I have a collection of these photos showing my equipment prior to setting off on some of the rides. Scroll down for a detailed list of equipment that I took on the Tarifa to Nordkapp trip in 2015, but here are a few more recent pictures in the genre…

2020: The Lon Las Cymru / Southern England

The following was written immediately prior to my 2015 journey from Tarifa to Nordkapp:

Although most of it is not new, it’s taken me about a week to assemble the cycling gear in the picture below. The task was not made easier by the fact that I had already packed up the contents of my flat in Reading into lots of boxes prior to my move north, but enough of my whinging and on with the details.

To make life even easier, here is an annotated version. The numbers refer to the list below.

I have (obviously) not included the bike itself – a 2010 Ridgeback Panorama, the four Ortlieb Roller Plus Panniers or any clothing. So, here’s what there is. All the links are to the manufacturers’ websites if possible, failing that, a supplier:

1. Exped dry bags
2. Waterproof Ortlieb map holder
3. Robens Osprey 2 tent
4. Mountain Equipment sleeping bag
5. Decathlon sleeping bag line
6. PowerMonkey Extreme rechargeable battery and solar panels
7. Kryptonite locks – D lock and cable with padlock
8. Water bottles
9. Tigra iPhone 6 mount
10. Lifesystems ‘camping’ first aid kit
11. MSR Windboiler stove
12. Thermarest camping mat
13. Bar of soap in plastic box
14. GoPro Hero 4 Silver, case, mounts including handlebar mount
15. CatEye rechargeable lights with USB charging cables
16. British passport
17. Adaptors for continental Europe
18. Wayfayrer emergency food rations
19. Emergency Andrex toilet tissue
20. Hand cleanser
21. Washing tablets
22. Below The Belt waterless shower
23. Plastic mug (University of York c. 1990)
24. Merrell sandals
25. Keen Arroyo SPD cycling sandals
26. Bendable ties
27. Victornix Swiss Army Knife
28. Knife
29. Camping light
30. Spare batteries for camping light
31. Stone sunglasses and bag
32. Lifeventure camping towel
33. iPhone 6
34. Chiba fingerless cycling gloves
35. Heavy duty bags (not waterproof)
36. Mini can of deodorant
37. Mini can of shaving gel
38. Tupperware style boxes (waterproof)
39. Colgate toothbrush
40. Lighter
41. Micro SD converter
42. Chain repair tool
43. Gorilla tripod
44. Carabiners
45. Hand warmers (gel)
46. Wallet
47. Bungee
48. Identity bracelet
49. Topeak Bicycle pump (with card to remind where the lock position is!)
50. DEET insect repellant
51. Nivea sun protection spray
52. Kask cycling helmet
53. Colgate toothpaste
54. Tyre removal / replacement levers
55. Spare brake pads
56. CatEye cycling computer
57. Bike spanner
58. Spare spokes (three sizes)
59. USB cable for ???
60. Small bungees to secure maps to board on handlebars
61. Business cards
62. Multi-tool
63. Tie wraps
64. Bag for hygiene products
65. Disposable razors
66. ‘Water’ bottle for tools
67. Schwalbe spare inner tubes
68. Finish Line Bicycle Lubricant – Wet
69. 15mm spanner for removal / attachment of pedals
70. Spare cables
71. Spare links for chain
72. Alight Mayfly chair
73. Maps (Marco Polo / Michelin)
74. Swatch watch
75. Mini iPad and USB charger
76. SD card cable for iPad
77. 16GB SD cards for camera
78. Canon EOS 100D SLR camera with ‘flat’ 40mm lens and cables

Comments welcome!

For purposes of comparison, here’s an article I wrote prior to the Mediterranean trip in 2013. Quite a bit of kit has survived to travel with me and Reggie (the bike) once again in 2015…