Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

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boboneleg
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by boboneleg »

CO2 canisters never seem to work in my experience of watching other folk suffer with them, get a decent small compressor, so much easier to inflate your tyres.
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halfpint
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by halfpint »

bin the big tube a standard one will do , just take a ratchet strap will hold on your belongings or to use as tow rope .leave the washing line at home and stop over thinking the trip . just enjoy the trails at your pace . the only thing you need is duct tape and zip ties !! mind out for the local banjo players my little piggy
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by Paul_C »

I'm on the same boat out. Staying the first night in Olite then meeting a mate for 6 days riding around Oliana. Then spending a few days bimbling back along the Pyrenees, mainly on Vibration route 5. Then a week solo as he has to return to work. Have fun, probably see you in the ferry.
Just along for the ride.
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by Brenhden »

Great looking tool kit that, what bike are you taking? If your front is a 21" then that tube won't fit. My first trip to Spain I ended up weighing everything to the gram. I paired the gear down as much as possible but after a couple of days on the road I always had a few beers in the bag so all that worry about weight went out the window :lol: I have a tube and levers strapped on the front mudguard and once its on there you never notice it (unless you need the headlight).

What sort of routes are you taking?
And now, Harry, let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.

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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by djskinner »

So bin the UHD tube and get a normal one. Makes sense. I'd be reluctant to carry that monster knowing (hoping) that I'll probably never need it.

Where do you guys get tubes from?

The thinking with the CO2 bulbs was that they might be helpful to set the bead. It then functions as a hand pump for the remainder. I'm sure it will take a while as its pretty tiny but it'll do the job eventually.

It's pretty small. Here's a comparison with my compact extendible bicycle pump:
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I've got to fit a new tyre in the next few days so will be able to try out how effective the kit is. Will report back on that.

I'll post more on the bike and route later.
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by RandG »

It's the Pyrenees you're going to Not Magadan.

Enjoy and relax, you'll be fine.
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by halfpint »

you mean they have shops and use the euro !! dont forget shout when talking and make sure you take a toilet roll ;)
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by djskinner »

Bike Mods

The bike is an R1200 GS. I’ve made the following mods which I felt were necessary for the trip:
  • Spoked wheels with Michelin Anakee Wild tyres (not fitted in pics).
  • GSEmotion headlight protector. £25 off this forum to help protect a headlight unit that must be at least a few hundred quid. Seemed like a good investment.
  • Engine Protection Bars (BMW).
  • Barkbusters. Not planning on taking spare levers so the flimsy plastic OEM guards had to go.
  • Passenger seat removed. Kreiga US-05 in its place.
  • Rear mudguard removed
  • Auxiliary USB power to the rear for charging electricals
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Mods I’d like to have made but am not going to:
  • Bigger footpegs. After doing some of the TET a couple of weeks back in the wet and mud I would definitely like some of these. Doing a bit more TETing tomorrow so I’ve taken the rubber out of the pegs, hopefully this will help.
  • Enduro seat. I’ve tried the rallye enduro seat and I do prefer it. The luggage plate it comes with would be useful too since my Kreiga US-05 laden with tools is now resting on top of electrical components (ECU I think).
  • Cylinder head guards. Couldn’t work out which would fit with the engine bars I have.
Perhaps the money not spent can go towards a more suitable off road bike in a few years time.
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by djskinner »

Lighter weight emergency tube selected:

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Washing line swapped out for two 2.5m straps I already had:

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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by djskinner »

Luggage / Camping

The plan is to mostly camp, booking campsites as I go. I’m sure I won’t say no to cheap hotels/hostals/albergues after a long day of riding either. Wild camping is an option particularly if I can’t find a campsite. Wild camping seems fairly illegal/discouraged in Spain (as it is in England but I know the lay of the land in my own country whereas in a foreign country I’d be a bit more cautious). Besides I wouldn’t get to practice any Spanish whatsoever if I wild camped it all the way!

I want to travel as light as possible. I got BMW’s Vario (plastic) panniers with the bike but I’m not impressed with the quality of them at all. A tip over is inevitable and I just can’t see them surviving. I’d also rather avoid hard luggage for safety reasons. Soft luggage would be much kinder to my legs during an off.

I do like the idea of panniers because they keep the weight lower than a roll bag but the soft luggage options are next to none for this bike if you don’t have the metal pannier racks. I remember this part of the planning getting me really annoyed about the bike. Basically, it seemed to me that for a touring/adventure bike it was utterly useless at carrying luggage (unless you paid probably 1000’s more for the metal racks/metal boxes). The humongous exhaust is in the way on one side and the lack of a traditional rear fender to lean panniers/bags against means there’s no option for soft luggage.

The only ones I thought might work were the Enduristan Blizzard saddlebags, whose marketing images show them fitted to a 1200GS. Andy at Twistmoto was very helpful and said I could try them on for size and there would be no problems returning them if I wasn’t happy with the fit. The marketing image shows them fitted to the bike with the grab rail removed. I couldn’t get them to fit right with the grab rail in place but could imagine it working without it. However, there was no way I was giving up the grab rail so back they went. 

So in terms of luggage I have
  • Enduristan Tornado 60l roll bag
  • Kreiga US-05
  • Kreiga R-20 backpack
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The bulk of the space is taken up with the camping gear. This is my standard wild camping pack (trekking) with the addition of the tent:

  • Tent
  • Sleeping bag
  • Sleeping mat
  • Jet Boil
  • Clothes (green bag)
  • Bivvy Bag
  • Cup
  • 1litre Nalgene
  • Towel
  • Toiletries (orange bag)
  • Emergency food supplies (red bag)
  • First aid kit
  • Bog roll
  • Head torch
  • Spork
  • Knife
This leaves a little space in the roll bag plus the R20 for the remaining items (documents, electronics, water bladder).

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