Tools while touring

[delport]

Handy things are a bit of dry bag material to use as a patch when a tyre starts to break (or just buy awesome tyres)
few chain links
cable ties
duct tape
small bottle of chain oil

puncture repair kit
tyre levers
pump

swiss army knife (get the one with sissors if you can) and/or leatherman
multi tool (such as alien II) or set of allen keys and a small adjustable spanner.

disposable latex gloves 20 for £1- are useful things to have, keeps your hands free of oil.

Some one mentioned to me, once you get near Tain [about 100 miles from JOG] there is nowhere to service a bike going north, don't know how true that is but 100 miles without a bike shop can't be good.

 

[rich p]

With regard to the widely held belief that every French town and village has a bike repair shop I have found this to be well wide of the mark. They're few and far between in smaller urban places and even then they're likely to be closed when you want them!

 

[psmiffy]

With regard to the widely held belief that every French town and village has a bike repair shop I have found this to be well wide of the mark. They're few and far between in smaller urban places and even then they're likely to be closed when you want them!

and unless you are in an urban metroplilis or need something very simple they are not very well stocked

 

[andym]

A related question: I was thinking today about replacing cables. at the moment I have ferrules on the the ends of mine, and these need to be cut off to change the cables. I vaguely recall reading a tip that you could use superglue instead of a ferrule. Does anyone do this? does it work?

... but 100 miles without a bike shop can't be good.

Unfortunately, getting away from it all also means being away from bike shops.

Yes if you were really stuck you could hitchhike (not that you'd have the choice) but it's always worth being able to fend for yourself (within reason).

 

[delport]

With regard to the widely held belief that every French town and village has a bike repair shop I have found this to be well wide of the mark. They're few and far between in smaller urban places and even then they're likely to be closed when you want them!

France runs like the UK did in the 1970s, a lot of places simply shut for sundays, and it can be difficult working out where any where is open.

I tend to stock up in France as i don't know when i'll next see an open shop.This is the way i remember the uk throughout the 1970s, the week ended on Friday night, you got overtime for Saturday mornings, and Sunday was a sacred day.

Belgium seems to be the same, i was stuck for water one day, a guy tried to sell me a bottle of water for 5 euros on a sunday.I just kept on cycling, not paying a fiver for a bottle of water.

 

[psmiffy]

Mondays can be quite tricky in France for shops


But on the other hand it is not uncommon to find small butchers open on a Sunday as opposed to Germany where everything except the bread shops is Gechlosenn at mid-day on Saturday until Monday morning

 

[willem]

Just make sure nothing breaks.
Willem

 

[snorri]

Some one mentioned to me, once you get near Tain [about 100 miles from JOG] there is nowhere to service a bike going north, don't know how true that is but 100 miles without a bike shop can't be good.

It's not true.