Packing list

Bike

• Bike (hybrid or touring bike for “normal” touring; road bikes for speed and light packing on paved roads; mountain bike for unpaved roads; gravel for something in-between)
• Helmet (otherwise you are a fucking asshole; invest in a MIPS helmet with a good rating from Virginia Tech if you value your head)
• Pump (Topeak Road Morph G is compact with a gauge and small foot stand; never bring a screw-on pump without a valve core tool!)
• Lock (you probably spend most of the time in remote areas and on or very close to your bike, so a combination cable lock to deny opportunistic theft is sufficient)
• Front and back lights (essential for safety in the dark and in tunnels)
• Bottle cages (the more, the better; most bikes have space for two in the frame triangle, and some have an additional one below the frame)
• Fenders (makes riding in the rain comfortable; reduces frequency of maintenance)
• Phone mount?

Tools and spare parts

MacGyver

• Bike multi-tool (at least with hex keys and screwdriver; preferably also chain breaker, valve core tool spoke, like Lezyne RAP II 18)
• General multi-tool (pliers, knives, scissors etc. can come in handy)
• Spare tube (2+ if remote), patch kit and tire levers
• Oil (except for one night stands?)
• Repair tape (for fixing ripped tires, holes in sleeping pad and tent, …)
• Chain link (?)

Storage

Combine what you need

• Back rack and panniers (boring and balanced classical set-up; Ortlieb Classic Back Rollers are beloved; axle-mounted rack like Bontrager Lightweight MIK BackRack, Ortlieb Quick Rack and Axiom Streamliner Road DLX are sturdiest for bikes without eyelets)
• Front rack and panniers (extension classical set-up for longer tours; increases bike stability; Ortlieb Sport Rollers Classic are beloved)
• Bungee straps (for securing items (bulky items like tents, or on-demand after shopping) on top of the back rack; doubles as laundry line while biking)
• Frame bag (good for road/gravel bikes and light touring; full bags like Revelate Designs Ripio blocks bottle cages)
• Handlebar bag (for easy access to frequent phone, wallet, charger, ID)
• Saddle bag (small ones could store puncture repair items; larger rocket-like ones can be used in a bike-packing setup)
• Dry bags (those with lash points, like Sea To Summit Big River, are best to strap)

Navigation

• Phone

Sleep

• Tent (the comfort of a 2-person tent is worth the weight, and makes it easy to unpack your panniers)
• Hammock and tarp (less flexible, but an option if you are absolutely sure there are trees)
• Sleeping pad (inflatable more comfort and packability, or closed-cell foam (CCF) for more durability)
• Sleeping bag (in a compression bag to save space; down is lighter and more compact than synthetic ones, but must be kept dry!)
• Pillow (inflatable or a buff covering a bag of clothes, or something similar)

Electronics

• Phone (OsmAnd is a must for offline maps, routing and locating toilets, water fountains, shelters, preferably using BRouter for optimal routing; Google Maps for commerical information, accurate opening hours and public transport information; …)
• Power bank (20 000 mAh lasts a few days; compatible with quick charging to make the most of breaks)
• Charger and cables (for all your devices; compatible with quick charging to make the most of breaks)

Health

• First aid kit (maybe you can hang it on the driver’s side of your bike)
• Tooth brush and paste
• Soap, shampoo and deodorant (bring small handluggage-friendly bottles to save space; get something that works for the whole body?)
• Toilet paper (for cleaning your ass, but also your kitchen equipment when you don’t have access to water)
• Hand sanitizer (for cleaning your hands)
• Baby wipes (for some “quick” hygiene)
• Towel (for drying your body, a wet tent floor, your bike seat, etc; consider a fast-drying hiking towel to save space)
• Insect repellant (it absolutely sucks taking brakes or climbing when flies and mosquitoes are rampant and you cannot outrun them)
• Sunscreen (you may be exposed to the sun for long days)
• Ear plugs and face mask (to get good sleep!)

Clothes

Technical clothing that you normally use on short trips may smell sour, get you cold and not be the best on longer trips!

• Bike gloves (half ones helps reduce sweat on handlebars; full ones also keeps your fingers warmer in cold, windy and wet conditions; padded ones particularly reduces pressure on to avoid ulnar nerve issues)
• Shorts (also for bathing? unless you are very comfortable on your saddle, consider padded ones for comfort on multi-day trips)
• Shirts (“netting” transports moisture)
• Shoes (I find (trail) running shoes (e.g. from Salomon) to be a good balance between “casual” and “sporty”, and they have a hard sole)
• Sandals (nice for a change in breaks, around camp and to air your feet )
• Rain/wind jacket/pants (don’t overdo it; you get wet from rain or sweat)
• Rain shoe cover
• Buff (multi-purpose)
• Glasses (otherwise, expect insects and particles to get in your eye; this can cause uncomfortable and even dangerous situations if it happens at the worst possible time)
• Laundry bag (use a net to do your laundry in fresh water or laundromats, or even a bag that can be filled with water)
• Visibility vest (very worthwhile in tunnels)

Food

• Food (and a food bag; buy along the way; use empty packaging as trash bags)
• Drinks (one solid water, but also one free slot to make room for “varying” drinks like orange juice)
• Cutlery (good knife that can also cut bread, fork and a spoon)
• Plate/bowl/board (may be combined?)
• Coffee cup (a small foldable one)
• Camping stove and fuel (gas) (much cheaper and cozier than buying dinners)

Documents

• Identification
• Debit / credit card / cash
• Medical card
• Paper map

Personal items

• Personal items (don’t forget!)

Planning

• BRouter-Web is the best routing engine (in my experience)
• EuroVelo cycling network
• European ferry connections

Bringing your bike on boats, trains, buses, …

TODO: pictures, what to be prepared for?

Camping

• (Stealth) camping: look at satellite photos, or search for “picnic table”, “shelter” or something similar in OSMAnd
• Welcome To My Garden
• Warmshowers
• Ask land owners for permission

Maintenance on the road

Handlebar tape wrapping guide

Safety on the road

TODO: Road behavior

• Learn to bike safely in car traffic

Other resources

• Position yourself appropriately in the lane
• Map of “bike kitchens”
• How To Find Campsites While Bike Touring In Europe

Routing services

(in order of personal preference)

1. Brouter-web
2. Garmin Connect
3. Ride with GPS
4. Google Maps

🇩🇰 Denmark-specific

• ruter.dk for official information about national and EuroVelo cycling routes in Denmark
• udinaturen.dk’s network of free shelters

🇳🇴 Norway-specific

• Yr is the most accurate weather forecasting service in Norway.
• Cycletourer.co.uk’s map of tunnels.
• Entur.no is an official source for all public transport timetables, including buses, trains and ferries.
• SykkelNorge’s recommended tours up to around 1000 km.
• Norgeskart.no has free and detailed official maps.
• Lars Erik Sira’s blog and advice for touring in Norway (in Norwegian).
• plohn.com
• kartmannen.no for printing Norwegian maps as PDFs.

🇸🇪 Sweden-specific

• Vindskyddskartan is a map of shelters.