How To Pack for a Week Bicycle Tour on a Rail Trail

Bikepacking / Bike Touring Packing Gear List

How do you pack for a bicycle tour for week on a rail trail? It’s a question I received. So let’s talk bicycle touring setup. I’m walking you through my bike touring packing list and how I organize my bicycle panniers for a week on the Katy Trail, a rail trail in Missouri, USA.

I am a woman cyclist. This information is geared for general setup, packing and loading of a tour bicycle. What goes in my bike touring bags? What’s in my bicycle camping gear? I go over a complete bike tour gear list. Learn why I have a two pannier setup instead of four. If you have questions, give me a shout in the comments. Or if you have a unique bike touring / bike packing setup, I’d love to hear about it.

How do you pack for a weeklong bicycle tour on a long-distance rail trail? What do I pack for my bikepacking trips? It’s a question I’ve received recently so let’s get into it. 

Tips on How To Pack for a Bike Tour / Bikepacking Trip 

1. Always save a little extra space in your panniers. You may want/need to buy something. Also things many not fit exactly the way you packed them the first time. 
2. Make your life easier and create a bike touring packing list. Adjust that list after every tour to add items you desperately needed but didn’t have and remove items that you didn’t use and ate up valuable space. 
3. When you have identical panniers, mark a side so you know which pannier goes on each side.
4. Create your own categories of items to make it easier to find and pack items each day. 
5. Put items that you think you will use while riding in the top of your panniers, like food, rain gear, etc.
6. Even if you have waterproof panniers, always use dry bags for essentials like sleeping bag, clothes and food. And get different colored bags to you know what is in each bag. 
7. Separate your riding clothes from your off-the-bike clothes. Keep the sweaty, funk apparel together. You’ll thank me for this one.
8. Please don’t forget to balance the weight of your panniers. It will be a miserable ride  when your bike pulls more to one side.

Now watch my step-by-step How To Pack for a Week Bicycle Tour on a Rail Trail – Bikepacking / Bike Touring Packing Gear List

I recorded what I packed for the Katy Trail in Missouri so you can see the method behind my packing madness. Everything from clothes to gear. This was in September so gear may change if you’re hitting the trail during cold-weather seasons.

I hope me showing you how I pack for a weeklong bike tour on a rail trail will help you get ready for your next adventure. If you think this guide will help your ride friends or group, please share. And if you have a unique system for packing, share it in the comments. 

Thanks for watching. Happy trails!