Torino - Nice Rally

Very early planning for 2018 TNR here - those who have ridden it previously, what was the sleeping setup like?

I'm currently considering summer sleeping bag with bivvy as backup extra. I'm guessing it very much depends whether you plan to sleep high or low. Could anyone share experiences?

I'm guessing it very much depends whether you plan to sleep high or low

This is right - i had tent, insulated ground mat and a thin quilt sleeping (bag) rated to not much less then 10* - at altitude (for example one night sleeping outside sestriere) it was very cold indeed - too cold to sleep properly - locals were even suggesting not wild camping as temperature gets down to near freezing that high up. Plainly it is fine to camp out but you had best be prepared. Also don't forget that you will probably be tired, hungry, maybe having got too much sun during the day...all reasons your body we be less able to cope with the cold.

my advice is be well prepared to sleep out in anything down to 0*

. because my quilt wasn't that warm i tried to sleep as low as possible which affected distances i could travel during the day and route choices etc - also missed out of some amazing bivy spots.
its always best to be prepared generally as a simple mechanical could mean you are stuck at night in the rain over 2000 m with temperatures getting close to freezing.
I think the best setup would be bag rated to 0*, insulated ground mat, bivy bag and tarp.

Sounds like people need to read the sleeping bag thread on here . It looks like a great adventure .

Did have a read, and am lining up @hippy PhD minimus, but wanted to get a feel for others experiences.

That's great, thanks! Currently looking PHD minimus which is rated at 5* with bivvy then insulated ground mat and likely a liner. I think I'd rather the liner over warmer bag to increase flexibility with sleeping high/low and ability to spread weight and packing across bags if needed.

Hadn't factored in tarp, assuming it being dry, but like you say, don't want to be fought out on a wet night.

i recon that set up would be fine - i wouldn't assume anything re weather - last year weather was nice throughout - this year it rained quite a lot - in the mountains anything can happen.

Cheers for the thoughts. Time to try and get some gear!

Alpkit end of line clearance mega cheap sale is still on !

5* might not be enough, 0* might be too little as well! Having multiple layers is the way to go imho, like a bivvy, a liner or in the simplest form an emergency blanket, cheap, tiny and light.

Close to booking tickets. Can't decide on departure from Nice or Turin though. I'd prefer to fly out of Turin for practical reasons. Possibility to store the bikebag and other stuff during the ride. How picturesque is the last stretch from around Borgo san dalmasso / Cuneo, to Nice? That's where i'd be turning around towards turin again.

Very picturesque I am afraid, especially the Via del Sale that starts after the col di Tende, very nice stretch the stretch before La Brigue as well, and the gorges in France before getting to Sospel and then again down to Sainte-Agnes.

If you really want to cut it short, you could ride from Sospel to Ventimiglia and then take a train back to Turin.

Whatever you decide, do not cut out the Via Del Sale.

I've just booked flights to ride this route in May. I have two bikes that would work but can't decide , Genesis Datum with 38 mm cross tyres and ultegra or Surly Krampus with Carbon fork ,2inch small block and 1x11 ? The Krampus is heavier but it will be more comfortable whereas the genesis is lighter and faster but I'm a bit concerned about putting a carbon frame in the hold of a plane . Cheers

Fat tyres with for the fun!

I'd go with the Krampus, yes there will be sections where you will want a sleeker roadie ride, like the Izoard or Agnello, but that would make all the strada far less fun (especially in the uncertainly wet conditions of May - snow melting and all that)

Plus you'll have a bikepacking setup anyway, just accept that this is about having the most fun, not smashing any time on Strava.

That should also sort your carbon frame vs plane doubt.

I had a PHD setup for TNR last year.

Light bag, light jacket, light trousers and light booties. Only one night (at the bottom of Izoard) did I wear the trousers. It was about -2 that night I'd say. Used the Alpkit bivy every night.
Also had a little tarp which I used a couple of nights. The wettest night we were lucky enough to find a shelter to sleep under.

Personally if I were to ride in this area again (and I do) I would travel lighter, and stay at refuges or bnbs etc. The wild camping is nice but because you're generally in the valleys it's not that "wild" so you're just trying to get far enough out of villages to find a place to camp where you wont be disturbed. It would also allow for more riding per day if you carry less kit. I've mapped out a 5 day (but of course it could be ridden slower) trip which loops from Turin to Mondovi, which would then be a 1.5hr direct train back to Turin.
Also means you can avoid the logistical problems of a point to point ride with a flight at each end AND you get to avoid Nice. Which is a plastic shithole full of the rich.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26672790

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26672859

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26673975

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26674080

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26674146

Yeah this is my line of thinking too .

Have you ever ridden this area at that time of year ? , i was thinking most of the snow would've cleared by May.

No, we've done it last year in July and it was already dusty dry.

It depends of what kind of winter is going on up ther and how the spring will be. There is definitely a chance some of the segments will be muddy, I am thinking Colombardo and probably the second part of Finestre, which aren't really exposed entirely might retain some more water.

Again, if you're taking the Surly you should be fine with some knobs on your tyres.

I need to see pictures and hear about this ride, I really want to ride it early season to see the snowy roads like the Giro. May will be adventurous on the high stradas. Best of luck, it'll be amazing.

I will make sure to take lots of photos , my hope is that we get a few beautiful snowy alpine vistas but don't freeze to death.

I need to see pictures and hear about this ride

From last year -

Hey thanks, I've seen it a few times in summer/autumn but not May or early June. Someone will pioneer it packing snowshoes soon. First year there was a foot or more of snow on the Agnel a week or 10 days after we'd ridden over.

Obviously its going to vary season to season but what time of year did you ride ?

First in July 2015, then Sept 2016 and 2017 (I planned the route and set up the ride - hi everyone, good thread..). I've ridden on road in the Alps in late May / early June when some of the 2000m+ passes have been shut still, eg Galibier shut and the Bonette had walls of snow either side of the road above ~2500m, so the high stradas further north and smaller roads eg off the top of the Sampeyre might be interesting early in the season.

Thanks for this , my thinking at the moment is to keep a close eye on the weather and to have alternate lower routes if some of the higher passes are closed. I'm going with my brother and we will both be on more off road focused bikes so hopefully variable conditions shouldn't prove to much of an issue. Average temperature in Piedmont in may is about 20 degrees day and 10 degrees at night at lower altitude so should be nice for bivvying.

There are so many good VTT routes and roads lower down. If you need to use a col to get from valley to valley, most of the major cols under 2000m are open late May. They do tend to be accessed via the busier valley roads but they often have smaller side roads and tracks that can be linked up. Winging it with a good map has got us onto some stunningly good MTB trails in the past.

Heh, I did wonder if that was you. You designed the Pinnacle Arkose too right?