On Fri, 2011-11-11 at 06:19 -0800, John wrote: > One of my goals for 2012 will be to complete my first brevet - > probably a 200K for starters. I need to add a bag to my Rambouillet. > I'm thinking of starting with one bag - hoping that will be enough for > this type of ride. Would you recommend a front bag or rear bag? I > know the front bag would give me a place for my map, but not sure if > there are other factors I should be considering.
You need a container large enough to hold what you need to carry, and what you need to carry depends. I'm going on a 200k brevet tomorrow, and I'm packing my bags now. I have two Berthoud bags: a GB2886 (large size) handlebar bag and a rear "banana" bag. In back, I have tools and 3 tubes. I like to keep that stuff separate from food and clothes, and since I'll most likely be riding near the back of the ride and at most will have only one person near me during the ride, I can't count on begging a tube if things go wrong during the ride. In front I'm carrying: cell phone (left side pocket), headlamp, clip on blinkie (right side pocket), reflective mesh vest and reflective ankle bands (front pocket). When I get started, my car keys will go in the left rear pocket. In the main compartment when I get started I'll have 4 peanut butter sandwiches, some toilet paper, wallet and a pair of reading glasses. I'll have a pair of arm warmers in the bag for possible use during the day as well. It's going to be in the low 30s when I set out, and according to weather.com it'll get up to the high 50s with a 20 mph wind during the day, and get back to the low 50s-high 40s after sundown. "Feels like" temps are going to be 55 at the highest. So I figure I'm going to have to wear my lightweight tights, because they get too hot once you get past 50, but 30-something's just too cold for them, so I'll wear wool leg warmers under them. They'll probably come off by 10 am, as will a windbreaker, one pair of glove liners and maybe a wind vest. The balaclava will probably come off around noon. I may take the toe covers off sometime during the day also. So by 1 pm that bag is probably going to be pretty full. If it wasn't going to warm up to 55 I might wear neoprene booties, but when I did that last weekend it got warmer than expected and they ended up in the bag by 2 pm, and they're pretty bulky. But in that case, I'd bring a bungie cord in the bag and probably put the booties on the rear rack. Now what do you think you are going to need? How cold will it be, and how much will it warm up during the day? How much food do you plan to carry with you, and how much space does it take up? What will you use for the required nighttime reflective gear, how bulky is it, and how do you plan to carry it during the day? What do you intend to do in the event of rain? How much space does it take up, and where will you put it if/when it stops raining? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
