End to End 2004 - Bikes and Bits

Bob Jackson " End to End"

Frame: Bob Jackson, "Audax" End to End. 531c

Wheels: Specialized Hubs, Mavic MA2 Argent rims.

Chainset: Shimano RSX 52/42/32

Gears: Shimano, 105 front, Deore rear. Sora 7 spd.

Saddle: Brooks Proffesional.

Tyres: Panaracer Pasela - 700c x 28mm

Pedals: FPD - double sided SPD)Shimano compat.

Rack: Topeak.

Bags: Carradice saddlebag. Altura Orkney 34 panniers

TREK 4400 Alpha - Aluminium ATB:

Wheels: Matrix 750 rims.

Chainset: Bontrager

Forks: RST

Gears: Shimano, Alivio - 7 speed..

Saddle: G12

Tyres: Schwalbe - City Jet

Pedals: Wellgo, SS conventional pedals with plastictoeclips.

Rack: Nimrod.

Bags: Karrimor Cabriolet 3 - pannier set.

SONY Cybershot DSC -70. 3.2Mpix, 3x Optical.

SONY Cybershot DSC -F 828. 8Mpix 7x Optical

SONY Cybershot DSC - U30. 2Mpix, Fixed Lens - no zoom.

CAMERAS:

SONY CYBERSHOT - DSC-U30
Miniature Camera - 2Mpix - fixed lens.
A great little camera for "Point and Shoot" Ideal for carrying in back pocket for those moments that pass quickly. Needs good light to work well, - Battery life not brilliant - 2 x AAA

SONY CYBERSHOT - DSC-S70
Compact camera - 3Mpix - 3 (10)x Zoom
An ageing and well used old friend, which still takes some remarkably good pictures, although extremely slowly. Very good at night shots! Long life InfoLithium Battery

SONY CYBERSHOT - DSC-F828
Big Brother! - 8Mpix - 7x Optical lens with 2Gb Microdrive.
Much faster, and a good optical zoom lens. Heavyto carry on the bike but robust for touring. Good on Auto, - quite fiddly on manual, and like all digi cameras it can still get confused! Superb InfoLithium Battery life

Spares and tools:

Cool Tools: TOPEAK Alien II

Multi tool: GERBER Sports - plier/cutter/driver/file etc.

Cables: Gear Inner Wire x 2 , Brake Inner wire x 2

Tools: Chainset extractor, Chain Tool, Bottom Bracket tool, 8mm key

Tyres: Spare 700c x 25 rolled, Spare Schwalbe City Jet rolled.

Tubes: 3 spare tubes 700x25, 2 spare 700x32. 2 repair kits.

Misc: Insulation Tape, Gaffer Tape, Cable ties, wire, Superglue.

Misc: Canvas repair ( Old tub), 4mm/5mm nuts/bolts.

Lube: Mini spray can - WD-40. Small light oil dropper. Vaseline.

Locks: Plastic coated - wire Combination lock..

Most of this stuff we dind't need! NO punctures! One creaky crank had to be tightened, we lost a mounting bolt on Ben's pannier rack. WD-40 was useful after the Carlisle thunder storms. Biggest "fettle" was sorting out Ben's gears after the crash as Todmorden.
Front lamp bracket sheered off on the Bob Jackson after 500 miles, and had to carry the bits in the bag.

Maps/guides: Bridges/Ferries

Most of the route was planned on the OS Travelmaster 1:100000 maps. For the more detailed bits we used and carried some OS 1:50000 Landranger maps. Rather than carry loads of maps we managed to do the whole route on 10 laminated A4 sheets at 1:100000, which was good for most rural parts. We posted back some of the OS maps on route to save weight. Some of the measured distances varied wildly to the actual travel. Since the ride we've bought multi-mao, should be a bit more accurate.

Ferries: The Loch Lomond ferries were looked up on the Internet, and we took numbers with us and rang the for times a couple of days before we got there.

Bridges: We didn't cross the bridge (A74) into Carlisle as it's unclear whether you can cycle on this road or not! The signs at Gretna say A74M, which indicates that youi can't but the map show the road in Green which indicates an A road so you can. Anyway we went around via Longtown and used the A7.
Severn Bridge is fairly easy and well signed from Chepstow. The cycle route through Avonmouth is not well signed, and finding the Avonmouth ( M5) Bridge cycletrack can be fun. You need to ride up a road marked as a dead end, or negotiate some large fast roundabouts on the the A4 Portway, and look for a sign to a ramp on the right. Signage is as bad as it was 18 years ago!

First Aid/ Medical

We carried a small plastic box full of the following mediacl/first aid products. Luckily the only thing we used the was the support bandage when Ben hurt his wrist on the fall at Todmoreden., and the sting cream when Ben got stung on the neck in Wales.

Paracetamol Tablets.

Sting relief pen.

Rennies Digestif tablets.

Support bandage & Triangular bandage.

Talcum Powder. Vaseline. Sudocreme ( in small film canisters.)

Imodium sachets.

Water sterilising tablets.

Sticking plasters.

Savlon cream.

Antiseptic wipes.

Sun stick - in addittion to normal suncream we bought a FACTOR 40 sun block stick at Tesco - ideal for stopping noses and ears getting scorched.