If you're looking for a portable powerbank for bike touring, the Anker Powercore+ 26800 ticks all the right boxes. Here's why I think it might be the best powerbank for bike tours.
How to charge your electronics when bike touring
Do you want to take along a phone, iPod, cycling GPS, Kindle or other electronic device on your next bike tour? If you do, you'll need to find a way to keep it all charged.
One of the simplest ways to do this, is to take a powerbank with you on your next bicycle tour. Basically, a powerbank is a portable backup battery, from which you can then recharge your other gear.
I've been using them for a few years, and find them incredibly useful. It means I can go several days wild camping without worrying that I somehow need to charge my gear.
During this time though, I'd always wished that a powerbank could charge a laptop as well. It was a bit of a pipe dream at the time, but now, it's reality!
USB-C Changes Everything
If you have a laptop that charges through a USB-C port, it is now possible to charge them via a powerbank. In my case, I have a Dell XPS laptop with USB-C charging.
Whilst this method of charging laptops is still a relative rarity, I believe it will become more standard as time goes on. Phones too are going in that direction.
USB-C charging when couple with fast charging technology means that devices also get charged more quickly. This makes the whole process of staying powered up on a bike tour a lot easier.
The question is then, which powerbank would be the best to take on a bike tour?
Anker Powercore+ 26800
I tried and tested the Anker Powercore+ portable battery charger. At a massive 26800 mAh, it's designed to be the maximum size you can take on a plane. So, whilst there are powerbanks with more capacity, you couldn't easily travel with them to other countries if you need to fly.
Related: Can you take a powerbank on a plane?
It's a heavy unit of course, weighing in at around 600 grams – and you'll need to add a few more on for the charging unit and power lead.
What you get in return though, is an awesome bit of kit that can charge not only your regular USB powered devices such as cycling GPS, phone, kindle etc, but also a USB-C powered laptop.
In fact, in testing, I charged my Dell XPS laptop twice. Absolutely incredible!
Anker 26800 Powerbank
As you can see from the video above, it's a very useful powerbank for bike touring. Some key takeaway numbers for me were:
- Fully charges in 3-4 hours
- Can charge my Dell XPS laptop twice
- Can charge my Samsung S10+ phone 4-5 times
- Fast charges devices via USB-C
- Two regular USB ports for other devices
In short, if you're looking for the ultimate portable powerbank to take on a bicycle tour, you can't go far wrong with the Anker Powercore+ 26800!
Best Power Bank For Cycling FAQ
Readers who are looking at taking along a portable power bank on their next bikepacking trip often ask similar questions such as:
How long do power banks usually last?
The lifespan of a power bank depends on how often it is used and its original battery capacity. While many people say that powerbanks last 4-5 years, I have several that are older than 10 years and still work fine.
What is the benefit of a power bank?
A power bank is a portable battery that can be used to charge devices. This includes smartphones, GPS devices, and other gadgets. They are helpful because they allow you to stay powered up while on the go which is particularly useful on outdoor adventures in remote parts of the world.
Do I need a portable power bank for bike touring?
If you plan on using multiple devices such as cell phones, USB lights, or GPS on your next bike tour, don't leave home without a quality powerbank! They are small enough to carry in a pocket, and will keep your gadgets full charges during the day so you can be less dependent on the grid.
Can a power bank portable charger power a laptop?
You can purchase a larger power bank that has capacity enough to charge a computer via USB-C cables provided your laptop can be powered that way.
More bike touring posts
Are you in the planning stages for your next bike tour? You might find these other bike touring gear reviews and posts interesting. You can also sign up for my newsletters and more guides using the box below.
- Touring bike accessories and gear
- Electronic Gear To Take On A Bicycle Tour: Cameras, GPS, and Gadgets
- My bike tours around the world
- Touring bike reviews
- City Bike Hire Schemes
- Bike Touring Blogs
- Meet the Cyclists Bike Touring interviews and blogs
- Where to sleep when bike touring
You can also watch this review on YouTube:
John Latham says
Great information again Dave. Just wondering if you’ve used the Anker power bank to charge your bike lights?
Dave Briggs says
Hi – I don’t use them for this, but as long as the lights are USB powered, yes you could use the power bank to do this.
Bo says
Hi I have a dinamo hub on my bike and can you charge the 26800 with it,I have the sinwave usb on bar head stock?
Dave Briggs says
I don’t think you would be able to charge this one via dynamo as it requires to much power to charge.