Cookers for Cycle Touring

As is the case with all touring gear light is beautiful. There are fortunately cookers on the market that are both small and lightweight and work well.

Cooker

Case - 11cm*6.5cm

The cooker that I use works on butane/propane gas and to make it even better it has a starter so you do not need matches. It has proved to be very reliable and the only downside is that you have to be sure that you can buy gas if you fly to the start of your ride.

Bike Panniers

There are two requirements for bike panniers:

1. They must have a robust system for the panniers to attach to the bike as panniers are subject to a lot of wear and tear in their everyday use.
2. They must be waterproof so that you can carry your sleeping bag and clothes without them getting wet on rainy days.

In general the better panniers are waterproof but they are the most expensive. If you are not going to do a lot of touring a cheaper pannier may do you fine and you can use plastic bags to keep your gear dry.

If you are going to do major tours it is well worth investing in higher quality pannier bags which will give you many years of trouble free service. I have a pair of Ortlieb rear touring panniers which have proved to be strong and waterproof.

Cycle Touring Bikes

Cycle Touring Bikes

 The type of bike that your tour on depends on what sort of touring you are going to do. If you are going to do a lot of road touring a steel framed specialised touring bike will give you years of dependable service. 
I have a Surley Long Haul Trucker which has a steel frame and has simple strong and durable components that usually can be easily fixed. It is also an affordable option.
 

This is a recent review of the Surley Long Haul Trucker.

Surley Long Haul Trucker Review

Wallis Cycles in Ellerslie in Auckland sell Surley Long Haul Truckers (09 525 311) and from personal experience I can recommend that you get their skilled mechanics to service your bike.
The disc brake Long Haul Surley is a good option especially for rides that include long downhills.

Wallis Cycles Auckland

If you intend to do a lot of off road riding a good option is a mountain bike and it can be set up with panniers to carry all of your touring gear. A good idea is to not include both front and rear shocks as keeping your weight down is a priority.From my experience many of the rides on the off road New Zealand cycle trails are often more suitable for mountain bikes because of the trail surfaces.

Another option for road touring is a road racing bike or a hybrid bike if you intend to travel lightly and do not need to carry camping gear.For these riders you can attach a small bag at the rear of the bike.

Maintaining your Touring Bike

Before you go on a bike tour make sure that your bike is ready by checking the following:

• Check that your tires have adequate tread so that you have got grip in the wet and the likelihood of punctures is also minimised.
• Make sure that your brakes work and there is plenty of wear left on the brake pads
• Make sure that your gears are working property and that your chain is well oiled and maintained.