My recent bike camping visit to New Mexico provided an excellent opportunity to compare some new and old tents while working around some family property.

This past summer had proven to be a very challenging time for a lot of friend and family folks for varying reasons which effected my bike touring plans for the months of late July and August.  In an effort to make light of those facts I blogged about it here, Lisa found it to be rather amusing.  

Anyhow, after finally getting some bike packing travel plans figured out I debated over which tent to take to sleep in with my dog after our house and puppy sitter flaked out.  So I decided to pack both the REI Quarter Dome 2 two person tent and the Alps Mountaineering Lynx 1 person tent.   Both tents offer a "quick pitch" method using only the foot print and rain fly as an optional simple shelter.  

Although the Quarter Dome 2 is much roomier with dual entry and vestibules it weighs approximately the same as the Alps one person tent (three and a half pounds) which has a single entry and vestibule although the vestibule is quite large for storing panniers, packs, shoes, etc.  How the Quarter Dome is capable of being so lightweight is that the rainfly and tent body are made of very lightweight fabric that can best be described as unpacking a material which resembles plastic cling wrap used in a kitchen.  Lisa immediately voiced a concern about the fabric being "too thin" for use when camping with the dogs as they could possibly tear the floor fabric.  As it turns out Lisa's evaluation of the fabric was correct as shown in photo above it was way too easily torn by a stray year old lab puppy who insisted on keeping me company by sleeping next to the tent every night.  Previous to that while we camped one night using only the mostly mesh tent body without the rainfly our three year old dog was startled and made an effort to lunge out hitting the mesh and creating stress tears in the base fabric of the tent body.  It was easy enough to repair those tears but the other damage caused by the lab pup pawing at the tent will require us returning the tent to REI.  Will update this post later.  

Another important consideration is tent pole length as poles which are exceptionally long are a hassle to pack properly especially for bicycle touring and bike packing.  At ​??? inches I was barely capable of tucking the Quarter Dome 2 poles under the top tube of my twenty inch frame mountain bike.  Also, due to the "single pole" packing design where all the poles fold around what I would call the tent pole hub and the slightly curved design of some of the pole sections I was concerned about them getting bent.  In comparison to the Alps Mountaineering poles which are two simple poles with pole sections that fold and pack flat.  Also note the convenience of being able to pack the Alps Lynx 1 tent poles into the top tube of bike packing rig pictured above.  

I could go on and on saying the praises of the Alps tents materials, ease of packing and pitching.  As one reviewer of the Quarter Dome 2 is quoted as saying "it's not the type of tent design you want to try to set up after a few drinks" implies that it needs to be set up a few times to get familiar with the design for pitching at night or if in a hurry for inclement weather.  When the same stray lab puppy tried to get in through the rain fly vestibule while it was zipped shut he evidently became frustrated and chewed through the guy lines which were staked down for the gusty New Mexico monsoon weather.  

So, all that having been said here are top four suggested features of a tent for bicycle touring or bike packing followed by a list of our top four tent picks which all weigh less than four pounds.
1. Packing friendly aluminum tent pole length which can fit inside a pannier, bike bag or pack or strapped to the top of a front or rack so as not to adversely effect navigating the bike especially on trails. 
2. Materials pack down small enough to fit inside a pannier, seat bag, or can be strapped on to a front or rear rack or handlebars in the case of bike packing.
3. Ease of setting the tent up whether it's due to being in a hurry with bad weather with free standing design.
4. Durable enough that a dog doesn't tear it too easily. : )

1. Alps Mountaineering Lynx 1 Tent has become a personal favorite for several reasons least of which is how incredibly affordable this tent is at under a hundred bucks, compare to the three hundred dollar Quarter Dome 2 previously described.
After deciding to add the ground cloth (sold separately) I have no doubts about the durability and quality materials of this tent.  Large vestibule for storage of personal items, absurdly easy to set up even with lots of wind and includes a gear storage loft which I have found very useful for holding other small personal items while bike camping. 

Another quality free standing one person tent option that is light weight and pack friendly with manageable pole section lengths is the Kelty Salida 1 Tent.  Footprint is also sold separately and doesn't include a gear loft like the Alps Lynx 1 tent but is very well reviewed and slightly lighter than the Alps model. 

Another thing I like about this tent when compared to the Alps Lynx 1 is that it doesn't have the little transparent plastic windows on each end of the rain fly which probably contributes to this tent being slightly lighter weight. 

Personally this Bryce 2P Two Person Ultralight Tent and Footprint is not only a much more affordable option to the Quarter Dome 2 at under two hundred dollars and it includes the foot print!  Also, the packed ple section length is very manageable at just seventeen inches.

This is a highly reviewed tent weighing less than four pounds.  Couple things I don't like about it are the seventeen inch packed pole length and single pole hub design very similar to the Quarter Dome 2 poles described previously.  

This is going to be the tent to replace the Quarter Dome 2 tent.  With pole section length of just fourteen inches, weighs less than four pounds, easy to set up and at a hundred dollars less than the QD2 I'm excited.  
This is the Kelty TN 2 Person Tent which although the ground cloth (foot print) is sold separately it's still an awesome deal and the only tent I have found with the option for parking my touring bike under an accessory tarp shown below, also sold separately.  

Optional Kelty Upslope Tarp shown being used with trekking poles (sold separately) or as I have mentioned for use with a touring bike with a double kickstand.  Of course the Upslope Tarp can also be used by itself as a simple tarp shelter if needed.  Excited about the possibilities with this tent and tarp combo.  

Links related to this topic
Alps Mountaineering Lynx 1 Tent Review
​Tents for Bike Touring
Fun filled Bike Touring Kit

My first vacation and opportunity to spend a lot of time bike touring and or hitting the trails has created a difficult decision whether to go for a nice long ride with the touring bike, get a bike packing kit for the more recent mountain bike build shown in photo or perhaps do both.  

