Sorry if this reads like an infomercial, but if you’re a commuter, camper, or into touring, it’s totally worth your time to have a peek at the CycloCamping.com website.
I’m personally not a big fan of the banner ads that we see on our favorite cycling sites, so I try to keep mine to a minimum, and only run ads for sites belonging to friends, or sites I would actually visit myself. CycloCamping fit the profile of a well-designed site, run by cyclists, for cyclists, with an excellent product mix and fair prices. When I say “by cyclists”, that’s a bit of an understatement. The owners of the site, Stephane and Sheri Marchior, have extensive touring experience, including a five year bicycle tour around the world. With credentials like that, they know what works and what doesn’t. Their products mix includes familiar cycling brands like Brooks Saddles, Gore Bike Wear, Cateye, Park Tools, Topeak, Sigma, tubus, SKS, Ortlieb, Schwalbe, and others. Their camping equipment was mostly foreign to me, but I did notice a few brands that I’ve seen mentioned on various forums, such as Primus and MSR stoves, MSR and Katadyn water purification devices, Marmot sleeping bags, the ubiquitous Leatherman tools, and tons of other gear from from brands like Eagle Creek and Illuminite. My guess is that you could probably get outfitted with just about every piece of gear necessary for a tour, all at this one site.
One thing that caught my eye, even though it was out of stock, was in their trailers and accessories. The Doggyride trailer with 110lb capacity would easily carry more gear than I would ever want to tow, but there’s an optional cargo roof rack! If you’re the kind of cyclist that runs out of space before you hit your weight limit, this is for you.
If nothing else, the site is worth a visit just for the Tips & Tricks section. I’m slowly working my way through the various articles they’ve posted there, and finding them quite insightful. Even if you have no plans on touring or camping by bicycle, it makes for a good read. Have a look, and whether you agree or not, leave me a comment with your opinion.