# Brompton's first cycle-camping trip ....



## Fab Foodie (7 May 2015)

So I'm off for my first cyle-camping trip for something like 25 or more years. I could have taken the Rourke, I still have a pair of large Karrimor panniers and that would have made for a fast and steady combo. But oh no, not I, I've got to make it more complicated!
I decided to go cycle-camping on the Brompton ....

This is the trip: https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=85375.0;topicseen
55 miles from home.

First I needed luggage and buying wasn't on the cards, so I pressed two 30 year old saddlebags into service. 
At the front a Carradice Camper Longflap zip-tied to the s-frame
An old Karrimor bagon the SQR block at the rear.
Add a Topeak beam rack at the base of the seatpost and hey-presto we're ready to go!







Front Bag:
Large Trangia
Plastic plate
Tin cup
Spork
Scourer
Fairy liquid
Micro-towel
Bivvi bag
Tarp plus guylines, pegs and clips
Chamois
Down sleeping bag in Drybag under lid
Small universal cycling toolkit
Cafe lock
Arm-warmers and beanie hat
Sigg Meths bottle
Headtorch
Spare tube.






Rear Bag:
1 pair long Craghoppers
2 Teeshirts (to wear under shirt)
Northface baggy shirt
Craghoppers Fleece
2prs socks
2 pairs grundies
1 Cycle-chat signed shirt to pass on to Superleeds
1 Cycle shirt for return ride
1 Cycle-shirt for Saturday ride
1 base-layer
1 pair baggy shorts
Medication
Toiletries
I-phone charger

On beam-rack:
Vango Banshee 200 tent
Gelert inflatable airbed
Paramo Velez-lite smock waterproof in Alpkit dry-bag.


I'm umming and ahhing about shoes .... I could ride in spds and carry plimsoles/sandals/flip-flops OR just ride in my outdoor walking shoes and use them for the whole weekend. Thoughts?

Depart midday tomorrow after a long nights election viewing!

Comments on kit list?

I've done a short test ride and it handles well, amazingly neutral. I've tidied-up the loading on the beam-rack too.


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## robjh (7 May 2015)

Is that the campsite on the A423 at Long Itchington? I rode past there yesterday, taking a slight deviation from my usual commute routes.

That is certainly charismatic packing, but the proof is that it works and carries your stuff from A to B. That sounds like enough clothes for a month's trip to me but then maybe pungent cycle clothes are less of an issue on a long solo tour than on a social weekend.


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## Yellow Saddle (7 May 2015)

I like.


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## Fab Foodie (7 May 2015)

robjh said:


> Is that the campsite on the A423 at Long Itchington? I rode past there yesterday, taking a slight deviation from my usual commute routes.
> 
> That is certainly charismatic packing, but the proof is that it works and carries your stuff from A to B. That sounds like enough clothes for a month's trip to me but then maybe pungent cycle clothes are less of an issue on a long solo tour than on a social weekend.


Cheers, I might reduce the clothes .... but there are no showers at the campsite so a good wash and fresh clothes seems a good idea .... I may be wrong!
The campsite is behind the Green Man pub alongside the river.


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## robjh (7 May 2015)

I know that pub - never been in there but it often looks inviting as I cycle past. Didn't know until now that they did camping there. Have a great weekend anyway.


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## Fab Foodie (7 May 2015)

robjh said:


> I know that pub - never been in there but it often looks inviting as I cycle past. Didn't know until now that they did camping there. Have a great weekend anyway.


Thanks, I intend to write-up the experience!


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## Sara_H (8 May 2015)

Fantastic!!!! Have a great trip, take lots of photos and post them here.


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## welsh dragon (8 May 2015)

I look forward to reading of your exploits. I hope you have fun.


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## raleighnut (8 May 2015)

Not much use now but for future trips you can fit the side frames to the beam rack




that would enable you to fit small panniers and get the weight a bit lower


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## Fab Foodie (8 May 2015)

raleighnut said:


> Not much use now but for future trips you can fit the side frames to the beam rack
> View attachment 88245
> 
> that would enable you to fit small panniers and get the weight a bit lower


Thanks Raleighnut, I already have them but they foul the bits and bobs around the Brommie rear wheel. They'll be fab on our other bikes though.


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## Bodhbh (8 May 2015)

Looks fun! How much does your kit weigh? (not that it matters much). Are they folding/detachable pedals?

Main problem I found with touring with only the one pair of shoes you ride with, is if/when they get wet they will really start to hum very fast. Prolly okay for a weekend.


