Emily Chappell is clearly quite a cyclist, by profession and inclination. Here is how she put it herself on her blog:
“Not all people cycle round the world for the same reason. Most of the other cyclists I’ve met consider travel their main priority, or have some other overriding project, like photography or education, and cycling is just the means they’ve chosen of doing this as cheaply or as thoroughly as possible. But in my case the urge to cycle was there long before the urge to travel. And, even though there are many sides to this journey, and many aspects of it – the people I’ve met, the mountains I’ve seen, the food I’ve eaten – have exceeded my expectations, at the core of it, I am a cyclist. I happily and obsessively cycled round London before I started to cycle round the world and, no matter what I end up doing when this is over, I am pretty sure the bicycle will be at the centre of it.”
Emily Chappell, from Fear and Inspiration on the Silk Road
Here is her kit list – to prove her point that having the right kit is the key to success. I am hoping that lighter European touring might cut down on the necessities quite a bit.
“Having the right kit can be the difference between failure and success.
Seriously.
As a cycle courier, I had to work outside, five days a week, all year round, in all weathers. I very quickly learned that there are certain corners you don’t cut. Waterproof gloves aren’t just a luxury – they’re the difference between going home at lunchtime because you can’t stand the pain any more, and riding around in the freezing sleet till 7pm with a smile on your face. Decent pedals and the right saddle are the solution to painful feet, aching knees and agonizing saddlesore. A couple of layers of New Zealand merino and you’ll forget the abject shivering misery of your first winter, when all you had was a t-shirt and a hoodie.
So the kit lists that follow aren’t based on anyone’s advice or sales pitch – they’re the result of long experience, trial and error, and real-life pain and suffering. I know exactly what I need.
Bar Bag (Carradice Super C)
wallet
camera (Sony CyberShot)
Leatherman multitool (Blast)
Park multitool
mobile phone (still sans SIM)
head torch (Silva)
toothbrush
toothpaste
pump (Morph Mini Master Blaster)
puncture repair kit
tyre levers (Pedro’s)
compass
business cards
toilet paper
hip flask
MP3 player (Phillips)
rear light (something cheap and old)
batteries (AA and AAA)
Mooncup
spare inner tube
lighter + spare
emergency energy gel
alarm clock
passport
spare cash
spare memory card for camera
painkillers
lip balm
moxa stick
spare key for lock
pocket mirror
Yunnan bai yao powder
tweezers
nail clippers
pen
spare pen
notebook
address book
Kindle + case
picture dictionary
map
Front Right Pannier (Ortlieb)
stove (MSR Whisperlite Internationale)
spare MSR fuel bottle (887ml/30 fl. oz)
Smart Lunar front light + bracket
spare pump (Blackburn mini)
miscellaneous food
Pac tool pouch, containing:
Park master link pliers
Park chain tool
Park spoke key
Shimano lockring remover
3 x Tacx tyre levers
small adjustable spanner
2 x V-brake blocks
5 x spare V-brake inserts
spare derailleur hanger
Rohloff chain wear indicator
doubled-up spoke (to remove dust caps from pedals)
4mm allen key
miscellaneous spacers
Green plastic bag, containing:
WD40 (100ml)
large roll of gaffer tape
spare inner tubes (Specialized presta; 26 x 1.2/1.5)
spare chain (SRAM 8-speed)
7 x puncture kits
spare spokes (Sapin; 256mm, 257mm)
Green Oil Ecological chain lube
spare gear cables and outers
spare brake cables
spare Time cleats
spare clip for Klikfix bracket
patches for tent
tent pole splint
tyre boot
many cable ties
velcro strips
bits of string
paperclips, for some reason
whole collection of spare screws, nuts, bolts, spacers, nipples, noodles, pins, clips, valves, powerlinks, barrel adjusters and those little screwy bits that fall out of your chain breaker and get lost just when you least want them to
Front Left Pannier (Ortlieb)
MSR fuel bottle (591ml/20 fl. oz)
Thermos flask (500ml)
moisturiser (400ml)
insect repellent spray (125ml)
Steripen water purifier + batteries
Evernew titanium cooking pot (1300ml), containing:
SeaToSummit collapsible silicone bowl
SeaToSummit collapsible silicone mug
scourer
100ml pot cao bang bitter tea
small cotton drawstring bag, containing:
small bottles shampoo and conditioner
mending kit
washing line
factor 30 sunblock
spare soap, toilet paper and wet wipes
small cotton drawstring bag, containing:
electrical adaptor
phone charger
camera charger
kindle charger
USB camera cable
USB stick
Medical kit:
antihistamine pills
hydrocortisone acetate cream
ibuprofen tablets
Canestan cream
sterilizing fluid
elastic bandage
sterile dressings
plasters
verucca removal gel
laxative tablets (senna)
immodium tablets
flucloxacilin tablets
ciprofloxacin tablets
avloclor tablets
oral rehydration sachets
dental floss
Rear Right Pannier (Ortlieb)
North Face waterproof trousers
Assos winter jacket
Swrve Milwaukee hoodie (S)
Salewa down jacket
spare bungee
file of paperwork, documents, photos, etc.
maps
SeaToSummit 20l waterproof stuff sack, containing:
Assos 3/4-length cycling shorts (L)
Gore gilet (L)
Sugoi Wallaroo merino hooded jersey (M)
Decathlon silk glove liners (L)
Icebreaker merino glove liners (L)
Bontrager leather mitts
merino Buff (grey)
Swrve Blk merino winter cap
Sealskinz waterproof winter hat (XL)
Sealskinz mid length waterproof socks (L)
black kameez
green cotton scarf/sarong
swimming costume and goggles
2 x boxers
Brixton Cycles DeFeet socks
hand-knitted woollen socks
Rear Left Pannier (Ortlieb)
sleeping bag (North Face Blue Kazoo)
Rab sleeping bag liner (silk)
Thermarest Prolite small sleeping mat
Swrve winter softshell trousers (32)
Sealskinz Thermal Performance road cycling gloves (XL)
spare notebooks (in waterproof bag)
maps
food
On the rack
tent (Terra Nova Superlite Voyager)
carrier bag full of food
On me (subject to weather, season, etc.)
Assos cycling shorts (L)
Swrve softshell shorts (34)
leather belt
Aldi merino baselayer
Shock Absorber sports bra
Sugoi cycling socks
Bontrager cycling mitts
Shimano MT43 shoes (42)
Wiley X sunglasses
Bontrager Circuit helmet
Abus chain lock (round waist)
key (round wrist)”
via her blog That Emily Chappell, in the section headed Kit.
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