A question frequently asked ‘Do I need a tourer for touring?’
No, not necessarily.
There are advantages to tourers
Designed to carry a heavy load.
Long wheel-base to more stable
Multiple hand position
The geometry means that it’s more upright.
It is possible to make a few adaptations to your bicycle to make it easier for cycle touring.
Fitting bar ends to flat handlebars
Changing your tyres so that they’re wider
Changing the gearing
This video goes into a lot of the adaptations that you may want to do to your bicycle.
These are all just suggestions and the adaptations will vary depending on the terrain that you are going to tackle.
Jo and her hybrid has cycled across France and the UK. The only adaptation that she made was the addition of handlebar ends.
There are so many different ways of setting up your bicycle.
What do I carry with me?
As little as possible
Try and half whatever you pack.
Essentials
A tool kit which may include a puncture repair kit, two spare inner tubes, a bicycle multi-tool, a tyre boot, a bicycle pump, some spare chain links, gear cables, brake cables, cable ties, tie down strap or bungee.
A First Aid Kit.
Clothes
For credit card touring you might be able to get by on two sets of clothes.
Don’t forget to pack for all weathers, so remember your waterproofs.
Dry bags or packing cubes can help tremendously with organizing your gear.
What to carry everything in?
There are so many choices and options available. What you ride and what style touring you are doing will also determine the bags that you use to carry everything in.
A list of what I took with me on tour can be found on my equipment page.
Susan Doram 