Almost all of the gear I’m bringing. From left to right: camping gear, tools, electronics, food, and clothes.

An unsupported bike tour requires a bit of gear. You have to be prepared for anything that might keep you from getting to your destination, even if that’s just the next bike shop for a repair. Getting a flat or breaking a spoke riding around downtown Toronto is a bit different than in the middle of rural Japan.

Camping gear, including a 1-person tent, inflatable pillow, sleeping bag, first aid kit, reflective blanket, 2-piece cookware set, butane stove, hand towels, flashlights, gorilla tape, hand sanitizer, and a beach towel.

On top of tools and replacement parts, we also decided to bring camping gear. While we mostly intend on staying in AirBnBs, ryokan, hotels, etc., but there’s always a possibility of us needing to rough it. Camping gear like tents, sleeping bags, and cookware makes up the bulk of the larger items we’re carrying but is still surprisingly small and light.

Tools, including: replacement tubes, tire levers, patch kits, multitool, spoke fix, wrench, zip ties, spokes, spare chain, mini air pump, and a leatherman.

Electronics, including a 22W solar panel, USB AC power adapter + cables, 22,000mAh battery pack, and Asus C201 Chromebook.

Electronics-wise I decided to get a small Chromebook. I definitely wasn’t going to bring my 15″ MacBook Pro with me, and being stuck with just my phone for 2 months seemed like a huge pain in the butt. The Chromebook I got (Asus C201) is small, light, and perfect for what I need it for. Connectivity to the outside world will be provided by a wifi hotspot that we’re renting from a company in Japan. To keep everything powered, I’ve got a 22,000 mAh USB battery pack as well as a 22W solar charger, just in case.

All packed up.