The best solar panel for bikes & touring needs to have a few crucial features.
Two of the most important are 1) toggles/mounts to attach the panel to your pannier or bike trailer, and 2) be small/compact enough to fit on the bike.
The best solar panels for bikes that fit this criteria are portable folding solar panels.
We’ve outlined a 20 Watt, and a 6 Watt option below, for those with higher and also lower solar power requirements.
There are of course other things that make a solar panel good for bikes and touring, like durability, weatherproofing, a range of charging options + more.
Let’s jump into this short guide and look at them …
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Best Solar Panel For Bikes & Touring List
Best Solar Panel For Bikes & Touring – Goal Zero 12004 Nomad 20W Solar Panel (on Amazon)
- More output/power to charge at 20 watts
Best Small Solar Panel For Bikes & Touring – Voltaic Systems 6W Solar Panel Kit with External Battery Pack (on Amazon)
- Smaller in size, but also in output at 7 watts. Comes with back up battery.
Best Solar Panel For Bikes & Touring: Reviews
Goal Zero 12004 Nomad 20W Solar Panel
View On Amazon
What Makes This Solar Panel Good For Bikes & Touring?
- Designed with stitched on toggles, allowing it to be fastened to your bike trailer or pannier rack
- 20 watt power output for charging larger video cameras and tablets
- Foldable and portable
- Can charge USB, and 12 volt devices – will charge directly, or from a Goal Zero recharger bought separately
- Durable and weatherproof – won’t be harmed if exposed to rain or snow
- Weighs only 1.1 kg – very light
- 17-18% efficient mono-crystalline panels
What Are Potential Improvements?
- This panel is larger than the Voltaic Systems panel in terms of surface area
- More expensive than the Voltaic Systems panel
- Doesn’t come with a generator/recharger – need to purchase separately
What Extras Might You Get?
- Generator & inverter for storing charge and converting energy – Goal Zero 22004 Yeti 150 Solar Generator (on Amazon)
- 40 Inch Adapter Cable – GOAL ZERO 98043 8mm Adapter Cable (on Amazon)
Where To Check This Solar Panel Out?
View the Goal Zero 12004 Nomad 20W Solar Panel on Amazon
Voltaic Systems 6W Solar Panel Kit with External Battery Pack
View On Amazon
What Makes This Solar Panel Good For Bikes & Touring?
- Excellent value – panel + back up battery
- Corner mounts for attaching to bike trailer or pannier rack
- 6 Watt output at 6 volts
- Waterproof, lightweight, and coated in self-healing urethane to withstand abuse and resist scratches
- Includes a V15 back up battery – can be charged with a USB cable or from the solar panel
- 3 hours direct sunlight fully charges a typical smartphone, 8 hours in direct sunlight charges most 7″ tablets completely, and 11 hours in direct sunlight charges most 10″ tablets completely.
- Size is 8.7 inches by 0.5 inches by 6.9 inches – small and compact
What Are Potential Improvements?
- Not quite as much Watts as we’d like to see for this price – but, great quality, and it does come with the back up battery
What Extras Might You Get?
- A Voltaic Systems extension cord
Where To Check This Solar Panel Out?
View the Voltaic Systems 6W Solar Panel Kit on Amazon
Best Solar Panel For Bikes & Touring: Buyer’s Guide & FAQ
What Types Of Solar Panels Are For Bikes & Touring?
Portable solar panels are best for bikes & touring, in particular folding solar panels.
There are several design benefits that make folding solar panels beneficial for an activity like riding or touring where you’re on-the-go…
folding panels are compact, lightweight, weather resistant in different way, durable to rough and sharp objects, & able to be attached to the bike pannier rack, or trailer.
What Are Solar Panels Used For On Bikes & For Touring?
Solar panels are used to charge small USB & battery charged type devices.
These are devices like smartphones, cameras, GPS systems, tablets, radios etc.
It’s common these days on a bike to have some type of small GoPro, or bike-cam type video camera setup on a pole.
Folding solar panels are very useful to help directly charge these video camera setups on a sunny day.
What Solar Panel To Get For A Bike – How To Choose?
You’ll definitely want to be looking at folding solar panels as we mentioned.
The best folding solar panels for bikes and touring generally fall in the 6 to 20 watt range.
The more devices you have that you want to charge that use more power, the more you’ll want to look at a 20 watt solar kit.
For charging one small device at a time like a smart phone, a 6 or 7 watt solar panel might be more suitable for you.
Features To Look For On Solar Panels For Bikes & Touring
Refer to our guide on folding solar panels for features to look for.
One of the most important things you want to look for is mounting points, or stitched loops that allow you to anchor the panel/s to the bike pannier rack, or trailer.
Solar Panels For Bikes & Touring – Accessories
Refer to our guide on folding solar panels for accessories you might get with the kit. We’re mainly talking about:
Rechargers (for using stored energy when the sun isn’t out)
Inverters
Solar controller to control power output
Best Solar Panel For Bikes & Touring: Resources
1. https://www.goalzero.com.au
2. https://www.voltaicsystems.com
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