TransAm 2016 - www.transambikerace.com

Have a look at alpine stuff. e.g. the Rab Alpine Lite bivi at 420g

Rab Alpine Lite bivi

£190 / 420g vs. £47 / 155g

#umadbro

Seriously though, why would I choose one over the other?

This low end bag held me back the most

Go high end. This is important. @cliveo said he will pay.

Read the whole sentence though, he's talking about another bag.

"That LaFuma bag was awful. It was wet, it was drafty, and it was overall just shit. This low end bag held me back the most"

@cliveo imaneedyocreditcards

I did read it all, then I ignored the bit that didn't help my case

#internetzyo

Have you figured out what your sleep "strategy" is going to be? Planning on getting hotel rooms etc. or going a bit feral?

If it's 3-4h a night and hotels when you can... probably just get the cheapest, lightest bag possible and put up with being a bit cold and damp when you wake up. Get moving quickly to warm up.

If you're sleeping longer, sleeping outside more or taking a lightweight sleepingbag/quilt, maybe consider something slightly more breathable. It'll keep you and the sleeping bag dryer, which will keep you warmer.

Terra Nova Moonlite is about £100, weights 200g and packs the size of an apple. Made of Pertex something so pretty good at keeping water out but not on the same level as goretex/event (these being great but bulky to pack and relatively heavy between 500-1000g). You can get fancy cuben bivis which are light and breatheable but they're either custom made and pricey or not easily available in the UK.

Ultralightoutdoorgear is quite handy to browse as it lists stuff from light>heavy http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/equipment-c3/tents-shelters-c25/bivi-bags-c41#page1:infscr210 for a general comparison

Ignore 'bothy' bags as they're generally not waterproof.

unleashes flying monkey death squad

No idea. I've toyed with going full on TT bike and hotels but the ability to just lie down when totally wrecked somewhere would be quite useful.

Sexeh... http://borahgear.com/cubenbivy.html

"Most riders will have at a minimum a sleeping bag and bivvy but for Jesse, a super-light down jacket and rain pants/jacket is all the off-bike comfort he’s journeying with it."

But in the video I posted it shows him with a bivvy bag so I'm not sure what they're on about. I might ask him how cold it got. I guess up in the mountains I don't really want to die...

"Sleeping mat - 5mm closed-cell foam mat, cut to size. Super light.
Insulation Layer - HAGLOFS L.I.M Barrier Pro Hood Men's Jacket. Synthetic ultra-light hooded jacket
Beanie - Zpacks Micro-fleece
Bivvy - SOL emergency bivvy"

http://www.curvecycling.com.au/blogs/news/35160261-jesse-carlssons-curve-belgie-disc-and-pack-list-for-trans-am-bike-race

Yeah, the link I posted the other day says he took one of the SOL things. By the looks of things he ended up taking a little (but not much!) more than in the promo video...

hippy in reply to @dst
The weight of your 'high end' argument is crushing me. Please tell me what to do next.

Now imagine the Shiv and a credit card in my pocket for hotels. Sorted. :)

@cliveo 's credit card I assume?

Of course. He's already said he needs to retire before he rides TCR so his credit card is of no use to him until he's ready. Good of him to continue working until retirement to fund my adventures.

#sluminit

https://www.facebook.com/TransAmBikeRace/posts/386220631579136

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDkQ3fcCeDE

Hurry up pay day- 1st Trans Am purchase. Half a sleeping bag!
http://www.rockrun.com/rab-module-top-bag

If Jesse can survive with just this stuff... and I'm definitely carrying more natural insulation...

"5mm closed-cell foam mat, cut to size. Super light."
"SOL emergency bivvy"
http://www.haglofs.com/fi/en/Jackets/L-I-M-BARRIER-PRO-HOOD-MEN/p/602505.2C2#
http://briangreen.net/2013/04/montane-minimus-ultralight-rain-shell.html
http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/wpb_pants.shtml

Is a sleeping bad necessary?

Have you entered then? That's the question.

Nope. I've emailed my expression of interest or whatever but I've not paid the HUGE $40 to enter :P

Stop all the postulating. Put your money where your mouth is! ;)

Prob not- advantage of warm clothing is that you can wear it on the bike if it gets super cold too. But I'm doing the Spine Race in January so do need a bad for that.

How cold is it likely to get during TransAm? I guess the start, at altitude will be the coldest?

If it's cold keep riding or stop in hotel/inside.