Equipment List
Bike and Bags, etc
Bike: Saracen Skyline - about eight years old but tried and trusted and a strong frame
Gears: Triple chainset 22,32,42 with11 to 32 rear cassette. Chainset fitted with American Chain Watcher which stops the chain coming off.
Wheels & tyres: 700c with 32mm Contintental Touring Plus tyres (Kevlar lined)
Uprated brakes with soft linings
Gel saddle with gel saddle cover
Bottle cages for 2.5 litres of water
Halfords rear rack with ProAction panniers (cheap from Argos but lasting well)
Rear top bag from Milletts (bought in their closing down sale)
Front rack - make unknown - taken off the rear of another bike and fitted on backwards + lowrider racks fitted with Halfords panniers
Halfords handlebar bag
Cycle computer
Homemade twin front light and three rear lights (fourth in rear of helmet)
Camping Equipment
Tent (Milletts 2 man)
Storm pegs & 6" nails (for use in hard ground)
Sleeping bag (Halfords)
Pillow case (filled with clothes at night to create a pillow)
Airbed
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 + spare gas + lighter
Can opener
Back up food (mainly dried noodles and rice meals)
Corkscrew - just in case I fancy a glass of wine!
Food bags
Coffee, sweeteners, dried milk
Pan/plate/bowl/mug
Leakproof screwtop container for liquids
Saucepan
Tea towel
Wooden spoon
Knife/fork/spoon/sharp knife
Salt/pepper/spices/Oxo cubes
Scourer
Washing line & pegs
Toiletries
Combined brush + mirror (a neat little folding job)
Comb
Deodorant
Ibuprofen
Insect repellent
Cod liver oil capsules (good for the joints - when was the last time you saw a cod with arthritis?)
Moisturiser
Multi vitamins
Nailbrush - for scrubbing bicycle grease off hands
Disposable razors
Salt tablets
Shampoo
Soap
Suntan cream
Toilet paper (Some rural sites in France don't supply any!)
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Towel
Scissors
Travel wash
Clothes
Cap
Cycling Cape (DayGlo yellow!)
Cycling Jacket
Cycling Trainers (They're not really cycling trainers, they're trainers I wear for cycling!)
Helmet
High vis vest
Latex gloves for working on the bike at the roadside
Lightweight Casual Outfit (So that I can look 'normal' when not cycling!)
Reading glasses
Sun glasses + clear glasses for cycling
Cycling gloves
Handkerchiefs x 5
Mosquito headnet
Face cloth x 2 - for wiping sweat from my face whilst on the move
Swimming trunks
Tee shirts x 4
Tracksuit bottoms
Pants x 5
Shorts x 3 (1 padded)
Socks x 5
Vests x 2 (Hi Vis cycling)
Sandals - lightweight plastic - for wearing in dubious looking showers
Lightweight dressing gown - for late night visits to the toilet block!
Tools/Spares
Bike oil
Brake blocks, 2 inner tubes, 2 cables (brake & gear)
Cable ties
Duct tape
2 bike pumps (1 normal size & 1 mini with gauge)
Puncture repair kit
Tools (pliers, wire cutters, adjustable spanner, multitool, spoketool, chainlink extractor, rear cassette removal tool and chain whip, etc)
Spare spokes
Tyre valve adaptor
Gadgets,etc.
AA + AAA batteries (spares for lights, camera, mp3, etc)
Calculator
Camera (Fuji FinePix S4080 bridge)
Mini tripod for long shots and photos with me in!
Compass (really useful when all else fails - just head south!)
Emergency phone charger - great for getting the last bit of electricity out of used camera batteries
MP3 with headphones (I find that earphones drop out whilst I'm cycling)
HP Netbook + lead (I'm hoping to get a dongle so that I can use the internet anywhere but, if not, I'll need to find wi-fi zones)
Nokia mobile phone (old but bombproof and will hold a charge for seven days) + charger
Phone + Netbook mains adaptor (homemade, to allow me to charge both devices at the same time from a shaver socket in campsite toilet blocks)
Thermometer (Just so I can explain to myself why I feel hot!)
Paperwork
Blood donor’s card (indicates blood group - just in case!)
Camping Card International - acts as ID at campsites (instead of depositing passport) and gets discounts
Directions - these consist of a list of towns and cities that I'm aiming for
Driving Licence - for additional ID
E111 (EU health cover)
Maps + photocopies of mapbook pages
Michelin Guide to French campsites (ridiculously heavy but essential)
Money & bankcards
Passport + photocopy
Pen
Phrasebooks
Notepad x 2
Miscellaneous
First aid kit
Head light - as a torch and extra front light when cycling at night
Lock (long cable lock that fits through both wheels, the frame, and round the nearest tree/fencepost)
Needle& thread
Whistle (for attracting attention in an emergency)
Bike and Bags, etc
Bike: Saracen Skyline - about eight years old but tried and trusted and a strong frame
Gears: Triple chainset 22,32,42 with11 to 32 rear cassette. Chainset fitted with American Chain Watcher which stops the chain coming off.