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## _aD (8 May 2015)

Fab Foodie said:


> but there are no showers at the campsite so a good wash and fresh clothes seems a good idea .... I may be wrong!
> The campsite is behind the Green Man pub alongside the river.



No showers. Alongside a river. Just think - you can spend as long in there as you want and don't have to worry about bashing your elbows on the walls of the shower.


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## Fab Foodie (11 May 2015)

Bodhbh said:


> Looks fun! How much does your kit weigh? (not that it matters much). Are they folding/detachable pedals?
> 
> Main problem I found with touring with only the one pair of shoes you ride with, is if/when they get wet they will really start to hum very fast. Prolly okay for a weekend.


No idea how much the kit weighs, but I'll check it out.
Pedals are just cheapo single sided spd types, non folding. I ended-up taking cycle shoes and a pair of sandals .... I'm growing a beard soon ....


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## Fab Foodie (11 May 2015)

Bodhbh said:


> Looks fun! How much does your kit weigh? (not that it matters much). Are they folding/detachable pedals?
> 
> Main problem I found with touring with only the one pair of shoes you ride with, is if/when they get wet they will really start to hum very fast. Prolly okay for a weekend.


OK, I've geekily weighed the kit!!!!!

The front bag + frame (contents as listed) = 6.7kg
Rear bag (contents as listed) = 4.9kg
Beam rack plus tent + sleeping mat = 3.9kg

Seems quite a lot!


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## Fab Foodie (11 May 2015)

Sara_H said:


> Fantastic!!!! Have a great trip, take lots of photos and post them here.


OK, I will!


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## Fab Foodie (11 May 2015)

welsh dragon said:


> I look forward to reading of your exploits. I hope you have fun.



I like cycling …. And I like camping, but it’s nearly 30 years since I’ve done both together. I’ve recently become inspired by Audaxers/long distance cyclists, wild camping and micro-adventuring so when I read about a cycle-camping weekend with the yacf crew I took the plunge. Scouring boxes in the loft I found our old saddlebags, panniers, racks, touring cooking kit et al. It would be easy to sling a rack on the Rourke, stuff the panniers to the brim, bungee a tent to the rack and roar-off into the sunset. But that was far too easy …. It had to be possible on the Brompton!

I molished a large saddlebag onto the Brompton front rack using cable-ties, another large saddlebag onto the seat-post with an SQR block. I still needed more capacity and bought a Topeak QR beam rack for the tentage. A brief test-ride on Thursday evening showed the Brompton to be a very capable and stable load-lugger. Now the plan ….

The plan was simple, take Friday off, watch election night on Thurs night/Fri, have a lie-in and depart at 1300 hours. Shocked from the election result that’s what I did.

Route was basically NCN 5 to Long Itchington. 60 miles. I dropped into Warlands en-route to pick-up rain covers for the 30 year old saddlebags as the sky looked ominously grey.
Sustrans routes are like the Curate’s egg. Some good bits, but some dreadful sections of very poor road surfaces, unyielding roller-coasters and endless single-track mud-plugging along canal paths. Still, by 7pm I’d arrived and with a little help got the new Vango Banshee 200 tent pitched and bags and_ bike stowed inside it_ in time to grab a beer and wait for the fish and chip van. Many pints of London Pride helped wash the nosh down .....

The next day, Superleeds OTP arrived for the Cyclechat shirt hand-over (what a fab fellow) and then off to greasy brekkie at the Long Itch Diner (most excellent for £6.50). To burn it off (ahem) a 35 mile bimble taking-in Draycote water and a fab posh vegetarian restaurant (Saumersault emporium) in Rugby. I had a nice afternoon kip followed by a team cook-in for dinner, top Trangia action …. And more beer. Did I mention the camping field belonged to a pub, oh yes!!

The next morning I overslept. Well sort of. I woke at 0730, made a Trangia cuppa (oh the joy of lying in ones sleeping bag making a brew), I ate my brekkie Belgian bun (I know, such indulgence) and lay back generelly feeling good with the world. The next thinhg I knew it was 10:45! Got packed and said goodbyes and got on the road by 11:30. Quick blast into Leamington Spa and a train home .... bloody £17.50 for a 30 minute train ride ... no wonder people drive ....

A weekend of simple pleasures at a pleasant pace. Fresh air, good friends, the joy of the outdoors, getting away from it all etc. etc.

