[LEL17] Help for a newbie!

[New bie]

Hey!

I's going to be my first long ride and I need a bit of help with the equipment.

1. BAGS. Planning to buy:
a) https://www.rutlandcycling.com/337541/products/ortlieb-rackless-seat-pack-16-5l-grey.aspx?awc=3395_1499851600_5645124c578e5a7da5a1eaf77e459fd0&referrer=affiliatewindow
b) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vaude-VAU409-Cruiser-Bag-Black/dp/B003S6UIVO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499894769&sr=8-1&keywords=vaude+bike+bags
c) also looking for a top-tub bag (close to handlebar) for power bank / phone and other small things. Should be waterproof.

2. Power bank. I've got Garmin edge 1000 and iPhone 6s. Any recommendations which, how many and what sizes? Also cables!

3. LIGHTS.
a) Back one should be fine. I've got CATEYE with 2AA batteries.
b) Front one. Any recommendations?

4. Shoes. MTB or Road ones?

Thank you in advance!

[Bolt]

I can recommend the Topeak tank bag for the top tube [url]https://www.topeak.com/global/en/products/top-tube-bags/787-fuel-tank[url]

Anker power banks are good with varying capacities available, a 13000mA/H model should keep your phone and gps charged for at least 2 days.

How long is the ride and how much night riding is involved?

In choosing shoes you should consider how much walking you may be doing unless you're planning on taking a pair for use off the bike.

[New bie]

Hey!

It's going to be my first long ride and I need a bit of help with the equipment.

1. BAGS. Planning to buy:
a) https://www.rutlandcycling.com/337541/products/ortlieb-rackless-seat-pack-16-5l-grey.aspx?awc=3395_1499851600_5645124c578e5a7da5a1eaf77e459fd0&referrer=affiliatewindow
b) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vaude-VAU409-Cruiser-Bag-Black/dp/B003S6UIVO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499894769&sr=8-1&keywords=vaude+bike+bags
c) also looking for a top-tub bag (close to handlebar) for power bank / phone and other small things. Should be waterproof.

2. Power bank. I've got Garmin edge 1000 and iPhone 6s. Any recommendations which, how many and what sizes? Also cables!

3. LIGHTS.
a) Back one should be fine. I've got CATEYE with 2AA batteries.
b) Front one. Any recommendations?

4. Shoes. MTB or Road ones?

5. Tires. Any recommendations?

Thank you in advance!

[mongo]

For power bank, I've always like this discussion from the randon discussion group: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/randon/NfUpmVLcpCc . I usually go w/ the tried & true method of 1 new Anker battery charger for each day of the ride.   You can get by with less, but sometimes hard to know how much charge is in the battery charger until it is depleted, so you have to carry a backup charger instead of just leaving them with your bags & picking a fresh one from there.

For back lighting, I would recommend having 2 lights in the back. One could fail due to issues & having a second one gives you some piece of mind. Would recommend you wrap the lights with tape, so rain doesn't short it out.

For front lighting, I have a dynamo hub & have a n Edeulux II, but you are way too late to take that route.  My secondary light source if IXON IQ & you can get it with NiMH rechargeable batteries or AA alkaline batteries.  It sheds a good light, but can't speak to if it eats batteries or not.  Depending if you do a lot of night riding during LEL, you may want to plan for 4 new AAs each night. 

A good overview of options for lighting can be found here: http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/lightingsystems.htm

For shoes, I like MTB shoes just to allow for better walking.   But note for the controls, you will have to take off your shoes, so it may not matter.  If you are serious about changing shoes, you really need to think that plan thru. It is hard to find a shoe that works upfront & what works & feels ok for a 100K, may not work for 1400K.

[chrisbainbridge]

For bags I would look at alpkit. I have the top tube bag and a saddle bag.

I would second the two rear lights. I also think 2 or even 3 gives you volume and shape to other cars. I will have 3, possibly 4 lights running on AAA or CR batteries.

Amazon sell a USB charger which uses AA batteries as the energy donor. Some used to have 3 batteries and got very hot whereas newer ones have 4 x AA batteries and are a lot better.

Shoes, sandals, whatever you have used for your long rides and is broken in would be my suggestion.  This is definitely not the time to be breaking in new shoes.

[Wycombewheeler]

Have you considered the carradry sqr bag? Cheaper than the ortleib, quicker to put on and off the bike and probably less wobbly. It's also less fussy about being used with not much stuff, no minimum load.

Downside is it is a little heavier.

[Torslanda]

Take 'waterproof' with a large pinch of salt. The Roswheel type top tube bags have zips and plugholes for leads. Water will get in.

Phone in a ziploc bag. Keep it switched off unless it's in use.

[MartynA]

For front lighting, I have a dynamo hub & have a n Edeulux II, but you are way too late to take that route.  My secondary light source if IXON IQ & you can get it with NiMH rechargeable batteries or AA alkaline batteries.  It sheds a good light, but can't speak to if it eats batteries or not.  Depending if you do a lot of night riding during LEL, you may want to plan for 4 new AAs each night. 

A good overview of options for lighting can be found here: http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/lightingsystems.htm

I use an B+M IXON IQ Premium. The claimed battery life (five hours on high,  twenty hours on low) seems accurate using enelope XXX or equivalent Fijitsu which suggests it would be a stretch to get through a single night on one set of cells. However, on PBP 2015 I only changed to a second set of AAAs after the third night. I used the low setting quite a lot as the high setting is really a bit strong if you are not on your own or on the front of a group. I also had a Cyo on a six cell enelope battery pack but although that has served me well it does seem to be getting dimmer so probably the somewhat over voltage DC diet isn't doing it any good.