Budget concerns required diligent research and I was so pleased to find an entire kit for approximately a hundred sixty bucks I wanted to share this information before I begin my vacation with limited internet access.  The following products provide a Seat Wedge Pack, Handlebar Carrier System and frame bag.  It's a rather smallish kit with regards to how much stuff can be toted on the bike but keeping in mind I use my old Camelbak hydration pack for trails, off road bike packing and camping.  So, not at all concerned about it.  If you're looking for a quality kit for less than two hundred dollars that can provide so overnight bike packing adventures off the beaten track thank the folks at Lone Peak for providing their excellent quality products since 1979 and made in the good ol' U.S. of A.  Good Stuff.  Use bold underlined text links for information or to purchase. 

I made mention of this affordable quality designed frame bag pack in a review of top five frame bags for bike touring.

For the modest price of under fifty bucks and option to carry hydration reservoir it's a good item for stashing clothes, food, whatever.  Lone Peak offers this Standard Size Frame Bag Pack or a Large Size which is a more rectangular shape and is installed using the entire top tube of the frame offering considerably more packing room.  

I have looked at a few other handlebar packing options and I sure am pleased with this affordable design as many of the others I considered were more than a hundred dollars.  Lone Peak Handlebar Hauler System can hold those large bulky items such as tent and or sleeping bag, offers an affordable quality option that is less than seventy five bucks.  Excellent.

For me this is an important item of equipment for hauling gear such as my Thermarest Mattress, sleeping bag and pillow.  

Although Lone Peak offers their awesome quality Expedition 3-Roll Bicycle Seat Pack at a bit over a hundred dollars I chose the Kada Pak Ratt 2 Large Bike Packing Saddle at half the price.  

Although the Kada Pak provides almost the same amount of cargo carrying ability as the Lone Peak Pack it may not be quite as durable but I can't say that for sure at this point.  The Kada Pak incorporates the standard method mounting the pack to the seat rails and post and is the new improved model with wider heavier duty straps and buckles.  


*Note that none of the packs listed here are entirely waterproof so for situations which call for protecting electronic devices or just keeping clothes and sleeping equipment dry I use a couple of dry bags from Outdoor Research and Sea to Summit Compression Bag which are available in various sizes and completely waterproof.  I use these in my non waterproof panniers along with  or can be carried outside on a rack or for this kit attached to the Lone Peak Handlebar Hauler System.  Also consider the Outdoor Products three pack of Ultimate Dry Sacks for smaller items. All of these products mentioned are an excellent entry level bike packing kit that can serve many adventures for years to come.  

Links Related to this Topic
Mulit Day Bike Touring Pack Kit

Photography is something I enjoy as much as riding a bike so while planning this next bike tour it was important for me to figure out a way to keep my Canon G16's batteries charged while bike camping and touring.  

Within the past couple years or less small, lightweight solar panels have become exceptionally affordable with many company's offering very similar looking products in a folding monocrystalline portable power unit for travel.  Providing these in a variety of watt sizes such as three, ten or twenty watts for example, solar power is becoming more and more available due to improved panel technologies and designs as well as some competition for better pricing.  This is good news for folks looking to powering or keeping gadgets charged while pursuing outdoor activities and traveling.  Some quality review sites make mention of quality solar panels from Anker and particularly the Goal Zero Nomad 7 with a waterproof, dustproof battery pack or power bank.   The Goal Zero Nomad 7 is a seven watt panel paired with a 7800 mAh power bank.  I picked up a SEcur 7 watt panel and paired it with what I consider to be a better quality power bank with "charge through" function for approximately sixty bucks.  

Depending on what gadget wants or needs you might have the assortment of quality affordable solar options most likely has something to offer for everyone.  I have kept my gadget needs to a minimum even while blogging and for photography.  Here is an example list of items that can easily be charged with a seven watt panel which can be connected to a compatible power bank or directly to any USB device.  The Zendure A2 (photo at left) is a very solid power bank available in different sizes offering a few options for the number of USB ports when charging a couple devices or more at once.  An important consideration when selecting a power bank is whether or not it can continue to be charged from a solar panel while it's charging other devices.  There are only a few that do and Zendure makes an excellent quality power bank and the "charge through" function is  an extra bonus.  Zendure started out as a kickstarter program and has since established a reputation for durability and charge performance. 

My first testing of the Zendure A2 was to see how quick it would charge my RCA Voyager Pro 7" tablet.  The Voyager Pro's battery is not so great which is one of the reasons I put together the solar recharging kit being discussed here.  After approximately an hour and half the battery drops to fifty percent so I plugged the tablet into the Zendure A2 which had the tablet fully charged in about an hour.  Not bad at all and the Zendure power bank still had seventy five percent capacity left!  Excellent for such a tiny, lightweight unit.  Just want to make mention of the silly little Voyager Pro Tablet.  Although it retailed for fifty bucks it has since had a significant price increase to seventy five.  I guess folks figured out what an excellent product it was for travel being that RCA put all the money into the tablets processor and comes with a pretty decent keyboard.  I have found it to be the smallest, lightest weight tablet available that can easily handle running all the photography apps installed for resizing, editing RAW files and uploading to my stock agency.  It works just fine for typing up emails, some blog posts but I certainly would not recommend it to students needing to write lengthy term papers.  But for travel and in my case bicycle touring it is a very affordable quality option that serves my needs.  Photo below shows the Secur 7 watt panel charging the Zendure A2 while the power bank charges the Voyager Pro Tablet.  One of the reasons I chose the Secur 7 watt panel was for its' rack friendly size and shape which can easily be secured with included loops placed around the perimeter of the two folding panels.  There is a velcro closure underneath or on the backside of the panel for storing the power bank so that I have the option of charging it while riding.

Two add on items were a USB battery charger for the Canon G16's batteries and a new phrase to me an "OTG or "on the go cable".  This is simply a USB cable extension which provides a USB cable to be attached via micro usb port to a tablet or phone.  This makes it possible of course to download or transfer photos directly from the camera to another device and is used when tethering a camera to another device which has become quite popular with many professional photographers.  This is an excellent option when wifi networks are not available to transfer images to my phone for editing or sharing.  A bit of info. for Canon Camera users only EOS system cameras have the "tethering" option but for the simple transfer of images from my G 16 to my phone the OTG cable is excellent.  

