Gear List


Below is a list and description (with links) to our gear we are using on this bike tour. We will try to keep this updated with how the gear is performing and how a general review of things we like and don't like about it. During the trip we will also go into detail on how useful or not useful the gear has been.
  

Bikes and Storage


Surly Long Haul Trucker
Both of us are riding the Surly Long Haul Trucker. We have read many other trip reports and talked with owners of Surly bikes to make sure this was the bike for us. We liked the surly for its 3 chain ring in the front for good climbing abilities, 2 spoke rack on the chain stay, 3 water bottle locations, Surly Sturdy reliability, and ability to mount surly racks. For all these capabilities (and more) we went with this steel frame touring rig which we consider it a good deal.

Surly Front Rack
The Surly Front Rack is a beast! It may be a bit tough to install, taking some extra time to make sure everything is attached and secure properly. The ability to hold 70 lbs and have a large surface to strap things to makes the extra weight and price for this rack 100% "worth it"! This rack is made of steel, so if this rack somehow breaks, it will be easy to weld the broken sections back together.

Surly Rear Rack
The Surly Nice Rear Rack also does the job for holding up to 80 lbs and providing plenty of mounting points on top and on the sides of the rack. The rear rack is a little bit easier to install than the front, but still takes some time and focus! As mentioned in the front rack, this rack is also made of steel, making it welding-friendly.

Ortlieb Pannier Bags
Ortlieb Classic Pannier bags were chosen for their waterproof capabilities, impressive quality from usage on past bike tours, and overall great reviews online and from other bike tourers. The same description goes for the Ortlieb Front Roller City Pannier Bags as well as the Ortlieb Ultimate5L Classic Handlebar Bag . The other storage that will be used includes Axiom Pannier Bags and Jandd Front Handlebar Bags.

Waterproof Map Case
A waterproof map case will be mounted on top of the handle bar bag for easy access while riding to make sure we are riding on the correct road without having to stop. The case will be see through plastic to protect the maps against the rain. Although the maps will be waterproof, having a waterproof case will be even better.

Bike Seat
Their is lots of research about bike seats and what works and what does not. Our bike seats will be where we spend a majority of our time on this tour so it's an important part of our gear list. Here are the seats we are using:

Bike Lock
We will be bringing two bike locks, one U-shaped lock and one normal circular lock. Having two locks will ensure added security during times in the trip when it is not possible to bring the bikes indoors or inside.

Water bottle Cages
Each of the bikes will have three water bottle cages set up. Due to scarcity of water sources during the trip, it is imperative to load up as much as possible on water. We will be carrying a water filter, but this will only be used when there is an available source of water.

Mud Guard Fenders
These fenders will be useful when crossing rainy/dirt roads to prevent the bikes and our gear from getting too wet/muddy.

Bell/Horns
A bell on each bike will be necessary for alerting oncoming traffic or pedestrians of our presence. These will be mounted as close as possible to where our hands will be positioned for easy accessibility.  

Handle Bar Tape 
Necessary to prevent blisters on our hands while riding. We will both be riding with biking gloves, but the handle bar tape will add that extra cushion to our handle bar.

Bike Light (Front/Rear) 
Each of the Surly Long Truckers will be using a front light and a rear light. These lights will be used in rare occasions as we plan to minimize our night riding as much as possible due to safety risks on a majority of the roads we will be riding on. The blinking/flashing lights may prove beneficial even during the day when riding in cities for extra visibilities from cars.

Backpack
A backpack will be useful for time that will be spent off the bike. That this be for walking around a city, going on a beach to surf, or doing some hiking. Another advantage with a small backpack is that we will be able to put gear inside it and mount it to either the front or rear rack. It will essentially serve as an additional panier for storing equipment/clothes. The backpack will have a waterproof cover on it to prevent water from soaking into the bag and getting the stuff inside it wet.

Assorted Small Duffelbag Sack(s)
A few spare small duffelbag sacks will be taken on the trip in order to store unexpected items such as food, wet clothes, etc...

Wallet
This is a pretty essential part of the trip, since without money we will not be able to sustain ourselves financially while on tour.

Compression Straps
Extra compression straps will be useful in case we need to load extra gear on the racks which wouldn't be very stable without straps. The straps will also be useful for rolling up sleeping pads or tents if we lose the original straps for that gear.

Bungee Cords
These will have a similar purpose to the compression straps.

Extension Clips
Extension clips for the panier will come in handy in case we need to overfill the paniers and are not able to close them with the conventional clips provided by Ortleib. The lack of space shouldn't be too much of a problem for the rear roller bags since they are large, but may pose an issue for the front bags that are much smaller volume-wise.
 

Sleeping Equipment

 Sleeping Bag
Due to the amount of time that will be spent in high altitude (10,000+ ft), warm sleeping bags will be necessary in order to stay comfortable. Below are the sleeping bags we are bringing as well as their rated temperatures.
Silk Travel Sheet
A travel sheet for each of us will be necessary in warm weather climates near the equator and in tropical areas like the Amazon. The night time temperatures in those areas rarely gets below 15°C which is obviously too warm for a 0°C to -18°C rated sleep bag. The other advantage with silk travel sheets is that they can be used as sleeping bag liners in upper elevations to prevent the sleep bags from getting too dirty. It is easy to clean a travel sheet, but more difficult to clean a sleeping bag.

