Wanted: Tents, panniers, spares for 900 mile Charity Ride

Hi guys,

So this is a bit of a beg/steal/borrow/pay very little but several of us are riding from Birmingham to Berlin in August for Cancer Research UK. We're only stopping at places beginning with B in memory of loved ones/our own experiences so the total journey length will be 900 miles! You can find out more here: www.brumtoberlin.com

Unfortunately, I'm now self employed as a cycle instructor and have been told today by the council that my very first invoices (from months ago!) will not even be processed for another four weeks meaning I'm really tight on budget for the equipment I was planning to buy this month. Therefore I'm asking for donations or loans of bits and pieces people can spare such as panniers, light-weight tents, racks, cooking equipment, parts to finish my tourer, etc. Think of it as a charitable freecycle! Hopefully I can repay the favour somehow in the future.

We're based in Brum but a few of us are riding down to London tomorrow and a bigger group of us will be next weekend so can grab stuff then. Sorry if this is in the wrong place or seems quite cheeky...it's mainly aimed at forumengers I know. Appreciate your time anyway.

Thankyou
Jess x

ps. If any ladies have any jerseys/shorts going spare for £££ let me know! Rapha flaked on sponsorship at last minute or I would have forward planned! :(

I have a rear rack you can have. It doesn't have any of the mountings though.

What parts do you need?

Thanks Joni. We deffo need three racks and three sets of panniers.

I still need to buy/find a seatpost (just trying to get an accurate flipping measure of the size), gear changers, 8/9 speed cassette, tyres, chain, rim and bar tape!

er... ya wanna keep those shorts if they suit?

Jess, send me your address so I can post the freebie to your place of resident.

^^ No way Hoefla, I'll drop you some money for them! They were on my list of stuffs to buy anyway. Too generous by far.

Yes Ed, Place of resident on it's way.

well, they were sample sale stuffs so not much. I can't believe they fit cos you're tinier than me... but if you want them, keep them. sort something next time you're in town.

Tiny body with silly big legs is why! Very kind of you lady. Will deffo sort you out with something nice.

Nice website. What bike are you going to be using? Not the Steamroller I assume.

I have a pair of 36 litre Altura panniers which I might be interested in selling/loaning. Only thing is I was planning to go riding around Germany in August too. They're these ones:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/altura/arran-36-panniers-ec008436

Did me well for Oxford to Paris.

aha, no Steamroller Chris :( I did consider doing it fixed but have too much to carry. Am building up an old Giant road frame at the minute.

Cheers for the offer but don't worry. Maybe our paths will cross!

Looking for lightweight 2-3 man tent, think 2 layers will be better but beggars can't be choosers...

I have a rear rack you can have on a summer-long loan. Not sure I have all the bolts but they are just standard ones.

It's good if you have a tent which you can fit the bikes in the porch area of. We slept 3 guys in a 2 man tent, with our bags, and then took the front wheels off the bikes and put them in last. Was quite squashed and impossible to get out to piss, but saved them from getting wet or stolen.

And you have probably done your research and know all this, but only take the bare essentials. Don't want to be riding 900 miles with the extra weight of stuff you're not going to use.

Might be a bit late but thousands of people leave their tents at Glastonbury rather than pack them up. Pretty shit behaviour if you ask me. I think they send them to charities, but they may have some spare. I imagine the same thing happens at Reading and some of the smaller festivals, so they may let you go along and pick up some camping bits and pieces in the name of charidee?

MG, if it comes to it then i can get you a whole load of camping gear from latitude, you wouldn't believe some of the stuff people leave. my mate threw up all over his bed and his sleeping bag on the night of the crew party so we went and found him a double camping bed and a sleeping bag still in it's plastic among a shitload of other stuff.

^this, pick a festival and you'll get loads of stuff.

I have some panniers which have been out on a long loan, but I'll be getting them back next week. Yours if you want them.

Ah the festival thing is a good call! Unfortunately I'm not going to any...

Thanks for all the offers guys, didn't expect a big response so this is great! I'll sit down and figure out exactly who needs what tomorrow and get in touch with you(s). Don't want to take things from people we won't use. X

Just remembered I have a small 1 skin tent you can have. Not the warmest but would be better than nowt.

I have a 1.5kg trekking tent you can borrow. A mini cooker/burne & gas cannister.

jess - i have a small tent if it's of any use. holds 2 ppl with no stuff or 1 person + stuff. also have a pair of ortlieb rear panniers, but i'd have to have a rummage and see if they're here or at my folks'

edit: moved on request. haven't had that rummage yet

PMd/ Also have one 2pax festival tent which i would happily give to your cause.

Okay so far that would be:

tents
small skin tent - Wicksie
2pax festival tent - Jacqui
small tent - OLC
1.5kg trekking tent - harrong

panniers
1 x pair(?) - spybot
1 x pair - OLC
2 x pairs - Jacqui
1 x pannier (?) - Shinigami

racks
1 x rack - wiganwill
1 x rack - Wicksie
1 x rack - edscoble
1 x rack - OLC

Thanks for your kindness everybody!

I have a pannier (similar to the one you won at the alleycat) but no rack for it.

@tibbs, the panier at the alley cat? would that be the nocturne one? ie the tweed run one?

yep