Green technology is something I have been investing in for more than ten years so I have observed the vast improvements with the newer monocrystalline panels' efficiency.   I consider the bicycle to be one of the earliest forms of green technology although that was obviously not the intention at the time of its' invention. Today, the bicycle is the most conscientious form of bike travel whether that be touring or commuting and with some of the latest advancements in portable solar power for travel we can all feel that much more empowered.  Click on any of the links provided in bold and underlined or click on photos for information or to purchase.

Links related to this topic
Camera Favorite for Bike Touring
Tripod Favorite for Bike Touring
Fun Filled Multi Day Pack Kit
Bridge Cameras for Bike Touring

I have no idea how many bike folks would be interested in knowing whether or not an eight speed cassette is compatible with some vintage seven speed Shimano Deore LX thumbshifters and rear derailleur from the late eighties.  FYI, it is compatible.  After noticing that the right thumb shifter had an extra click in the indexed ratcheting mode I knew I could add an extra gear with the shifter set to friction with no problem.  

This has been such a fun bike to tinker with from time to time and has really turned out to be such a comfortable, versatile bike for touring and commuting built from scratch and pretty much building it on the cheap investing in new parts as appropriate, particularly with the Avid BB7 disc brakes.  Rather than chat up what a nice ride this bike is, particularly now with eight new gears I thought I would share some of the cool gear I received as gifts this year.  Only after sharing a tid bit of helpful information of course, irregardless of how obscure that may seem to some.  

For bike commuting at night or bike touring and camping I received a very versatile little front or rear light with the USB rechargeable Blackburn 2 fer Front or Rear Light.  This could be the coolest little bike light gadget I have ever owned.  I have become quite fond of the USB rechargeable gizmos for bike touring as it provides ease of charging devices via power stick, C Crane Solar Observer Radio or...  

It has a waterproof design, versatile mounting bracket with rubber strap that can be use on handlebars or remove the sliding clip from the rubber strap and clip it onto a backpack or seat bag.  As a front light the Blackburn 2 fer provides sixty lumens of white light or twenty lumens of red light as a rear light.  
What I don't like is the run time of the lithium polymer battery.  Ninety minutes while running continuous light or five hours in flashing mode.  Fortunately the light has a fuel gauge and charge indicator. No, the sixty lumens in front on while light mode is not enough to light up the road in front of you at night but that's not what this light is designed for.  For that I continue to use the tried and true Cygolite 360 which provides many front light options including a couple of strobing or flashing modes.  However as a rear light or as a small light to have around the campsite, the little Blackburn 2 fer is a very small, packable lightweight option.  Just make sure you keep the batteries charged as the charging time is approximately three hours when battery has been completely run down.  For this reason, if my loved ones would have asked me rather than purchasing me a new light I would have suggested the USB rechargeable Cygolite Hotshot which has a two hundred hour run time!  Yep, you read that right, but I am still very appreciative of this gift and will find a way to make use of it as it is quite a versatile little light. 
Links related to this topic
Cygolite and Helmet Mount Kit
Four Lights for Around Forty Bucks

Gotten tired of fiddling and fumbling about with bungee cords and elastic rack straps that wear out quickly?  Well, there's a very inexpensive alternative in the rubber coated, steel wire option with the Nite Ize Gear Tie.  Rubber coating is a nice touch if you're concerned about scratching the paint of your bike or rack particularly if their of steel construction, something metal bungee cord hooks have a tendency to do.  Available in a variety of lengths and colors, I received a two pack of black gear ties in the thirty two inch length.  

I have been using a couple of Delta Cargo Nets forbike touring and bike packing when I prefer to secure gear to the top deck of my front or rear racks.  They're pretty nice in that the hooks can be moved around and placed where needed for tightening and securing gear so it doesn't bounce around on trails and such.  However, although I am careful not to stretch the elastic cords too much over time the cord netting begins to lose some of its' elasticity.  Not a big deal considering how affordable the Cargo Net is but with the Nite Ize Gear Tie it is not an issue.  Depending on what type of gear you're securing simply order a length to suit your needs.  I have found that the thirty two inch length is perfect for securing gear items such as a tent or a sleeping bag by using two ties around each item and then securing the gear ties to each other as shown in photo.  This is a very affordable, durable option for securing any gear to your rack while bike touring or bike packing.  For the most bumpy, off road terrain when bike packing a combination of the Nite Ize Gear Tie and Delta Cargo Net can effectively secure most any gear to your bike over the roughest terrain. 

So, wanted to give a shout to our readers and fellow bike folks, Happy New Year, looking forward to sharing more information regarding new gear and bike touring fun via this blog.  As we go into our third year of sharing bike enthusiasm, knowledge and experience we are looking forward to 2016 being our best year thus far.  Third year's the charm : )  Happy Bike Touring to you and your loved ones with warm regards and gratitude for all the support of our small business efforts, generosity and readership over the past couple years it is very much appreciated.  Thank You!
Links related to this topic with links to the most excellent photography gear I have ever owned, so nice.
Multi Day Bike Touring Kit 
Camera Favorite for Bike Touring
Tripod Favorite for Bike Touring

Packing for any type of trip or vacation requires some varying degree of consideration and planning which mostly depends on travel methods and scheduling.  Fortunately when packing for a multi day bike tour when the bike is the primary or single mode of transportation there are a certain number of considerations which can be cast aside. Other than having some idea as to where I want to ride considerable effort goes toward getting the bike packed properly. Click on linked content in bold for more information.

By properly I mean packing the bike to handle nicely under all riding conditions.  For example, my front axiom cartier panniers have a locking mechanism for mounting to the Minoura front rack as the handles cannot be attached together over the rack as is the case with the rear rack.  I pack the lighter, bulkier stuff in the Trek rear panniers which due to their shape happen to fit tent poles very nicely when packed vertically. Heavier, more organized items such as camp stove kit, clothing, food are packed in front panniers.  As more body weight is applied over the rear wheel this technique of packing has proved to be an excellent method of weight distribution contributing to the bike's riding and handling characteristics.  

Another boon is when picking up the bike for example when portage is necessary the front and rear of my loaded touring bike is balanced.   

