LEL 2017 / London - Edinburgh - London Audax

Played around with packing, the burning question is now to bar-or-saddlebag or not. That would give me an extra pair of shorts and a down gilet and some off the bike shorts too. And I could fit in the long sleeve merinos which would relieve a bit the frame bag. Hmm.

Moffat your historic odds of rain are just less than even, Eskdalemuir you'll more likely than not see rain. We'll get showers up and down but it looks manageable.

The last time I rode past Moffat (on a 600) I had rain for 20 hours. It became the new normal.

I'd say take the gear that you need for the conditions. Gains from carrying less are tiny, losses from not having dry / warm clothes are much bigger!

I'm finding I could pack everything without bag drops if I didn't need tools and spares, and obviously I need tools and spares. I'm debating whether to leave my warm clothes at the first drop so I can make a call about whether I need them on Monday, which seems the coldest day...

I'm carrying most of what I need kit wise due to choosing rubbish locations for my drop bags (i.e. where I won't be stopping to sleep). They will have few spare tubes and caps, socks etc. I will use them to dump stuff I no longer need on the way back I think.

This seems like really good advice, drop bags are all well and good but it would be really annoying knowing something you need/want is in a bag 1 day away!

It doesn't really matter - clean shorts are clean shorts - they'll be just as welcome at lunchtime as first thing in the morning.

Of course, but in terms of time I would rather shower and change where I sleep, my planned stops at other controls are minimal.

Fair enough. I've done it three different ways:
1) bag drops with clean clothes at 350km-ish intervals on LEL that didn't necessarily coincide with my sleep stops
2) carrying everything in a monster saddlebag for a 1300km DIY
3) not changing shorts at all on PBP

I'd do 1) again if I had the choice.

Who else has gone to registration by bike and got drenched? I guess it sets you in the right mood...

First thing was lovely :)

I drove, plenty of time to ride in rain next week

I think I saw you on the way back, just on the approach to Epping Forest - bad luck mate. I was incredibly lazy and got a lift...

Aha, getting there in another way than riding is fair enough, I think it was more a case of me being stupid than you being lazy :)

Not sure how I'll sleep tonight with all that rain still banging on the window though!

Car packed ready for drive up to Moffat. Have chucked a welder in just in case (no argon but I'm sure I'll be able to grab a rental free if needed) and a full complement of tools. Also got laptop for emergency garmin dramas.

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No bag drop for me.

Let do it!

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The bike looks wonderful, Ed. Have a great ride!

Big up the Indian cru Matt! 🙌

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Good luck all, have a blast

Nice!

Glad you lot didn't have to start last night. Have a great ride!

Cracking soup at st Ives

Good luck LFGSSLEL'ers!

Even scobs