What to Take and Making It Fit
Packing was a big cause for concern, and a lengthy task...prior to the trip we were provided with a packing list from TdA but I felt that this wasn't a one size fits all. I did a fair amount of research with regards to adaptors to take, bike spares and replacements, what clothes to take. I was even worried about running out of sunscreen and not being able to buy any more.
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If anyone is undertaking the trip, and wants some advice please email me as it is easier to know what to expect when you have already done it!
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PUTTING THE GOODS IN THE BAG
TdA permitted 2 x 90l duffel bags, one of which is 'Day bag' which you have access to every day, the other is the 'Permanent bag' which you only have access to on rest days. It was incredibly difficult fitting everything that I thought was required into these two bags. I packed, and repacked, and then repacked. And finally, when I was in Cairo, I repacked. It didn't all fit at this point, so I also took a rucksack on the bike for the first day. Packing is a learned skill, by the end of the trip, my day bag was packable within 3minutes, and practically empty, and my permanent bag was a 'storage bag' of all the items which I shouldn't have brought, plus the spares and repairs for the bike.
Essentially in the day bag there was - tent, sleeping bag, liner, passport and yellow fever card, cycle and camp clothing for that period (maximum of 6 days), toiletries needed for that time plus some plasters, sleeping cot, laptop (although towards the end of the tour I took this out), electricals (chargers, batteries, head torch, spare batteries, power packs), down jacket, waterproof jacket, bike lock and flip-flops. Everything else was in the permanent bag.
Take two compression dry bags. One to keep your sleeping bag in. The other to put your tent in, if it is wet...a bin liner does not keep the rest of the stuff in your day bag dry when there is a wet tent in there! As an aside, don't worry about taking your tent down when it is wet, generally it will dry pretty quickly when you put it up in the afternoon. If you are a slower rider, ask one of the faster riders to get your tent out and lay it on the ground so that it is dry by the time you arrive.
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WHAT TO TAKE
This is the TDA Packing List:
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Below is a list of what I took and whether it was needed. Please bear in mind that this is a huge personal preference! My biggest advice is that you don't need as much as you think you do, particularly in relation to non cycle clothing.
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ADAPTORS
The plug sockets in each country, and therefore the adaptors required are:
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TYRES
A very important matter! 10500km is alot of potential for punctures. After many hours of reading, I decided on Schwalbe tyres, with Continental inner tubes. A few riders opted for tubeless, but I felt I didn't have the knowledge to deal with these if there was a problem. I feel my choice paid off - only one puncture the whole way down.
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Schwalbe have a range of tyres but the Marathon Plus is
allegedly the most puncture resistant. This is due to the
patented SmartGuard belt. This is a 5mm thick band of
rubber on the inside of the tyre, designed to protect against
objects which become lodged in the tread.
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TdA allow you to take two pairs of tyres, one for the road
sections and one for off road use, and a pair of folding tyres.
Don't bother with the folding tyres - I didn't take any, and
didn't feel their loss. Those that did take a pair felt they
were too flimsy, and also didn't use them.
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I was slightly concerned about the off road sections as the biggest tyres my Croix de Fer would take were 40mm, which is what I took. I chose the Marathon Plus Tour, as opposed to the Marathon Plus, as it is more grippy (due to the trekking tread) than the Marathon Plus. They also offer a Marathon Plus MTB, which would have been my preference, had it fitted on my bike. The tyres and bike managed very well off road, albeit a bit uncomfortable. I did have to reduce the tyre pressure, Those with wider tyres, and with specific mountain bikes, did travel faster and with less discomfort however it was a compromise between the on road and off road sections.
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On road I used a tyre width of 28mm. These were great, others used 35mm and some even had 50mm. Alistair had 24mm and struggled with the rougher road sections.
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