After much tinkering and experimenting with different packing methods and equipment choices over the years, this is my current go to kit list for a multi day, multi season bike tour.  Rather than review every single item, which has been covered in another post (link at end of this post) instead I'm covering the basics with my selection of gear of the more bulky and often times more expensive items that make up a good bike touring kit. 

Tent and Stuff Sack:  Alps Mountaineering Lynx 1 person tent weighs a bit over three pounds, so I swapped out the tent pegs that came with the tent with my MSR groundhog mini tent stakes providing a lighter tent set with better quality.  By packing this tent and rain fly into the Outdoor Research five liter Lightweight Dry Sack I'm able to easily fit the tent into one of the rear Trek Panniers with poles simply placed vertically into the pannier with the packed tent.  This is the most affordable solo bike touring tent kit I could find without sacrificing quality or comfort. 

Sleeping Bag, Pad, Pillow and Compression Bag:  On the topic of comfort is usually where it seems that a compromise is made in losing valuable room for packing or where the extra weight gets cumbersome.  It's a bit of a conundrum for folks putting together a quality affordable kit for bike touring so here is how I have handled that issue with success.  Having a sleeping bag that is comfy for a wide range of temperatures and that can handle getting a bit damp without loss of warmth is the North Face Furnace Down Twenty Degree F Sleeping Bag.  It packs down very small into a Small Sized Sea to Summit eVent Compression Dry Sack with room for a Thermarest Compression Pillow.  I have found this to be a very comfortable solution for laying on during warm nights or tucked in with a warm beanie in below freezing temperatures.  Last but not least my favorite sleeping pad is the Thermarest Trail Scout Sleeping Pad in the regular size.  I have a few Thermarest mattresses now and this one packs down the smallest by far as it is the only pad which is designed to be folded in half length wise and then rolled up to a very small lightweight pack friendly size.  It packs so small in fact that I can stuff down to the bottom of my Trek Pannier with enough room for the previously described sleeping packed on top.  

Some bike touring folks simply refuse to pack a cooking kit or stove as part of their kit due to weight, bulk or simply don't want to hassle with it.  When I'm with Lisa I enjoy making coffee for us and when solo camping I like having some oatmeal and tea.  For this reason I set out to find us a versatile, convertible kit for both my solo rides and when I plan on camping with Lisa.  

First I found the Stanley Adventure Camp Cook Set which holds twenty four ounces and is perfect for making coffee or tea for two people and includes two insulated BPA free plastic cups.  We have used an alocs alcohol stove kit which can also be used with esbit or other fuel cubes. Next I added the GSI Outdoors Glacier Bottle Cup Pot which is shorter and wider than the Stanley Pot, holds up to eighteen ounces and the best features are that the lid from the Stanley Pot fits perfectly on the GSI Cup as if it were made for it and the Stanley Pot fits into the GSI Pot for packing.  With the two stackable pots slipped into the alocs stove kit bag we have a very nice, efficient kit.  Note that the alocs stove will burn forty approximately forty five minutes but with the adjustable snuffer this can be extended depending on cooking needs.  Fuel source is usually if not always a bottle of Heet fuel conditioner which is easy to find at many stores and gas stations and is very inexpensive.  I might add that both the Stanley and GSI are made of quality stainless steel, both have folding handles for cooking with and as previously mentioned share the same size lid.  Miscellaneous items such as fuel cubes, matches, spork or cleaning cloth can be tucked into either one of the pots when used together with the alocs stove or when using just the GSI cup and stove.  Another important piece of my kit is a Contigo Auto Seal Travel Mug, it fits snugly into a frame mounted water bottle holder (shown in background of above photo) holds sixteen ounces of hot or cold liquids and is leak and spill proof.  I have turned it upside down and not a single drop spilled out.  It keeps liquid hot for up to five hours and is excellent for winter or summer.  I also use it to mix up a batch of nutritional supplement green powder drink by simply adding water and shaking the container.  It's an excellent insulated container that has proven to be very useful for a variety of needs.  

I have looked long and hard to find a handlebar bag that was not only waterproof but would fit the items for my photography equipment in a way that was practical and versatile enough to use on my different types of bikes.  This includes different handlebars from drop bars to mountain bike trekking bars as well as the flat bar of my little folding Dahon bike. 

This meant foregoing any handlebar bag that required mounting a quick release bracket.  This handlebar bag is not only very inexpensive but very well made and includes a clear map pocket under the lid.  Click on photo for information or to purchase, you can't beat the price for what you get.  It's also very easy to take on and off the bike for walking around with and have found it easy to get the bag very secure with the underside buckle cinch straps with velcro.

This photo of my old Bridgestone MB1 for bike packing with Alps Mountaineering Lynx 1 Tent stuffed into an Outdoor Research five liter lightweight Dry Sack tucked in and held under the handlebars with the waterproof handlebar bag I have found to be so versatile and still finding more uses for.  

Another excellent option afforded by this handlebar bag's design for very lightweight bike packing method.  

Other items including clothes are packed in Outdoor Products Ultimate Dry Sacks that are sold in a set of three different sizes.  I pack my clothes in a medium or large sack depending on whether I need warmer bulkier clothing for cold weather and smaller items for personal hygiene in the small sack.  I like the large high viz yellow at times for mounting on top of the rear rack for visibility.  Refer to upper left photo of assorted pack kit items. 

I've limited comments regarding clothing as personal style and other whimsical considerations are too diverse to garner much attention.  However, that having been said there are a few items of clothing gear for bike touring worth mentioning.  I have been riding with Pearl Izumi Journey Shorts for several years and they are simply perfect padded shorts for bike touring.  Casual comfort, excellent design with practical pockets and very durable I can't say enough about how excellent they are. Club Ride Jerseys have a casual design popular with many bike touring enthusiasts. A cool weather layering consideration that is small, lightweight and pack friendly are wool arm warmers and leg warmers like these from Ibex. Regarding rain gear I have found the Bell Storm Front Jacket and Tenn Waterproof Trousers to be all I need for any wet weather conditions.  Both are as waterproof and breathable as they are pack friendly.  Excellent rain gear for bike touring.  

