What do you Pack for a Cross-Country Bike Trip?

Brian Richardson

When people hear about this trip, one question they tend to ask is: What do you take with you? We will have absolutely no vehicle support, which means that everything we need has to fit into two panniers that attach to the backs of our bikes. When deciding what to pack, we have to consider the utility of an item versus the weight it will add to our bikes. A second clean t-shirt? No way. A full jar of peanut butter? Absolutely.

Here’s a working list of what I’m packing:

Things for Biking

  • 1 bike (Surly Long Haul Trucker)

  • 1 helmet

  • 2 rear panniers (Ortliebs)

  • 2 bike water bottles

  • 1 saddle bag

  • 1 bike lock

  • 2 pairs of bike shorts

  • 1 bike jersey

  • 1 pair of finger-less bike gloves

  • 1 bottle of sunscreen

  • 6+ packets of chamois butter

  • 2 spare tire tubes

  • 1 bike tool

  • 2 spare spokes

  • 1 mirror

  • 1 bike lock

  • 1 rear light

  • 1 front light

  • 1 first aid kit

  • Other bike maintenance gear that will be shared between the four of us: spare tire, bike pump, Leatherman tool, brake cables, brake pads, chain lube, maps, spoke tool, tire patch kit, spare chain, spoke tool

Things for Sleeping

  • 1 tent

  • 1 sleeping bag (20 degree)

  • 1 sleeping pad

  • 1 headlamp

  • 1 pair wool socks

  • 1 pair warm tights

  • 1 short sleeve shirt

  • 1 warm long sleeve layer

  • 1 down jacket

  • 1 rain jacket

  • 1 warm hat

  • 2 pairs of underwear

Things for Eating

  • 1 stove

  • 1 pot

  • 1 fuel canister

  • Food (rice, beans, couscous, oatmeal, bagels, peanut butter; pretty much anything we can get our hands on)

  • 1 bowl

  • 1 spork

Things for when we are not biking, eating, or sleeping

  • 1 pair of crocs

  • Toiletries (this is pretty much just a toothbrush and some toothpaste)

  • 1 book

  • 1 journal

  • Other items that will be shared between the four of us: frisbee, deck of cards, camera)

As you can tell from the way the gear is divided, most of what we’ll be doing is biking, sleeping, and eating. Sounds like a pretty fun trip.