I was thinking a similar setup for my touring. im making a top tube bag right now, and i will be making a handlebar "harness" of some sort to hold a 13L drysack up front, a pocket to fit on top of that, and a seat bag "harness" if i still need more room after that. I am currently using a BD twilight bivy sack with a 5x8 tarp, but the 5x8 is really just a little too small. really a 8x8 or something like a gatewood cape would be perfect. the entire shelter setup is a little over a pound. I also use a golite 40 degree bag, a neoair, and i put both of those inside one of the thermarest stuff sack pillows so that i have a pillow where ever. I would like to get the shelter/bag/pad combo into the 13L drysack into the handlebar bag because those are the bulkiest items.

My problem is that i need a larger backpack with me for most of my trips because i like backpacking side routes or using my bike as a shuttle for backpacking trips. so i end up carrying my backpack anyways, so im really just looking to get some overall weight/bulk out of my backpack. if i can get everything but my food onto my bike, i'll be extremely happy.

i bought everything through rockywoods.com. they are actually really close to me, so i biked down to loveland to pick up the materials. also, in store they have a bunch of remnant pieces, so the material was only $4 for 1.5 yard piece.

so, im more looking into lightweight road bike touring, and i would like to keep my waterbottles for now, so i built a mini frame bag. I know my bike isn't really a touring bike, but i figure i can get by with it as long as i keep my load light.

the bag is big enough to carry some quick access gear while touring (wind jacket/pants, warmer gloves, etc), otherwise i can use it to carry wallet, phone, flat repair gear, snacks, etc. for long day rides. im also going to build a tank bag too for long day rides. I think i'll build a full size frame bag for some actual multi-day touring in the fall.

This one is built with 1000 denier cordura, #5 water resistant zipper on the right side with a flap to help keep it dry/clean, and 2" velcro. the bag is a hair over 3 ounces. It ended up being slightly taller in the rear than it should have been, so it's not as tight as i would have liked it to be, but it still works well. since i don't have a sewing machine, i hand stitched this.

I still have enough cordura to make 3-4 more of these, however i think im going to go with some lighter material since it will be easier to stich together and will result in an overall lighter bag.

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/2320/img20110616104956.jpg

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/6186/img20110616105011.jpg

http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/9321/img20110616151344.jpg

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/383/img20110616151242.jpg

I have a pair of integral design socks. i like them, but they seem to be sized a bit on the big size, so i wish i would have gone down a size. i got rid of the big plastic lock tie on the elastic band, which was my only real complaint.

I think from now on, im going to be using my warmers 2mm neoprene socks instead of my vapor barrier socks. i have used them with a light wool layer underneath, and i think they work better than my VB socks since they insulate too. they don't slide around either. i originally bought them for early season rafting, but they work for everything when my feet might get cold, like fishing or biking.

http://www.rei.com/product/707391/warmers-2mm-sandal-socks-with-fleece-lining

I got these last summer, and barely used them. this summer it seems that they don't fit my feet as well as they did last summer when i bought them, so i would like to sell them since im just going to go with my pearl izumi x-alps. these shoes are great for commuting. the cleats are recessed enough that i almost never hear them click while im walking around.

they were originally yellow and black, but i thought the yellow looked tacky, so i blacked out the uppers as much as possible. i think they look much better this way.

i would like $60 shipped for them ($70 if you would like the used crankbrother cleats to come with them)

pictures are here:

http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/2981/img20110504122831.jpg
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/86/img20110504122822.jpg
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/7240/img20110504122847.jpg
http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/162/img20110504122838.jpg
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/5263/img20110504122908.jpg

could you post a picture of the frame bag with measurements of the edge lengths? im wondering if this might fit my bike.

-Ted

I have a set of crank brother candy 2 pedals that i would like to sell. they have only been on 2-3 short rides, and are in like new condition. they are the silver and black versions seen here.

http://www.rei.com/product/804048/crankbrothers-candy-2-pedals

i can send the cleats that came with them too, which have some signs of use from those couple rides but are in excellent condition.

I would like $60/OBO for them shipped.

-Ted

i would like a Large Tangle back for my new road bike. please let me know if anyone has one available.

-Ted

Edit: i decided to get a custom pack, so nevermind.

most suspension forks offer some sort of lock-out which makes them semi-rigid. there are a few racks for suspension forks, but i always think a front rack is useless, even if your road touring.

so, besides strapping stuff underneath the handlebars, what else is a cheap way to get gear on my bike without buying a custom bag and going backpack-less?

im a pretty lightweight backpacker (baseweight is around 10 lbs when im bivy sack'n it)

i bet this one gets asked alot. what backpacks does everyone use (if you use one).

i was thinking an osprey exos 34 would work well for multiday trips with the mesh back. most of my trips will be in colorado, utah, and wyoming in the summer/fall
the only bag that i own that would attached to my mountain bike is a under-seat bag (48.8 CI) for tools, tubes, etc.

-Ted