How does all this stuff look when it's packed onto the bike?

It has become quite silly around here with tents with the girls teasing me about my love of tents. When Lisa catches me looking at tents on the internet she immediately says "oh no, we don't need another tent".  However she does find it humorous when I get excited about setting up all the tents at once. 

 Yay! Let's build tent city in the back yard.  With Lisa's kid's cooking camp out this year we had the opportunity to set up a few of our tents but not all of them.  Usually the girls sleep in the Dome workshop and the boys sleep in their Slumberjack six person tent.  This year however, while I was on night duty as usual the girls were freaked out by some spiders or roaches that crawled on them while they were sleeping on the dome shop floor. So I rendered immediate assistance by pitching the Mountainsmith Genesee Four Person, Three Season Tent and my old Coleman Cobra Peak 1 two person tent. These are the three tents shown in photo above and each has been an excellent tent for the price.  We purchased the Mountainsmith tent for the girls to sleep in with a couple of friends for car camping trips and it performed just as well as our REI Passage 2 two person tent that me, Lisa and the dog slept in under thirty to forty mph gusty wind conditions. However these are not tents for bike touring unless of course you are riding with a support vehicle such as with some bike tour companies. 

I have three tents to choose from for my personal bike touring needs and each one offers its' own unique qualities. Only my fifteen year old Coleman two person tent has been discontinued and the only tent like it is the Vango Banshee 200 two person tent. I have heard that the new Coleman Enyo or something like that was meant to replace the old Cobra Peak 1 but the Vango Banshee looks most similar.  As sentimental as I am about my old Coleman tent as it weighs slightly more than three pounds with the MSR groundhog stakes and not using a footprint as it hasn't been necessary for fifteen years now. Anyhow, when I got the tent out for the a couple of the girls to use Lisa made it a point to say in a very serious tone "you tell them to be very respectful of that old tent".  So I did in my own way have those teenage girls respecting that tent by telling them how old the tent was and that in the fifteen years of owning the tent only one other person, on one single occasion has slept with me in that tent, that being their mother.  Teenage girls love stories like that and it's even better when they know it to be true. 

Consisting of a single pole design the tent naturally needs to be staked out.  This has rarely if ever been an issue even when I used it at a Walmart parking lot where I pitched it where folks let their dogs crap.  How in the world I avoided pitching that tent on a pile of dog shit is a mystery.  When I woke up the next morning I had to carefully step to avoid the dozens of piles on the grass. The all mesh body of the tent is excellent for summer camping and provides a wonderful airflow, the best of any of the other tents.  Although the Vango Banshee 200 two person tent is a two pole design it requires stakes and has the same common complaint as my old Coleman.  "That's a one person tent"!  Lisa refuses the idea that it's actually a two person tent which is probably why we only slept in it together once.  Folks are saying the exact same thing about the Vango Banshee two person model, so whatever, it's a very nice tent for bike touring and camping.  Solidly built, excellent in heavy winds and rain, even in snow where the old Coleman was popular with winter enthusiasts and is how I heard about the tent being of such excellent quality for the price. 

Last year I picked up an Alps Mountaineering Lynx 1 one person three season tent.  Two reasons, free standing model, absurdly inexpensive, a bit taller than the Coleman providing more headroom when sitting up.  I actually felt a bit spoiled setting up the Alps Lynx 1 as the free standing style is so simple and easy.

When using the rainfly and when in very windy conditions it is necessary to stake the tent out.  Single entry with vestibule it is a very nice tent that absolutely cannot be beaten for the price. I could criticize it in comparison to the Coleman Cobra Peak 1 tent where I have two entries, two storage vestibules, built in roof pockets and more compact pack size. However, after getting an Outdoor Research 5L dry bag for stuffing the tent body and rainfly into I pack the longer poles and stakes in their own bag inside my thermarest mattress on rear rack so it is not an issue. 

Another option with this tent and the next two tents is ability for a "quick pitch" or minimalist shelter.  This is where you simply pitch the rainfly and foot print or ground cover.  It's not an option with the Vango Banshee or Coleman Peak 1 tents due to their inherent design of needing to be staked down.  Having a minimalist shelter option is nice to have when you just need or want some shade.  In New Mexico while riding across vast open areas of desert with no shade at all it's a nice option to avoid heat stroke or if you get sun burned.  

This year I picked up the REI Quarter dome 2 two person tent.  I was surprised to find no bike touring specific reviews for this tent.  It's by far the best tent I own though I haven't had an opportunity to use it much.  I did get to set it up just in time for a torrential down pour with all the tropical thunderstorms we had earlier this year and it was rock solid.  

Heavy wind and rain and it didn't even flinch and I suppose this can be attributed to the pole frame design.  Although it is a bit more complicated to set up,which is Lisa's only criticism of this tent.  However, it is very spacious for a two person tent, dual entry, two vestibules, very lightweight at just over three pounds and I was also able to fit the tent body and rain fly in the Outdoor Research 5L ultra dry sack for carrying on my front rack with poles and stake tucked inside my air mattress on rear rack.

Photo shows four panniers from both front and rear of my touring bike racks with a hydration pack tucked in the rather spacious vestibule without interfering with entering or exiting the tent.

It's impressive how much extra room and storage has been provided by the tent's innovative pole frame design.  There are some rather odd functions to the design that I don't prefer and that is the plastic holders on the ends of the poles.

I will get some more photos of this tent and get another post made for this with more descriptive photos and information when I have an opportunity to use this tent camping or on a bike tour. After all, we know how much I love my tents, eh honey?

As much as I like this tent it is a bit cost prohibitive priced at three times what I paid for the Alps tent but not much more than the Vango Banshee 200 two person tent.  Also, this tent is free standing, well ventilated and a couple pounds lighter than the Vango Banshee. 

