The equipment list will be pretty much the same as 2014 with just a few additions/subtractions/substitutions.
Cycle computer
I plan to change my cycle computer for one with an altimeter in it. I do loads of climbing on my rides and it would be good to be able to explain to my legs why they're tired at the end of the day. I've looked at some great devices but many of them are expensive and/or have a short battery life. However, I've found one by Sigma (the same make as my current, very reliable, computer) which I can get via the Internet for about £25 so will probably give this one a try.
Bike and Bags, etc
Bike: Saracen Skyline – now about ten years old but still going strong – hopefully!
(I've just realised that whilst I say the bike is ten years old, the only original parts are the frame, the wheels and the handlebars! It's a bit like the joke about the joiner who said that he'd had the same hammer for the last twenty years - he'd replaced the head four times and the shaft three times, but it was still the same hammer!)
Gears: Triple chainset 22, 34, 44 with an eight speed 11 to 34 rear cassette (My gearing seems to get lower with every ride and it's so low now that, when I'm in first gear, it's debateable whether it would be quicker walking! My defence for lowering it again is that I intend to cross the Pyrenees via Andorra and it's a pretty steep climb!). Chainset fitted with American Chain Watcher which stops the chain coming off when dropping onto the smallest chainring.
Wheels & tyres: 700c with 38mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres (I've changed from Continental to see if these will last longer, and they're supposed to be puncture proof)
There are quite a few comments on bike forums about Marathon Plus tyres being difficult to fit but I found them really easy to get on.
Quick release skewers changed for ones that need an Allen key to undo them on the assumtion that not many opportunist thieves walk around with a set of Allen keys in their pocket.
Tecktro brakes with soft linings
Gel saddle
Bottle cages for 2.5 litres of water (+ a 1.5 litre bottle in the rear pannier pocket once the weather heats up)
Halfords rear rack with Altura 20 litre panniers (40 litre total)
Rear top bag bought from Milletts in their closing down sale (Not sure of the volume but it’s big!)
Front rack – make unknown – taken off the rear of another bike and fitted on backwards, with 4 litre polythene icecream tub used as a ‘munchie box’ for snacks on the go plus holding items that I want close to hand
Lowrider racks fitted with Altura 16 litre panniers (32 litre total)
Halfords handlebar bag
Sigma Sport cycle computer with altimeter
Homemade twin front light and three rear lights
Halfords centre stand (modified to increase strength)
Blackburn rearview mirror
Camping Equipment
Tent: Eurohike Tay 2 man
Sleeping bag: Halfords 2 season
Pillow case (filled with clothes, towel, etc at night to create a pillow)
Airbed and repair kit
Groundsheet used to cover the bike at night and in front of the tent as a living room extension during the day
Camping Gaz stove plus gas and lighter
Can opener
Backup food (mainly dried noodle, pasta, and couscous meals)
Corkscrew
Food bags
Coffee, sweeteners, dried milk
Plastic plate, bowl, mug, glass (Can a plastic glass be called a glass or is it a 'plastic'?)
Leakproof screwtop container for liquids
Saucepan
Tea towel
Wooden spoon
Knife, fork, spoon, sharp knife
Salt and pepper
Scourer
Washing line and pegs (Can be used to tie the tent down in a gale!)
Clothes
Cycling cape (DayGlo yellow)
Cycling jacket (DayGlo yellow)
Cycling trainers
Helmet
High vis vest (Usually draped over my rear rack bag)
Lightweight casual outfit
Reading glasses x 2
Sun glasses x 2 (different strengths)
Cycling gloves x 2 pairs
Handkerchiefs x 3
Mosquito headnet
Swimming trunks
Tee shirts x 2
Tracksuit bottoms
Pants x 3
Shorts x 3 (2 padded)
Socks x 3 pairs
Cycling shirts x 2 (Hi Vis)
Base layer (top & bottom in case it turns cold)
Sandals – lightweight plastic for wet grass and dodgy showers!
Lightweight dressing gown – for late night visits to the toilet block!
Caps x 2 - One of which is a French Foreign Legion style with neck protector incase I get the sun behind me.
Toiletries
Folding combined brush and mirror
Comb
Deodourant
Baby wipes - these are a relatively new discovery for me but I think they're great - they'll clean anything!
Swarfega - a small amount stored in an old 35mm film canister for cleaning up after roadside repairs.
