Rucksack or saddle bag
Your luggage should fit into a small rucksack or a large saddle bag: 14 to 16 litres is sufficient. Larger rucksacks weigh more when empty - and tempt you to fill them. Advantages of the rucksack: The cradle ride feels better, the luggage is always quickly to hand. The disadvantages: You sweat more on your back, the high centre of gravity pushes you downhill when braking sharply before hairpin bends, and the unaccustomed weight can torture your backside on multi-day tours.
Cycling clothing
In addition to the clothes you are wearing (jersey, functional vest, shorts), you should also pack one of each item: coloured jerseys are better than white ones, black or dark blue cycling shorts are better than light-coloured ones. Minimalists save themselves the jersey-trousers-undershirt replacement and wash the worn, sweaty items by hand in the sink every evening. By the morning, even the seat pad of the shorts will be dry. More important than a second pair of cycling shorts is a pair of rain shorts so that you can keep your bum dry in a shower and don't have to sit on a wet seat pad for hours afterwards.
Arm and knee warmers help against the wind and cold; leg warmers are only needed by cyclists who are sensitive to the cold on tours in late autumn. A thin waistcoat protects the body from the wind on descents; if it's colder, you can put on a rain jacket. Thin long-fingered gloves and a helmet cap keep you warm in autumn. Overshoes keep your feet warm on morning descents and your shoes and socks clean in the rain. Speaking of socks: Take a pair of thinner and a pair of warmer ones with you - preferably in black. White ones quickly look unsightly.
Clothes for the evening
Thin, light cotton trousers - jeans are too heavy -, a maximum of two T-shirts and a long-sleeved shirt. Socks with merino wool don't odour so quickly: one pair is enough for a tour of four to five days. Two pairs of pants - one for every two evenings - should also suffice. Don't pack an extra jacket; if it's cool in the evening, put on your cycling rain jacket.
Shoes
Mountain bike shoes are also great for travelling on foot. This saves extra shoes for the evening. Tip if your shoes are wet: Hut shoes are light and take up little space. If you are staying overnight in the valley and have to leave the house for dinner, you can also take super-light running shoes (300 grams) with you, but they need space.
Body care
You can wash your head, body and clothes with shampoo. Fill small plastic bottles with shampoo and sun cream or buy small travel sizes. Travel toothbrushes take up less space and toothpaste is also available in travel sizes. Even if you don't normally have sitting problems, you should take some seat cream with you.
Split your luggage
If you are travelling in a group, you only need some things once for everyone - for example maps, GPS device, camera, tools and pump.
You can find the packing list in the PDF below for free download.
Downloads:
Packing list for multi-day road bike tours
