Overnight Bike Camping Advice Needed

TrekDedicated said:

I'm about to start doing overnight bike camping trips. Basically, riding after work on Friday 30-40 miles to a camp site and spending the night and then packing up the next day and ride home.

My questions:

1) What type of tent?
I would prefer one that I could fit my bike in.

2) What type of mat?

3) What type of sleeping bag?

I'm a big camper already, but never with the bike and am curious what others do. I'm looking for gear that I can fit in a hiking back-pack.

FWIW. I recommend an INEXPENSIVE 2-man DOMED tent ... bring some newspaper to line the bike's side of the tent's floor + something stiffer for the front fork (or, left pedal/etc., depending on how you choose to place the bike in the tent) to rest on/in like the bottom of a 2-liter soda bottle (for the left pedal) or whatever you think might work for you.

If weight isn't an issue, I would recommend a self-inflating mat because they roll tighter ... OR, if weight is a factor, then a NON-Ensolite microcell pad (i.e., there ARE pads which have ZERO memory, but consequently do not roll as tightly).

I would opt for a synthetic bag (sometimes it rains even when it isn't in the forecast & Down does poorly in damp conditions) that is rated to 32ºF even though the air temp will probably be about 60º or warmer BECAUSE sometimes the temperature swing from day-to-night + possible fatigue may just make it feel a lot colder than it is.

BTW. You really want panniers ... you'll be a VERY UNHAPPY CAMPER if you try to ride with a loaded backpack ... OR, were you just indicating the amount of volume you wanted to work with (i.e., 3500 to 4500 cubic inches)?

You sleep with the bike in the tent 😕

scuppy said:

You sleep with the bike in the tent 😕

It's better to sleep with your bike inside the tent than to wake up and find the bike has found its way to a new home!

scuppy said:

You sleep with the bike in the tent 😕

Absolutely! And girly sleeps outside. Some people do find it strange, and there's more than one photo on the web from various race meetings.

My questions:

1) What type of tent?
The tent I use is the REI Half Dome 2 HC tent. It has two doors and two vestibules. The vestibules were tall enough for me to roll my bike into. It's not technically in the tent, but it's covered by the tent. Never had a problem. I also had a trailer, so I wheeled the trailer under the other vestibule. The tent also has clips, instead of sleeves for the poles, so it's extremely fast to setup and it's relatively light.

2) What type of mat?
The pad I use is the Thermarest Pro-Lite 3. The thing is super light, super small, and pretty comfy. It's a bit pricey, but I haven't had a single problem with it.

3) What type of sleeping bag?
I have a cheap sleeping bag that I got from eBay, but I bought it primarily because it compacted down to a fairly small size. I don't remember the brand or the model name. Like above, I'd suggest a synthetic bag for less of a hassle.

Here's a tip for you, once you get to the campsite, unroll your sleeping bag and pad first so they have a chance to get their loft (the expansion that occurs between fibers to properly insulate your bag/pad) inside the tent and do everything else afterwards.