Ibuprofen
Insect repellent
Cod liver oil capsules
Moisturiser
Multi vitamins
Nailbrush – very small – came out of a Christmas cracker!
Disposable razors
Shampoo and conditioner (combined) – also used as travel wash and washing up liquid!
Soap
Shoe horn – makes getting my trainers on much easier when I’m in the tent (without undoing the laces!)
Suntan cream
Toilet paper
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Towel
Scissors
Nail Clippers
Aftershave – small sample bottle
Tools/Spares
Bike oil
Cable ties
Duct tape
2 bike pumps (1 normal size & 1 mini with gauge)
Puncture repair kit + tyre levers
Tools (pliers, wire cutters, adjustable spanner, multitool, spoketool, chainlink extractor, rear cassette removal tool and chain whip, etc.)
Spare spokes (3 sizes)
Tyre valve adaptor (Presta to Schrader)
1 inner tube
Latex gloves
Spare brake and gear cable
Gadgets, etc.
AA & AAA batteries (spares for lights, camera, mp3, & dictaphone.)
Calculator – solar powered
Camera (Fuji FinePix S4080 bridge)
Mini tripod
Compass
Mp3 with headphones
HP Netbook (Upgraded to increase speed)
Iphone 4 & charger
Thermometer
Olympus Dictaphone
Two way travel plug (Allowing me to charge two things at once in McDonalds)
European multi USB charger (Allowing me to charge 'phone and MP3 in campsite toilet blocks)
Ordinary travel plug
Paperwork
Blood donor’s card (showing blood group)
Camping Card International – acts as ID at campsites instead of depositing passport, and gets discounts
Driving licence – for additional ID
Maps of Uk, France & Spain
Michelin Guide to French campsites (ridiculously heavy!)
Money & bankcards + photocopy
Passport + photocopy
Pen & notebook
Phrasebooks
Travel insurance
Miscellaneous
First aid kit
Head light – as a torch and extra front light when cycling at night
Long cable lock
Needle & thread
Whistle
Insulated water bottle bag
Drysack x 2 (waterproof, so can also be used to soak washing in at campsites)
Panel of bright yellow plastic for GB & Ecosse stickers
Cycle computer
I plan to change my cycle computer for one with an altimeter in it. I do loads of climbing on my rides and it would be good to be able to explain to my legs why they're tired at the end of the day. I've looked at some great devices but many of them are expensive and/or have a short battery life. However, I've found one by Sigma (the same make as my current, very reliable, computer) which I can get via the Internet for about £25 so will probably give this one a try.
Bike and Bags, etc
Bike: Saracen Skyline – now about ten years old but still going strong – hopefully!
(I've just realised that whilst I say the bike is ten years old, the only original parts are the frame, the wheels and the handlebars! It's a bit like the joke about the joiner who said that he'd had the same hammer for the last twenty years - he'd replaced the head four times and the shaft three times, but it was still the same hammer!)
Gears: Triple chainset 22, 34, 44 with an eight speed 11 to 34 rear cassette (My gearing seems to get lower with every ride and it's so low now that, when I'm in first gear, it's debateable whether it would be quicker walking! My defence for lowering it again is that I intend to cross the Pyrenees via Andorra and it's a pretty steep climb!). Chainset fitted with American Chain Watcher which stops the chain coming off when dropping onto the smallest chainring.
Wheels & tyres: 700c with 38mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres (I've changed from Continental to see if these will last longer, and they're supposed to be puncture proof)
There are quite a few comments on bike forums about Marathon Plus tyres being difficult to fit but I found them really easy to get on.
Quick release skewers changed for ones that need an Allen key to undo them on the assumtion that not many opportunist thieves walk around with a set of Allen keys in their pocket.
Tecktro brakes with soft linings
Gel saddle
Bottle cages for 2.5 litres of water (+ a 1.5 litre bottle in the rear pannier pocket once the weather heats up)
Halfords rear rack with Altura 20 litre panniers (40 litre total)
Rear top bag bought from Milletts in their closing down sale (Not sure of the volume but it’s big!)
