Bob's First Bivvy

[PaulB2]

I've got a vague plan to reduce the weight of my gear for any trip that's not overly remote or winterish:

I've always taken a 2l bladder and other than the very hot WRT where I forgot to top up when I should have it's been way more than I needed. I can replace that with a filter and a bottle (saving > 1kg).
I've used my stove once in four trips so could drop that, gas canister and dried food. (~500g)
If I don't take either of those I don't need to take the 10l rucksack (~500g)

After that it gets expensive:
I could replace my 15 year old thermarest with an Exped HL (~350g)
I could swap out my sleeping bag for a cumulus 250 quilt (~400g)
I could replace my 12 year old tent with an SMD Lunar Solo (~800g)

[Borderer]

A 10l backpack from Decathlon is £1.99 and 52g. Surprisingly comfy too for such a cheap, thin thing.
You could buy Stu's tarp from the Classified section. That's pretty cheap.

[Blair512]

A 10l backpack from Decathlon is £1.99 and 52g. Surprisingly comfy too for such a cheap, thin thing.
You could buy Stu's tarp from the Classified section. That's pretty cheap.

I have one of these that I stuff in the bottom of my frame bag, takes up no space at all and is great for a raid on the spar just before bivvy time!

[Boab]

Strapped all the luggage to the bike and went for a test ride this morning. Bivvy bag and Thermarest in the handlebr harness, sleeping bag and waterproof jacket in the saddle bag, tools in the frame bag (mostly empty) and some grub in the top tube bag.



Going to try again on Thursday morning, but put the sleeping bag in the handlebar harness. I'm also going to have to move the ELEMNT to the stem, as there's no way to get the feed bag on the harness with it out front.

So, some more questions:

• Any tips for keeping the handlebar harness off the front tyre...? Had to keep adjusting it as it slipped further and further down.
• I can't fit my front light to the handle bars with the harness on, do most folks run it on their helmet?
• Where do you buy 100g gas canisters from and what mix should I get (over thinking this probably)?

Not much clearance...

[Bearbonesnorm]

Any tips for keeping the handlebar harness off the front tyre...? Had to keep adjusting it as it slipped further and further down.

Longer / narrower dry bag or try turning yours so it sticks out rather than down. An additional strap may help.

I can't fit my front light to the handle bars with the harness on, do most folks run it on their helmet?

Buy a cheap extender / mount. You can use it for lights, gps, etc.

Where do you buy 100g gas canisters from and what mix should I get (over thinking this probably)?

Most camping shops. Butane / Propane mix tends to be favoured in freeezing conditions. This winter you'd be inlikely to notice any difference.

I'd also try packing all your sleeping kit (not shelter) together in one bundle, that way, you needn't touch it until you stop, so less chance of it getting wet.

[Bearlegged]

I can't fit my front light to the handle bars with the harness on, do most folks run it on their helmet?

I run my "see by" light on my helmet (Exposure Joystick), and have a "be seen" light (Moon Nebula style LED) on a fork leg.

[ScotRoutes]

Yeah, as Stu says, try being less "circular" with your packing and set it up so the long side of the oval sticks out front.

DSC_0143 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

You should be able to see my setup here.


With the Revelate Harness and my bar height/tyre size I have no problem fitting the main light on my handlebars. FWIW, my stem is angled up a bit. That means I use the drops pretty often and I have more height available for bags. Looking at your setup, you have the bars quite low and (judging by your STIs) I'm going to guess that you aren't using the drops much. Could be worth considering, depending on your bar height/comfort preference.

[Boab]

I'd also try packing all your sleeping kit (not shelter) together in one bundle, that way, you needn't touch it until you stop, so less chance of it getting wet.

I initially thought about trying to get everything sleep related into the handlebar harness dry bag. It became obvious that this wasn't going to happen without a serious number of attempts, so I went with an easier option. Having said that, I really struggled to get the sleeping bag into the 14L dry bag, are there techniques, or is it just brute force and ignorance? Not really sure I'll be able to get them into the handlebar harness dry bag and get it between the drops.

I run my "see by" light on my helmet (Exposure Joystick), and have a "be seen" light (Moon Nebula style LED) on a fork leg.

I'm pretty sure I threw out all the helmet mounts that have come with my lights over the years, as I've never wanted the extra weight up top. I'll have to have a dig around to see if I kept one, or go with the extender mount suggestion, which I think I prefer.

Looking at your setup, you have the bars quite low and (judging by your STIs) I'm going to guess that you aren't using the drops much. Could be worth considering, depending on your bar height/comfort preference.

Yarp, I set this bike up to be as close to my old road bike as possible, so the front end is setup for the majority of my riding, which doesn't involve bags. I generally don't use the STIs when I'm on the drops, as I do most of my riding on the tops, this may have to change though. I'll attempt the oval bag thing and see how I get on, other than that, I think some sort of stand-off, strapped to the frame would work.

[ScotRoutes]

I do most of my riding on the tops,

Careful. Some folk on here will be suggesting you only have curly bars for fashion reasons

[Boab]

I do most of my riding on the tops,

Careful. Some folk on here will be suggesting you only have curly bars for fashion reasons

Drops are essential for riding in the fens, block headwind no matter which direction you go in...

[Bearlegged]

Another thought on the helmet mounted light front, it allows you to illuminate where you look, rather than where your bars are pointing. I've previously found myself being slightly over enthusiastic into corners with bar mounted lights, and realising that where I wanted to be wasn't illuminated in the slightest.
If you want to minimise weight on the head, maybe look into a lightweight spotlight (I've used cheapo Cree torches) and have a good floodlight on the bars.

[Daveysnaps]

Nothing to add from whats been said except you've got it covered but get out and try it. You'll refine the kit each trip and soon figure what works and what doesnt.
Enjoy and embrace :)

[Boab]

Switched around the packing and headed out on another test ride this morning. Got about 200m down the High St only to discover that I could no longer change gear. So the sleeping bag has to go in the seatpack...


Also tried using the straps that go under the fork to hold the harness up, but they just caused it to roll round. Which meant I couldn't affix the extra feed bag, as the magnets were in the wrong place.


So I think I'm going to have to work up a stand-off to push the harness up from underneath. Not sure I've got time before tomorrow night though...

[ScotRoutes]

Just throw some stuff in a rucksack and get out regardless

[whitestone]

An 800g down bag should go in a 14L bag no problem. I suspect it's because it' s been stored loose for a while so it's fully lofted. A multi stage approach is required I'm assuming you are right handed here.

With the bag behind you put the footbox of the bag under your left armpit and squeeze as if you are playing the bagpipes. Now pull the bag forward a bit and squeeze the next bit. Do this quickly so the bag doesn't reloft and once you've got 500mm or so in front of you then you can start stuffing the bag into the sack with your right hand. Once you've got about half the bag in then have another go at compressing it, easier to do with less of the bag in there as if there's too much the down at the bottom is protected by that above. Keep going until the bag is in.

The harness straps sound like they are slipping because the material is stiffer for durability. Rethread the end of the straps back through the buckle and you should be good. The current Alpkit straps are like this.

[sean_iow]

Switched around the packing and headed out on another test ride this morning. Got about 200m down the High St only to discover that I could no longer change gear. So the sleeping bag has to go in the seatpack...

I'd have said the answer to that is to convert to singlespeed then you don't need to change gear

[Boab]

A multi stage approach is required I'm assuming you are right handed here.

I'll give it a go, and see how we get on!

I'd have said the answer to that is to convert to singlespeed then you don't need to change gear

I'm not hard enough for singlespeed!

[Boab]

Thanks for everyone's helpful words of advice. See you all on the other side!