Remove what doesn’t apply to your trip, since these lists are made for long trips in potentially cold weather.
Some items are skewed towards men, but you’ll figure it out!
Here is a plain checkbox-style version of the same list below.
Things to do before you go
Many things on this particular list are explained here. Please read it!
- Buy flight/train tickets, and make sure you can bring along your bike
- Check that the passport doesn’t expire within 6 months of the end of your trip
- Take photocopies of passport and give to a relative or friend
- Visas?
- Vaccines?
- Pay the rent and other bills
- Get one-time backup codes for your smartphone account
- Get a spare SIM-card, in case your phone gets stolen
- Get an extra credit card, attached to a different account, in case your main card is lost
- Service of your bike (chain, gears, brakes, wires)
- Get a box/bag for shipping your bike
- Test all equipment and clothes, make sure it works and fits
- Do a test ride with all bags packed to see that all works
- Make sure your insurance covers the bike trip
- Inform you bank and credit card company to expect charges from abroad
- Empty your smartphone of all pictures and downloads
- Change money
- Empty your wallet of receipts and stuff you won’t need
- Cut your hair and nails short just before you go
- Shave
- Cache maps in Google Maps
- Dismantle your bike and pack it in a box/bag
- Get a valid European Health Insurance Card
In the big rear bag
- Watertight bags for clothes (even great bike bags often leak in intense rain)
- Underwear (socks, underpants, long sleeve base layer upper body underwear)
- Shirts for evenings
- One pair of shorts or trousers for evenings
- Thin fleece sweater for evenings and cold weather
- Wind tight gloves or fleece mittens for cold/wet weather
- Buff to cover head under helmet when it is cold
- Water tight bike jacket (at the top of the bag if there’s a surprise shower)
- Rubber bands to wrap all clothes to tight small bundles
- Long johns for biking in cold or rain
- A water tight bundle with an extra credit card, SIM-card and a big bank note ($100 or so) in case you lose your main wallet or phone
In the front bag (documents in water tight plastic bag)
- Extra battery to charge phone, plus cable
- Passport
- Vaccination documents
- Wall socket adapter
- Charger to smartphone (pick one with high A output)
- Headphones
- First aid kit
- Chocolate bar or similar, in case you’re pushing your limits in the evening or uphill
Toiletries (everything must be teeny weeny)
- Pain killers
- Qtips
- Razor and shaving gel (or go for the caveman style)
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Shampoo
- Deodorant
- Sunblock lotion/stick
- Extra contact lenses, container, lens cleaning liquid
Bike repair (in the rear bag)
- Pump
- Bike lights (at least a red tail light)
- 1 extra tire
- 2 extra tubes
- Tube repair kit (packs very small, in case you run out of spare tubes)
- Bike multitool
- Three tire levers (tools for bending off tire from wheel)
- Wrench/spanner (to wrest pedals off bike and attach them after transport)
- Extra link for chain repair
- Extra brake pads (if the trip is longer than a week)
- Chain oil (if the trip is longer than a week)
- Extra shoe cleat (under the shoe)
- Extra key to front bag (if it has one)
- Cable ties
- Gaffer/gaffa tape
On you (or attached to the bike) while biking
- Bike gloves
- Bike shorts
- Bike jersey
- Helmet
- Sun glasses
- Cycling shoes
- Water bottles
- Heavy duty bike lock
In the back pockets of your jersey, or in the front bag
- Tiny bike lock
- Smartphone
- Small camera
- Wallet (cash, credit card, insurance card (in case you’re into an accident))
Credit Card Bike Touring 