Johannes
A breakdown of all our kit and equipment
2024 / MacBook
Role:
Design Director
Date:
Summer 2020
What to take?
Rory and I approached our equipment selection with a similar mindset, opting for nearly identical gear with slight variations in brands and quantities. Factors such as availability and budget constraints played a significant role in our choices leading up to our departure.
We believe it’s crucial to consider the level of comfort you desire for your journey. In our case, we prioritised practicality over luxury, aiming for a minimalist approach to gear. Additionally, recognising our individual strengths and weaknesses influenced our equipment decisions. For example, I possessed stronger mechanical skills, so I carried a more extensive toolkit and equipment for repairs and potential mishaps on the road. Conversely, Rory, who is less tolerant of cold temperatures, opted to bring an extra down jacket for added warmth.
These differences in gear selection underscore the importance of personal preferences and individual experiences. Ultimately, your equipment choices should align with your specific needs, comfort levels, and skill sets to ensure a successful and enjoyable bikepacking adventure.
Bikes
Coming soon…
Kit Lists (working progress)…
Johannes’ Kit List – also working progress:)
| Item | Brand/Model, Quantity | Feature |
| Bike | Canyon Grail 7 AL | Shimano GRX, Tire clearance, Comfortable geometry. |
| Loading System | ||
| Pannier Rack | Tailfin Carbon/Alloy Rack with mounts | Extremely easy to mount onto the frame, We did not have any issues with swaying. Switched to carbon due to cracking in alloy frame – under warranty. |
| Pannier Bag | Tailfin 2x 22 Ultra Durable | Quick and easy to mount, useful air vent. |
| Frame Bag | Alpkit 6l frame pack, Apidura Expedition Frame Pack 5.3l | Switched from Alpkit to Apidura in Istanbul. Apidura’s quality and performance is second to none. |
| Top Loader | Tailfin Aero Pack | The most convenient luggage bag on the bike. |
| Top Tube Bag | Tailfin Top Tube Bag 1.1l Flip | Flap over zip – for convenience! The most used bag daily, make sure it is the best! |
| Bar Bag | Restrap bar bag L | Great idea with the modular dry bag but the quality of the dry bag is not great. |
| Sleep System | ||
| Tent | Alpkit Ordos 2 | For the price, this was perfect. Decent space inside, and it packs down to nothing. |
| Sleeping bag | Robens Serac 300 | |
| SB liner * | Rab Silk Liner/Sea to Summit 8C | THIS IS A MAJOR ESSENTIAL. For hot climates, the silk liner is the most important piece of equipment you will carry!! |
| Sleeping mat | S2S Ultralight Air Sleeping Mat | Good pack size, is comfortable and quick to inflate. R-value is low. |
| Pillow | S2S Ultralight | |
| Bivi | Rab Assent Bivi | Was never needed but was there for backup and safety. |
| Cycling Clothing | ||
| Helmet | Giro Helios Spherical Mips helmet | |
| Sunglasses | Oakley Advancer AV Prizm/Polarized | Use these every day and they were great. They have Oakley top-of-the-line lenses and are suitable for all road surfaces. |
| Shoes | Giro Privateer Lace | Comfortable, durable and quick drying |
| Socks | Universal Colour Marino Wool Socks x5 | Marino wool helps with foot hygiene and is a must-have for times when washing isn’t possible |
| Bib Shorts | Rapha Brevet, Rapha Cargo | Both bib shorts benefit from side pockets, which are incredibly useful for storing snacks, phones, and other tat on the move. |
| Bib Tights (Winter) | Rapha Pro Team Deepwinter | |
| Jerseys | 2x | |
| Wind Jacket | — | |
| Rain Jacket | GORE C5 | |
| Gloves | Endure Neoprene, Endure Winter Gloves | Neoprene for wet weather. And winter gloves for everything else. |
| Clothing | ||
| Shoes | Saucony Peregrine 11/Birkenstocks | Switched shoes in Istanbul. From trainers to sandals. |
| Trousers | Patagonia Quandary | |
| Shorts | UNIQ | |
| Thermal bottoms | Rab Electron | |
| T Shirt | Rapha Trail T | |
| Shirts | Patagonia Jungle Shirt | |
| Jumper | Rab Fleece | |
| Rain Jacket | Rab GoreTex Packlite Shell | |
| Down Jacket | Rab Electron | |
| Electronics | ||
| Head unit (GPS) | Wahoo Element Roam | Great for navigation and battery is respectable |
| Phone | iPhone 11 | |
| Battery Packs | 10000mAh x25000 mAh x2 | |
| Lights | Rear – Garmin Varia Front – Bontrager Ion Pro | |
| Chargers | Universal AdaptorDecathlon Solar pannel | |
| Headtorch | ||
| Tools and Equipment | ||
| First aid | Lifesystems Adventure | |
| Multitool | Topeak HEXUS X, Leatherman Surge | |
| Knife | Opinel 7” | |
| Brew kit | JetBoil, V60, AeroPress | |
| Tyre Spares | 4x Inner tubes, Tyre boot, Quick seal patches | |
The Silk Roadies 