I would suggest reading Wind in my Wheels by Josie Dew. It will give you inspiration and some good tips!
After reading this book I spent a good few years cyle touring around the UK and Europe. I have noticed that when we were touring we were never charged for taking our bikes on a plane whereas now you do on most airlines in Europe.
As for Ortlieb panniers - fantastic kit. When in a downpour of rain the last thing you want to worry about is damp, or worse wet gear; they are non fussy, totally waterproof panniers which are worth the money especially if you intend on doing long or frequent trips with your bike. You would easily be able to sell them on eBay or better still see if you can buy some on eBay in the first place.
I would suggest that you establish what kind of bike touring or bike camping you want to do. Bike camping suggests that you cycle to a campsite and "base-up" for a while which is no problem as long as you choose your site carefully ie leaving your tent up and so on while you go off for the day. You woudn't really need to worry too much about specific gear - you can shop locally for your meals etc. If you intend to go on longer bike tours then you really do need to streamline your gear, lighter kit etc. This is where Josie Dew comes in handy. At the back of her book she lists all of her kit and this has been an excellent checklist for us over the years.
DO IT DO IT DO IT !!!
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Topic: Backpacking with a bike
