Tandem Pack List

Here's a typical self-contained tandem bike tour packing list I put together for a week long summer tour down the Central California Coast.

The basic idea was for each of us to have a rear pannier for our personal stuff, plus one front pannier for the cooking gear and the other front pannier for jackets, arm warmers, and other stuff we'd like to get to during the day's ride.

Sometimes after I'm done packing, I'll move some stuff from one side of the bike to the other to balance things out.

We put both sleeping bags in one stuff sack and the two mattress pads in another. As a result, we were able to lay these two bags and the tent across the top of the rear rack.

Picture of fully loaded tandem

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Legend: RR = right rear, LR = left rear, RF = right front, and LF = left front.

Equipment by Category:

Bike plus accessories
Saddle bag
Camping gear (strapped to rack)

RR pannier (Tera's stuff - similar to Brian's stuff)

LR pannier (mostly Brian's stuff)

Brian's bike clothing

Brian's off-bike clothing

Toiletry gear (in toiletry bag)

Tools

Spare parts

Miscellaneous items (in misc. bag in top compartment)

Commerical first aid kit (top compartment)

RF pannier

Cooking gear

Miscellaneous

LF pannier

Food and Brian & Tera's cold/rain bike clothing

Brian's handlebar bag (important stuff and stuff I like to get to quickly)
Tera's handlebar bag (similar to stuff in Brian's handlebar bag)

Bike plus accessories:

	tandem bike
	rear rack
	front lowrider rack
	rear panniers
	front panniers
	handlebar bags (2)
	rain covers for panniers
	frame pump
	water bottles
	rear view mirror
	saddle bag
	straps to hold stuff to rear rack
	helmets (2)
	bike gloves (2 pr.)
	bike shoes (2 pr.)

Saddle bag (basically enough to change a flat without having to go into the panniers)

	valve adaptor (presta to schrader)
	patch kit
	3 tire levers
	inner tube

Camping Gear (strapped to rear rack)

	tent & ground cloth
	sleeping bags (2) & stuff sack
	sleeping pads (2) & stuff sack
	lightweight mallet
	pillow cases (in sleeping bag stuff sack)
	folding tire (too bulky to put inside a pannier)

Brian's bike clothing (LR pannier) (in addition to the clothes being worn while riding)

	bike shorts (1 pr.)
	short sleeve jersey (1)
	bike socks (2 pr.)

Brian's off-bike clothing (LR pannier)

	shirt (short sleeve button down)
	shorts (Dockers type)
	regular underwear (bottoms)
	sandals (I use my bike shoes as "tennis" shoes if required)

Toiletry gear (in toiletry bag in LR pannier)

	toiletry bag
	asprin/ibuprofen
	prescription medications
	vitamins
	glasses cleaner cloth
	glasses
	quarters (showers/laundry)
	camp suds (soap and shampoo)
	dental floss
	toothbrush
	toothpaste
	Q-tips
	razor
	shaving cream
	mirror
	nail clippers
	comb
	toilet paper
	deodorant
	saline solution
	2 pairs contact lenses
	contact lens case
	camp towel

Tools (LR pannier, top section)

	Leatherman (w/ screwdrivers)
	Cool tool (adjustable wrench, 4/5/6 mm allen keys, chain tool, 8/10 mm allen keys, 36 mm headset)
	Hypercracker w/ spoke wrench
	allen keys (2/2.5/3 mm)
	8/9/10 mm "Y" wrench
	bottom bracket pin tool (to adjust the captain's BB)
	lube
	rag

Spare parts (RR pannier, top section)

	brake cable (tandem length, 105")
	gear cable (tandem length, 105")
	Kevlar spoke
	inner tube
	spare rack bolts (metric) (stored in an old film canister)

Miscellaneous Items (most in Misc. bag in LR pannier, top section)

	tie-wraps
	water purification tablets
	shoelaces (2)
	cellular phone (emergencies only!)
	Woolite
	safety pins
	clothes pins
	stationery
	envelopes
	stamps
	spare pen/pencil
	film
	pocket radio
	ziplock bags
	batteries (AA)
	plastic garbage bags
	extra rack straps
	backcountry repair kit (sewing kit, patch kit, etc., all in one)

Commercial First Aid Kit (LR pannier, top section)

Cooking Gear (RF pannier)

	bowl (2)
	plastic plate (2)
	kitchen kit (cutlery, dish soap, salt/pepper, scrubber, pancake flipper)
	dish rag
	cookstove/fuel
	extra windscreen for stove
	stove repair kit
	matches & lighter
	cookset (2 pots & frying pan)

Miscellaneous (RF pannier)

	candle lantern & spare candles
	bear rope, 25' (to hang food from a tree)
	head lamp (for night riding or around camp)
	lock for bike

Food and Brian & Tera's cold/rain bike clothing (LF pannier)

	arm warmers (2 pr.)
	leg warmers or knee warmers (2 pr.)
	raincoat (2)
	food
	extra Power bars/Balance bars
	emergency dehydrated meal
	spare spokes (behind the pannier stiffener)
	any other stuff I like to get to quickly (paperback book, extra maps, etc.)
	swim suits

Important stuff & stuff I like to get to quickly (Brian's handlebar bag)

	cash (in wallet)
	credit card (in wallet)
	driver's license (in wallet)
	emergency contact list (in wallet)
	maps for the day
	key ring w/compass & thermometer
	facial tissues
	toilet paper (small travel roll)
	sunscreen
	notebook
	pen/pencil
	small flashlight
	1 Power Bar
	snack food
	camera & film
	watch
	sunglasses
	clear lenses for sunglasses

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