Bikepacking Veneto Trail | summer packing list

After the spring bikepacking packing list, here’s a new one: the summer bikepacking packing list for Italy. The Veneto Trail is a bikepacking event that is actually designed for mountain bikes. Sandra and her good friend Lisa tested if it is also doable on gravel bikes with 40 mm tyre width. Spoiler: For the two of them yes, others with 40 mm wide tyres scratched after having the 6th flat tyre on the second day.

What equipment was Sandra riding with? Did she miss something? What did she not need? Find it out here!

A bikepacking packing list for the summer

Packing List: Bags

On the Veneto Trail I had the same bikepacking setup as on my last bikepacking tour in spring.

Seatpack approx. 11 litres – Custom from Gramm Tourpacking
Frame bag – Custom from Gramm Tourpacking
Top tube bag – Custom from Gramm Tourpacking
Dry Bag on the handlebars, attached to a DeWidget Strapdeck with Voile Straps (polyurethane straps)
Small lightweight backpack from Decathlon

I managed to get all the things from my packing list into the bags without any problems and even had room for 3 water bottles on my frame.

On the handlebars I had a tent, a warm jacket and a sleeping mat, and in the frame bag I had charging cables, a power bank, tools, some food and sun cream. The GoPro was also in the frame bag, so I could get to it easily while riding. The top tube bag had room for snacks, my wallet, a lip balm and Squirt Lube for waxing the chain. All other utensils were stored in the saddle bag.

The bikepacking packing list in detail

My sleep setup

We wanted to be a bit more flexible and not have to rely on shelters or similar. Ventour.eu developed a bikepacking tent and currently offers it for testing at a reasonable price (excluding shipping costs). So we asked if we could get a test tent for that period. It worked! The tent was set up really quickly and offered enough space for the two of us and some luggage.

For sleeping, I had my summer sleeping bag with an inlet with me again. It was perfect for the temperatures in the Italian summer. Short and simple, my packing list for the upcoming nights consisted of the following things:

Summer sleeping bag (Yeti - now Nordisk - Fever Zero)
Ultra-light inlet (Cumulus)
Mattress (Thermarest NeoAir X-Lite Women)
Pump sack for the sleeping pad
Tent (ventour.eu)

Packing list: Clothes

Of course, my packing list also consisted of clothes. For cycling, I had the following with me, or rather I was wearing most of it, of course:

Clothing on the bike

1 sports bra (super.natural)
1 baselayer with pockets (velocio)
2 pairs of socks
1 pair of bib shorts (Velocio Womens Luxe Bib shorts)
1 T-shirt (super.natural)
1 pair of thin gloves (100%)
Helmet (Specialzied S-Works Prevail II)
Cycling cap Sunglasses (Sun God Velans)
Shoes (Fizik Terra Powerstrap X4)
Rain jacket (velocio)

Clothing off the bike

I had extra clothes with me for the evenings and for sleeping:

Dress
1 pair of pants
1 pair of socks
Insulation jacket (Patagonia Micro Puff with hood)
Swim wear

I really enjoy being able to take off my bib shorts in the evening and get a bit more air on my skin which touches the seat padding all day. It feels really good to me.

Hygiene during bike packing

Sun cream SPF 50
3 x compressed toilet paper in tab form (Portawipes) for flexible cleaning purposes
1 cloth handkerchief for pee breaks (so that the bib stays clean and dry and I don’t have to take toilet paper/tissues with me to the nearest bin)
Bamboo toothbrush
Toothpaste tabs
Mini towel from Sea to Summit
1 comb
Lip balm

The toothbrush tabs were still good on my last trip. In the meantime, they were no longer so pleasant and left a funny taste in my mouth. I think I’ll go back to mini toothpaste tubes.

I was very glad to have added the lip balm to my packing list as a final touch before leaving. That’s why it’s not in the photo. But especially on long days on the bike, it feels really good to cream my lips when they get chapped from breathing through my mouth so much. I also had a small comb with me on this tour. It helps to sort out the tangled hair at the end of the day and contributes a lot to my well-being!

Packing list: Food

I didn’t have much food with me. Supermarkets, cafés and restaurants were supposed to provide enough food for us. In the end, we didn’t end up often going to supermarkets, because we ate countless pizzas. What else? For in-between, I had a few emergency bars and 2 packs of trail mix. Also very important: gummy bears – sour worms. They provide me with quick energy and I manage well with them. You can also buy them in the unpacked food shops.

Packing List: Tools & Repair

For me, every ride includes tools and a few spare parts. So of course my packing list for the Veneto Trail also included tools and other things to be prepared in case of a puncture or a mechanical failure. I ride my Veloheld tubeless, so I had sealing milk and a tubeless repair kit in my luggage.

The brake cable I would not have needed myself, but when I packed the shift cable, I thought I take another brake cable with me. So I can also help out other people in an emergency. I had a flat tire, so came after a long time times again my tubeless equipment to use: both patches and sealing milk. Of course, I also needed my pump to fill the tire again and the multitool to remove the wheel and dispense the milk in the tire.

First aid

I had an Ortlieb First Aid Pack with me filled with

Ibuprofen
bandage
rescue blanket
plaster
tick card

Of these, I needed an ibuprofen because I had a bad headache the first day. Plasters were also needed to take care of other people’s chafed areas.

With the 2-liter folding bottle I could help out a friend who only had one bottle cage mount on the bike. The 2 liters of water still fitted into his saddlebag and supplied him with liquid in water-scarce areas. The bottle is cool and practical, however, it has not survived the tour and had a small hole at the end.

Conclusion

All in all, I was very happy with my packing list. If it had rained more, I probably would have wished for my rain shorts, which I had left at home.

Otherwise: Perfect, I didn’t miss anything and used everything I had with me – apart from first aid and spare parts – but I never want to have to use these things and will always have them with me.

Cover Photo Credits: Lisa Buddenberg – @lisawarg

Edit/ Layout: Juliane Schumacher

Translation: Stefanie Fritzen

Bikepacking in summer – Sandra’s packing list for the Veneto Trail

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