A Cycle Tour in Southwest France -2002

Packing List (2 Persons)

Mounted on each of our Vitali 27 Speed Touring Bikes

Cycling computer

Axiom rear pannier rack

Serratus rear panniers and rain covers (the set we have came with reflective material)

Serratus handle bar bag

Water bottles (2 each)

Tire pump (needs to be of good quality), one will do

Cycling Hardware

Cycling Gloves (1 pair each)

Helmets

Rain hoods for the helmets

Bungee cords and straps (for attaching items to the rear panniers)

Cycling glasses (with interchangeable lenses)

Bike locks (we used 3, bring good locks with you. Even though France is generally very safe, if your bike gets stolen, the trip is over)

Spare set of bike lock keys

Cycling over-booties (not used, lucky for us it didn't rain on this trip)

SPD Cycling shoes

Day pack (useful for touring and on non-bike days)

Toolkit and Spare Parts

Spare inner tubes (4), lucky for us we never had to use them

Wrench for removing and installing the pedals

Spare spokes (front and rear)

Tire levers (2)

Park – Chain breaker

Folding Tool (Phillips and flat-head screwdrivers, all necessary allen wrenches)

Park – Patch kit

Tire repair kit

Spoke wrench

Chain oil

Spare chain links

Spare cycling computer battery

Small vise grips

Black electrical tape or duct tape (it’s a life saver)

Grease cleaning soap (in a film canister)

Rag

Latex gloves (keeps your hands clean if you have to do repairs)

Spare screws for your bike (Don’t forget a spare seat post clamp/bolt)

Tie straps (used for securing your bike in the bike box during the return trip home)

Toolkit bag

Camping Gear

Lightweight 2 person tent

Tent floor ground sheet

Tent repair kit

Sleeping bags (2)

Sleeping bag compression stuff sacks

Fleece pillow cases (2) (we stuff our rain and fleece jackets in them and they make great pillows)

Thermarest UltraLite ¾ length sleeping pads with stuff sacks (2)

Thermarest couple kit

Thermarest repair kit

Flashlight with spare batteries and 1 spare bulb

Candle lantern

Lighter

Compass (not really necessary, it is very difficult to get lost in France)

Laundry kit (optional, most campgrounds have a washer and dryer)

Plastic bowls (2)

Plastic forks and spoons (2) each

Plastic cups (2)

Swiss Army Knife (multi purpose, used to cut our bread and cheese and to open our wine bottles, don’t leave home without it)

Clean-up kit (dishwashing liquid soap, sponge and a small dish towel)

Toiletries and Hygiene

Hairbrush

Deodorant (2)

Shaving cream

Razors (2)

Toothbrushes (2), toothpaste and dental floss

Toilet Paper (1 roll, some campgrounds in France are BYOTP!!)

Liquid body soap

Hair shampoo, conditioner and gel

Bug spray (did not use)

Sunscreen

Small mirror

Small towels (2)

Small washcloths (2)

Shower shoes (optional)

First Aid Kit

Band-Aids

Polysporin ointment

Gauze bandage/dressing

Gauze pads

Insect bite ointment

Anti-fungal cream

Antiseptic towels (package of 10)

Ibuprofen (aspirin)

Latex gloves

Scissors

Safety pins

Space blanket (in case of hypothermia)

Tweezers

Ziploc bags

Tongue depressors (2) (for splint)

Clothing

Waterproof cycling jackets

100 weight fleece tops (1 each)

Lightweight travel pants (1 each)

3 pair of synthetic cycling socks (each)

Synthetic lightweight hat and glove liners (for those cold morning)

4 pair of underwear (each)

2 pair of cycling shorts (each), padded shorts are better than lycra as they can serve as dress shorts for touring villages, museums etc..

2 pair of short sleeve synthetic cycling tops (each, loose fitting is best)

Synthetic long sleeve cycling top (1 each)

1 pair of long underwear, top and bottom (each)

Long or short sleeve dress top (1 each for going out, okay Maria brought 2)

Bandanas (Maria brought 2)

Lightweight cycling skirt (Maria brought 1 to wrap around her cycling tights when touring towns and visiting museums)

Lightweight dress skirt (1, Maria)

Synthetic long cycling tights (1 each, we used them during cold mornings, they are also useful during wet weather)

Light weight bra and sports bra

Sun hat (ball cap)

Lightweight walking shoes (1 pair each, bring a stuff sack to store your walking shoes when they are in your panniers)

Arm warmers (1 pair each)

Light plastic rain jackets (the ones that look like garbage bags)

Personals-Miscellaneous

Passports

Airline tickets

ATM and credit cards

Identification cards

Camera and film (see Photography section for more details)

Watch

Money belt/wallet

Guide books (we used Lonely Planet Cycling France and Southwestern France)

Maps (we used Michelin 1/150,000 Lot, Tarn-et-Garonne Local 337 and
Michelin 1/175,000 Gironde, Landes Local 335)

Journal

Pen

A Few Notes on Cycling and Personal Equipment

The following is some additional information on cycling and personal equipment that may be useful. Make sure you feel comfortable on your bike seat, as you will be spending a good part of the day with your bum on it!! We did not use mudguards (fenders) on our bikes, but it is a good idea to bring them if you expect a lot of rain. We also did not use front panniers (we try and go as light as possible). A bell could be useful when riding in busy towns and cities. Bring some bicycle lights if you think that you may be riding at night. A spare brake and gear cable is a good idea, but considering we had new cables on our bikes we didn’t bother.

We did not bring a multi-fuel stove with us on this trip as we only camped a few nights and ate mostly in restaurants during the evenings. If you plan on making most of your meals, you will need a stove, 2 titanium pots, fuel, plastic plates, spice kit (with spices of your choice), olive oil, etc… Garbage bags are useful for covering your sleeping bags and tent while on the bike during rainy weather.

Synthetic clothing is best for a cycling trip as it dries quickly and keeps you dry as you cycle. Try and limit the amount of clothes you bring with you, obviously the less you bring the lighter and easier the bike will be to ride. Most towns and campgrounds have coin-operated laundry. You can also hand wash and air dry clothes (most synthetic clothing dry very fast). A bathing suit is a good idea if you are traveling during the summer.

Photocopy your passport, airline tickets, health cards and any other identification material you bring with you and put them in a safe place in case the originals are lost or stolen, it is easier to get replacement if you have a copy. It is also a good idea to keep a separate sheet of paper with important phone numbers, addresses and other trip related information. We also carry a 1.44MB floppy diskette with the same info, or you can e-mail the same information to your e-mail account and have access to it if needed.