Well guys I took the plunge and ordered a 2018 Salsa Fargo in Cream White for $360 off of the MSRP of $1800.

As a Fargo owner myself I commend your choice. Welcome to the global Fargo family.

You don't really need skinny tires for a fun ride on a Fargo. But if you do opt for another wheelset I'd be considering a gravel tire of around 35 -40mm. These will cover all the types of surfaces you are likely to encounter when commuting.

I would have thought a horizontal divider a more common configuration that a vertical divider.
My frame bag has a single zip entry to a map pocket on the left and two zips with horizontal divider on the right.
I carry water bladders and long items such as tent poles in the top compartment, and heavier items such as tools and spares in the lower.
I can't see how a vertically divided bag would be workable.

Why don't you just buy a used bike in NZ, sell it when you are finished. You will get a good exchange rate for your pound.

Trade Me

I'm curious - for those of you using alcohol stoves, how much alcohol are you packing on say, a 5-day trip, assuming you're going to be boiling water twice a day?

You may find this blog of interest. Which is Lighter – Alcohol or Gas?

I do think his consumption estimate is a little on the light side. I used around 30ml per burn up to 3 times per day, so probably about 80ml per day.

The issue I encountered was that alcohol is only sold in 1 litre quantities in the region I'm touring, so it was a matter of carrying 1 litre or throwing half away. I've gone back to gas.

Another interesting blog is this one - A Review of Stove Weights, Fuel Weights and Fuel Efficiencies

My camp kitchen:

Vargo Ti Bot 1 litre
Bot Cosy
Vargo Ti 450ml travel mug
Kovea Spider stove
Carbon felt windscreen
Toaks long Ti spork
Leatherman Wave
Jetboil Crunchit.

All nestles together and fits in an anything bag along with a 220gm canister and a stuff sack of personal toiletries, and carried on an anything cage on a fork leg.

Still the best.

Bedrock Coconino with Railwing.

Well, you could do far worse than to buy a Salsa Fargo, which 1000's of others have chosen. If you can find one in stock that is.

That means they want to download a track that somebody has recorded, or download a route which they have planned using mapping software.

Yes you can use a smartphone, but then you have to be able to keep it charged. You should be able run it in airplane mode to conserve battery power, and quite large battery banks are cheap enough now.  And there are a plethora of navigation apps available.

One of the better tools is RideWithGPS. It has an excellent route planning website with a database of recorded tracks and a very good phone navigation app. Check it out.

Typically, not just any hiking GPS, but one which can be powered by replaceable batteries. Few cycling GPS have this capability so require a dynamo hub or perhaps a solar panel for recharging.

The Etrex 35 is powered by AA batteries and yes it can navigate a route created in Garmin Connect or RidewithGPS or similar.

Be aware that the $300 price probably includes only the base map which has sparse detail. You will need to purchase the Garmin topo maps or load the OpenCycleMaps, which are free.

I have a dynamo hub and use a Wahoo Elemnt. The dynamo hub also powers my lights and charges various other devices.

I carry a 2 litre bladder in my frame bag with a drink tube attached. It's not at all difficult to drink from it while riding.

As for cross winds - the side area of frame bags is barely any more than pannier bags. I notice no difference to wind resistance in cross winds and significantly less in headwinds.

Other lights:

Supernova E3 Pro, E3 Triple

Other chargers:
Sinewave Reactor
Supernova/Tout Terrain  The Plug
B&M USB eWerk
Forumslader

I'm aware of this issue because both of these failures were reported by Luxos U owners on a thread in a local cycling forum to which I'm a regular participant. One owner says it happened on a rough road, the other owners says he never used it on rough roads. See for yourself. Hub Dynamos in Australia.

It's good that you have not experienced it for youself, but it is a consideration for anyone planning a light/charging system for bikepacking, particularly if going offroad.

Any light can inconvenience other road users if it is not focused correctly, even shaped beams. The Beacon is slightly less bright than my current Exposure Revo, and both have symmetrical beams. Aim them correctly and they won't bother anyone.

I find using an auxilliary battery which supports pass-through charging a better solution than direct connection to a USB charger and provides the capacity to recharge all my devices when travelling, including my phone, tablet, bike computer, camera, and bluetooth earbuds. The small Luxos U cache battery does not have this capacity.

Mine has been dead reliable over 3 years and that includes doing the AZT with it.

I would not trust one off the sealed road after seeing pics like this.



Here is another example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReYXpVn5v1c

Right now I don't see any perfect system out there but I am anxious to hear about the sinewave.

