Netherlands Tour June 2025

[arranandy]

Hi all,

My partner and I are doing the above tour. We've booked the ferry from Newcastle to Ijmuiden then are planning to stay in hotels/B&Bs in the Netherlands so no tents, sleeping bags, stoves, etc . We're doing it Saturday to Saturday so are just wondering about pannier size. I'm reckoning 2 x 25 or 32l rear and a bar bag each.

What are other people's thoughts/experience of this?

Any comments/input greatly appreciated as this is our first tour

 

[mjr]

How long are you away for? Any chance to clean clothes in any places you stay?

I've done a short tour with an 11L saddlebag and a bar bag. The largest was a week with 32L of rear panniers and a 13L rack bag. Most comfortable was an 11L pannier, a 19L and a bar bag.

 

[arranandy]

We're away for a week. An overnight on the ferry each way then 6 nights in hotels/B&Bs. Might be able to rinse things in sinks/showers

 

[Emanresu]

If you know your likely route then search Googlemaps for self-service laundry. Use it every 3 days or so. My OH laughs where I send her picks of laundromats all over Europe. But it saves on the weight. That and technical clothes.

 

[arranandy]

Great tip

We lived in the NL for 3 years and had to use a self service laundry at a petrol station a few time when the washing machine in our apartment broke

 

[Psamathe]

I'm reckoning 2 x 25 or 32l rear and a bar bag each.

When I go touring (several month trips with full camping gear, solo so carrying everything myself with a 2 person tent) I take 2 x 32L luggage (tent goes inside that luggage not separate).

Ian

 

[Ralphbostie]

Hi all,

My partner and I are doing the above tour. We've booked the ferry from Newcastle to Ijmuiden then are planning to stay in hotels/B&Bs in the Netherlands so no tents, sleeping bags, stoves, etc . We're doing it Saturday to Saturday so are just wondering about pannier size. I'm reckoning 2 x 25 or 32l rear and a bar bag each.

What are other people's thoughts/experience of this?

Any comments/input greatly appreciated as this is our first toHave a look

Have a look on AirBnb and look for Appartments with Wash M/cs and Dryers, might cost a little more though, me and my partner just stopped in two of those over a ten day trip to France, we also found a Campsite and stopped in a Pod, the Campsite had a Laundry on site.

 

[Sixmile]

Hi all,

My partner and I are doing the above tour. We've booked the ferry from Newcastle to Ijmuiden then are planning to stay in hotels/B&Bs in the Netherlands so no tents, sleeping bags, stoves, etc . We're doing it Saturday to Saturday so are just wondering about pannier size. I'm reckoning 2 x 25 or 32l rear and a bar bag each.

What are other people's thoughts/experience of this?

Any comments/input greatly appreciated as this is our first tour

We did a 9 day tour with 2 adults and 2 children using hotels along the way in Holland. We had 2x25L pannier on one bike, 2 fahrer racks with a small backpack on each and one bar bag and we'd loads of room.

 

[scragend]

I think 2x25l is plenty. My panniers are that size and I think I probably take a bit too much.

I'm considering getting some slightly smaller panniers to make me take a bit less stuff. But I don't consciously take anything I don't think I might need so not sure what would get binned!

I have a bar bag too, not a huge one but it's enough to take wallet, phone, keys and snacks.

Whatever size panniers you take, you will fill them - so take the smallest ones you can get away with!

 

[Lookrider]

Those clear plastic storage bags with the air valves on are great for compressing clothes much smaller ....keeps them dry as well

 

[Sixmile]

I found bike packing velcro straps & bungees to be very useful too to strap extra layers, groceries, purchases to the frame and bars as you go about.

June should also be warm enough to not have to pack anything other than a 2 pairs of shorts, couple of tees and one relatively thin long sleeve.

 

[mjr]

I found bike packing velcro straps & bungees to be very useful too to strap extra layers, groceries, purchases to the frame and bars as you go about.

Velcro yes. Cam-buckle yes. Bungees aka spoke destroyers no. I've ranted in older posts if you search.

June should also be warm enough to not have to pack anything other than a 2 pairs of shorts, couple of tees and one relatively thin long sleeve.

Wettest tour I did was in July, so I'd always pack waterproofs, a merino top and an emergency space blanket. They don't take much room and are worth it to avoid being a "cyclist rescued from hypothermia" headline on page 17.

 

[Sixmile]

Each to their own I guess. I found a few bungees helped up pile on the gear on our last dutch trip.

 

[mjr]

Each to their own I guess. I found a few bungees helped up pile on the gear on our last dutch trip.

View attachment 762025

It's all fun and games until somebody loses an eye.

 

[Sixmile]

It's all fun and games until somebody loses an eye.

Haven't experienced the eye one but I punched out a friends tooth during a game of Ludo years ago and it was game over.