When you go on a bike tour, especially one where you camp, the things you take with you are vitally important. To be honest, I used a bit of Turkish logic and said, “Come on, what could happen?” But my riding partner was Swiss, so he made me buy everything, necessary or not. Of course there were things I regretted buying, but there were also things I wished I had brought. I'll tell you about them in detail.
Philip and the famous zip-lock bag. I laughed then; a few days later I knew he was right.
First, I'd like to share a list I found online before the tour. I prepared my gear entirely with the help of this list and never regretted it. Once you download it, printing it out will make life much easier. That way you can track whether you have each item, whether you need it, and even whether it's packed. It may look primitive and tedious, but believe me, it's the most reliable way. Tried and tested!!
As you can see in the photo above, these are two bikes ready for a 45-day tour. Getting this far is most of the job.
Now let's get to what's necessary and what isn't;
First of all, I suggest you think twice, even three times, before packing anything, because you'll be carrying it for hundreds or even thousands of kilometres. One kilo more or less won't make you suffer, but an unnecessary item will definitely bother you just by being there. I'd sigh even over the silly fridge magnets I bought along the way and ask myself, “Am I really going to carry this for 3,500 km?” :)
My checklist
In addition to the list above, here is my own checklist, based on what I learned on my tour. Tick the boxes to keep track as you pack.
English checklist9 sections · 81 items
01 Bike and accessories
The machine that carries it all
02 Bags and waterproofing
A wet bag means a wet sleeping bag
Oğuzhan’s note: Philip’s bags were waterproof; mine were “water resistant”. I learned the difference between those two words with my whole body in the first four days of rain. I laughed at Philip for putting his phone in a zip-lock bag; a few days later I knew he was right.
03 Repair and maintenance kit
A bike shop is not always nearby
04 Camping and sleep
At the end of the day, the best place in the world
05 Kitchen and food
Nothing beats dinner after a full day on the bike
Oğuzhan’s note: Raccoons will eat anything you leave on the table at night. Keep food in a closed bag, ideally away from the tent.
06 Clothing
Few but right pieces, all quick-drying
07 Personal care and first aid
A small bag, a lot of comfort
08 Electronics and navigation
Charging is always the problem
09 Documents and money
In a zip-lock bag, all in one place
Oğuzhan’s note: At US campgrounds the washing machines and some showers ran on quarters. Make a habit of collecting coins at every grocery stop.
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