Did you follow the link to the Beacon Headlight FAQ on the Sinewave page. There is more useful information there. In particular:

"The Beacon can be powered by a dynamo, an external USB battery pack, or both.  An external USB battery can be connected using the barrel connector on the back of the light.  A USB-to-barrel cable is available.  The external battery will maintain high brightness and steady output, even when stopped.  When you begin riding, the power from the dynamo will begin to replace the power from the battery until you reach a speed where the dynamo is able to provide all of the power, and the battery is no longer used.  When you slow down the light resumes using the battery so the beam doesn't dim or flicker."

Nice - I'll have to check that out. There's some pretty nice benefits over Klite's (sweet, I'll add) offerings: B+M has a great rep. and that price is pretty damn good, if I'm reading the description correctly, it includes in the unit:

Light,
Handlebar switch
Cache battery
USB charging option

So instead of buying the 3 sep. components from KLite (Light: 265.00, USB charging thingy: $120.00, Handlebar Switch: $60 (and even battery pack?!), it's all in one?

Seems like the difference of a German-flavored efficient industrial product and the handmade artisanal offering?

I'll have to do my research on that idea, that's a huge cost savings.

There are other differences which are relevant in the bikepacking context, so do your research carefully:
 - the Luxos U has a shaped beam and realistically can only be mounted on the fork crown. This may not be convenient if you want to use a handlebar roll
 - it is a largish unit and has a plastic housing - I am aware of at least two instances where the mount has snapped off
 - there are numerous reports of failure due to water entry.
My take is that the Luxos U would be a good light for commuting or road touring but probably not the best choice for bikepacking.

A better choice may be the forthcoming Sinewave Beacon:
- it can be mounted in any position or orientation
- it is compact and has a robust metal housing
- it has an integrated USB charger
- it can be powered by either a dynamo hub or an auxiliary battery or both.

I am on the cusp of ordering one to replace the current clutter of Exposure Revo, Sinewave Revolution USB charger, Klite switch and wiring all mounted on an extension bar.

Well, you have to remember that Australia is in the southern hemisphere and the climate zones and the seasons are the reverse of where you live. September is the first month of spring here. Adelaide is closer to the south pole and is in the temperate zone. Brisbane is closer to the equator and is in the tropical zone. So naturally Brisbane is usually warmer. Except in high summer, when hot desert winds may bring very high temperatures (+40.0°C) to southern Australia.

I guess the best direction comes down to which you have greater tolerance for - the temperature or the wind. But trying to second guess the weather is pointless, it is what it is, you get what you get. In April I toured in New Zealand and was affected by two tropical cyclones. Unusual for any tropical cyclone to reach as far south as New Zealand, let alone two in the space of less than a month, and unheard of in mid-autumn.

For me, 19.0°C is a very pleasant temperature for cycling. I think what is more important is the minimum temperature. Assuming that you will start in September and finish some time in October, there is very little difference in the minimum temperatures along the coastal route during these two months. So temperature wise it doesn't matter which way you go. However the Victorian coastline is renown for its unpredictable weather. It's a standing joke in Australia that in Victoria you may experience four seasons in one day at any time of the year. There’s a saying, if you don’t like the weather in Melbourne, just wait a minute.

So if you start in Brisbane it will be warmer, but still cool by the time you reach Victoria. But you may be against the wind most of the way.

That would be a bit difficult since you don't explain your requirements or your rationale for choosing just those three. All have their pros and cons.

You could toss a coin I suppose. :wink:

Or you could read the bag reviews here.

Bikepacking

You can see for yourself what the winds will be like from the BOM Wind Roses.

However as a Brisbane resident I can predict without looking at the roses that you are likely to encounter strong south westerly winds if you depart here in September.

My choice would be to start in Adelaide. It will be early spring so still quite cool in the south but that shouldn't bother someone coming from Germany.

And coming from Germany you may already be aware that the famed wine producing region (the Barossa Valley) near Adelaide were settled by German immigrants and no doubt many of the place names will have a familiar sound.  The Tour Down Under is run in these districts and there are good bike paths. Worth a visit if you have time.

Sticking to the coastal route from Adelaide to Melbourne will take you along the Great Ocean Road, which one of the prime tourist attractions in Victoria.

I have a map of a cycle touring route from Melbourne to the Gold Coast. It's a little dated but still useful. If you would like a copy, send me an email.

Simple answer. This one.

Lezyne Micro Floor Drive HV

Yes, I have one and used it for a month long trip recently.

It is very easy to attach and remove, and takes mere moments. And it is very stable when snugged into place.

I cannot make comparisons with other bags - I chose this one precisely because it has the railwing. I'm extremely satisfied with my choice.  

Highly recommend it