Transpyrenees Kit List
October in the Pyrenees would see equal amount of darkness and daylight – which means my TransPyrenees kit list & bike set up needed to consider riding at night. Given the mountainous terrain, it will also be cold both in the evenings & on the descents.
Bike – As a 5ft8 rider, my Ribble is a small frame which has reduced volume in the triangle; I can get a 4l frame pack but only 1x800ml & 1x600ml bidon. In the UK I can make this last 4 hours/100km, but that leaves me thirsty & therefore not ideal for ultra-distance riding. A hydration vest worked well for me on the Hope 1000, so it was clear I would have to use that again. I put one bottle in the frame & had 2l in the hydration bladder, the other bottle cage was used for my repair kit.
Tailfin AeroPack – stuff I would only need when stopped; sleep system, tools & repair stuff. Cold weather layers for all night riding; leg warmers, thick gloves.
Hydration pack – food, water (expandable pockets very useful).
Frame – layers I would want simple access to; first aid & hygiene stuff.
Top tube – things I wanted easy access to; dynamo output, brevet card.
Repair kit – bit too much. I was always told if you don’t know how to use it, don’t carry it. Well during lockdown I learnt how to fix stuff (usually because I broke it!). Now I build & service my own bikes, therefore I can justify carrying an entire toolbox & set of spares!
Clothing – My Transpyrenees kit list was on the side of caution. I had a spare set of everything, plus a set of thermals. I expected to get wet & cold, hence I packed more then the front runners typically would. My mindset was still; enjoy it & be comfortable – whereas the front runners would be much more ruthless in terms of pursuing a lighter set up over comfort.