The bracket supplied with the IXON doesn't grip the bars well but a layer of self amalgamating silicone tape sorts that out. Insulation tape doesn't work but I didn't discover that before PBP and so had to pull up the front of the light with cable ties.

On LEL 2013 I  carried and sent ahead way too many batteries. The unused ones in the bag drops didn't impact the ride although being certain about which cells were the used ones was a bit taxing on the limited mental resources. I took good labelled battery boxes but some came open in transit so now I back up the latch with a doubled rubber band around the box.

[Wobbly]

Whatever you decide to buy, buy it SOON. And make sure you've ridden lots of miles with all the kit you're planning on using. It is very unwise to to start LEL with untested kit.

[Tillapaw]

Alpkit make some good stuff, I saw loads of Koala Seat Bags out on the Mille Pennines last weekend.  They're coming out with waterproof versions soon so I'd go for one of those instead; my Koala was damp inside after a rain shower.  If you cinch it up well, it doesn't wobble that much.  I use a small Possum frame bag for tools, inner tubes and the battery pack.

For a battery pack, I use a RAVPower 16750mAH Power Bank: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00OJXVDAU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1.  It's heavy but it kept my Garmin 1000 at 100% charge for the entire 1000km and had enough juice to top up my phone as well.  It still has about 20% charge left and it was nice to not have to worry about finding a plug socket as they were in short supply.  It has pass through charging so if you have a dynamo and USB socket, then you can trickle charge the power bank while the power bank is charging something else.  That's handy for smoothing out voltage drops when going uphill.

Front lights are hard to recommend, if you have a dynamo then the Revo Exposure is excellent but expensive.  If no dynamo, the Cateye Volt 1600 puts out a good amount of power on the country lanes but it takes about 6 hours to recharge.  It has 3 different brightness levels so you don't need to use the full 1600 luminens all the time.  It really depends on how long your trip is and whether you'll have access to mains power.

Shoes: I prefer MTB shoes as they tend to be easier for walking around at controls as well as when needing to push the bike up the odd steep hill.

Hope that helps.

[Somnolent]

Alpkit make some good stuff, I saw loads of Koala Seat Bags out on the Mille Pennines last weekend.  They're coming out with waterproof versions soon so I'd go for one of those instead; my Koala was damp inside after a rain shower.  If you cinch it up well, it doesn't wobble that much. 

The waterproof version is available now. https://www.alpkit.com/products/fiana
I'll still be using the original version - but with the shaped waterproof liner which I can pull out quickly to take into controls if I need anything from it.

[madcow]

Hey!

I's going to be my first long ride and I need a bit of help with the equipment.

3. LIGHTS.
a) Back one should be fine. I've got CATEYE with 2AA batteries. Fit a second one as back up.
b) Front one. Any recommendations? You haven't ridden at night for some time have you? Hope 1 , plenty of spare AA's in your bag drop. if you are fast you probably won't use much battery power.

4. Shoes. MTB or Road ones? Whichever is most comfortable on the bike. From what has been said here, you won't be wearing them in the controls anyway.

Thank you in advance!

[redfalo]

Whatever you decide to buy, buy it SOON. And make sure you've ridden lots of miles with all the kit you're planning on using. It is very unwise to to start LEL with untested kit.

this!

[Tomsk]

For me - Carradice bar bag: route sheet on the top, snacks, camera easily accessible, little side pockets for your lippy/sunscreen, somewhere to stuff sweet wrappers. Barley saddlebag: old, old skool, waterproof, versatile, dry your shorts/strap your shopping on the top, tried and tested ad-infinitum: WORKS.

Front lighting: Schmidt hub generator, B&M Cyo or whatever, Cateye or Hope 1 back-up, plus head torch. Any decent Cateye/Smart rear x2, but NOT flashing up into my eyes, puhlease! 

Yes, modern 'bikepacking' kit is lighter and sexier, but whatever you get, test it out thoroughly. Once you've set out you'll never get everything back in as neatly, so leave a bit of wriggle room - another plus for the extra straps and flaps on a traditional saddlebag.

Shoes [sandals in my case]: spd every time. Seen a few pratfalls by tired randonneurs over the years, all on Look-type shoes.

[mhodnett]

I have the Vaude bag. Recommended.
Power bank: I got this one. Should charge Garmin, phone + USB lights for all 5 days without top-up. http://www.wiggle.co.uk/veho-pebble-explorer-8400mah-dual-usb-power-bank/
Lights: I have a dual strategy. For front and back I have 2 lights each. One set of USB lights (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lezyne-micro-drive-450xl-micro-light-set/) and a set of lights that work from batteries - front https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/busch-mueller-ixon-iq-premium-led-accumulator-headlamp-139355 and rear backup light is a small LED light that takes AAA batteries.
You need a backup light on the rear in case one falls off (it happens). With the USB powerbank and being able to buy batteries on the go, I will be covered for all eventualities.

As regards, bags, shoes. As other posters have hinted, you really should have figured this out by now! Even if you order items now, it may take 5-10 days for them to arrive and you really should do a 200k test ride with your LEL setup. If you are buying, choose good brands (Ortleib is top brand), but even a top quality bag may not work for your bike.

Best of luck!