There are lots of reviews touting the Vango Banshee two person tent as an excellent choice for bike touring but I have to say for the price and features of the REI Quarter Dome 2 I preferred to spend the extra money not only because it's a lighter weight tent but one that is more spacious knowing that Lisa will be much happier with the dog not sleeping on top of her. Click on any of the links or photos for information or to purchase.  REI Quarter dome 2 is only available at REI.
Links related to this topic
Alps Lynx 1 Person Tent
Thermarest Sleep Travel Products
Cookstoves for Bike Camping

Oh yes, another tent for bike touring that one of our warmshowers guests touts as his favorite tent for bike camping is a three person tent.  He enjoys having the luxurious space of a three person tent even when touring alone and despite the fact that the tent weighs a bit over five pounds.  Personally, I wouldn't tote that thing hundreds of miles but he didn't seem to mind at all claiming he had given up on traveling light.  

This is the type of tent for two person bike touring where each person carries a portion of tent to help with excess weight and bulk of packing.  For example I heard of a couple who loved having the extra space of a larger tent so while he packed and carried the tent body and poles, she carried the rainfly and tent stakes.  They love having what they referred to as "a palace of a tent" compared to whatever smaller lighter weight tent they had previously used.  Aaron's Mountain Hardwear Drifter 3 Tent is shown in photo and I wanted to share his enthusiastic appreciation of his tent by including it in this post.  

Bike touring cooking supplies are as wide and varied as folks' food palates.  There exists a vast array of assorted gadgets and contraptions for backpackers and campers to make a fire and cook with.  Disposable fuel containers are a big no with us and the "all or nothing" method of some cook stoves are strictly for boiling water. 

We like to cook good food and enjoy eating good food at home or when camping.  We like our coffee in the morning and the times we get to spend together enjoying the countryside, beach or mountains while camping is made much simpler and easier with a good cook stove.  Foodies is a new term I have picked up in the past few years by working with and around folks who are foodies and who may have food allergies and other dietary restrictions.  Regardless of what your diet needs or tastes are I have found one statement that rings true for me from the wise and quirky writer Lin Yu Tang and that is "there are no taboos with food".  Knowing this is true for myself (no food allergies) the only thing that can really muck up a potentially delicious meal while camping is having a stove that doesn't work well, requires regular maintenance, costs money for replacement parts or is just as finicky to get working as a cranky teenager who's hungry but too picky to eat anything so complains instead.  So, when we go camping yes indeed we demand to have a cook stove that works and works well.  

I like my old Coleman dual fuel stove (covered in a previous post) and my little Pocket Esbit Stove and found while solo camping in Oregon that it was sure nice having two stoves to cook with particularly when it was cold and raining.  I was able to make hot coffee or tea while preparing a pot of rice or some potatoes I had picked up and after I was done boiling the water for hot tea I was able to saute some garlic and onions in butter while sipping my tea and waiting for my food to cook.  With the Dual Fuel Stove I didn't have to carry around a container of fuel and found that I could get enough unleaded fuel for free at the pump just by draining what was left in the nozzle after someone pumped gas.  

At some of my favorite bicycle touring blogs I have noticed a lot of folks are no longer packing along the ever popular Whisper Lite stove and have been choosing Trangia stoves for ultralight bike packing, backpacking and trekking. 

Now that I find myself more often than not camping with a small group I wanted something efficient, versatile fuel source and economical as well as having the capacity to cook food for friends or family while camping.  It was suggested from a long time veteran bike touring self proclaimed stove expert to consider the Solo Stove and I must say after reading all the rave reviews and the stove's award winning status it's a consideration alongside the Little Bug Stove.  What these two stoves have in common is their ability to not only cook with wood but may be used with alcohol burners, fuel cubes or charcoal and during a cold day at the beach are nice stoves to get cozy around.  I like the Solo Stove's Pot and burner kit as shown in photo for packing in a pannier.  

When I was a kid in grade school a few of us boys would ride our little 20" wheeled Schwinn dirt bikes to school.  It was a fun area and era to be riding during the mid to late 70's.  Dan and Gary's DG BMX bikes was what all the kids were talking about and as we lived just a few miles from the original Paul and James Van Doren original Van's Shoe Shop we enjoyed having access to highest quality pedaling footwear around.  

While I absolutely loved those old original Van's shoes and still like them as trail riding and commuting shoes with flat pedals, I was none to fond of the simple canvas strap backpacks used to carry our school books on our four mile commute.  After a while I suppose I simply got used to the painful nuisance of those straps until I got the bright idea to wrap the straps, one on each handlebar grip and had unwittingly created a custom method of bike packing for myself using the backpack as a makeshift handlebar bag as shown in above photo. I was eight or nine years old ya it was awesome though I did have to be careful not to have my homework go flying out of the bag when I hit a bump or curb. 

These days when I put together an efficient bike packing camp list I experience the same deep feeling of satisfaction after packing my bike as I did as a kid, it is light, agile and maintains a sense of playfulness.  Ya, I grew up.

"When you were a kid bikes were your freedom and I can see that when I ride with you." Oh my lovely Lisa shared this comment while gazing at all the used, abused or unwanted bikes I have accumulated and repaired since moving to this area of South Texas.  

Now then, when you search for information regarding suggested loaded touring bike weight guidelines there is a whole lot of missing information which is why I decided to give it a "blog about".  
Firstly I wouldn't load a cheap fork with too much weight which can cause much stress to the component and possibly have it fail which is precisely what happened to one of our readers appreciative of how robust a fork was installed on one of our off road touring bikes.  That having been said whenever you add a bunch of weight to your bike it is hard on pretty much all of the components.  Why is this an important consideration? Well unless you don't mind performing roadside repairs or maybe you're the type who even enjoys that, otherwise mindfully packing your bike for comfort and ease of handling is the objective.  Photo above shows loaded panniers on the front racks rather than rear.  I was taught to pack more weight on the front wheel as a method of weight distribution and load bearing for the bike.  While the rider's body weight is centered more over the rear axle than the front placing more of your gear on the front wheel balances the bike's load bearing capability.  

Every front and rear rack I have sold, installed or purchased for myself has some suggested weight limit or cargo capacity.  Sure some of those racks will support sixty pounds or more and that's fine for some sort of work or utilitarian purpose of hauling something a few blocks or a few miles but to carry that much weight up and over several miles of hills and through varying winds is an absurd idea of having fun while riding your bike. 

