How To Pack For Adventure Rides

Bike Prep

When getting ready for the ride there are quite a few things to consider fitting to your bike.  Make sure the basics of your bike are solid, wheel bearings, etc. The technical safety check we recommend having on your bike will ensure this.

The items below is a suggested list of accessories you may want to fit to your bike:

• Headlight protector
• Alloy bash plate
• Hand guards
• GPS Unit
• Foam air filter kit and / or foam pre filter socks only. It may be dusty on some roads so be prepared.
• Off-road (wide) footpegs
• Enduro brake pedal extension (try doing some riding standing up and see if you can still comfortably reach your rear brake lever without altering your body position)
• Knobby tyres (good choices are Motoz Tractionator Adventure, Continental TKC80, Pirelli Scorpion Trail, Metzler Karoo 3)
• Heavy duty tubes (tube models)
• Consider carrying some spare parts like; clutch and brake levers or brake pads

Luggage Bag

The ideal bag to bring to the ride is a waterproof bag (approx. 50L) or soft panniers.  These are extremely versatile to carry on the bike, and in the luggage vehicle.  We carry your bag for you each day to the next overnight stop so you have the benefit of riding unladen during the day.  Allowing you to enjoy the ride even more!  You’ll meet the luggage vehicle at the designated point and ride to your accommodation (if necessary).

It is not advisable to bring pannier boxes as they are likely to be damaged in transit in the vehicle/trailer with all of the other luggage.  We also under no circumstances carry roller bag/suitcases in the luggage vehicle.  

Please take note of this to avoid disappointment on the first day of the ride when we won’t carry your oversized bag!

Packing for your ride

If you’re not sure what to pack this list may give you some ideas. Of course you don’t need to pack the kitchen sink and everyone has a slightly different list of priorities, but just remember that you can’t take everything.

Riding Gear

Gearing up for adventure riding can be tricky because you are fully exposed to mother nature and may have to deal with an extreme range of temperatures and conditions.

• Waterproof adventure pants & jacket
• Enduro/adventure helmets are recommended (road helmets don’t provide enough ventilation when riding off-road)
• Tinted and/or clear helmet visor
• Goggles for dusty conditions, even if you only have them as a backup for when necessary – goggles also allow much better ventilation in warm conditions
• Neck buff
• Visor/goggle cleaning kit (a damp cloth or baby wipes in a zip lock bag works well)
• Thermals

Of particular importance for adventure rides are:

• Good off-road boots – including adventure or motocross boots with good ankle and shin protection.  Soft boots may be more comfortable to ride in, but offer very little protection and could be the difference between a leg break or walking away with a bruised leg in an accident.
• Light gloves with built in protection are ideal. However it would be a good idea to also bring your waterproof winter gloves just in case of rain, or cold mountain air!
• It’s a great idea to pack a change of clothes in your camelback or in your tank/rear bag.  You may get in early or the luggage truck may be delayed, etc.

On the Bike

You should carry enough tools and equipment on the bike to get you comfortably through the day but not be loaded down with too much stuff. This gear may vary depending on the conditions you are riding in ie. hot, cold, wet.

• Waterproof roll bag or soft bag to carry your gear & straps to secure bag onto your bike
• Tank/small rear bag – great way to carry all these essentials to make your day more comfortable
• Camelbak style hydration pack is a must. You need to carry between 2-3 litres of water with you during the day.
• Snacks / Energy drink
• Hydration powder sachets/tablets – eg. Hydralyte
• Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
• Ear plugs, head torch
• Lip balm – your lips can get hammered on the bike
• Charging cables – phone, Bluetooth headset, camera
• Survival essentials – matches or lighter, emergency blanket, knife, whistle etc.
• First aid kit
• GPS Tracker – Garmin inReach or Spot tracker or PLB / EPIRB

Tools

You should at least have the tools required to remove both wheels to fix a flat tyre, or have someone assist with fixing a flat tyre. Each rider is expected to be reasonably self sufficient, however we have tech support on hand for mechanical breakdowns.

• Tool roll/bag to carry all your tools
• Chain lube – if your bike has a chain, lubing it once a day will drastically improve longevity
• Spare tubes (even for bikes with tubeless wheels, in case you damage a sidewall that a tubeless repair kit can’t repair)
• Tubeless puncture repair kits
• Tyre pump / CO2 Cartridges
• Tyre gauge
• Tyre levers
• Axle nut tools
• Range of spanners
• Screwdrivers
• Torx bits
• Cable ties, duct tape, tie wire and rags
• Leatherman type multi tool
• Spare brake and clutch lever (model specific)
• Spare globes where required
• Fuel hose x 1 metre long – handy if you need to siphon fuel
• Hose clamps
• Spare spark plugs
• Tow rope
• Spare foam pre-filter (easy change on some models if conditions are dusty on multi-day rides)
• Metal putty (for repair of engine cases or other metal repairs)

Of course you could carry a lot more than this but please don’t think you have to pack the kitchen sink! The lighter the bike, the more enjoyable the ride.