Carrying Gear On Your Bike Like the title says carrying gear on your bike, not your back. Wearing a back pack or messenger bag while riding is great for short trips that are under 2 hours but when it comes to all day riding/long distance the back pack will start to wear you down. It will put unnecessary strain on your shoulders and make for a really sweaty back. I've seen people do it, heck we even tried it. Our message is this: do yourself and your body a favor and put the gear on the bike and really up' the enjoyment of your riding experience. The Budget Route -Crate/Basket You can get your gear off your back for under $20. How? A bike rack, milk crate, some zip ties or hose clamps and a small tarp or waterproof bag. The crate/basket is an ideal bicycle camping setup for the weekend ride. With all major camping gear fitting securely in tow you still have room for a pack, storing all necessary small supplies fitting neatly into your hiking backpack. When ready you can "grab and go" on a walk to the beach, the trail, or walk around for the day comfortably with a well design hiking/backpack. How to set it up-
The Slightly More Expensive Route -Bike Panniers Now, for those of you that have about $150 to drop on some nice panniers. How to set it up-
The Bike Trailer-The complete deluxe camping ride edition Typically trailers are used on long week/month bike tours or are used to move large cargo around town, but how can you incorporate a bike trailer for a weekend ride? Well for starters you can tug a whole barbecue grill, or even bring a beach umbrella. Heck, you can even bring a full on ice cooler stacked with snacks and supplies. With these added loads comes the responsibility of handling the bike down and up hill as well as prolonged stopping power. It is rare to find the need to specifically have one just for a weekend ride, unless your really do want to bring that beach chair, but bicyclists typically use panniers or a crate for their weekend overnight trips. If you are planning a multi-week tour, a bike overnight is a great place to start and test your trailer equipment for any future long distance touring. Handle Bar bag -Quick where's my camera The Handle Bar bag is a great addition to a weekend bike adventure. It holds frequent items right in front of you that need to be accessed multiple times through out the day. There is no need to get off your bike or turn around when you want to grab a snack or take a quick picture. Even better yet there are some handle bar bags that have a clear front pocket top, where you can store your directional turn by turn cue sheet. That feature alone saves time and all you need to do is take a quick glance down to know where your next turn will be. Make sure when shopping around for a handle bag that it does not interfere with your braking system, buy one that is the appropriate width so it fits between your brake handles. Also make sure the harness system is one of durable construction. Over time and many bumps later, some poorly constructed handle bag connection points tend to snap or the Velcro straps become loose. To prevent this you can install a front rack to support your handle bar bag from all the little bumps you may encounter. Other helpful articles to get you started on your weekend bike overnight adventure
Post: Andrew St.Paul & Glenn Schneider
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