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  • Home
  • About
    • About Julie and Colin
    • In the Media
  • Expeditions
    • Race to Alaska
    • Yukon Gold Rush Row
    • Olive Odyssey Expedition
    • Rowing Around Vancouver Island
    • Rowed Trip – Scotland to Syria by Oar
    • Around the World by Human Power
    • The First Descent of the Yenisey River
    • Running the Amazon
    • Five Years Offshore Sailing
  • Books & Films
    • On Writing and Filming
    • Olive Odyssey
    • Rowed Trip
    • Rowboat in a Hurricane
    • Beyond the Horizon
    • Lost in Mongolia
    • Amazon Extreme
  • Keynote Speakers
    • Selecting a Speaker
    • Keynote Topics
    • Testimonials
    • Clients
    • Colin Angus Bio
    • Julie Angus Bio
  • Adventurer’s Handbook
    • Featured Expeditions
    • Crossing the Bering Strait & Beringian Gap
    • Arctic Survival
      • Arctic Tents
      • Cooking, Food, and Water
      • Clothing
      • Sleeping Bags
      • Sleeping Pads
      • Condensation and Vapour Barriers
    • Ocean Rowing
      • What Time of Year to Row
      • Understanding the Principles of Seaworthiness
      • Equipment
      • Safety Equipment
      • Electrical System
      • Food
      • Ocean Rowboats
      • Miscellaneous Information
      • Ocean Rowing Records
    • R2AK
      • R2AK Records 2015
      • R2AK blog posts
    • Touring Rowboats
    • Cycle Touring
      • The Bike
      • Tires
      • Water
      • Seat
      • Panniers and Trailers
      • Equipment
      • Camping
      • Cycling Destinations
    • Cold Weather Cycling
    • Bike Trailers
    • About Global Circumnavigations
    • Yenisey River
    • Amazon River
    • The Broken Islands Group
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

Panniers and Trailers

Home Adventurer’s HandbookCycle TouringPanniers and Trailers

Cycle Touring – Panniers and Trailers

Panniers and trailers are both excellent tools for long distance touring, each suited for different needs.  Generally panniers are better suited for lightweight to mid-weight cargo carrying and trailers are better suited for heavy lugging.  Below the pros and cons are listed for both.

 

Panniers

Bike Panniers

An array of panniers can be carried on the front and back of the bicycle allowing for a substantial amount of gear to be carried.  Panniers are the light-weight option for cargo carrying, and are easy to transport in buses and planes (having a trailer can be very unwieldy in these situations).  Several companies, including Axiom, Serratus and Ortlieb manufacturer 100% waterproof bags.  Non-waterproof panniers along with accompanying plastic rain covers are usually lighter; however leakage is often a problem.  Riding a bicycle with heavily-laden panniers is surprisingly easy.

Additional equipment such as sleeping mats or tents can be bungee strapped onto the back rack between the two back panniers.

Handlebar bags are also very useful for packing quick access items such as sun block, glasses, maps and snacks.

 

Racks 

Front and rear racks are required to affix panniers to your bicycle.  Generally they are made from aluminum, and come in a variety of designs.  Axiom makes a stainless steel model which is bullet-proof and ideal for expedition touring.  Stainless steel is significantly heavier and more expensive than aluminum, making it unnecessary for general touring.

 

Trailers

For those carrying a full-on load, a trailer might be for you.  Too much weight on a bicycle can cause damage (popping spokes, premature bearing wear, and tire pinching).  It can also make the bicycle unstable and dangerous to ride.  The solution is to move some or all of the gear onto a trailer.  Trailers create slightly more friction due to the extra wheel(s), although some claim wind resistance is reduced (by keeping the baggage in line with your body). Trailers do increase the total number of wheels, and therefore, the number of flat tires.

  • Featured Expeditions
  • Crossing the Bering Strait & Beringian Gap
  • Arctic Survival
    • Arctic Tents
    • Cooking, Food, and Water
    • Clothing
    • Sleeping Bags
    • Sleeping Pads
    • Condensation and Vapour Barriers
  • Introduction to Ocean Rowing
    • Seasons to Row
    • About Seaworthiness
    • Equipment
    • Safety Equipment
    • Electrical System
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    • Ocean Rowboats
    • Miscellaneous Information
    • Ocean Rowing Records
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    • The Bike
    • Tires
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    • Equipment
    • Camping
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  • Cold Weather Cycling
  • Bike Trailers
  • About Global Circumnavigations
  • Yenisey River
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