Living Off the Land
Bike camping is enormously liberating and a real adventure. However, it also requires a higher level of planning to be a truly happy camper. If your route is along relatively civilized byways and you camp in state parks or commercial campgrounds along the way, you can still take your meals in restaurants if you choose. If you strike a more adventuresome path away from the typical traveller's amenities, you'll need to supply your own food and water, as well. In either case, there's a whole new gear factor to consider. You should make a complete list of camping gear you'll need and assemble and test it well before you leave. If you'll be buying new gear, the best way to ensure it doesn't fail on the road is to buy brand name products from a reputable dealer. An on-line Brand X bargain can come back to bite you. Here's one couple's list of lightweight camping gear.
Tent
Most campers like a tent of some sort. Certainly it's possible to sleep under the stars safely and comfortably, but most of us city folks feel a little naked without a small barrier between us and the creepy crawly creatures (not to mention mosquitos and black flies) of the wilderness.
Tents come in several different flavors. 
Since you'll be lugging this tent up the hills, you'll want to look for backpacking or ultra lightweight tents, not the big canvas hotels you and your family went car camping with when you were a kid.
Bivvy Sack
A bivvy sack is basically a sleeping bag with a small cover over it. It's the smallest and lightest kind of tent, but very confining if you have to spend any amount of time in it. It will probably cost $75 to $300.
Solo Tent
A solo tent is just big enough for one person to sleep and move around comfortably with a little space for critical gear. You'll pay from $100 (I'd be nervous spending less) to $300 for a decent solo 
tent.
Two Person Tent
A two-person tent is just that - a little bigger for two people. Sometimes it has two doors for easier traffic. You'll pay $150 to $400 for a decent two person tent.
Plus Room for Your Bike!
Some manufacturers offer tents like the Mountain Hardware Ghissalo 1, with storage space for both you and your bike.
Sleeping Bags
Sleeping bags can be differentiated by several characteristics: comfort rating; cut; fill; and construction.
Comfort Rating Good bags are rated by the lowest temperature in which they will keep you comfortably warm: +25C or -10C, for example. The lower the rating the bigger and heavier the bag. You can judge your need in a bag by the lowest night time temperature you'll encounter on your tour. If you'll be riding in early spring or late fall, give yourself some wiggle room for the unexpected cold snap.
Cut Square cut bags are cut a little wider than your body, so you can roll over and reposition yourself inside the bag comfortably. Mummy style bags are cut to your body shape and fit more snugly, like clothes - when you roll over, the bag rolls over with you. The mummy style is warmer and lighter. As a result, most bags are now mummy style.
Fill There are two basic kinds of fill in insulated bags: down and synthetic. Nothing beats good goose down for thermal insulation, light weight and compressability. It also lasts a lifetime with good care. However, down bags are very expensive and take more care than synthetic bags. Some people are allergic to goose down. And when a down bag gets wet it loses all its insulating properties and gets extremely heavy. It's virtually impossible to dry it out on the road - you can't dry it in a clothes dryer because the baffles (stitching) will blow out and the bag will be destroyed. So if you don't get it wet, aren't allergic and have the cash, get the down bag.
On the other hand, there is very efficient synthetic insulation in the form of tiny hollow tubes of micro fiber which trap and hold air, such as Polarguard, Hollofil, and Micro-loft. This synthetic material weighs a little more, compresses less and holds heat less effectively than down, but it's a lot cheaper. It also retains its insulating power when wet and dries quickly when you spread the bag out in the sun.
Construction Single layer construction means the quilting seams in the bag create dead spots where there is no fill and heat can leak out. Offset double layer construction (or slant tube) ofsets the stitching seams to minimize heat loss through these seams. Advanced shingle construction uses no seams for a 30% greater loft and most efficient insulation. Construction quality will vary with the price of the bag.
Ultra Light Weight
The SOL Thermal Bivvy is ideal as a light weight replacement for your sleeping bag when temperatures are above 50 degrees. Similar to a reflective emergency bag, it weighs only 6.5 ounces and unfolds to 36 ' x 84".
Other Sleeping Bag Features
All zippers in your bag should be covered with a flap to keep heat from escaping through this seam.
Hoods and collars, which come in more expensive mummy style bags, keep your head warmer; some bags have built-in pillow pockets. You can also get a sleeping bag liner, often of silk or fleece, which keeps the bag more free of body oils (and is easily washable) and adds warmth.
Warm Weather Sleeping
Of course, if you bike only in warm weather, you may not even need a sleeping bag. Your biggest problem ma
y be staying cool, not warm. You can easily get by with only a bag liner or a light blanket.
Sleeping Pad
If you value comfort, you'll want a sleeping pad. This provides protection from the hard ground and thermal insulation in colder weather. You can get foam pads, inflatable pads and pads which include both features, such as the Thermarest, in a variety of thicknesses, lengths and even shapes to fit your sleeping bag. In general, combination pads offer the most comfort. Try them out at your local camping products store (such as REI in Ann Arbor) to see which you prefer. There is also a new ultra lightweight cot available which is getting very good reviews. 
