PBP Kit list

[Greenbank]

OK, time to start thinking about this (note LEL post below was made 6 months before LEL!)

Here was my provisional LEL kit list: LEL equipment

No bag drops this time and I'd like to have a couple of changes of jersey/shorts/socks.

Will be using the Creek2Peak rackpack again, but carrying much less stuff this time.

[Riggers]

Don't forget a sense of humour.

[zigzag]

i won't know my kit list until few hours before the ride so this thread is a "bit" early for me

[vorsprung]

i will be taking a two pronged attack on "stuff"

Firstly, if it is at all possible I will be taking an optimistic view of the weather.  So I might take a pair of water proof socks but no overshoes or heavy duty gloves

Second, I will be increasing my bikes load carrying capacity by adding a bar bag

The main problem is shorts.  I want to change them every day.  That's quite a few shorts.

[tomj]

Reference LEL kit list, you're having a laugh, aren't you?

2 spare tubes, allen keys, chain link tool, spare links, spare M5 bolts, arm/knee warmers, rain jacket, long sleeve base layer, bonk rations, errr that's it.

Arrivee Number 112 Spring 2011, Page 42, Paragraph "Did you have a drop bag"

If it does not fit in the bag you wear it, or have it your back pocket. Anything more than that you don't need.

[marcusjb]

The main problem is shorts.  I want to change them every day.  That's quite a few shorts.

Shorts are a challenge.  I am amazed how little space my clothing can take up, nicely rolled up etc.  That is until you put a pair of shorts in a bag (or even 2 pairs - I intend to have 3 pairs of shorts with me for the duration and either make do for the last part of PBP or do some washing on the way).  Shorts take up so much room!  Especially if you wear bib shorts (I do).  There's not an easy way to roll them up.

I rode my 600 this weekend with what I think I will be doing PBP with.  Couple of things to change - mainly with how I packed it and where certain things go (and I need to attach the spare tyre to the bike somewhere as it didn't work on top of the Nelson).

I am using a Nelson Longflap at the back and the small Ortlieb barbag up front (perfect size for camera, wallet, brevet card and any snacks) - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ortlieb-ultimate-5-compact-bar-bag/

I need to write down what I carried and make an assessment on whether it is right etc.

[red marley]

Arrivee Number 112 Spring 2011, Page 42, Paragraph "Did you have a drop bag"

If it does not fit in the bag you wear it, or have it your back pocket. Anything more than that you don't need.

I was just about to quote the same from George in Arrivee.

Even without dropbags there are a few things that make PBP slightly different in terms of need to carry.

• There are mechanics and equipment at the controls and roving motos for more severe problems.
• There were clothing stalls at some controls last time. I bought a pair of new socks at one, just for the novelty of dry feet for 30 minutes or so.
• There are more on the bike food opportunities including kids handing out fruit, snacks and drinks at the roadside, impromptu roadside cafe stalls.
• The road surface is better, so less likliehood of punctures (even in 60 hours plus of rain).

[LEE]

I'll be taking an wide assortment of stuff in the car to Paris and packing based on the weather forecast on Sat/Sun.

I know it's hard to predict rain showers over 4 days but predicting day/night temperatures is fairly reliable.  Temperatures during the night will have a bearing on my clothing choice.

20C during the day and 16C during the night would be acceptable but I can't see the tick-box on the registration form.

[Greenbank]

Reference LEL kit list, you're having a laugh, aren't you?

No, but I'll do a bit of paring down:-

• Tool kit (adjustable spanner, lockring spanner, spare links of chain, zip ties, pencil with insulating tape wound round it, leatherman mini for pliers/knife, multi-tool, chain tool, spare brake blocks, spokey, puncture repair kit, Park tyre boot, bag of spare nuts/bolts/cleat, 5 pairs of latex gloves)

