7 Must Have Budget Items for Bicycle Touring & Bikepacking

Changing inner tubes can be a big hassle. If you can't pull the outer tire back on the rim after a fix or replacement of the inner tube, using regular tire levers to nudge the tire back on can be difficult, especially if the tire is really tight. With levers it's easy to puncture the inner tube when putting a tire back on and make you have to start all over again. The tire glider is quite a genius invention for this problem. It has a two-way approach for getting the tire off and back on the rim again. The big hook pulls the tire off the rim and by pushing along the perimeter of the wheel it pulls the tire off one side. After fixing or replacing the inner tube you use the small hook portion of the tire glider to catch the top of the rim and push the tire bead behind the rim wall. And then by pushing on the thumb rest you seat the tire back onto the rim all along the perimeter. The design is such that the inner tube stays out of the way of the tire glider most of the time. But remain mindful when going around that the inner tube stays inside the tire as not to catch the rubber between the plastic and the rim. The last stretch can be a bit tough with tight tires, but with steady force you should be able to do it. There is a bright red version I prefer to really stand out in outdoor scenarios and will help prevent losing it. What about a budget item that could help you save money? Gas canisters, the one with the thread connection called lindel valves, can be expensive but there are cheaper alternatives. Unfortunately they are made for different appliances with a different connection type called a butane canister or a bayonet valve. There is however a simple and cheap solution to fix this problem. A bayonet to lindel adapter is a straightforward way of adapting those cheaper butane canisters to a camping stove. What I do is screw the adapter onto the stove and leave it there for when I need to use it with a butane canister. Simply line up this notch and twist and turn to make the connection. When I'm finished cooking, untwist the stove with the adapter from the canister and store them both separately. It's that simple. A thing to pay attention to is that there are extra cheap versions on the market. I've heard some stories telling that they could potentially be faulty. The last thing you want is a problem with the gas connection. I bought mine through Amazon, it had great reviews and was still very affordable. Cooking in the outdoors is one of the joys of being on a bicycle adventure. A lot of tasty things start with a good knife. Having tried many different types over the years, when it comes to cutting up produce for a camp meal, I prefer a blade that's thin and very sharp. It makes all the difference when slicing and dicing. A good way of storing the blade is also important as you don't want to cut anything while putting away the knife. The Opinel folding knives are known all over the world and provide excellent value. They come in an amazing variety of sizes with the number 8 model being the all-rounder. Not too big or too small to get some chopping or other camp crafts done. After having used the carbon version for a long time, I now prefer the stainless steel as it doesn't rust and prevents tainting the food with an irony taste. With a simple but effective folding locking mechanism, the blade is easily stored away inside the wooden handle. And that's a good thing because these blades come very sharp and hold their edge really well. It's also part of my everyday carry and I use it all the time. A thing to consider is that the handle can soak up water, making the wood swell and pinch the blade. When washing up, don't submerge the whole knife, but rather wash it down with a minimum of water. Being around 11 euros I haven't seen anything better for the price, so this is an easy recommendation. Storing fresh food can become a real mess out on tour. Because of the warmth, especially fruits and vegetables can deteriorate fast, as are some other unstable food items like oils for example. Keeping food fresh as long as possible is key to eating healthy and keep most of the nutrients intact. A very cheap and easy way to prolong the longevity of particular food items is to store them in a freezer bag first before putting them in some sort of bicycle bag. This works surprisingly well and has kept our green groceries fresher for quite a bit longer. An obvious tip here is to try and layer the products from tough at the bottom like potatoes, to soft at the top like bananas. Freezer bags can be bought at many supermarkets and can be an easy addition to your kit when you're already out on the road. We dropped the spoon in the... When you buy a new tent, often the stakes that come with it are in my experience way too small to make a secure anchor point in the ground. Many tents from big brands come with special stakes which are small and often too weak to take a repeated beating, something you do all the time on a longer tour. I get that people want to save some weight with a lightweight setup, but having stakes being ripped out by high winds or having them break from trying to pound them into tough ground for me is a hassle I don't want to be bothered with. I was recommended this relatively lightweight and long aluminium stake in a local store and they have been the best thing ever since. They can take a beating and I have never broke one with literally years of continuous use. If they bend in hard and on rocky ground, it's easy to get them straight again by using a rock to nudge it back. When putting the stake in at about a 45 degree angle, the little head sticking out prevents the guyline from coming off. They are a bit hard to get hold of and the last set I was able to get was through AliExpress, but I also recently found them on Amazon. The head is perhaps the only small downside as it is a screw-on that needs some tightening now and then. The cord looped through the hole in my case was very short and the tip here is to put a longer and high visibility cord through the eye to create a bigger loop. That way you can spot the stakes better between natural debris and have a handle through which you can put your whole hand and pull the stakes out of the ground when they're in there really tight. We like to pack as light and compact as possible, making extra space often a thing that we crave. We use a lightweight backpack for extra room when the need arises. Most of the time that's extra food which always takes up a lot of room on the bike. After having tried different models we have chosen this 24 litre 4Monster backpack. Lightweight, sturdy, affordable, including two water bottle pockets, it's water resistant and the perfect size and model for use as a daypack off the bikes as well. It has plenty of room for bulky groceries or for a hike in the mountains or around town. We can pack extra layers, water, some food and a camera for example. An extra compartment up front is a nice addition to get organized and separate items. I like it so much that I use it at home all the time as well. The straps are adjustable but fairly thin, not the most comfy when the loads get heavier, just alright. If I could change only one thing it would be the little stuff sack dangling inside on a thread. It would have been nice to see that as a foldable pocket which could double as an extra compartment. But the price is great for such a nicely designed bag and it comes in a variety of colors to choose from. A cozy mug with a hot beverage to warm your hands on a cold day is one of those things that make life out on the road that bit better. I like a compact mug with foldable handles to be able to put it away easily. They are available in lots of materials but there are some things to look out for. The Bountus Voyage 300ml mug I have here is perhaps a bit expensive for a true budget item. It's kind of bomb proof though and next to losing it you probably own it for life which I think is great value. Titanium conducts heat very fast and they say you could burn your lips but I have found with little care it not to be a problem. The 450ml model is only a dollar more and could double as a tiny cooking pot for an ultralight setup which I think is really interesting. Some kind of plastic is perhaps the obvious choice as it is often lightweight, durable and cheap. A caution is that plastics can have chemicals in them, detrimental to health like BPA. Therefore my choice is titanium as it is completely inert and lighter than stainless steel which is another excellent material to use. Check out the next video right here for more must have items in a wider price range that have great functionality and value.