Question How much did your setup cost you?

[Deleted member 32071]

With panniers, racks, and other bike specific gear, how much did it cost you? I'm looking to squirrel away some money before shit hits the fan... how much should I put away? Is there a big advantage to buying a new bike?

 

[ali]

I spent around $1200 (Canadian) on a bike, helmet, lock, rack, panniers, straps, tubes, bottle holders and a few other odds and ends. You could easily do it for less than that if you searched around for second hand stuff, or if you have access to a bunch of tools and materials to DIY things like panniers. If you already have an existing bike, you can start with that instead of buying a new bike. (I actually bought my bike about a year before the rest of the stuff.) Just make sure you get a sturdy rack and be prepared to replace the back wheel with something hardier in case it can't take the weight.

For me personally it was worth it to buy stuff new, because i hate the tedious waiting around and hunting and bargaining involved in trying to get a cheaper deal through other channels. I'm happy working in a regular job to earn more money and then paying 2x the price for the luxury of being able to walk into a store (or log on to a website) and get something in good condition right then and there. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Deleted member 32071]

I spent around $1200 (Canadian) on a bike, helmet, lock, rack, panniers, straps, tubes, bottle holders and a few other odds and ends. You could easily do it for less than that if you searched around for second hand stuff, or if you have access to a bunch of tools and materials to DIY things like panniers. If you already have an existing bike, you can start with that instead of buying a new bike. (I actually bought my bike about a year before the rest of the stuff.) Just make sure you get a sturdy rack and be prepared to replace the back wheel with something hardier in case it can't take the weight.

For me personally it was worth it to buy stuff new, because i hate the tedious waiting around and hunting and bargaining involved in trying to get a cheaper deal through other channels. I'm happy working in a regular job to earn more money and then paying 2x the price for the luxury of being able to walk into a store (or log on to a website) and get something in good condition right then and there. Your mileage may vary.

Cool, thanks. I see you have front shocks on your bike, do you recommend getting a bike with or without them?

 

[ali]

It really depends where you plan to ride. In my trip from BC to Florida i guess i rode about 80% covered roads, 15% gravel/dirt/logging road and 5% hiking/mountain biking trail. I was very thankful for the front shocks on the trails, but that was only a small part of the journey. Most of the time the shocks were locked so it was just extra weight to push along the road.

You can bike trails without shocks, you'll just get more smashing and bashing about on your wrists and palms, so make sure to get some padded cycling gloves. (You might want to get some anyway - i needed them after about a month on the road when i lost sensation in my fingers.) But if you plan on spending a lot of time in the Rockies on logging roads and tons of gravel in rural areas, sure, why not get a bike with front shocks?

To be honest i reckon you can overthink the bike. Most important is to get something that's comfortable to sit on and won't collapse as soon as you strap an extra 20-30kg on it. People bike across the country on all sorts. After you've gone several thousand miles you'll have a better idea of what you want from an upgrade, if you choose to stick with it.

 

[Dunedrifter]

I‘m easily over $3k(US) for bike and all the gear. I didn’t spend it all up front, but bought (and sold) things over time as I researched, pursued good deals, and sold gear that didn’t work out. It’s taken a few years to perfect the system that works for me (mostly gravel), but will be different for everyone. Reddit r/bikepacking and r/bicycletouring are great resources to get reviews and opinions on bikes and gear. I agree that you don’t have to spend a lot of money, but I don’t really buy much other consumer crap, and most of what I buy is from small companies and crafts people. It’s often said that the best bike and gear is the stuff you already own.

 

[MetalBryan]

I'm late to the party, but when you talk about squirreling away funds to put together a setup, don't forget to squirrel away these bike parts!

I agree with @ali about going new when it comes to bike stuff. The used market is crazy right now so it's going to be tough to save enough to make used gear a good buy... but if you're buying new look for companies that offer warranty on their products like Timbuk2. Their bike stuff is pricey and not always the best gear on the market, but that lifetime warranty will make that backpack or tube bag a lifetime purchase.

I don't have panniers yet, but I've been "squirreling away" the smaller bags. bikepacking.com/bikepacking-101/ is an excellent source of reviews of high end gear, but an even better source for ideas about where you can stick things on your bike. For example, using their guide I researched bags for handlebars and came across a suggestion of using chalk bags (for indoor climbing) instead of cycling-branded stuff sacks. I picked up x2 for $5 shipped on ebay. You can also thrift shop for these small bags and build your own configuration. Whenever I visit my local hardware store I buy a voile strap or two and now I have enough to lash anything to my bike. I've had success acquiring these things in increments so when it's time to go the upfront cost is minimal.