• 18T and 16T Miche sprockets to give me 67" for the hills or 74" for a tailwind on the flatlands. Flip/flop hub will have 19T sprocket bailout gear (63") and the initial 17T sprocket on the Miche carrier for the first 400km on 71"
• Zefal HPX pump on frame Mini pump in bag
• cheapo cable lock around seatpost
• Inner tubes * 2
• long fingered gloves (also useful for doubling up) for foul weather
• spare folding tyre (tyres on bike will have about 500km on before the event so they should easily last)
• silk sleeping bag liner for sleeping in (as reviewed recently by Shelia in the recent CTC mag)
• space blanket
• tiny almost certainly useless sport towel thing
• small first aid kit, painkillers (Vitamin I), more painkillers (Codeine), plasters, antiseptic wipes, travel toothbrush/toothpaste, Immodium, Diarolyte sachets, Earplugs, ProPlus, travel sized shower gel
• spare batteries for GPS/camera/lights, also a tiny mobile phone charger that runs off one AA battery in case I forget to to turn off my phone between controls
• Petzl headtorch for after dark use (reading GPS/computer/routesheet/roadsigns and doing repairs)
• phone, camera, wallet, bonk rations, sun cream in triathlon bag-thingy just behind the stem
• ziploc bag containing map pages from Atlas, copy of routesheet
• rear lighting will be B&M D'toplight mounted on the rack, and a Smart superflash on the rackpack as a backup
• sunglasses case to hold prescription glasses/sunglasses (whichever I'm not wearing!)
• one two bidons. other bottle cage will either be empty of hold a mineral water bottle purchased from garage/shop
• some portions of energy powder (for emergencies only) and Nuun electrolyte replacement tablets

Bit more sensible. Still undecided about lighting.[/list]

[CramCycle]

For me:
Tool kit (spanner, spare chain, zip ties, multi-tool, chain tool, spare brake blocks, 5 pairs of latex gloves)
Mini BBB pump or longer SKS pump (both can get upto nearly 100psi)
one decent lock
Inner tubes * 4
long fingered gloves + spare socks * 4 + spare jerseys * 2
spare folding tyre
sleeping bag
towel wipes (the ones used for babys bots)
solphadine and caffeine tablets in place of a first aid kit,
toothbrush/toothpaste,
Earplugs,
headtorch from LIDL
phone, camera, wallet, Nutri grain elevenses and jellies, sun cream,
map + routesheet
Clear UV glasses
two bidons
Lucozade tablets
some portions of energy powder (for emergencies only) and Nuun electrolyte replacement tablets

All split between a carradice longflap and a bar bag with a small bag behind the stem for jellies etc.

[Ian H]

i will be taking a two pronged attack on "stuff"

Firstly, if it is at all possible I will be taking an optimistic view of the weather.  So I might take a pair of water proof socks but no overshoes or heavy duty gloves

I didn't need either last time, despite the rain.

[tomj]

You will be surprised by those who carry no more than a spare tube and others who have full panniers, but Jo has this about right, this is not like any event you will ride in the UK, pretty much everything is available at the controls, you really don't need to take much if anything.

[Andrew]

I'm not entirely sure that I'll be taking myself yet!

But if I do, I think I could well be influenced by the minimalist approach taken by many of the riders I saw on my qualifiers. Gilet, spare tube, pump and a few energy bars... I exaggerate obviously but not by much. My indulgent luxury might be 2 changes of bib shorts.

[EdinburghFixed]

I'm going to take a patch kit, boot, and spare tube, a multi-tool, zip ties and tape, plus mini pump (EBC one that can do over 120psi).

Layers for when it's cold/wet/windy.

A minimal first aid kit (vaseline, ibu, immodium, rehydration - just a couple of tablets/sachets of each).

Toothbrush - YES. I may be wearing the same clothes for four days, but unbrushed teeth - grim.

[Simonb]

Don't know why, but I took overshoes on PBP 2007 -- don't usually bother on summer rides.

Some Italian riders were most envious when they saw them strapped to my saddlebag. This was just as the rain began in the starting area. They're just your cheapo lightweight neoprene ones, but they do keep my feet warm (if not dry).

Didn't have anything else special for the rain -- just my usual lightweight jacket. Some riders went for the boil-in-the-bag approach -- not entirely a good idea IMHO.

