Packing up for PBP#

Published by Borja Lopez Rio on 2023-08-17 00:00:00

Tic, tac, tic, tac… Next sunday evening is the start of the 20th edition of PBP. Tomorrow I’ll start the trip to Rambouillet… so today is packing day. Time to sort things out, make a list of everything I’ll pack and carry with me on the bike.

I made a list first, to avoid forgetting anything, and then I went through that list, placing every item on a table.

Everything I will carry with me during PBP, on a table

Let’s make a summary of everything:

Clothes

  • Ottobosley Moa Race Jersey, size M (Randonneurs Galicia PBP 2023 limited edition)

  • Gobik Attitude jersey, size M (ribeiras do miño)

  • 2 x Gobik Absolute Bibshorts with K-10 chamois, size M

  • Craft thin sleeveless summer base layer, size M

  • Finisseur short sleeve light base layer, size M

  • Finisseur short sleeve merino warm base layer, size M

  • Isadore alternative long sleeve warm base layer, size S

  • Rapha pro team long sleeve training jersey, size M

  • Rapha pro team long sleeve jersey, size M

  • Rapha Brevet flyweight wind jacket, size M

  • Castelli nano flex knee warmers, size M

  • Castelli nano flex arm warmers, size M

  • Castelli endurance gloves, size M

  • Bontrager winter gloves, size M

  • Bontrager waterproof shoe covers, size M

  • Isadore waterproof toe covers

  • Rapha Brevet socks

  • Rapha Merino socks

  • Finisseur pro socks

  • Isadore signature climber’s cap

  • Isadore signature rain cap

  • Giro Foray Helmet, size L (yeah, I’ve a big head!)

Tools and spares

  • 2 x continental race 28 tube

  • 2 x tire lever

  • 4 x tube patches + glue, etc

  • 4 x “hard” auto-stick VAR patches (useful if you get an ugly cut on your tires)

  • 6 x small zip ties

  • Small tube of vax lube

  • Presta-to-schrader adapter

  • SKS tomtool

  • Birzman mini pump

  • 4 x extra spoke from scribe cycling (these do not appear on the picture)

  • 1 gearing cable replacement (this does not appear on the picture neither)

Lights

  • Bontrager Ion Pro RT (headlight)

  • Soonfire FD39 (headlight)

  • Apace Vision (tail light)

  • Cateye OMNI 3 (tail light, works with AAA batteries)

Devices, power, batteries

  • Garmin edge 530

  • GoPro Hero 3+ (yeah, a bit old!)

  • Motorola Moto g82

  • TwoNav heart rate monitor

  • 2 x gopro extra battery + charger for three batteries

  • 2 x AAA spare battery (duracell)

  • Anker 10000 mah power bank

  • Anker 5000 mah power bank

  • 2 x usb c cable

  • 2 x usb micro b cable

  • TooQ wall charger (2 USB 3.4 A, 17W ports)

Hygiene and meds

  • Forclaz reusable emergency blanket

  • Wet wipes (smallest package I could find)

  • Tissues

  • 4 Ibuprofen pills

  • 3 Diorren dosis (for gastrointestinal trouble)

  • 3 compeed patches

  • Small sunscreen bottle

  • Small travel toothbrush + toothpaste

  • Assos chamois cream (in a small plastic container)

Food

  • Isostar hydrate powertabs (10)

  • 3 x Aptonia salts hydration pack

  • 3 x Victory Endurance bar (banana + white chocolate)

  • 3 x Victory Endurance bar (tropical fruits)

  • 3 x Clif bar (different flavors)

  • 4 x multi-nuts bar

  • 4 x oats + raisins + honey bar

  • 1 package of clif bloks (blueberry flavored energy chews with caffeine)

I also packed the prescription glasses I wear when not on the bike. I never did this before for a Brevet. I always wear my spiuk binomial glasses with the small prescription glasses adapter in them. But I don’t want to find myself without any prescription glasses in the middle of PBP (after a crash, for example).

Helmet and one change of clothes (jersey, bibshort, base layer and socks) is what I’ll wear at the start, while the rest of it will be neatly packed into my three bike bags, like in this picture from the 600 - Especial Galaico Asturiano:

The synapse, fully loaded with everything split among the top tube, frame and saddle bags, ready for the 600 galaico-asturiano a few weeks ago

It may look like a bit too much, I’ve been checking the weather forecast for days now and it seems that chances of rain are very low, with higher temperatures near 30ºC by day and 13-14ºC at night.

BUT, reading the reports from 2019, back then they were expecting lower temperatures at night around 10ºC, and in the end they had more like 3-5ºC.

That’s the reason for the extra long sleeve warm layers and the waterproof shoe covers and cap. I guess I prefer to be on the safe-but-a-bit-heavier side of things here.

Once everything was ready, and after taking that picture, I packed everything on the bags and put them on the synapse, to be sure everything fit. Then I removed the bags from the bike and packed the rest of my things on a couple of travel bags.

Everything is ready, I am ready, time to rest and sleep a bit before the big traveling day tomorrow.