Bicycle touring is an incredible way to see the countryside and immerse yourself in the nature and culture of a place.

Bicycle touring gear and equipment list

This blog details a complete bicycle touring gear and equipment checklist for those looking to embark on a bicycle touring trip.

Gear and equipment for a cycling trip will vary according to the climate, the duration and the style of riding. If you plan to camp, if you plan to stay in accomodation or if you are going to be in hot or cold climates then you will require different kit.

This list is for people looking to both bicycle tour and camp. So it includes camping equipment and is set up to be able to cook your own food along the roadside.

Equipment List

Bicycle equipment

Bicycle – Giant toughroad

Helmet – Specialised align

Sleeping/Camping equipment

Tent (light weight 2 man) – Illumina X by NovaPro

Sleeping bag (light weight, rated to -5 or -10) – Vangoo Ultralite 900

Thermarest / sleeping pad – Alton goods Ultralite

Air pillow

Water Filter – GRAYL water filter bottle

Eco friendly BODY soap

Jet boil – JetBoil

Small cooking pot – JetBoil

Butan cannister – JetBoil

Cutlery

Small bowl

Small mug

Sharp knife for cutting veges / meat

Eco friendly DISH soap

Gear storage

Handle bar bag – RockBros bikepacking bag

Panniers – RossWheel 35L bike Panniers

Cargo rack – Comingfit on Amazon

Bike accessories

Headlamp – BlackDiamond 400 Lumens

Bike light front – HiMax rechargeable 1500 lumens

Bike light rear- Hi Max rechargable

Water bottle

Straps / Bungee chord

Dry bag / rain cover – Kathmandu 30L dry bag

Repair items

Puncture repair kit x 2 (spare tube, pump, tire levers, cycling multi tool)

Chain tool – ToPeak mini 9

Chain lube

Clothing

Padded shorts – FDX all day Greys Men’s

Cycling shorts

Gloves

Cycling shoes (shoes suited to cycling)

Buff / banana

Cycling socks – I prefer bamboo to wool

Leggings / skins

Thermal top short sleeve

Riding shirt non thermal – your outer layer

Wicking jersey

Rain coat

Underwear SYNTHETIC – must be synthetic to avoid chaf

Spare Woolen thick “Camp” socks – to wear around camp

Weather Protection

Windbreaker / Rain jacket

Insulation layers

Personal items

Eye protection ( Polarised sunglasses)

Phone

Wallet / Credit cards

Passport

Lipbalm

Vaesline (for riding chaff)

Sunscreen

First aid items

Insect repellent

Toiletries

Toilet Paper

Quick dry towel for cleaning up

Dry bags x 2 (one for electronics, one for other essentials such as maps etc)

Electronics (Non-essentials)

GPS / Maps

Camera

Camera lenses

Camera tripod

Solar panel

Drone – Mavin Mini lightweight

Go Pro – Go Pro 10 or above recommended for stabilisation

Microphone

Extra Batteries for camera, drones, go pros or headlamps.

I hope this blog helped anyone looking to go on their first cycling journey. I did a 2 week cycling trip around Tasmania, off the south coast of Australia in early 2022 and learnt what gear was essential and what wasn’t. Padded cycling pants were a surprising ‘must’ for me and I realised I brought too much clothing.

I recommend a bicycle that has front suspension and has all-terrain tires and is built for both on-road and off-road cycling capabilities, as I had a thin wheeled bicycle which did not always suit my needs.

Ride safe and enjoy your trip! There’s no need to rush on the road and take the time to soak it all in.

If your looking to find bicycle touring equipment I recommend

Complete bicycle touring gear and equipment checklist