It's the New Year (Happy New Year!) and it's most definitely high time for planning your summer bike tour. At the end of last year we pushed out a destination guide giving a brief look at some destinations that are worth visiting on your bike. This week we're going to look at what gear you should take with you, along with the reasons why you shouldn't do without them.
The first rule is to pack as lightly as you can, while still remaining prepared for most of the weather or incidents you have on the way. One easy way to avoid needing a full toolkit and spare wheel with you is to have breakdown cover for wherever you may be going. Obviously this will mean your trip could be over, especially if it's more severe than a flat tyre that you couldn't repair yourself, but it will get you out of the situation safely.
The first thing you have to decide is what you want to wear, gear-wise. Textile gear is superior to leathers in terms of its sheer versatility, with most having waterproofing and layering built into them, allowing you to ride in most weathers without too much difficulty. This doesn't preclude wearing leathers, it just means you'll need to pack the layers and protection you'd be getting from textiles, and this also applies to those wearing aramid fibre jeans. The key things you'll need will be a mid-layer that'd otherwise be built into a decent textile jacket, alongside an effective set of waterproofs to go over your gear, which can be one or two-piece. Considering the range of temperatures you may face going all the way to the south of Europe for example, I'm quite a fan of wearing a vented leather jacket with aramid fibre jeans, because you're about as cool as you can be, and you can wear them off the bike. Closing the vents, with the addition of layering underneath, and a waterproof layer on top means you'll be as well off as those in super-duper textile suits. Ultimately, textiles are better for sheer touring convenience, so it's entirely up to you.
At the very, very most you'll only want to bring one spare pair of gloves, preferably of a different type to what you'd otherwise be wearing to cover two different situations. A summer, vented pair will do you for most summer excursions, with a lightly insulated, waterproof pair covering the rest of the time. Be sure to pick a pair of boots that can deal with some rain, but won't turn into saunas at first hint of warmth. If you choose ankle boots that look like normal shoes, then you've potentially saved yourself a pair of shoes to pack for off the bike too.
Chances are, you'll have just the one helmet to choose from, so ensure it's in tip-top condition. Give it a clean and polish, check the visor seal and replace the visor itself if there's damage to it. Consider a Pinlock if you don't already have one installed, and check it if you already have one as they can collect dirt quite easily.
When it comes to everything else like clothing, cameras, toiletries, you're going to have to use your judgement, and it comes down to your luggage arrangements. Bike luggage isn't the cheapest stuff in the world, and generally capacity and convenience are what you pay for, with hard luggage being the pinnacle of what you can get.
The benefits of hard luggage are hard to get away from, especially if you need to leave the bike for short periods with your belongings, as the cases lock shut, and to the bike. These locking systems are also ideal for long stints on the motorway, you don't need to constantly check if your luggage is moving around. Some of the load limits for the racks can be a little paltry, but generally speaking they're there to cover manufacturers' backs in the event something goes wrong. Ultimately, a fair amount of wind resistance gets put against the racks, so overload at your own risk!
The middle ground is mountable soft luggage, such as the Givi Quicklock system, which includes both panniers and tankbags. Personally, I believe the panniers don't offer much over conventional strap-on soft panniers, however their Tanklock tankbag system is nothing short of game-changing for daily use and for touring. Not only do you not have to worry about the tank sliding around with the magnets (assuming you have a steel tank anyway) but you don't need to worry about it scratching the tank at all, or dinging it with any heavy items in the bag. It's also supremely quick and easy to use, with a large variety of bags available. The only thing you need to get in addition to the bag is a simple tank ring that you fit around your filler cap which are available for a huge range of bikes. It makes embarking and disembarking, especially with hard luggage, or no luggage, almost as quick as having no tankbag at all.
Soft, strap-on luggage is the most basic of luggage types, although it still has its benefits. Generally speaking it's a cheaper option, and it's not going to be bike-specific so you can keep using it for longer. Some systems, such as Kreiga's, are expandable with other bags so you can attach them all together securely with one set of straps attaching it all to the bike. The inherent flaws of soft luggage are its comparative lack of convenience, and reduced security when looking at hard luggage. That being said, hard luggage simply isn't available for some bikes, especially sports bikes, so sometimes it's the only option!
There are a few must-haves to take with you, and some of these are legally required when travelling in the EU. It's fair to say, even though they're legally required, that they're actually worth taking however. A small but effective first aid kit is a must for any long trip should the worst happen, and legally required in a lot of EU countries, alongside reflective vests for each rider. Spare bulbs are only required in some places, but it's worth having them as they take up so little space and could save you being pulled over, or worse, not being able to see where you're going! Insurance documentation, bike registration (V5), passport, bike licence and a European Health Insurance Card are mostly mandatory, but all very recommended for bringing with you. A tyre repair kit of some kind, or at least a bottle of puncture repair fluid should be carried, as this is the most likely thing to scupper a trip beyond people falling sick, or bikes breaking down. A small bottle of chain lube is absolutely worth bringing too, you'll definitely need it on a long trip.
There are a good number of other things that can be considered for taking with you, however this covers the basics of what you need. Ultimately, the more you bring, the more you have to carry with you, which is fine on the bike mostly, but lugging it all to hotel rooms gets old very quickly! If you're travelling in a group it can be worth splitting some of these essential items between you to save you all some room.
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