Camping with a bike

[daught]

The Black Diamond Storm and the cheaper(less lumens) Black Diamond Spot are awesome headlamps. Very bright. A Petzl will outlive it, but they are brighter than any <$100 Petzl and definitely not flimsy.

For sleeping pad take a look at "Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Sleeping Pad". Packs much smaller than Therm‑a‑Rests, it's lighter and has more insulation than similar weight pads. The downside is that you have to inflate it with your lungs, but no "self inflating pad" is truly self inflating.

l84toff awesome set-up. Always wanted to go the hammock or bivy route but most often I camp with my GF. A tent is better for two.

[Sillylion]

Go hobo style like I do, cook the food right out of the can. Get bug spray or bug repellent incense. I rough it out a lot on my night fishing trips but never actually slept. The biggest problem are those ******* mosquitoes, they can turn a good trip into an unbearable one very quickly. If you have the room storage space I'd say go with a beutain gas stove, they are light and cheap. Last I checked you can get them for like 25 bucks or less at sail. If you're by a body of water you can always catch dinner and to cook all you need is an open fire and a stick

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[l84toff]

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l84toff awesome set-up. Always wanted to go the hammock or bivy route but most often I camp with my GF. A tent is better for two.

That was actually an interesting sell to my wife. She has her own Blackbird 1.1 now and so far she loves it, so no dog house for me, whew!. We have yet to take them out on the bike but we have been camping with them several times already. In fact I just got back from a 3.5 day solo hike on the Bruce trail and that's what I used.

Here's what my last night on the trail looked like


This is a great thread with lots of great ideas. +1 on the BD head light, love mine.

[daught]

Check this out. Just saw it at walmert.



Many people from backpacking light forums use this walmart tent. Very minimal but does the job according to them. 6FT long should be enough. It's very small and light. I'm very tempted to pick one up myself.

BPL thread http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...hread_id=44887

[Griffin]

I used to camp with my bike. I also canoe camp. You don't need a lot. I've travelled two up on a sport bike with all the gear except food strapped on. It wasn't pretty but it worked fine.

I've learned not to buy cheap tents. They pack too large for their size and they leak in the rain or blow over in strong winds.

I've learned not to buy cheap anything, actually. (Other than my head light that I got from Costco). A good, light weight sleeping bag and a thermorest-type air mattress is a good way to go. I never bother with a sleeping bag, just roll my towel around some spare clothes and voila.

I use a backpacking stove. Mine's a Coleman but there are many available. Its very small and holds enough fuel to cook about 6 - 8 meals and is about the size of a shoe. When bike camping I usually just brew up some coffee and eat in restaurants. Packing food is a challenge for space, I find. But, if you want, you can buy some very good dehydrated stuff.

[Blues hurler]

Anyone ever try this tent? Looks super-easy, but not sure how I'd strap it to my bike!

[Griffin]

Anyone ever try this tent? Looks super-easy, but not sure how I'd strap it to my bike!

I'd be cautious with that tent. It does not have a full fly (the outer fly does not cover the side walls of the tent) and as such I would not trust it to keep me dry in anything but a short rain. I wouldn't buy any tent from CT. myself.

Mountain Equipment Coop or Europebound have high quality tents and reasonable prices. I use this:

http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Hiking...rer-2-tent.jsp

[gnatwest]

Go to europe bound outlet on Queen near parliament. They have good tents there for 50% off. I got an amazing tent there for $75 a couple years ago. Kinda ****** I didnt buy 2

[kiwi]

I used to camp with my bike. I also canoe camp. You don't need a lot. I've travelled two up on a sport bike with all the gear except food strapped on. It wasn't pretty but it worked fine..

Canoe camping?
here you go...



maybe this..


or this..

[kiwi]

I'd be cautious with that tent. It does not have a full fly (the outer fly does not cover the side walls of the tent) and as such I would not trust it to keep me dry in anything but a short rain. I wouldn't buy any tent from CT. myself.

Mountain Equipment Coop or Europebound have high quality tents and reasonable prices. I use this:

http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/HikingCamping/Tents/PRD~5027-703/mec-wanderer-2-tent.jsp

Nice tent. Yeah MEC maybe expensive but well worth it. Back in the 90s I travelled to the Yukon and Alaska and used a MEC tent with a Thermorest to sleep on. It was awesome!.

[djez]

We basically have the same bike. I can lend you my old tent CT for you to try and will join you camping in PA once you get comfortable with weather
Expensive route is to buy cheap stuff, i learned the expensive way. Hard bags is the best convenience you can add to your bike now. All other things you can buy in wallmart while traveling.

[AF4iK]

I'd be cautious with that tent. It does not have a full fly (the outer fly does not cover the side walls of the tent) and as such I would not trust it to keep me dry in anything but a short rain.

+1 That thing also collapses into a fairly large circle about 2 - 3' in diameter. The frame is spring steel so it wants to unfold unless you keep it tied it down. Would be funny if the knot came loose and the tent sprung open on the back of your bike like a drag chute!

[rafiki911]

Thought I'd add some pics to this

Camping at Cayuga when I was marshaling. That is my 3 man tent.


This is my 1 man tent.


Close up of my 3 man tent. Both tent's I bought at Tent City.


This is my bike loaded up. Should be a lot easier this year with my new to me side bags

[RetroGrouch]

I call photoshop on this one.

[RedDogDarren]

Once you get this mastered you can follow up with "Camping with a girl".

[daught]

Once you get this mastered you can follow up with "Camping with a girl".

CHECK... the SMC with a milkcrate is quite roomy for two

[RedDogDarren]

CHECK... the SMC with a milkcrate is quite roomy for two

LOL. Nice.....

[Blues hurler]

Once you get this mastered you can follow up with "Camping with a girl".

Now you've spoiled my next thread! But I've still got "Camping with Mom."

[Blues hurler]

We basically have the same bike. I can lend you my old tent CT for you to try and will join you camping in PA once you get comfortable with weather
Expensive route is to buy cheap stuff, i learned the expensive way. Hard bags is the best convenience you can add to your bike now. All other things you can buy in wallmart while traveling.

Thanks for the offer! I've ordered a Givi 40 litre topbox, just waiting for it to come in. Gotta get life under control and maybe start camping in July. Not sure I can get any in sooner than that.

[Gixxer6]

I have 2, 2/3 man tents i could sell one to ya for a $30, One is a coleman and the other an Escort. Both have never leaked on me, the Coleman got me through a HUGE rain storm that blew over 3 tents within view of my site. The both are about the size of a rolled up Yoga mat when packed