Tent (1 or 2 person)
Each of us will be bringing a 1 or 2 person tent. These tents are pretty light and are quick to set up and set down.

Sleeping Pad
Sleeping pads will be more than necessary for this trip. Not just from a comfort perspective, but also from a warmth point of view in  higher elevations. Having sleeping pads will create better insulation between the tent floor and the sleep bags resulting in reduced heat losses.

Backpacking Pillow
Small inflatable backpacking pillows will be useful for getting good night's rest the night before a high mileage day. We will also bring small pillow case, since those will be easier to clean than the pillows.

Emergency Blanket
An emergency blanket will be kind of part of our first aid kit, but very beneficial in case one of us gets injured or sick during the trip. The emergency blanket consists of a aluminum-like material that retains heat very well. It is effective for wrapping around somebody whose got a low body temperature (such as hypothermia) or is going through shock.

Misc Camp

50 ft rope
A rope will be extremely useful for a variety of purposes. One use could be hanging clothes to dry if we have done laundry and need to dry our clothes. Another use would be having to cross streams or rivers that have moving water. by tying our bikes and ourselves to the ropes while crossing a body of water, we are reducing the risk of getting ourselves or our gear swept away by the current. A third use would be if we have to lift gear or our bikes above a steep incline or above a wall or fence and have no other way to get around. 

Small Tarp
A small tarp will be useful for posting up our tents in rainy or wet areas. The tarp could also come in handy in case we are camping somewhere and want to hide gear such as our bikes, that otherwise would not fit in our tents. By reducing the visibility of our gear/bikes we are reducing the risk of theft.

Bandana
A bandana has several uses. One being for treating wounds, cuts, or bruises. Another use would be for cooling ourselves down on hot days by soaking the bandanas in cold water. A third use for the bandana would be in big cities with high levels of pollution and fumes from large trucks OR on dusty dirt roads, we could use the bandanas as protection for our faces/mouths.

Cooking Equipment

Stove
Stove Fuel
1.5L Titanium Pot
Titanium Mug
itanium Spoon and Fork
Pocket knife
Small Camp Towel
Scrub Pad
Soap
Lighter
Matches
Candles

Hydration

25 oz or 40 oz Bike Water Bottles
Camelbak Water Pouch
Water filter

Clothing

Belt
Bike Lycra
Bell Weather Newton Compression Bike Shorts 

Short-sleeve Synthetic shirts
Jeans
Zip off Pants
Thermal Leggings
Boardshorts
Sleeping clothes \
Underwear
Sewing Kit
Rain jacket
Rain Pants
Leg Warmers
Down jacket
Wool sweater
Button-up shirt
Wetsuit
Sewing Kit

Feet

Bike shoes
Light walking shoes
Sandals
Wool Socks
Bike Pants Band

Hands

Cycling Gloves
Snow/fleece Gloves

Head/Face

Bicycle Helmet
Beanie
Balaclava
Ear Plugs
Sunglasses

Electronics

Cyclo-computer
Digital/Micro Camera
Mini Tripod
Spare Memory Card (32gb)
USB Cable
iPod/Music Player
Mini ipod speakers
Mini laptop (Netbook)
Solar Charger
Goal Zero Nomad 7 Solar Panel
We will be using a 7 Watt Goal Zero Nomad 7 Solar Panel to charge our electronics.
Extra Camera Battery
Batteries (AA and AAA 4 pack)
GoPro Camera
Mobile phone (for camera feature of sim card down there)
Portable hard drive (1tb)
Alarm Clock
Pocket calculator
Head lamp

Hygiene

Soap
Shampoo
Toothpaste
Toothbrush
Dental Floss
Fingernail Clippers
Pocket Size Mirror
Razors
Kikoy/Towel

Health

Ibupofren/Tylenol
Vitamins
Suncreen
Lip Balm
Mosquito Repellant
Moisterizing Cream
Cypril
First-Aid Kit
Pepper Spray
Sanitary gel

Tools

Pump
Allen Wrench Set
Screwdriver
Pliers
Headset/Pedal Wrench
8mm/10mm Wrench
Spoke Wrench
Chain Link Remover
Freewheel Remover
Lube
Grease
Chain Measuring Tool
Patch Kits

Spare Parts

Duct Tape/Gorilla tape
Bicycle Tubes
Brake Pad sets
Tires
1 Chain (2 chains, or 3 total between us!)
Brake Cable
Derailleur Cable
Housing
Emergency Spokes
Spokes
Assorted Bolts
Assorted Zipties
Duck Tape (a few yards), and Gorilla Glue

Material

Book/Kindle
Journal
Writing Utensils
South America Tour Book (Lonely Planet/Moon Guide)
Maps of various countries
Spanish phrasebook
Passports
Passport Photos
Scans emailed to personal email: Medical records/passport/Visas
Emergency Contact Info
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