Front rack – make unknown – taken off the rear of another bike and fitted on backwards, with 4 litre polythene icecream tub used as a ‘munchie box’ for snacks on the go plus holding items that I want close to hand
Lowrider racks fitted with Altura 16 litre panniers (32 litre total)
Halfords handlebar bag
Sigma Sport cycle computer with altimeter
Homemade twin front light and three rear lights
Halfords centre stand (modified to increase strength)
Blackburn rearview mirror
Camping Equipment
Tent: Eurohike Tay 2 man
Sleeping bag: Halfords 2 season
Pillow case (filled with clothes, towel, etc at night to create a pillow)
Airbed and repair kit
Groundsheet used to cover the bike at night and in front of the tent as a living room extension during the day
Camping Gaz stove plus gas and lighter
Can opener
Backup food (mainly dried noodle, pasta, and couscous meals)
Corkscrew
Food bags
Coffee, sweeteners, dried milk
Plastic plate, bowl, mug, glass (Can a plastic glass be called a glass or is it a 'plastic'?)
Leakproof screwtop container for liquids
Saucepan
Tea towel
Wooden spoon
Knife, fork, spoon, sharp knife
Salt and pepper
Scourer
Washing line and pegs (Can be used to tie the tent down in a gale!)
Clothes
Cycling cape (DayGlo yellow)
Cycling jacket (DayGlo yellow)
Cycling trainers
Helmet
High vis vest (Usually draped over my rear rack bag)
Lightweight casual outfit
Reading glasses x 2
Sun glasses x 2 (different strengths)
Cycling gloves x 2 pairs
Handkerchiefs x 3
Mosquito headnet
Swimming trunks
Tee shirts x 2
Tracksuit bottoms
Pants x 3
Shorts x 3 (2 padded)
Socks x 3 pairs
Cycling shirts x 2 (Hi Vis)
Base layer (top & bottom in case it turns cold)
Sandals – lightweight plastic for wet grass and dodgy showers!
Lightweight dressing gown – for late night visits to the toilet block!
Caps x 2 - One of which is a French Foreign Legion style with neck protector incase I get the sun behind me.
Toiletries
Folding combined brush and mirror
Comb
Deodourant
Baby wipes - these are a relatively new discovery for me but I think they're great - they'll clean anything!
Swarfega - a small amount stored in an old 35mm film canister for cleaning up after roadside repairs.
Ibuprofen
Insect repellent
Cod liver oil capsules
Moisturiser
Multi vitamins
Nailbrush – very small – came out of a Christmas cracker!
Disposable razors
Shampoo and conditioner (combined) – also used as travel wash and washing up liquid!
Soap
Shoe horn – makes getting my trainers on much easier when I’m in the tent (without undoing the laces!)
Suntan cream
Toilet paper
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Towel
Scissors
Nail Clippers
Aftershave – small sample bottle
Tools/Spares
Bike oil
Cable ties
Duct tape
2 bike pumps (1 normal size & 1 mini with gauge)
Puncture repair kit + tyre levers
Tools (pliers, wire cutters, adjustable spanner, multitool, spoketool, chainlink extractor, rear cassette removal tool and chain whip, etc.)
Spare spokes (3 sizes)
Tyre valve adaptor (Presta to Schrader)
1 inner tube
Latex gloves
Spare brake and gear cable
Gadgets, etc.
AA & AAA batteries (spares for lights, camera, mp3, & dictaphone.)
Calculator – solar powered
Camera (Fuji FinePix S4080 bridge)
Mini tripod
Compass
Mp3 with headphones
HP Netbook (Upgraded to increase speed)
Iphone 4 & charger
Thermometer
Olympus Dictaphone
Two way travel plug (Allowing me to charge two things at once in McDonalds)
European multi USB charger (Allowing me to charge 'phone and MP3 in campsite toilet blocks)
Ordinary travel plug
Paperwork
Blood donor’s card (showing blood group)
Camping Card International – acts as ID at campsites instead of depositing passport, and gets discounts
Driving licence – for additional ID
Maps of Uk, France & Spain
Michelin Guide to French campsites (ridiculously heavy!)
Money & bankcards + photocopy
Passport + photocopy
Pen & notebook
Phrasebooks
Travel insurance
Miscellaneous
First aid kit
Head light – as a torch and extra front light when cycling at night
Long cable lock
Needle & thread
Whistle
Insulated water bottle bag
Drysack x 2 (waterproof, so can also be used to soak washing in at campsites)
Panel of bright yellow plastic for GB & Ecosse stickers
