Coast to Coast: Gear Guide
- Posted on
- By Aidan Raynor
- Posted in Bikepacking
What to bring on a coast to coast bike packing adventure across the most unpredictable climate? Read all about my set up here:
In this blog, I'll delve into what I brought on my trip, what turned out to be unnecessary but nice to have, and what I would never bring again. For the full story behind my almost coast-to-coast adventure, check out my previous blog. Here, I'll focus solely on the gear.
For this trip, I chose the previous generation Cervélo Aspero in Rose Champagne, as pictured above. I felt this bike was a better option than my Caledonia-5 because it accommodated larger tires and allowed for easier parts replacement. I was running a 2x Shimano GRX 810 groupset with an 11-40 cassette in the rear. Given that it was mechanical, I felt more confident riding through the lower Prairies, where bike shops are few and far between. If Di2 or AXS had failed, I wouldn’t have been left high and dry. Another reason for choosing this bike was that I didn’t need racks. I was packing relatively light, and bikepacking has advanced so much that you can strap almost anything to your bike without any jury-rigging.
My dad rode a steel Stinner Refugio equipped with Shimano Ultegra Di2, which only needed charging once throughout the trip. He had no issues at all. His Stinner was fitted with large custom front and rear bags from Wax Wing in Vermont and a pair of Velo Orange fenders. In the end, his choice of bike proved to be superior. The round-tubed steel bike with fender mounts was better suited for the trip than the Aspero, which, though extremely stiff, was tolerable for me due to its age. However, this stiffness might be a consideration for others.
One thing that could have significantly improved the outcome of the adventure—especially given the details in the trip story—would have been aero bars. I believe they would have made a world of difference. After a few days, my dad's hands began to go numb from the constant road vibrations. Although I was fine, I would have appreciated aero bars. Anyone planning a long trip with consecutive 10-hour-plus days should consider adding aero bars.
My proudest tech choice for the trip was the 40c Vittoria e-Randonneurs. Tires were the last decision made just before departure, and they turned out to be the best choice. Both my dad and I used Vittoria Randonneurs and, between us, we had only one flat over nearly 7,000 kilometers. They're not the fastest-rolling or lightest, but they are incredibly robust—literally bulletproof. By the end of the trip, I could have ridden them back and forth twice more and they would still have lasted. I give them a 10/10 if you want to avoid flats entirely.
For bags, I used the Specialized Fjällräven collaboration bags on the front and rear, along with a Restrap frame bag. These were fantastic, especially the outpost bag. The Specialized Fjällräven outpost bag impressed me with its metal mounting points to the seat and the aluminum jaws that secured the dry sack. I used the Specialized 16L ‘dry’ bag, but it was more of a bag than truly waterproof. Despite heavy rain, the contents got wet, so I ended up placing essential dry items in the center of the pack or in plastic bags. For such extreme weather, it's nearly impossible to keep everything 100% dry—expect that your belongings will get wet and bring extra plastic bags. The Specialized Fjällräven box bag worked well for my camera during downpours. However, if you’re not carrying a large camera, consider either having a bag custom-made to your needs or opting for something more versatile like the Restrap Large Bar Bag.
Another tip for packing is to ensure that your bags don’t require an exact arrangement to fit properly on your bike. When it’s 5 a.m. and you’re packing up, make it easy on yourself. You should be able to throw your gear in and then cinch it down.
For clothing and equipment, I had:
- 2x Attaquer jerseys
- 2x Attaquer shorts
- Arm warmers
- Attaquer vest
- 2x socks + 1 pair of non-riding socks
- Sweater
- Super harsh weather rain jacket
- Running shorts
- Super light hiking pants
- T-shirt
- Neck warmer (didn’t use but glad I had)
- Toque (didn’t use but glad I had)
- Light ski gloves
- Dishwashing gloves (not initially packed but very useful for 4-degree freezing rain)
- Cycling cap
- S-Works Prevail helmet
- Oakley Sutro Sweeps sunglasses
- S-Works Recon shoes (most comfortable shoes ever)
For sleeping, I brought a sleeping bivy and an emergency blanket for emergencies. We didn’t end up needing to sleep outside because motels were available in every town we stopped at. Given the distances we covered, it would have been time-consuming to set up and take down camp, so we opted not to use our camping gear.
Overall, the gear setup was nearly perfect. There were only minor adjustments needed for the bags, but otherwise, everything went according to plan.
If you’ve got a big trip coming up, swing by the shop! We’d love to help you get ready for your next big adventure!