Adventure Biking Kit List
Embarking on the Transcontinental Bike race, I spent a huge amount of time researching kit. As the ride is unsupported I needed to ensure everything I took I could depend on and was as lightweight as costs would allow. Weight- Cost- Quality were all linked.
Bike
Ridley Fenix Disc- Based on the race bike that the pro’s use in the Classics, so was well built for the cobbles and rough roads expected. It was a lot lighter than (Steel/Titanium)bikes I’ve had in the past. After 5000 miles over the last year I haven’t any complaints.
Group Set
Shimano Ultegra Di2 50–34 x 11–32
Shimano Di2 Tri Switches only used 1 to control rear
Shimano Di2 Climbers Switch
As a cyclist I’m ashamed to say that I still can’t index cable gears properly, I love a silent bike and I just can’t get that sweet spot. So usually it’s a trip to the Bikeshop. I’d read a lot about Di2 before purchasing and knew the positives and the massive downside for endurance rides, the battery!! In the end it wasn’t a problem as you can charge the battery while you are using it from the Dynamo or when you stop at a hotel. Gear adjustment is so easy and once set up, that is it done. Another benefit is extra switches. I’d got one of the Tri switches on the TT bars (I only needed the rear!) and a climbers switch under the bar near the stem. This meant that whatever position I was in, I could quickly shift gears without moving. 5000 miles in all conditions and a rare clean and I’ve never had a problem.
Wheels
SP PD8 Dynamo, Pacenti SL25 Rims D-Light Spokes 32 hole- Custom built by http://www.justridingalong.com/ I’m not the lightest rider and I wasnt expecting smooth roads in training or on the ride, so I went with 32 spokes front and back. They have been great and have handled everything I have bashed them over and are still true now. The SP Dynamo hub was much smaller than I imagined and ran smooth, with no noticeable drag.
Continental 4 Seasons 28mm with 25mm Spare — Lightweight and bags of grip and puncture resistance. I took a 25mm width spare as its lighter!
2 x Inner Tubes
Bike Accessories
K-Edge Black TT mount
Profile Design T3+ Carbon TT Bars. Very comfortable for my first TT bars.
Profile Design Aero Bridge- This enabled me to mount my light between the TT bars
San Marco Regale Saddle- Been using this saddle for 5 years its great.
Elite Ciussi Bottle Cages x 2- Metal so they could be bent to take different size bottle, once mine got dirty and were binned
Shimano A600 Pedals (283g)- I ride SPD’s on all my bikes and these are the lightest I could find, even lighter than XTR pedals. As long as you have stiff shoes it’s not a problem. You can then walk up that mountain, without destroying your cleats.
Bike Luggage
Wildcat Tiger Seat Pack Harness- I went with this option as it’s lighter than the Alpkit version and it's easier to get the bag off without having to undo the straps. You just fasten it on then bung your dry bag in and tighten. When you stop you just undo the clips and your bag is free to carry with you. If you went with the Alpkit seat bag, then you would also need a dry bag inside to ensure your stuff kept dry and the seat bag isn’t fully waterproof. Only issue I had was that it came with no instructions on how to fasten on, so took few attempts. Once tightened up there was no swinging and you just forgot you had a pack on the back. Definitely recommend
Alpkit 13l Tapered Dry Bag- Perfect size to fit in the Tiger as the tapered end makes it so much easier. It’s not showing any signs of wear at a few thousand miles.
Alpkit Possum Medium- After measuring my bike I ended up with this size and it was spot on for passport and paperwork and all my tools. Not waterproof so ensure you put documents in a ziplock bag.
Alpkit Stem Cell x 2- Filled these at the start with sweet things (Fig roles, Jelly babies) and my suncream and Spork. Holds can of coke really well. I ziptied the bottoms of the bags together to stop them swinging. As I had one on each side of the TT bars next to the bar.
Alpkit Fuel Pod Medium and a Small- Not fully waterproof but they held firmly and I got loads of stuff in them. It was also easily able to open and close them while riding.
Lights
B + M Lumotec IQ2 Luxos U senso- Come race day I was on number two as on the first one the cache battery stopped holding a charge but was quickly replaced free of charge. B+M do seem to be updating these lights as they realise issues, as the new one had a improved way of attaching the USB charging cable. This issue aside the light given out is amazing and easily enough to ride by and I couldn’t tell any increase in drag when switching it on. The USB power quickly charged the garmin from flat in less than two hours and allowed me to charge my phone, helmet light and Di2 battery. This provided enough power from about 15km/h for charging. Once you get the light set at the right angle, it really is just fit and forget. It senses when it is dark and gets brighter and when its daylight it’s a great daylight running light.
B + M Secula LineTec (Seat Post Fitting Version)- Very bright dynamo rear light. Again it was fit and forget. It also had a stand light that stayed on for a few minutes when you stopped. Small and light.