[GrahamG]

We all have different needs - I don't think I'll be carrying any more than I did on my 600 but the weather forecast will have a bearing..

[EdinburghFixed]

Quite. If the prevailing conditions are hot (even at night) then I'd choose to ride through rain without a waterproof I think. I can't imagine doing our "summer" qualifiers up here without a waterproof though...

[chillmoister]

noone seems to mention they are taking a bike as part of their kit ..should be at the top of the list or it might get forgotten 

[Ian H]

noone seems to mention they are taking a bike as part of their kit ..should be at the top of the list or it might get forgotten 

Riding there obviates that problem.

[zigzag]

i just had a thought. through all the recent years that i've cycled - commuted, audaxed - i have never* used my multitool. surely, if a bike is set up correctly and properly why would i need a multitool? while not that heavy (about the same weight as gps), it's a dead weight if not being used. can someone come up with situations where they needed multitool on the road (excluding loose pannier racks, sinking seatposts and similar things that shouldn't happen)

*remembered, used it on lel to raise sagged brooks saddle, but that wasn't emergency and i could have borrowed 4mm allen key from anyone else

[CramCycle]

*remembered, used it on lel to raise sagged brooks saddle, but that wasn't emergency and i could have borrowed 4mm allen key from anyone else

What if you were the Lanterne Rouge and there was no one else to crib one from? what if everyone thought like you and nobody brought one?

[CramCycle]

i just had a thought. through all the recent years that i've cycled - commuted, audaxed - i have never* used my multitool. surely, if a bike is set up correctly and properly why would i need a multitool? while not that heavy (about the same weight as gps), it's a dead weight if not being used. can someone come up with situations where they needed multitool on the road (excluding loose pannier racks, sinking seatposts and similar things that shouldn't can happen)

*remembered, used it on lel to raise sagged brooks saddle, but that wasn't emergency and i could have borrowed 4mm allen key from anyone else

fixed that for you

[valkyrie]

*remembered, used it on lel to raise sagged brooks saddle, but that wasn't emergency and i could have borrowed 4mm allen key from anyone else

What if you were the Lanterne Rouge and there was no one else to crib one from? what if everyone thought like you and nobody brought one?

Last time on PBP I was flagged down by two Danish riders - one of them needed to borrow my multitool to tighten a bottle cage bolt that had come loose. Clearly neither of them were carrying any tools at all.

[arvid]

I am carrying a multitool and a 5mm T bar allen key. In Italy the T bar was very useful in getting someones chain from between his chainrings. So I'm all for real tools instead of multitools.

On LEL I used the 8mm spanner on the multitool to shift my Rohloff during the last 100km, because my cables got stuck, and I didn't have a T20 Torx, nor did the control at Gamlingay.

[Frank9755]

i just had a thought. through all the recent years that i've cycled - commuted, audaxed - i have never* used my multitool. surely, if a bike is set up correctly and properly why would i need a multitool? while not that heavy (about the same weight as gps), it's a dead weight if not being used. can someone come up with situations where they needed multitool on the road (excluding loose pannier racks, sinking seatposts and similar things that shouldn't happen)

*remembered, used it on lel to raise sagged brooks saddle, but that wasn't emergency and i could have borrowed 4mm allen key from anyone else

I'll take a few tools as I do use them now and again.  Examples which spring to mind from the last couple of years:

I needed my chain tool on the Anfractuous last October.  Chain got wedged between inner ring and BB shell and had to break it to get it out.  I've also had broken chains on tour. 

On tour in Albania last year I had a chainring just fold over under load.  I borrowed a crank puller but needed my multi-tool to take it off the spider to straighten it. 

If I get bad saddle sores I have found one form of relief to be to lower my saddle by a couple of mm.  I did that on Bryan Chapman this year.  It would have been worth carrying a bag full of tools to be able to do that!

There's been the odd time I've needed to adjust a limit screw slightly, or pull a bit more brake cable through.

A mudguard stay worked loose the other week.  Started rattling and needed to be tightened.  Ditto a bottle cage. 

I'll be taking mine!