One simple suggestion is after your bike is packed try picking it up without stress or strain in case you need to portage your bike for any reason. A person who is an avid weight lifter might be capable of picking up and tossing around a hundred and fifty pound bike like it's nothing to someone but the bike may begin to complain a few miles down the road with a broken spoke, flat tire or worse a broken rack weld because the weight capacity was ignored or the panniers pack weight on each side of the rack was lopsided. 

My goal when building a touring specific bike has been to keep the bike's weight at or below thirty five pounds.  That's with front and rear racks, fenders, bottle holders, front light and seat bag with spare tube, patches and multi tool.  I have a bike trailer that weighs fourteen pounds with a waterproof bag and cargo net but that makes it all too easy as the trailer is rated to carry eighty pounds and doesn't share the concerns associated with a fully loaded touring bike.  

This year I set a goal to pack my off road touring bike with disc brake, steel front rack and small light weight rear rack at 70 pounds.  I also wanted to be able to carry a comfy two person tent or solo tent, camp stove and other niceties including good food.  This easily allows for varying cargo weight as I purchase food, gifts and find other gems or trinkets on my travels. I figured seventy pounds was an easy goal and after I packed the bike it weighed a comfortable 60 pounds. Being far less than half my body weight and easy for me to pick up and carry around provides confidence while riding and very helpful on hills.

Keeping in mind that a touring bike's frame geometry is designed to handle and ride well with loaded racks and panniers, off road touring bikes or mountain bikes for bike packing have different packing considerations. This topic has been covered in another post regarding a Versatile Bike Packing Kit.and I like the packing list supplied from Experience Plus Bicycle Tours where they won't allow their tour leaders to lift anything heavier than a forty five pound bag.  That suggestion comes from a bicycle tour company that's been in the bike touring business since 1972.  Their packing list may provide useful suggestions when creating your own packing list to meet your needs.  

Obviously if you're someone planning on touring for several months at a time or bike touring in cold weather or regions some of the gear is going to be heavier than a summer weekend packing list in a warm climate. This is another reason why I was so pleased when my off road touring bike weighed only sixty pounds. Knowing I can easily add another ten or fifteen pounds of gear to accommodate my every need without an issue on the heaviest of my three bikes built for touring.  

Better off not trying to make sense of that gobbledy gook of chicken scratch in this photo. I just added it for fun but the point to be made is to have fun refining your own pack list making process. Translated this is how the list reads with all items packed in Axiom Cartier Panniers of 2013 cu. in. capacity or 33L. and three sizes of water resistant roll top stuff sacks in different colors.  Tent goes on top of front rack, sleeping pad on top of rear rack. Two full stainless steel water bottles with neoprene insulation and a Park Frame Pump.

LFP (Left Front Pannier) 
Green Bag: 40 deg. Eulin filled Guide Gear sleeping bag and REI compressible pillow.
FOOD

Eastern Mountain Sports Bag:camp towel for dishes, UCO citronella candle lantern, diy pack stove with stanley pot, cup and hobo tool. 

RFP (Right Front Pannier)
Orange Bag: wools socks 1 pr., convertible pants, rain jacket and bamboo t shirt.

Blue Bag:  small pack towel, mosquito repellent, tooth brush and paste, lotion, camper's toilet paper, liquid soap, sun screen
FOOD

Handlebar Bag: cell phone, charge stick and cord, camera and cord, wallet and ID, reading glasses and camera accessories.  I have lots of spare space in the handlebar bag for stashing gloves, hat or visor. 

Seat Bag with spare tube, multi tool, patch kit, rag and rear blinky light. 

Depending on what food or how much cooking I intend to do on any particular bike tour there is so much extra storage space in the panniers that I could take along a chromebook, tablet or solar charger.

Photo at left showing the fifty five pound off road touring bike loaded with items listed above including food.  Photo below is of this bike loaded for touring with my fifteen year old Coleman two person tent and weighs approximately sixty pounds. Rides smooth and handles easily even while pulling an empty trailer to check out the handling characteristics. 
Hope this helps in some way to have a safe enjoyable bike touring summer. 
Links related to this topic:
Multi Day Bike Touring Pack Kit
Lightweight and Durable Bike Touring Camera Kit
Versatile Bike Camping KIt


Download Paul Jeurissen's Bike Touring Photo Tips

As mentioned in a previous post regarding the Top Four Bike Trailers here is the review of the Aosom Single Wheel Bike Trailer.  First of all I want to say I like it and for the price of less than a hundred bucks including shipping it's excellent.  Secondly it's the perfect trailer for anyone who has some aptitude for working on their own bike maintenance and repairs and this review explains why that is.

The trailer shipped incredibly fast and arrived within a couple days of having ordered it which barely gave me enough time to complete my top four bike trailer review.  I worked late amidst a bit of a mess in my workshop to assemble and assess the overall quality of the packaging and contents.  Every part was nicely wrapped securely with tape and bubble wrap but the dropouts were protruding out the end of the box, in photo above they are sticking through the cardboard on the right side.  No big deal everything looked to be in order for a quick assembly of the product.  Despite the sloppy english translation of the included instruction manual the photos are descriptively accurate.  

In summary I would recommend this trailer for anyone who is either an avid DIY person or take the trailer to your local bike shop for assembly including upgrading rim tape, tire and coating axle with grease.  Any other repair needs that might occur during shipping can easily be repaired at a local bike shop.  For less than a hundred bucks this trailer is a winner.  We have had fun test riding this little trailer with our own dry bag and cargo net that I used with my nashbar trailer.  The Aosom Bike Trailer's rather basic suspension has proven to work good enough in absorbing small bumps through pot holes and handled very well at the local bike and skate park where we took it for a good test ride. 

Links related to this article:
Top Four Bike Trailers for Touring and Commuting
Nashbar Cargo Trailer Review
Panniers VS Trailer for Bike Touring

Photo at left shows the Aosom Bike Trailer being used for food deliveries on a fairly bumpy gravel road.  Average weight of twenty five to thirty five pounds and the trailer has performed solidly including the jicky looking suspension.  

