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  • Trans Pennine Trail – What to take with me?
  • chocolateteapot
    Free Member

    Hi All

    I’m going to be riding the trans pennine trail in about 5 weeks over 4 days, roughly 50 – 60 miles per day, we will be staying in B&Bs

    Firstly, what bike should I take? I have a Whyte 905 which is my usual bike, I also have the option of a rigid boardman hybrid comp with a set of CX tyres. I think I would rather take the boardman due to the mileage but would the rigid forks and skinnier tyres be suitable for the terrain?

    Where do I pack all my stuff? I don’t like the idea of panniers, has anyone seen the apidura /alpkit saddle and frame bags – would these be suitable or does anyone have any other suggestions?

    Any kit list essentials for 4 days? I’m thinking of just washing and drying the clothes i’m in for riding and taking 1 other set of clothes and a few basic tools.

    Cheers everyone 🙂

    Garry_Lager
    Full Member

    Think the rigid bike makes sense – it’s smooth riding (done Southport to N Sheff), no rocky-ness to speak of.

    Do you have a gpx of the route? Defo recommended as there are so many little turns and the signage is unclear in places.

    It passes through some properly rough spots – just something to be aware of, in case you were envisaging a bucolic tour of the English countryside.

    xyeti
    Free Member

    Definitely get a route file, a bit round Liverpool is well dodgy, the signs were ripped off and dicks on Mopeds basically forced us off a path as they tore up and down to their own amusement, we got lost at this point and I was pissed off that there was a bit somewhere that i’d missed off. We stopped for a coffee at McDonald’s near Barnsley and this other cock advised me that he was going to take my my bike and there was **** all I could do about it, it seemed there was and that slowed us down a bit more, by the time we had traveled the 20 miles to Doncaster and dodged about 35,000 piles of dog shit we were then pelted by stones from a Muhassive viaduct, at this point I lost the will to live and after having only just left the Police at McDonald’s an hour previously I decided not to hunt down the would be assassins and throw them off the bridge so I went to the nearest road and made a phone call……… One of the most stressful riding experiences I’ve ever had.

    So fit mud guards to keep the dog shit at bay, the trail in places seems to be mostly made up of dog shit.
    Don’t go to the Mc’ds near the back end of Barnsley, and wear your helmet,

    We just took fluid, mars bars, cash, a rain jacket spare tubes and basic tools.
    We were doing it in 2 days though and should have stopped at a pub a mile or so away from the viaduct where my Wife would pick us up and drive us to a Holiday inn, drop us off next morning etc, so we roadied round the last mile and sacked it, shame really as I fancied the ride across to hull and up to horsea for fish n chips on the second day,

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    project
    Free Member

    From Sale waterpark to Warrington its quite intresting, flat and reasonably smooth, nice bit past warrington follows theold canal, but with a diversion, that the natives keep nicking the diversion signs, under the famous Runcorn bridge, and on past the tesco depot, and uphill, beware at top of hill round corner are lots of steps down, with restrictors, so make it difficult for trailers and tandems, through Hale Village, gun in centre of road, and arrive and depart from Speke, then the loop line to Aintree, nice but a bit rough in places, found a chap collapased there last year, nobody would stop and help, waiting for paramedics, lady eventually stopped and said he hadnt been shot or stabbed has he, local area for this to happen.He wasnt.

    Then along the leeds liverpool canal, and onto the cheshire lines path and old railway converted to a cycleway, and not paved, bumpy and muddy in places, finally arrive in Southport, beware of little old biddies with the spacial awareness of a rubics cube, aiming cars at anyone on a bike.

    Some vids of the route here.[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAdarbKQeh4[/video][video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYG08rG3Cvg[/video][video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xLLn2OvVQw[/video]

    xyeti
    Free Member

    Project, just found this whilst looking at yours, these 4 Lads look happy as Larry, not only that is this what summer in this country looks like 8)

    Looking forward to sunny days and maybe doing Horsea to Doncaster?

    Basil
    Full Member

    Joking aside, there are bits through Liverpool which are very unpleasant.

    thebrowndog
    Free Member

    For one trip Id just get one of the 13l Alpkit tapered dry bags to sling under your saddle and one of their 13l Airlok Duals to hang from your bars. That should be more than enough space for extra clothes and probs give you some protection from the dog shit.

    chocolateteapot
    Free Member

    Cheers all rigid bike it is 🙂 my mate did it last year and i’m aware of the rough parts! There is also 4/5 of us going so shouldn’t encounter to many issues.

    Kit list so far, some items we will likely pool so only 1 pump, 1 multi tool etc:

    Inner tubes (x2) and patches
    Tyre levers
    Cable ties
    Gorilla tape
    Pump
    Basic lights
    Multi tool
    Leatherman
    Quick release chain link
    Mobile phone & charger
    Card and cash
    Waterproof jacket
    Riding clothes (washed each night)
    A few detergent tablets for clothes washing
    Clothing (2 x t-shirts, boxers, socks, 1 x trousers, hoodie)
    Food bought daily night before

    Also, thinking this for the clothes:

    http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/p/19646/apidura-saddle-pack

    and this for the food / tools etc

    http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/p/19645/apidura-mountain-frame-packs

    They’re expensive though so open to suggestions on the packs!

    chocolateteapot
    Free Member

    thebrowndog – Member
    For one trip Id just get one of the 13l Alpkit tapered dry bags to sling under your saddle and one of their 13l Airlok Duals to hang from your bars. That should be more than enough space for extra clothes and probs give you some protection from the dog

    they’re cheap and look pretty good! Is that the full setup, i.e. I just zip tie the saddle bag to the bike or is that just a dry bag to go inside some sort of attachment thing?

    project
    Free Member

    also Plex Moss lane has ben resurfaced this is how it used to be[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpPCkwa0ARo[/video]

    thebrowndog
    Free Member

    they’re cheap and look pretty good! Is that the full setup, i.e. I just zip tie the saddle bag to the bike or is that just a dry bag to go inside some sort of attachment thing?

    The tapered dry bag attaches like this … cinch it up tight and it shouldn’t move too much. They sell the webbing straps separately though I cant find them on the site – pop them an email. I use one of these but slip it into a Wildcat Tiger saddle harness, which holds it more securely and makes getting it on and off less of a faff.

    One thing, if you’re strapping a dry bag to your bars, watch out for it compressing your brake cables – either move the levers up so the bag fts under them, or tilt them down a bit.

    Edit: And take a fleece instead of a hoodie – light and compresses better

    chestercopperpot
    Free Member

    Don’t forget the blunderbuss old boy, you know for negotiating with 😉

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