The serenity of packing everything you need onto your bike and exploring the countryside for days on end is hard to beat. To ensure that everything goes smoothly we've selected our top five essential items for touring from the Bike Factory range.
While touring there is nothing worse than having all of your essentials stowed away in an un-reachable rear pannier. The Orkney 8L bar bag from Altura keeps everything you need during the ride to hand. With an easy access zipped pocket it is the perfect place to keep money, gels, your phone, a jacket and anything else that you could need while riding. The generous eight-litre capac-ity is more than enough for a day's riding while the Duratec and P-tec fabric keeps everything dry and protected from the elements. A clear, waterproof map pocket on the top of the bag even lets you keep track of your route should you decide to do away with the GPS.
Safety first. No matter how long you studiously pore over maps planning your route it is likely that busy or fast roads are simply unavoidable, as are days in the saddle that go on longer than planned. The Bontrager Flare RT light has your back day and night, warning absentminded motor-ists of your presence. With multiple day and night modes the Flare RT is stunningly eye-catching even on the brightest summer days.
Building on their wealth of knowledge, Garmin have created the exceptional Edge 810. With fea-tures such as live-tracking, social updates and performance monitoring you'll be hard-pushed to find something this powerful GPS can't do. With the ability to map routes across the globe you can forget about getting lost ever again, even if you inadvertently find you've cycled into the wrong country! After loading your route into the device, the Edge 810 will provide step-by-step instruc-tions guiding you to your destination. Pair it with an out-front mount and you can access the wealth of data from the computer without taking your eyes off the road.
On long-distance touring trips you need to be able to deal with any unfortunate mechanical issue that might occur. Designed to repair the gnarliest of mountain bikes, the Specialized EMT pro tool features 12 reliable tools to get you back on the road. From a combined chain splitter-come-tyre lever to an array of Allen keys there are few mishaps that the EMT Pro (paired with a little bit of skill) cannot fix. All of the steel bits are chrome plated to ensure years of hard-wearing, rust-resistant use in any weather condition. The multi-tool also features a bottle opener, so that at the end of the day there's no excuse not to reward yourself for a hard day in the saddle!
Perhaps the most essential piece of kit for any cyclist is a functioning pump. No matter how skilled at repairs or bodges, a flat without a pump quickly signals the end of the ride. The Bontrager Air Support Hp Pro pump promises lightning fast inflation up to 120psi. A mesh-coated hose and threaded head ensures secure fitting when pumping, but also longevity. The included bracket al-lows you to store the pump under a bottle cage should you decide not to carry it in your jersey pocket or in the panniers.
If you have any questions about planning a touring trip, don't hesitate to get in touch with us on-line, or pop into our store!