After using this trailer for several deliveries over the past year over varying terrain I have no complaints as the trailer has more than paid for itself and continues to earn a few bucks as a reliable means when using a bike to deliver food for our organic country store.  

When loaded to twenty pounds the trailer's suspension works just fine, much more than than begins to flatten the suspension out.  Even with fifty pounds or more the trailer has proven to be very capable. 

Summer bike touring is so nice, sure it might be a bit warm in some areas but that's a sure indicator that you can pack a small load.  

In our little part of the world it's been into the nineties with humidity at about seventy percent most days and occasional rain which can be rather refreshing when the winds cooperate.  Then there's everyone's favorite summer nuisance of mass mosquito populations which can make a mockery of a perfectly wonderful summer bike camping excursion.  During the summer here on the Gulf Coast when we hear the term "bug out kit" we think of mosquito repellent and deterrent in what ever form is practical to ensure an enjoyable camp site.  

1. Mosquito Repellent:  We use products from Burt's Bees that is a bit oily feeling but that helps it stay on your skin and ward off mosquitoes with heavy perspiration.  I also like Herbal Armour as it has proven to be very effective but the best is from Natural Living's Bug Spray with Essential Oils and other interesting hard to find blends of ingredients.
2. Citronella:  As an added deterrent for pleasant camping UCO Candle Lanterns provide Citronella Candles for use in their lanterns which can be placed on the ground, hung inside the tent or on a bike like the one in photo.  Lightly spraying the fabric of the tent with Bug Spray in combination with the Citronella Candle really makes for a good bike camping "bug out kit".
3. Tent for One or Two:  An airy, breathable tent that has more mesh than nylon for the tent body is excellent for not only providing a good night's sleep permitting that welcome gentle night time breeze to cool the tent it serves to keep not only mosquitoes from disrupting sleep but also provides a protective barrier from such critters as fire ants and snakes.  Lisa will not sleep in an open lean to again after having been bit in her sleep while camping under a simple tarp.  Nope, we're keeping and using our tents after that.  Like we said "bug out kit". 
4. Comfy Sleeping Stuff:  Thermarest mattress in the three quarter length packs small and provides that bit of comfort needed to get good rest with the packable pillow and a forty degree lightweight sleeping bag.
5. Ultra Gourmet Meals:  Ya right, there is only so much that can be cooked on a simple little fuel stove.  Well, there's really no need to rule that out.  As all pack lists are very subjective and personal with some things working well enough for one person, another person with same gear might feel absolutely deprived and miserable.  How about packing two small stoves and a cook set for a nice salmon and rice dinner with roasted cashews, onions and garlic?  Yep, garlic helps with those naughty mosquitoes too, eat plenty of that.  One frozen salmon filet, two cups of rice, a bit of butter and oil in a small travel bottle, throw the cashews, onion and garlic in a zip lock bag.  
6. Cool, how to cook rice?  Jasmine cooks in fifteen minutes and necessitates ability to simmer once brought to a boil.  Coleman Dual Fuel Stove works excellent for this, if even a bit bulky it's worth the extra bit of packing to enjoy a nice camp cooked meal.  For morning tea or coffee we love our little Pocket Esbit with non toxic fuel cubes and ability to simply add twigs as needed and use the Stanley Adventure Cookset which includes two insulated cups.  Visit our previous post Bike Touring Cooking Supplies for more information.

Given all the different methods of packing a bike for travel and camping we put together a fun little bike kit for our selves.  Some popular methods include frame bags for bike packing or massive touring kits from Ortlieb and Arkel.  While these examples provide exceptional products and gear choices it's not always practical.  Speaking of which if you missed it, check out the Complete Pannier Kit for Under Two Hundred Dollars.

A recent survey voted the Traditional Touring Bike as a Favorite for Bike Commuting.  I found the other results very interesting, particularly the late mountain bike votes that came in wanting the votes counted after the winning style was announced.  Who ever said you had to own only one bike anyhow?  For the remaining styles of mountain bike, hybrid bike and folding bike I put together one Bike Camping Kit that would fit on each type of bike safely and efficiently.  

A list of the items in our Bike Camping Kit divided into appropriate categories is listed after the photos.  This is a very versatile pack list which I moved from bike to bike for the photos in approximately twenty minutes. All the items from this list are sitting on a small work table behind each bike pictured on the left. We packed four different bikes each with its own unique rack and pannier qualities with the exact same Bike Camping Kit and list. Using Dry Sacks helps to not only protect gear from moisture but also helps to organize things and move them around.

[ ] Bike
Rack(s) pannier(s) lights and Park Tool frame pump that fits on all bikes shown including Dahon. Seat bag with spare tube, tire levers, patch kit, multi tool or handlebar basket, bag.

[ ] Hydration Pack for Cycling
Phone, cable, glasses, sunglasses, energy bars, dry snacks, monocular, hat or visor, water

[ ] Sleeping gear
One or two person tent (ours weigh about the same), sleeping bag, sleeping pad, packable pillow.

[ ] Personal items
Phone, camera, toothbrush, Tp, toothpaste, soap, travel towel, sunscreen, bug repellent, solar weather radio, UCO candle lantern, citronella candles, book, small laptop or tablet.

[ ] Cooking gear
Small stove, cup(s), hobo tool, small pot, small pan, 4 esbit fuel cubes,

[ ] Water and food
Two water bottles and or 70 oz. Hydration Pack, dry snacks(energy bars, trail mix, etc) coffee(bag type), tea, Green drink, Pepperoni, Avocados, crackers and or chips.

[ ] Clothing
Convertible pants, bike shorts, swim trunks, sandals for riding, flop flips, lightweight bamboo wicking t shirt for riding, long sleeve 60% linen 40% cotton loose fitting,sun hat protect ears, helmet, gloves, lightweight windbreaker,

Links related to this topic:
Multi Day Bike Tour Packing Kit List
Loaded Touring Bike Weight
Ken Kifer's Very Informative Article for Bike Touring Kitchen Ideas, Precautions, etc.
Visit Bike Overnights Gear Checklist