CONSIDERATIONS

“I USE GROUND COFFEE KEPT IN A STEEL CANISTER”

First is the question of whether to go with whole beans or ground coffee. At home, I always use whole beans and a conical burr grinder (rather than spinning blades which give a less even grind and can scorch the coffee). But I’m no coffee dogmatist – some situations require concessions to be made, and travelling on two wheels is one such case.

In this context, I do use ground coffee, which I keep in a 500ml stainless steel canister along with a ½ tbsp scoop. There’s nothing worse than a coffee packet splitting in your bag – plus, I find it near impossible to scoop straight out of a bag without spilling some. I’ve used this container with all of the coffee makers on test, also packing it inside my Ortlieb Handlebar Bag QR.

Second is the question of using a coffee maker which needs its own heat source, rather than just the addition of hot water. If you do bring a stove, that allows essentially unlimited coffees on the go – a significant boon over a thermos flask, which really only works if you’ve stayed overnight in some kind of accommodation (or can persuade a cafe to top it up for you).

But bear in mind that if you‘re travelling with a stove-dependent coffee maker, you’ll have to source a gas canister locally (if you’ve flown for your trip) and won’t be able to set a brew going in more populated areas such as train stations.

In terms of simplicity and travelling light, bringing just a thermos flask is the better option (and it’s what I tend to do most). That said, if you’re planning on cooking during your trip, then a stove should already be a feature of your kit list.

Finally, although all the coffee makers (and grounds tin) fit in my Ortlieb Handlebar Bag QR, some fit more neatly and leave more space than others. It’s worth noting, though, that I pair this set-up with a particularly big saddle bag (around 16 or 17 litres), a generous frame bag, two sets of top tube bags, and fork bags (if I’m planning on cooking with a stove, too). This way, I have enough spare space that the coffee kit in my bar bag isn’t an issue, but this does very much rely on maximising carrying capacity elsewhere.