Lezyne Rear Light (Given at race sign on)
Exposure joystick- I used this mounted on my helmet. If you do go with a helmet light, get some practice in wearing it as the extra weight on the head does hurt the neck after a bit. Disappointed with the light in the end as I didn’t get any where near the time I was expecting. It only lasted the first night before going flat.
Exposure micro rear light- This plugs into the port on the back of the joystick to give you a small rear light. Great idea and it only weighs a few gram’s
Exposure helmet mount
Exposure charging cable
Electrical
Sony z3 compact phone- Waterproof. Great phone had the ridewithgps app and my route downloaded as another backup. Also used it for music while riding. The battery also lasts longer than previous phones I’ve had.
Micro USB cable
Mini USB cable
DI2 charging cable
B&M USB cable
Two pin USB plug
4 AA batteries (Energiser Lithium)
4 AAA batteries (Energiser Lithium)
Power bar
Clothing
Lazer Z1 helmet Fluro Orange
Giro full finger gloves
Giro Gauge MTB Shoes
Montane minimus smock- Lightweight waterproof but a bit flappy. Did turn my white kit blue as well!
Pearl Izumi TT soft shell- Worn this for years, it’s no longer water-resistant but it keeps me warm in all temperatures and doesn’t really weigh much.
Pair Defeet Black socks
Pair Defeet Fluro Yellow socks
Pearl Izumi sun sleeves- Worn the entire time, great for blocking the sun and a bit of warmth in the night. They weren’t white by the end!
Morvelo nth bib shorts
Madison High viz vest- A requirement for French roads at night
Rapha Pro Team vest Base layer- Again worn the entire time. Just keeps the jersey off your skin and helps the skin breath.
Sleeping
Alpkit Hunka Bivi (Regular)- Great bivi bag just should have brought bigger version (But that weighs more!)
RAB silk liner- Great keeps your skin from touching the bivi bag and getting sweaty. Does not add a great deal of warmth.
Thermorest neo air- Loved it. One night near Ventoux I slept on a massive old stone seat and didn’t feel any cold from underneath. It’s great and definitely adds warmth to your sleeping system. Very tough as well, slept on a pine needle floor first night and expected to wake up with it flat but it was fine.
Navigation
Gamin 810- Didn’t have any problems. I had the route stored in 200km sections on the internal memory and the inserted memory card. Battery lasted about 18 hours, so I just charged it when the sun came up until full, then charged my phones and light. Then topped it up from tea time until darkness fell.
Garmin etrex 30- Back up gps, kept in bag. Again another copy of the route on this as well.
Extra memory card with route on
Garmin etrex mount and 4 zip ties- not fitted as no space. So kept in bag until it was needed.
Tools and Patches and Spares
Truflo Road Mini Pump
Park Tool vulcanising patches- Took these as people had issues with self-adhesive patches and the heat last year.
Park Tool super patches
Park Tool tyre levers
Park Tool tire boots
Presta to schrader adaptor
Rear derailleur Hanger and screws
2 x SRAM 11 speed quick links- Work with Shimano chains
Birzman carbon multi tool and link remover
Shimano brake pads 1 set
Finish Line Wet lube- quarter bottle
Zip ties x 3
Gerber Pen knife- Didn’t need all the other bits as no wires to cut with Di2. Did cut myself on a peach though!
Lock
Squire cable lock- Small and light but not a real theft deterrent. On one supermarket stop in France I forgot to unlock it after shopping, turning my bike around to walk out and the lock just popped open, no resistance. When sleeping I never bothered locking it.
Medical and Suncream
2 x 750ml Water Bottles
Ultrasun spf50- Really good sun cream, just applied it once a day and never got sun burn. Its also not greasy or sticky. Recommend
Ultrasun lip balm- Really good again and prevented dry lips
Ti Spork (15g)- Only used once
Tooth brush half- You have to really
Hay fever tablets
Asthma Inhalers blue and brown- These were a pain as they took up loads of space in the Alpkit fuel pods
Paceline Eurostyle Chamois Butter 9ml Sachet- Just the right amount in each sachet for a day's ride
What I would Change
Get a bigger Bivi bag, so I could get the mat in with me and stop the worry about puncturing it.
Not wear white kit!
The mounting of the Luxos U light, as it was difficult to change the angle
Get some small asthma inhalers
Take a down gilet or ultra light sleeping bag as I was really cold when I slept out at night. Or ride at night and sleep in the morning when the sun comes up
It would probably have saved weight and space just taking some little plastic spoons instead of the spork
Get a better lock
Exposure Joystick light. Would have liked to use a Lupine light but they don’t do USB charging.
Things I would leave behind
Waterproof jacket as it was quite flappy and probably slowed me down a bit
Hayfever tablets- pedal faster from the pollen
Ti Spork lighter alternatives
Garmin 310 and bracket I’d got my phone as a back up
Pen knife not required
Park Tool Super patches, I’d got vulcanising ones as well
High viz vest, not everyone was wearing them at the start, so would probably have got away without. Plus it was sweaty
Power bar as it only really worked once
Spare tyre!
