Electronic Gear And Gadgets to bring on a Bicycle Expedition

Last Updated on 29 August 2024 by Cycloscope

Our first prototype of the Automatic Road Sampler

A comprehensive list of electronic equipment and gadgets you may take with you for long-haul bicycle touring

GPS, action cameras, solar chargers, and more

We don’t need to get as far back as in the days of the pioneers of bicycle touring, just 20 years ago is enough to find ourselves stripped of all the gadgets and electronic stuff that we are now so much used to in bikepacking.

Some people, still nowadays, enjoy the old style, a way to be more in touch with nature and take a break from the stress of the modern world.

All these electronic gadgets though, give bicycle travelers a new set of possibilities that can simplify and also improve the bike touring experience.

Shoot great videos and pictures, stay in touch with your relatives and friends, know always where you are, and even work remotely while traveling.

We put together this list of gear to help you think about what you may need for your next bicycle expedition.

This article is part of our series about Essential Gear for Bicycle Touring and Bikepacking

This section is about electronics. For the other sections check below

• The Basic Bicycle Accessories for a Long Haul Bicycle Trip (start here)
• Essential Camping Gear for Bicycle Touring and Bikepacking
• Tools and Spare Parts to Bring on a Bicycle Expedition
• Bicycle Touring Clothing Essentials

Electronic Gadgets to Bring on a Bikepacking Expedition

• Camera
• GPS device
• Telephone/Smartphone
• Action Cam
• Laptop or Tablet
• Power Bank
• Dynamo Charger
• Solar Charger
• eBook Reader
• Rechargeable Batteries

Camera

Some may not agree with that, but we consider a decent Camera as an essential piece of equipment for adventure cycling.

A bicycle tour is often among the best times of our life, taking some memories with you is something you’ll hardly regret, will you be happy without pictures of your wedding?

I’ve met many people who first thought they would be fine with their phones and maybe an action cam, like a GoPro or such, most of them regretted this choice and bought a decent camera as soon as they could. We personally used a Nikon D5300, after our Panasonic Superzoom failed.

Some like mirrorless cameras, compact ones like this top-notch Fujifilm X100F, or the much cheaper Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II remember that using an LCD display every time you need to shoot a picture will quickly drain your battery.

Especially if you’re traveling solo, a lightweight travel tripod is almost a must… otherwise you’ll never be in your pictures (besides selfie-style stuff).

Another great addition to your camera gear, one that won’t weigh a gram, is a photo editor, either a mobile app or for your laptop if you’re carrying one. Pimping up a little your photos on the go will help you get the best out of each shot, even when the lighting might not be ideal.

GPS device 

Why should you use a GPS device in the era of smartphones? Well, for a bunch of reasons:

• longer battery life: way longer, our Garmin lasts around 18 hours with a pair of reasonably new Panasonic Eneloop.
• Sturdier and water-resistant: Two times I rolled over my Garmin with my fully loaded bike, not a fuss.
• Better Signal, faster and more accurate location: when riding in a busy city like Seoul, you want your device to tell you exactly where you are.

We feel to recommend a Garmin eTrek30, you can download free Open Street Maps from this link.

We wrote an article about
> the best GPS computers for traveling.

Telephone/Smartphone

We traveled for one entire year without a smartphone and we survived. Anyway having a modern phone can help you keep in touch with your people, find hospitality on Couchsurfing or Warmshower, post on social networks, and so on.

We have two XiaoMi RedMi, which we like a lot. They come for around 200$, have a surprisingly good camera, and a sealed case (once I dropped mine in a bucket full of water and it survived, perfectly operational). 

Action Cam

Absolutely non-essential, but if you like to make some videos or pictures while you’re cycling here are some cheaper alternatives to a GoPro (whose quality is a no-match though).

We had a good experience with Sony Action Cams. Check our videos on our YouTube Channel. If you’re up for something more original, take a look at this 360 Action Cam from Xiaomi.

Check our: 11 best cycling cameras compared

Laptop or Tablet

If you keep a blog or work remotely it’s nice to have a laptop, a good tool to earn some cash while traveling, and it also helps to keep the pictures in order.

Power Bank

Very useful, juice for your phone and action cams. There are a ton available on Amazon but if you want our opinion…

Stay Powered On The Go: 9 Best Power Banks For Bikepacking, Backpacking, And Cycle Touring

See also

Gear

12 Best Double Sleeping Pads for Camping – Self-inflatable Pads, Air Beds, Lightweight Mats

Dynamo Charger

If you have a Dynamo hub, why don’t you also use it to charge your electronics? There are a few chargers on the market that will do this job, like the Supernova Plug III or the cheaper BioLogic ReeCharge Power Pack.

Solar Charger

Another way to charge your electronic equipment while cycle touring is by using solar chargers. There are brands coming out with new products every month, and solar panel efficiency is constantly improving.

Among the most famous are the Goal Zero products.

Here our article about the best portable solar panel for bicycle touring and backpacking.

eBook Reader

Reading a book in your tent after an exhausting cycling day is a great way to relax. Books are heavy though, so why not get yourself an eBook Reader?

You can store a huge amount of literature in one of those, even guidebooks to plan the upcoming route. Remember to buy one with a backlight screen.

Rechargeable Batteries

Way better to have those than to produce so much waste each time your flashlight goes blind. Panasonic Eneloop is the best rechargeable battery on the market, you can buy them here on Amazon.

Check Also

The Basic Bicycle Accessories for a Long Haul Bicycle Trip (start here)
Essential Camping Gear for Bicycle Touring and Bikepacking
Tools and Spare Parts to bring on a Bicycle Expedition
Bicycle Touring Clothing Essentials

Have a look at

The Best Online Stores for Bicycle Touring and Bikepacking

If you’re looking for a bicycle

18 Great Touring Bikes Under 2,000$
21 Best Touring Bicycles Under 1,000$
10 Great Woman Specific Touring Bikes
15+1 Best Bikepacking Bikes in 2024

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