Bicycle and Kit

The Bicycle

• Frame: 22" Raleigh Mercury, bought second-hand for £25 in 1985
• Wheels: Mavic OpenPro-700 rims built onto Campagnolo hubs
• Tyres: 700x32 Schwalbe Marathon
• Cranks: StrongLight; Rings: 46/36/26, Spa Cycles (Harrogate)
• Rear block: 11/13/15/17/20/24/28/32 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. Maps shown in order of use, last two same as first two.

France

• Michelin 1:200,000 Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Picardie (511)
• Michelin 1:200,000 Champagne-Ardenne (515)
• Michelin 1:200,000 Bourgogne (519)
• Michelin 1:200,000 Rhône-Alpes (523)
• Michelin 1:200,000 Languedoc-Roussillon (526)
• Michelin 1:200,000 Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azure (527)

Italy

• Michelin 1:200,000 Liguria (352)
• Michelin 1:200,000 Toscana (358)
• Michelin 1:200,000 Lazio (360)
• Michelin 1:200,000 Umbria, Marche (359)
• Michelin 1:200,000 Emilia-Romagna (357)
• Michelin 1:200,000 Lombardia (353)

Switzerland

• Michelin 1:400,000 Suisse (729)

France

• Michelin 1:200,000 Alsace, Lorraine (516)
• Michelin 1:200,000 Champagne-Ardenne (515)
• Michelin 1:200,000 Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Picardie (511)