Bicycle and Kit
The Bicycle
- Frame: 22" Raleigh Mercury, bought second-hand for £25 in 1985
- Wheels: 27" Mavic MA40 rims built onto Suntour ATB hubs
- Tyres: 27" Schwalbe Marathon
- Front rings: 48/38/28 Stronglight
- Rear block: 14/16/18/20/22/24/34 Shimano
- Front derailleur: Stronglight
- Rear derailleur: Shimano Deore
- Saddle: Brooks B17 Narrow
- Peddles: Shimano SPD single sided
Kit
- Pannier bags: Carradice Super C, 2 x rear, 2 x front, bar bag
- Tent: Terra Nova Laser Competition 1, single person, 1 kg
- Extra ground sheet (for stony or thorny ground)
- Sleeping mat: Self inflating ¾ length Therma-a-Rest
- Sleeping bag: Robens Down-Light 500
- Bag liner: Sea to Summit Thermolight Reactor
- Cooker: MSR Whisperlite
- Pans: Coleman stainless steel nesting set
Plastic sandwich box contents
- Swiss Army Knife
- Spork
- Knife/fork/spoon set
- Washing-up liquid in small bottle
- Washing-up sponge/scourer
- Flint & steel
- Cigarette lighter
Tools
In side pocket of left front pannier
- Double headed screw driver
- Adjustable spanner
- Small Molegrip
- Cone spanners
- Crank extractor
- Allan keys
- Tyre levers
- Spoke adjuster
- Chain link remover
Spares
In side pocket of right front pannier
- Inner tubes x 2
- Patches and rubber solution
- Small nuts and bolts
- Cable ties
- Ball of string
- Spare spokes & nipples x 4 (left front pannier)
- Chain oil
Clothing
- Cycle helmet: Giant Realm (with sun-visor)
- Cycling shoes: Specialized Touring SPD
- Sandals x 1 pair
In large stuff sack
- Cycling shorts (baggy with liner) x 2 pairs
- Cycling shirt x 2
- Khaki shorts (for off-bike wear) x 1 pair
- Icebreaker Merino T-shirts (for off-bike wear) x 2
- Rab Vapoure-Rise warm top
- Mountain Equipment Gortex Paclite waterproof jacket
- Helly Hansen base layer used for sleeping
In small stuff sack
- Briefs x 3
- Socks (bamboo fibre) x 3 pairs
- Swimming trunks x 1 pair
- Handkerchiefs x 4
Toiletries and First-aid
In wash bag
- Soap in soap box (also used for clothes washing)
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Foot powder
- Nail file
- Sewing kit
- Face cloth
- Travel towel
In first-aid bag
- Adhesive dressings (various)
- Crepe bandage and safety pins
- Antiseptic cream
- Diocalm tablets
- Paracetamol tablets
- Water purification tablets
- Suntan cream
Maps
In waterproof map case; current map in map case on top of bar bag
- Michelin 1:300,000 Deutschland Sud-Ost (420)
- Michelin 1:300,000 Deutschland Mitte-Ost (418)
- Michelin 1:300,000 Deutschland Nord-Ost (416)
- Michelin 1:300,000 Deutschland Nord-West (415)

The Bicycle Loaded

The Tent