My Gear
The key to cycling comfortably and with efficiency is making sure that the bike fits you. If you find that after a ride you have numb hands, toes, lower backache or shoulder pains it is more than likely you need a proper bike fit. It has to be the most important step when you haven't been riding a bike for a while or when purchasing a new bike. As your body changes so do the positioning of the bike parts. Luckily bicycles are machines with adjustable parts. No matter if you are a mountain biker, road cyclist, commuter or long distance adventure cyclist a proper bike fit is worth every penny. You will thank yourself for getting it done.
My Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3 which I used for my 2015 City Link Challenge, my son used in 2016 for his Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award and 2017 in the backcountry of Garibaldi Mountains
I am a long distance adventure cyclist so the other important thing for me during my trips is being comfortable when I'm off the bike. So the gear that I take with me is easy to work with, light in weight, warm and reliable. I have always been a believer in the saying, "you get what you pay for". There is no point in spending money on something when after a short period of use, it falls apart. Not because of mistreating the equipment, but due to poor quality. I'm not saying that you must buy the most expensive but spending that little bit more knowing that the equipment will be able to stand up to a lot of use will make the journey much more painless and less stressful.
Coming in at an awesome 465g / 16oz this It is the Big Agnes Q-Core SLX . It is easy to inflate and deflate, light in weight and comfortable. This mattress fits nicely into the sleeping bag system.​
After my hard day's cycle, I don,t need to huff and puff my mattress up. The Big Agnes Pump House Ultra. by gathering a large amount of air it reduces the inflating time dramatically. This guy comes in at 82g / 2.9oz.
Being 6'1" with cycling gear, I have chosen the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 for space and strength. It is quick and easy to put up, good headroom, strong and flexible in high winds and ultralight. Packs up small and weighs 1.40 kg / 3.1lb
Last summer I was hiking in the Garibaldi Mountains and my nephew pulled this out of his hat and was absolutely amazed how compactable and comfortable it was. So I had to get one of these for sitting around the tent and when I take that break during my cycling day. Helinox Chair One 960g / 2.1lb
This was the sleeping bag of choice for my 2015 cycle challenge, my son used it for his Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, hiking in the Garibaldi Mountains last summer and now on this challenge. It is the Big Agnes Mystic UL15 . It is rectangular, comes in long, has space for my broad shoulders, light in weight, warm and has this unique system for the mattress and pillow. You never have to go looking for the mattress or pillow during the night. It stays right where it should be. 1.05kg / 2.5lb
The last thing I want to have to do is worry about keeping the inside of the sleeping bag clean and long-term odor. So I have taken the risk of trying the Big Agnes Sleeping Bag Liner- Silk which I will find a lot easier to wash regularly instead of the sleeping bag. Inside the sleeping bag are loops for the hooks of the bag liner to attach to.
I have used clothing and a towel many times as a pillow but this time I don't want to wake up having to fluff it up several times during the night. This pillow fits right into the sleeve of the sleeping bag. The Big Agnes Round Pillow . 0.07g / 2.50z
My search for a comfortable saddle has taken a few years and if it wasn't for that topic of restricted blood flow to that - ahem - region, I don't think I would have found ism. It is unlike any other saddle I had seen or tried. There is no leaning to one side or favouring one leg to find the spot for your tender parts to sit on. With the ism saddles, you sit dead center on them.The ism PR2 is a performance recreation saddle that is fairly light with combined foam and gel for those long hours in the saddle.
The reason for the Skinsuit TM01 is simple. Its light, easy to get in and out of without having to worry about two pieces of clothing. I found this to be extremely comfortable. Full, 2 side panels, leg grippers and HD Ergonomic Pad for the rider. You get a lot for your money and they also provide a custom made and design service that is included in the price.
I couldn't believe the weight of Windtex Jacket that protects you from the wind. It is a 2 layers fabric making it waterproof and windproof. So light that you can fold it up and put it in your back pocket. It has a rear zip pocket. It is exactly what I need for long distance cycling and those sudden rain showers.
The Luminite Pants with 360-degree reflective safety chevrons fully seamed in a 2.5 waterproof breathable fabric with zipped ankles. If these don't keep me dry when needed then nothing will.​
This is what I will be wearing in the dark and especially in heavy rain. The FS260 - Pro Adrenaline Race Cap 11 so light and compact that it can be left in your back pocket ready for use. The Exoshell20st fabric is not only waterproof but the breathability it offers is 20,000gm/m2/24hrs making it the best selling and race -tested road essential. The finishing on this jacket is impeccable with powerful high reflective detailing on cuffs and seams for safe night time riding. A real must-have jacket for me, especially on this journey.
Taking a spare rechargeable Endura LED Helmet Light with 3 diferent phase settings lasting up to 40 hours on rapid flash mode.
For those late nights in the saddle which will be taking place on this journey, "seen and be seen" as they say. USB rechargeable LED light and 360-degree high visibility safety reflective. The Luminite Helmet
I have never worn a helmet rain cover but those thunderstorms going through the prairies are horrendous. It's like someone taking a hose to you. Again it has the safety reflective chevrons and an LED light integrated into the fabric which is removable. Luminite Helmet Cover
Cooking Equipment
We used the MSR Hyper Flow Microfilter in the Garibaldi Mountains and it was so easy to work. It is very light and takes up very little room. you can get about 3 liters of water a minute and removes 99.9% of bacteria and 99.9 % of protozoa from the water from the beginning to the end of the filters life.
After researching and going in and out of various outdoor shops I had decided on the MSR 2 Cook System. Okay, I am traveling solo so why do I need a system for 2. Well, the answer is you never know who will join me for dinner. Seriously, this is a complete cook and eat system that is non stick coated, light, compactable saving on valuable pack room.
The MSR XKG - EX is well known for its reliability in the toughest conditions. It has a multi-fuel capability, light, compacts down to small size, sturdy and its blue flame can melt snow and boil water incredibly fast. 1 litre of water in 2.8 minutes. Know horsing around it gets the job done quickly.
Tech Equipment
GoPro Karma Stabilizer Grip for Hero 6 and Hero 5.
Never had a Garmin at all and look forward to using it. Just loaded my route maps for this UK-Canada C2C Cycle Challenge.
really wanting to capture this journey and after a lot of reading the GoPro Hero 5 had everything that I needed. 12 MP camera, 4k30 for shooting video, water proof up to 30m, touch screen and voice control when I'm riding trying to capture what is around me.
The Cateye Strada Slim is fantastic. This one is reliable has been with me since 2014. it was on my last trip to Canada and is coming with me on this journey. I will be using this as a back up for mileage, distance, and speed. It will be interesting to see how the two compare on accuracy and reliability.
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