How To Pack for a Bike Trip

My cycling adventure in the French Alps is a month away, which means it’s time to start thinking about one of the most crucial aspects of any trip: packing.

A bad pack can ruin a bike trip. And so, here’s what I’ve learned over the years …

Tools

On my first four big trips (1990, 1992, 1993 and 1995) I brought my bike with me. On the airplane. For free! Yes, for free. I packed it in the cardboard bike box I got (for free) at the local bike shop and reassembled it in the airport. It had a rack and I brought panniers, a knapsack and handlebar bag. Now, I rent a bike. Either way, you need bike tools.

The basics: I don’t trust the tools you get with your rental bike and bring what I think I need. Let’s start with pumps. I have a nice on-frame, mini pump I bring. It has a kickstand-like attachment that makes it easier to pump and a built-in gauge on it to let you know how much air is in the tire. As you know, even with a good mini pump, it can be hard to fully inflate your tire up to 85 or 90 psi (or whatever tire pressure you prefer). And on long trips, you need to “top off” your tires every few days. During my 2019 trip in the Dordogne, I was at a bike shop (I needed new cleats for my bike shoes) and noticed an all-plastic, full-size pump. I picked it up and it was super light and only about 20 Euros. And so … I bought it and strapped it on top of my panniers and knapsack. And have brought it with me on all subsequent trips. This is a luxury, a security blanket of sorts, and something to consider if you can find a super light, all-plastic pump.

Tools: I bring my multi-tool and tire levers, the Swiss Army knife I’ve had for 30-plus years, two spare tubes, a small bottle of chain lube and a rag, and several zip ties. And a few bungee cords to secure my knapsack on top of my panniers (in the old days). You can also use the bungee cords in your hotel room as a makeshift laundry line to hang up your bike clothes after you wash them in the sink.

Handlebar bags: I’ve always brought a handlebar bag with me and hope it will properly attack to the handlebars of my rental bike. So far, so good (knock on wood).

Self-supported trip packing

It’s become quite difficult in recent years to rent a road bike upon which you can put a rack for panniers. The last one I found was in Bordeaux in 2020 and now this company, O2 Cycles, has replaced these road bikes with new ones that are rack resistant. Nevertheless, here’s some advice for those of you who bring your rack-compatible bike with you or find a way to rent or borrow one.

Light is right! The goal is to pack everything you’ll need and not an ounce more. 

Merino wool shirts: About five years ago, I bought three Merino wool shirts. They say you can wear them for multiple days and they won’t stink. And … they’re right. How these shirts do this, I have no idea. And so, these are the only three shirts I bring. They’re getting a little ragged, but they’re very expensive and will have to last a few more trips. I only wear them on bike trips to help them last longer. There’s such a thing as Merino wool underpants, but I’m not quite ready for this experience.

Bike clothes: When I was self-supported, I brought two sets of bike clothes (jersey, shorts, gloves) and washed the one I wore that day in the sink of my hotel room that evening. That’s where the bungee cords come in. 

Toiletries: On my first few trips, I stayed in youth hostels, which means you need to bring soap, shampoo and a towel. I once left my towel in a youth hostel, only to discover it was missing the next day when I got to the next youth hostel and prepared to shower. What to do? I dried off with a T-shirt. A clean one. Damn. And walked into town and bought a towel. Now that I stay in hotels, I don’t bring soap and shampoo. Or a towel. 

A month before a trip (which is now), I set aside my half-used toothpaste tube to bring with me. A full tube is an unnecessary extravagance. I also buy a couple of empty plastic containers at Target and put sunblock in one and butt balm in the other. They’re both pasty white cremes, so this is how I tell them apart …

Waterproofing: My panniers are supposed to be waterproof … but they’re not. Something I learned the hard way in 1990. And so, I pack everything in the plastic bags you get at the supermarket. And put my laptop and maps, book, reporter’s notebook, etc., in a large zip-lock bag. 

Suitcase packing

On recent trips, alas, no racks for my panniers. And so, I’ve adapted and plan my trips accordingly. For example, on my upcoming trip, a fairly short one in the French Alps, I’ll stay in one and only one place: Annecy. And do rides from there. Fortunately, there are plenty of great rides from Annecy. This means I can easily bring my wheeled suitcase with me and get from the train station in Annecy to my nearby hotel no problem. On my 2022 trip to the French Alps, I stayed in Annecy and then took the train, with my bike and suitcase, to the nearby town of Cluses and then back to Annecy. It was a breeze. Way back in 2010, in Provence, I rented a car which also meant I could bring a suitcase. 

A suitcase means you can bring more stuff with you. For example, I now bring four or maybe even five sets of bike clothes. What a luxury! I’m getting used to suitcase trips and wonder if I’ll ever rack and pannier it again. 

Knapsack packing

On our 2023 trip to the French Riviera and Maritime Alps (with Justin, my nephew), we brought suitcases and medium-sized knapsacks. It was easy to get from the Nice airport to our hotel (the tram!). From Nice, where we rented bikes, we took our bikes and suitcases on the train to Sospel and then back to Nice. The next stop was Vence and there’s no train from Nice to Vence. Only a bus, and you can’t bring your bike on a bus. And so, using the skills I learned from packing panniers, we stuffed enough bike clothes, non-bike clothes and toiletries into our knapsacks and left everything else at the hotel in Nice we would return to five days later. I was a little worried about riding with a knapsack, as I have some neck and lower back issues, but it was a short ride (about 17 or 18 miles) and it was fine.

OK, there you go … start planning and packing. And, if you pack carefully, you can fit a helluva lot of stuff in your panniers …