Time for another Transcontinental race kit list. In the rare cause you’ve missed the earlier they can be found at 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2014. Or you can just skip to this year’s album.
Again hitting the street with my Orbea Avant. 50/34 cranks and 13-29 rear. Both rim’s now RR 411 with Schwalbe one 365 tires and Aerothan tubes. A new recycled 28 spoke rear Dtswiss hub and a Son deluxe dynamo in the front.
Carradice saddlebag, Apidura ”fork bag” under saddlebag, 3 Apidura food pouches, Miss grape frame/top tube bags and a Topeak top tube bag. I may still juggle the bags a bit before start.
Also still haven’t quite decided whether I will juggle the Gopro and Piko for day and night or just mount both permanently. For main front light there is a B&M IQ-X.
Again Secuzed dynamo tail lights with reflectors and as my ”only” micro-usb gadget Niterider solas blinder light.
This time using Garmin edge 840 with the physical buttons and usb-c charging. Sinewave revolution for dynamo usb charging. Remotes for Piko and Garmin also available. Garmin remote has a few benefits, mainly a single button get back to the map screen regardless of where you are lost in the menu.
The usual wear will be the long sleeve merino jersey, socks, cap, helmet, gloves, shorts and new shoes. I’m a bit worried about pressure on the shoes while walking, but hopefully either me or the shoes will get used to it.
Phone is in the left pocket. The camera is really a Tg-7 used to shoot these photos, and the old Tg-5 is just for reference in the right pocket along with RHA MA650 earphones. In the middle pocket there are passport, brevet card and wallet for easy haptic feedback when leaving a stop.
Essential extra wear is a little lighter than usual. Just a ultralight packable jacket, gloves, thin rain gloves, toe warmers, arm warmers and 2 buffs. The other is a ”UV” Buff that is better for cooling, especially when wet, and will during some days replace face area sun screen too.
Route hardly climbs over 2000 m and the coldest bits are relatively short. Hence I didn’t bring a warmer jacket. We’ll see if I regret it at some point. Long clear nights may be suprisingly cold.
In the top tube pack there is a spork and rag to clean it. Mostly it and the food pouches are for food during the ride.
The food pouch outer pockets will this time house a hand cleaner, hand disinfectant, Gopro helmet mount and a camera tripod.
All the spares. The spare Garmin edge 1030 is why the rear light was my ”only” micro-usb gadget. Also the required bike bell, micro-usb cable, 2nd Piko battery and the battery’s charging plug. These are stored in the bottom of the saddlebag.
The ”normal” clothes along with spare bibs and socks are in a waterproof pouch in the saddlebag. These are typically needed together. I’ll likely leave a longer stop with the other shorts while the other are left to dry after washing.
Here is the main charging equipment. Anker 3 ports 65 watt charger, 2 longer usb c-c cables and a short usb a-c cable. Also a basic power bank that fits inside the phone pouch to charge on the go. All packed inside a lezyne tool bottle.
The bottle along with sun screen and a mussette are in the left pouch of the saddlebag.
The Topeak top tube pouch is mainly for easy access to toilet paper and chamois cream. Also for other small items, such as earphones, that may require quick access and waterproofness.
And next to the frame bag. For quick access some charging eqiupment. A pass-through charging power bank, 2 usb a-c cables to use with power bank and Revolution, Polar Vantage watch charger and Lupine in-out charging bits.
Again in the frame bag usual tools.
- 3 spare tubes
- Spare outer tire
- Patches, TPU quick patches, levers, pump adapter and spare hose
- Pump
- 2 multitools
- Spare cleat, cables, connectors, zipties, tape and nipples
- Black diamond ”wax” and some rags for keeping chain moving
- Derailleur hanger
- Spare spokes are in the saddle bag
And still in the frame bag basic hygiene stuff. Toothbrush and paste. More chamois cream, razor, little bodywash and deodorant. In addition to plasters, wipes and water purification pills I decided to bring some Compseeds due to new shoes and possible issues with them.
Finally the camping kit that is the same as last year. Literally, because I never scrapped the bubble wrap this time. MSR e-lite bivy bag and a bit of bubble wrap for mattress. These are under the saddlebag for quick access.
That’s all for now. Still a little more packing to do this year.
Ps. Forgot about vest and packable backpack in the right pocket of the saddlebag. Petzl tikka xp 2 headlight with usb-c rechargeable aaa batteries is in the vest’s pocket usually. The actual weatherproofness of the Tikka combo remains to be seen. On paper it is good enough.
After I had used poor quality reflective elements for the vest last year I had to redo them again this year. The new material should be for high wear work clothing so it will hopefully last more than two weeks. The back is ”open” for backpack while ”wings” below are visible and I mostly ride with the vest open so the front element are playing in the wind.
