightweight synthetic football shorts. While pairing football shorts with a bike seat is controversial due to aerodynamics and the complete lack of padded chamois, field testing proves it completely eliminates the need for greasy chamois creams while preventing sore chafing.
- Footwear: While dedicated Shimano SPD clipless shoes offer brilliant foot-to-pedal connection, standard flat pedals matched with lightweight trail or running shoes win out on extended remote journeys for total off-bike comfort and global utility.
- Gloves: The Ultimate Budget Hack. Rubber-coated electrical work gloves cost next to nothing, provide exceptional handlebar grip in wet conditions, and act as surprisingly tough, windproof barriers against chill.
- Accessories: A reliable digital watch. Aside from toilet roll, this is easily the most indispensable piece of day-to-day gear on a long tour, keeping you locked to daylight hours and pacing schedules without draining your phone battery.
Packed Weather Layers
- Waterproof Shell: A minimalist technical shell in the 100g–200g range is all you need. Cut it slightly roomy so it easily layers over your synthetic insulation jacket when riding through freezing downpours.
- Insulation Layer: A high-loft synthetic Pertex jacket. It provides a massive packability and weight-to-warmth upgrade over standard jackets, retaining insulating properties even if exposed to damp air.
- Ditch — Cheap Bulky Fleeces: While fleeces are comfortable, dirt cheap, and great to wear around camp, their low density eats up far too much precious real estate inside a saddle bag. Leaving them behind is an unfortunate but necessary sacrifice for light speed.
- Ditch — Dedicated Windshirt: Largely redundant when you already carry a breathable, ultralight waterproof outer shell.
5. Tools & Roadside Maintenance
Stash your mechanical kit packed low in the frame bag. Access needs to be immediate so you can tackle roadside punctures or adjustments without having to unpack your meticulously stuffed sleep gear.
- Pump: A micro carbon hand pump. Heavy, high-volume touring pumps simply aren't worth the carry weight.
- Allen Key Set: A stripped-back multi-tool or loose keys featuring only the essentials: 2mm, 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm.
- Inner Tubes: Carry 3 to 4 quality Continental tubes. Carrying three easily justifies itself across long European stretches like France; pushing into remote, debris-heavy global routing fully justifies carrying four.
- Patch Kit: Belt and braces approach—carry quick-deploy glueless patches alongside an old-school vulcanising glue repair kit for permanent campfire fixes.
- Tyre Levers: 3x metal-core levers. Chunky, all-plastic levers invariably snap when wrestling stiff wire-bead touring tyres off a rim; upgrade directly to metal-reinforced levers.
- Emergency Fixes: A stash of heavy-duty zip ties and wrapped lengths of duct tape. The weight penalty is practically zero, but the trail-side MacGyver benefits for broken spokes, torn bags, or loose mounts are massive.
6. Electronics, Navigation & Power
Long stretches of remote routing require heavy battery reserves, but optimising your wall plugs ensures quick turnaround times when you finally hit civilisation.
- Power Banks: 2x 10,000mAh units provide a reliable modular backup system. For multi-year or ultra-remote global expeditions, pairing these with a front hub dynamo system ensures self-generating off-grid endurance.
- Lighting: Reliable units like Lezyne compact LEDs. Even if your routing avoids night riding entirely, carrying lightweight front and rear lights is non-negotiable safety equipment for unlit tunnels or unexpected dusk delays.
- Wall Charger: A high-wattage multi-port fast charger compatible with international travel adapters to rapidly top up all power banks simultaneously during café stops.
- Navigation Setup: A primary smartphone backed up by a secondary rugged device, with fully offline GPX route maps downloaded locally to both. Alternatively, dedicated GPS head units like the Garmin 1040 especially models featuring built-in solar charging screens offer exceptional battery efficiency that justifies their space on the cockpit.
7. Camp Kitchen, Admin & Hygiene
Keep off-bike camp living ruthlessly simple. Complexity in camp translates directly to wasted time and heavier bags.
- The Undisputed King of Kit Toilet Paper: Never compromise here. Crucial rule: keep it sealed inside a bone-dry ziplock bag. Pro tip: Individual pocket tissue packets pack down far smaller than standard rolls and can be jammed into dead-space gaps inside a saddle pack. Discard used paper into disposable dog poo bags and pack it out to the nearest public bin. You don't need to carry a heavy metal shit shovel, just take your paper away with you. Provided you don't go on a path or water source, nature will handle the rest cleanly.
- Eating Tool: A single lightweight spork. Stash it right at the top of your frame pack or top tube bag so it's instantly accessible for quick roadside supermarket lunches.
- Admin Essentials: Your passport. Keep it completely sealed against sweat and rain in a waterproof pouch; it is the one item you literally cannot cross borders without.