And the Brommie works a treat as a basic tourer. It fits nicely into my diddy tent which is a bonus and is easier to transport onto buses or trains as the mood takes or circumstances dictate. I would say based on this experience that if Touring/distance was a major aim of your Brompton purchase, that the M-bar option makes more sense. Apart from bigger front luggage availability I would imagine being more upright than on the S-type would make for a more relaxing experience.
But what's great about Brommie touring ... it makes other people smile. :-)


http://ridewithgps.com/trips/4635330


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## Sara_H (11 May 2015)

Fab Foodie said:


> OK, I will!
> 
> View attachment 88635
> 
> ...


Fantastic! Like a dream come true!


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## welsh dragon (11 May 2015)

Great photos, and write up thanks for sharing.


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## Fab Foodie (11 May 2015)

Sara_H said:


> Fantastic! Like a dream come true!


Well it all went swimmingly well that's a fact! It's nice when a plan comes together ....


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## Sara_H (11 May 2015)

Fab Foodie said:


> Well it all went swimmingly well that's a fact! It's nice when a plan comes together ....



You've set me thinking about a little Brompton camping trip!


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## Bodhbh (11 May 2015)

Fab Foodie said:


> OK, I've geekily weighed the kit!!!!!
> 
> The front bag + frame (contents as listed) = 6.7kg
> Rear bag (contents as listed) = 4.9kg
> ...



I dunno, I'm not a weight weenie, but it seems okay as it's including the bags. Cheers for the info about the pedals I want some folding ones with an aggressive grip.


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## Fab Foodie (11 May 2015)

Sara_H said:


> You've set me thinking about a little Brompton camping trip!


Good stuff! There's another Long itchington weekend in September .....


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## threebikesmcginty (13 May 2015)

Mental - nice one Fabbers!


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## Fab Foodie (13 May 2015)

threebikesmcginty said:


> Mental - nice one Fabbers!


I'd like to go further .... But it seems the Government is clamping down on all kinds of extremism ....


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## OldGreyBeard (18 Nov 2015)

I'm inspired! I have Brompton plus some 1980s lightweight camping kit (JetPacker, Trangia etc). I've been looking for any accounts of cycle camping on a Brompton and here its is. Wonderful.


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## Fab Foodie (18 Nov 2015)

A bit of googling throws up quite a few tales and images of differing set - ups. A Brompton is a good touring machine with suitable gearing. Go do it :-)


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## OldGreyBeard (19 Nov 2015)

I used to stay in Youth Hostels and sometimes used trains to get back when cycle touring but that is all rather more difficult now. I don't liek B&Bs and hotels are a bit expensive. The Brompton plus camping restores the flexibility to cycle touring. I hadn't really considered it before.


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## Fab Foodie (19 Nov 2015)

OldGreyBeard said:


> I used to stay in Youth Hostels and sometimes used trains to get back when cycle touring but that is all rather more difficult now. I don't liek B&Bs and hotels are a bit expensive. The Brompton plus camping restores the flexibility to cycle touring. I hadn't really considered it before.


With a Brompton (even one loaded with touring kit) using trains and buses becomes much easier.
I particularly like the rigs that use a full sized rucksack on the rear as this leads to even greater usability.


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## SA3BR (20 Feb 2020)

I am not sure if this should be a new thread so I will let the mods decide:

I noticed the QR beam rack in OP which looks a handy way for cycle camping Brompton L-type owners* to gain space for a bulky campy items when a rear old-fashioned saddlebag and front luggage(official/saddlebag/actual suitcase  ) is not enough:

T-type owners can of course use the path-less-pedalled method** of a large rucsack hung from dowel on saddle and resting on rack although this is then presumably extra unsuspended mass on the rear wheel......
....
which made me think, I presume the QR beam rack places to much load on the seatpost to be used in pathlesspedaled mode even if mounted as low as possible as in OP? but what if a detachable rack attached to the seattube like some child seat supports:
QR seatpost bracket(for childseat) Associated seat (of which only metalstruts of interest for Brompton luggage)

As long as (redesigned) to not interfere with legs, the luggage would all be suspended mass..


*I think most L-type owners would be better with a lightweight rack for folded stability due to 4 eazi-wheels: eg Vostok Ti minimal rack (with all important! lamp bracket)
is what I hoped the recently revamped official rack would look like albeit in aluminium alloy.....
I know similar cheap alloy racks are on ebay but they are shorter and thus have no provision for a proper rear lamp/reflector unit....

**Rucsac as rear luggage on T-type

NB I have found a larger front suitcase, so perhaps currently academic for me


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