How to equip yourself for cycle touring

Cycling for several days raises plenty of questions about equipment. Whatever your cycling route, there are 3 areas to consider for cycle touring:

• Here is first-hand advice from Sophie at RayonRando, who has ridden some of the finest cycle touring routes, including La Loire à Vélo and Eurovélo 6, La Vélodyssée, the Canal du Midi, Via Rhona and La Francette. How should you equip your touring bike for a cycle tour?

• How do you put together camping equipment suitable for cycle touring? Bulk and weight are particular concerns to consider.

• What should the cyclist wear and carry for a cycle trek?

These suggestions are not the ‘ideal’ kit, but an example of equipment tried and tested for multi-day cycle touring.    

Heningue, Passerelle des 3 Pays bridge: France, Germany and Switzerland. The city of Basel is on the other side of the bridge.

What bike equipment do you need for a multi-day cycle tour?

Several concerns have led Sophie to adapt her equipment as she has gained experience: ‘I want cycle touring equipment that is not too heavy, especially for hilly routes, while limiting wind resistance, which can be a formidable adversary. I also want compact equipment that is easy to remove, so I can load the bike onto a train or coach easily at the end of the trip.’

Which luggage for a touring bike?

The cycle trailer: Sophie used a 1-wheel aluminium trailer for a while. ‘It is fantastic on the flat. We used it on the Canal du Midi in particular, where the single-wheel trailer fitted easily through narrow sections. But it is a nightmare uphill, unless you have a Tour de France rider with you…’. Trailers with 2 wheels are less manoeuvrable and catch more wind. She eventually retired the trailer for good in favour of panniers.

Rear cycle panniers:

Sophie has only used rear cycle panniers clipped onto the luggage rack, rather than front panniers.

‘The first purchase was a disaster — before RayonRando, editor's note. The panniers let water in and did not withstand vibrations for long, leaving us in a tricky situation when they broke in the middle of the countryside.’ After this experience, Sophie bought waterproof panniers, the Vaude Aquaback. ‘These roll-top panniers are completely waterproof. We supplement them with a North Face Duffle Bag on the rack, holding the tent and the things we need during the day.’

A hiker from the RayonRando team used Vaude Karakorum panniers on a cycle trek. They offer 3 bags in 1 for cycle trekking. Their rain cover proved effective during a day of heavy rain.

A handlebar bag such as the Vaude Aqua Box, with a practical front opening that makes its contents easy to access.

Other cycle luggage:

A smartphone mount for anyone who does not use a handlebar bag.

The essential bottle cage. Some people use 2. Sophie uses just 1: ‘We also take a water bottle and tuck it in the shade beneath the duffle bag.’