Given how hard the Tour is, the choice of the bike you will use is extremely important. Emphasis should be put on reliability rather than on lightness. Bear this in mind when choosing all your components. It should also be easy to maintain.
Accessories attached to the bike should be placed as centrally as possible. Avoid using panniers either in front or on the back that can create an imbalance on the bike, especially on technical sections and single tracks.
We recommend that the bike should be subject to a thorough service before the Tour. Particular attention should be paid to:
- Replace brake and gear cables and housings;
- Replace the chain, cassete and chain rings if you haven't changed your chain in the last 500 km;
- Replace the handlebars if they are made of aluminium and are more than 1 year old;
- Clean, check and replace if necessary, or grease the headset, wheel hubs, bottom bracket and pedals;
- Check and straighten the rims of your wheels if they are warped and replace the protective bands if they are damaged;
- Replace the tyres if they are worn. We recommend the use of thicker side walls tyres, for hard packed terrain with rocks. The use of anti-puncture slime is highly recommended. Tubeless wheels and tyres are ideal;
- If you are taking the road option we recommend the use of semi-slick tyres, as there will be sections where you will have to ride on dirt roads.
During some of the stages we recommend that the participants carry:
- An inner tube
- Puncture repair kit
- Tyre levers
- Chain tool
- Multi-tool
- Pump
- Chain oil
As well as this material, the Organisers always have a complete tool kit as well as many spare parts in case there is the need for more significant repairs at the end of a stage (For example: tyres, complete wheels, derailleurs, chains, handlebars, cassetes, seat posts, saddles, chain rings, cranks, pedals and cleats, bottom brackets, brake and gear cables, disk pads, brake blocks, inner tubes, spokes, etc.).
- Hydration pack with capacity for at least 2 litres of water
- Spare inner tube
- Puncture repair kit
- Small tool kit
- Energy bars or some other kind of food
- Glasses
- Gloves
- Helmet
- Pump
- Waterproof jacket
- Mobile phone
- 3 pairs of cycling shorts
- 3 cycling jerseys
- 6 pairs of cycling socks
- 2 pairs of gloves
- Cycling shoes
- Halibut or other butt creme
- Chapstick
- Trainers or sandals
- Casual shorts
- Detergent for handwashing clothes
- 10 clothes pegs
- A length of washing line
- Toiletries
- Jacket or fleece
- Sun glasses
- Sunscreen cream (minimum SPF30)
- Several T-shirts
- Camera