Wheels & tyres: 700c with 32mm Contintental Touring Plus tyres (Kevlar lined)
Uprated brakes with soft linings
Gel saddle with gel saddle cover
Bottle cages for 2.5 litres of water
Halfords rear rack with ProAction panniers (cheap from Argos but lasting well)
Rear top bag from Milletts (bought in their closing down sale)
Front rack - make unknown - taken off the rear of another bike and fitted on backwards + lowrider racks fitted with Halfords panniers
Halfords handlebar bag
Cycle computer
Homemade twin front light and three rear lights (fourth in rear of helmet)
Camping Equipment
Tent (Milletts 2 man)
Storm pegs & 6" nails (for use in hard ground)
Sleeping bag (Halfords)
Pillow case (filled with clothes at night to create a pillow)
Airbed
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 + spare gas + lighter
Can opener
Back up food (mainly dried noodles and rice meals)
Corkscrew - just in case I fancy a glass of wine!
Food bags
Coffee, sweeteners, dried milk
Pan/plate/bowl/mug
Leakproof screwtop container for liquids
Saucepan
Tea towel
Wooden spoon
Knife/fork/spoon/sharp knife
Salt/pepper/spices/Oxo cubes
Scourer
Washing line & pegs
Toiletries
Combined brush + mirror (a neat little folding job)
Comb
Deodorant
Ibuprofen
Insect repellent
Cod liver oil capsules (good for the joints - when was the last time you saw a cod with arthritis?)
Moisturiser
Multi vitamins
Nailbrush - for scrubbing bicycle grease off hands
Disposable razors
Salt tablets
Shampoo
Soap
Suntan cream
Toilet paper (Some rural sites in France don't supply any!)
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Towel
Scissors
Travel wash
Clothes
Cap
Cycling Cape (DayGlo yellow!)
Cycling Jacket
Cycling Trainers (They're not really cycling trainers, they're trainers I wear for cycling!)
Helmet
High vis vest
Latex gloves for working on the bike at the roadside
Lightweight Casual Outfit (So that I can look 'normal' when not cycling!)
Reading glasses
Sun glasses + clear glasses for cycling
Cycling gloves
Handkerchiefs x 5
Mosquito headnet
Face cloth x 2 - for wiping sweat from my face whilst on the move
Swimming trunks
Tee shirts x 4
Tracksuit bottoms
Pants x 5
Shorts x 3 (1 padded)
Socks x 5
Vests x 2 (Hi Vis cycling)
Sandals - lightweight plastic - for wearing in dubious looking showers
Lightweight dressing gown - for late night visits to the toilet block!
Tools/Spares
Bike oil
Brake blocks, 2 inner tubes, 2 cables (brake & gear)
Cable ties
Duct tape
2 bike pumps (1 normal size & 1 mini with gauge)
Puncture repair kit
Tools (pliers, wire cutters, adjustable spanner, multitool, spoketool, chainlink extractor, rear cassette removal tool and chain whip, etc)
Spare spokes
Tyre valve adaptor
Gadgets,etc.
AA + AAA batteries (spares for lights, camera, mp3, etc)
Calculator
Camera (Fuji FinePix S4080 bridge)
Mini tripod for long shots and photos with me in!
Compass (really useful when all else fails - just head south!)
Emergency phone charger - great for getting the last bit of electricity out of used camera batteries
MP3 with headphones (I find that earphones drop out whilst I'm cycling)
HP Netbook + lead (I'm hoping to get a dongle so that I can use the internet anywhere but, if not, I'll need to find wi-fi zones)
Nokia mobile phone (old but bombproof and will hold a charge for seven days) + charger
Phone + Netbook mains adaptor (homemade, to allow me to charge both devices at the same time from a shaver socket in campsite toilet blocks)
Thermometer (Just so I can explain to myself why I feel hot!)
Paperwork
Blood donor’s card (indicates blood group - just in case!)
Camping Card International - acts as ID at campsites (instead of depositing passport) and gets discounts
Directions - these consist of a list of towns and cities that I'm aiming for
Driving Licence - for additional ID
E111 (EU health cover)
Maps + photocopies of mapbook pages
Michelin Guide to French campsites (ridiculously heavy but essential)
Money & bankcards
Passport + photocopy
Pen
Phrasebooks
Notepad x 2
Miscellaneous
First aid kit
Head light - as a torch and extra front light when cycling at night
Lock (long cable lock that fits through both wheels, the frame, and round the nearest tree/fencepost)
Needle& thread
Whistle (for attracting attention in an emergency)