Cooking Gear
Cooking for yourself on a tour increases the feeling of independence and self reliance. But a commitment to cooking is a commitment to carrying cooking gear and food and a lot of preparation and cleanup time, so leave plenty of time on both ends of your day and space in your panniers. Plan your meals carefully and assemble a list of tools and ingredients you'll need. Some you should start out with, others you can pick up along the way.
Stove
While an open fire is romantic and very pleasant, it takes time to build and it isn't always easy to find fuel. In some parks, open fires are prohibited. Stoves are much easier to cook with, leave no environmental footprint and you're always assured of being able to heat water anywhere you camp.
Look for a lightweight backpacking stove. There are many excellent choices available in a variety of styles. Most stoves now use either a liquid fuel such as white gas or a gas cannister which uses propane or butane. For refills you'll need to carry either an extra fuel cannister with liquid fuel to reload the former or extra gas cannisters. Don't count on finding exactly what you need on the road.
Some things to look for are average boil time (time to boil 1 liter of water at 70C - this is an indication of its power), stove stability (does it have legs which can stabilize it on uneven ground?), pot stability (stability of the pot which sits on top of the stove), ease of use, performance in wind and performance in cold weather. You'll want a stove that's light weight, sturdy and quick to boil. If you're travelling out of country or in the mountains, look for a stove which burns multiple fuels and burns well at high altitudes.
Today's stoves are safe, convenient and don't need priming like the old ones did. Some stoves even come with their own cooking system (including pots), so pick your stove before you buy your cookware. A good camp stove will run from $75 to $200, depending on the features. Ultralight models will be less; one popular model of ultralight stove is the MSR Whisperlite, which will burn several types of fuel. If you're on a really slim budget, you can also make your own functional alcohol stove out of a soda or beer can. Be sure to test your stove before your trip so you'll know how to work it and find any possible mechanical problems. On the road it will be too late. Some stoves come with repair kits for an additional cost.
Pots, Pans & Tableware
If you choose to camp, you probably will want to cook in the simplest possible way. This means one-pot meals. You'll need two 2-quart pots (approximate volume - since the two pans nest, one will be larger than the other) with lids - one to boil water and wash dishes, another to cook the meal. A separate potholder saves space, weight and burned fingers. You'll want a frying 
pan and spatula for pancakes, eggs, etc. Each person should have a dish, cup, knife, fork and spoon (or spork). Mess kits which combine these items are available and relatively inexpensive, as are cooking sets. Most cookware is now made of super light weight titanium, but GI grade aluminum can be found at army surplus stores for much less. A wash tool and biodegradable soap will do for dish cleaning.
Water
If you choose to leave the familiar neon lights of civilization, your most pressing need will be water. You'll need water for drinking, cooking, washing dishes and bodies, and water to carry the next day. You'll need to plan your route very carefully to make sure you have adequate access to water as you ride and when you camp. If there are no commercial or residential facilities available at your chosen campsite to buy or beg water, you'll need a stream or river nearby you can access. You'll also need some means of purifying the water, because there is a great risk of organic contamination, particularly from guardia lamblia, a potentially deadly protozoan parasite very common to wilderness rivers and streams. Fortunately, there are solutions to this problem in the form of filtered pumps, water additives and ultraviolet light.
Food
Most campers prefer oatmeal, rice, beans and other preserved or dehydrated foods, since fruit, vegetables, meat and milk are heavy to carry and perish quickly. Of course, you can supplement your basic foodstock at groceries along the way if they're handy. Campgrounds usually have a small store.
Breakfast Favorite breakfasts include oatmeal, powdered scrambled eggs (really, they can be good!) and pancakes, all of which can be made perfectly well with powdered milk. One popular strategy is to eat breakfast in 
restaurants, where you can fill up on the the most important meal of the day, eating your own less expensive cooking for dinner.
Lunch Bike campers, like backpackers, often eat lunch on the go. This can be commercial fast food if you can find it, prepackaged lunches or power bars, dried fruit and gorp. Some bike tourists really don't eat a formal lunch but snack throughout the day.
Supper There are plenty of very good one-pot meal recipes available which will be both filling and flavorful. The key is using plenty of spices. Don't worry, with a recipe to follow, even a novice cook can get by very well. You can also use packaged dehydrated camping meals or dried foods from the grocery (dehydrated hash brown potatoes, for example, are quick, easy and taste just like they do at home).
A word of warning: if you'll be camping away from civilization, you should put ALL food items in a bag and suspend it by rope from a slim tree limb away from the trunk and fairly high from the ground. Raccoons can get into nearly any container and could easily make off with your entire food supply in a couple of hours. Likewise bears, who have a powerful sense of smell, so don't keep any clothes or other items which may have a residual food smell in your tent (unless you want a surprise overnight guest).
Whatever foods or meals you choose, experiment at home first. Develop a recipe you like and know won't go wrong before you take it on the road. Like me, you'll probably develop meal recipes you like so much you'll fix them at home!
Minimum Impact Camping
Because of the enormous pressure on the little remaining wilderness we have, it is our responsibilty to leave it as unmarked by our presence as possible. Leave no footprint. This is your ethical obligation to your children and grandchildren.
