Contemplating first trip/tour - questions!

[Dave Davenport]

Don't forget the step ladder if you want to see much on the Champs Elysees, unless you're 6' 10".

I've never had a problem getting pegs in, either with a foot or a rock on occasion. Although one time near Nice when we checked into a campsite the women gave us a bucket of 6" nails with a hammer on a chain 'cos the ground was so hard.

 

[Dave Davenport]

And unless you're planning on grapping a spot on the barriers about 7.00am.

 

[samid]

A bugger with the Carradice bags, everyone seems to be out of stock - arghh!

You could try Carradice themselves - not sure about the actual stock but you can buy Camper longflap from them ATM:

http://www.carradice...e&product_id=35

You could give them a call to confirm availability. (Two years ago I bought their bar bag directly from them when it was out of stock elsewhere - worked out fine even with me being in Canada.)

1/ Handlebar bag, I was thinking one would be useful, something like 3 to 6 litres, shower proof, map pocket, 31.8mm bars, suggestions please. I have Tiagra shifters so the cables come out the side of the levers, is this an issue?

One suggestion is Carradice Super C:

http://www.carradice...c-handlebar-bag

It is 11" / 28cm wide - you could check your bike for fit.

2/ Tent peg putter-inner, if the ground is soft'ish I can use a foot, if the ground is hard I don't really want to be carting around a thumping great mallet, any suggestions other than relying on finding a rock? (Just thought, soak the ground then use foot)

Since you asked - I wear old style rather heavy leather fingerless bike gloves and found them to be very handy in pushing the pegs in in most soils, much better than pushing with your foot which in my experience often ends in a bent peg.

Hope some of the above helps.

 

[samid]

Also, unless you're dead bent on black - you can buy a Camper longflap in green from SJS right now:
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/carradic...ebag-green-with-honey-straps-24ltr-prod17845/

 

[chris-s]

If they do have one then that is annoying since I ordered a black one from them only for them to contact me to say they actually didn't have any I'm stock, shame they didn't mention the green one. I feel a phone call coming on in the morning.

Chris