I have added your helpful suggestion to the sticky in the Spanish section on bike hire.
Let us know if they match up to or exceed your expectations, please.
Gear for Spain in September
- Thread starter Comfy Old Boots
- Start date
I have added your helpful suggestion to the sticky in the Spanish section on bike hire.
Let us know if they match up to or exceed your expectations, please.
Good stuff. I’ll do that.
I’m heading out tomorrow to check out my options for jeans and footwear tomorrow.
I expect the roads are generally quiet in these sorts of areas?
I’m heading out tomorrow to check out my options for jeans and footwear tomorrow.
I expect the roads are generally quiet in these sorts of areas?
Spain in September could probably go both ways!
I have done 40C on the plains, but then blizzards and hail at the top of the Picos a few days later. So prep for both extremes. I've almost had heatstroke in Rukka gear, and almost frozen in mesh gear (also Rukka, but not the point)
For this kind of trip and presuming you have heated grips already, I would take a mesh jacket, a rukka/klim down inner liner (or cheap micro down jacket from mountain whorehouse), a lightweight waterproof overshell (Scott/RST etc), a pair of waterproof jeans such as Rukka Revolution (or normal bike jeans and a pair of lightweight waterproof overs) and a pair of merino leggings.
Hopefully you will be riding in the mesh jacket and jeans all the time, but if it gets cold you can add the insulating layers, and if it gets wet you can add the waterproof stuff. The bonus is that everything apart from the main pair of jeans and mesh jacket packs up really small and you can easily go from full hot to to full cold and rainy depending on the weather forecast.
Edited to add: for boots, any decent boot will do. Preferably waterproof. If you have a mesh jacket, you'll never get so hot that your feet will be the things killing you - and even if they smell, you can always wash your socks. If it's cold, then you won't be sorry that you brought good boots. Actually, once you have boots sorted, socks become important. Get a good pair or two of lightweight, merino hiking socks.
For gloves.....and again assuming you have heated grips (potentially very important at the top of the Picos), Rukka Viriums will see you right for all but the hottest of weather. For that, something that flows air like Rukka AFT gloves, but probably again not necessary - sweaty hands won't kill you either. The main point is to keep your core at a decent temperature, extremities are better at fending for themselves.
I have done 40C on the plains, but then blizzards and hail at the top of the Picos a few days later. So prep for both extremes. I've almost had heatstroke in Rukka gear, and almost frozen in mesh gear (also Rukka, but not the point)
For this kind of trip and presuming you have heated grips already, I would take a mesh jacket, a rukka/klim down inner liner (or cheap micro down jacket from mountain whorehouse), a lightweight waterproof overshell (Scott/RST etc), a pair of waterproof jeans such as Rukka Revolution (or normal bike jeans and a pair of lightweight waterproof overs) and a pair of merino leggings.
Hopefully you will be riding in the mesh jacket and jeans all the time, but if it gets cold you can add the insulating layers, and if it gets wet you can add the waterproof stuff. The bonus is that everything apart from the main pair of jeans and mesh jacket packs up really small and you can easily go from full hot to to full cold and rainy depending on the weather forecast.
Edited to add: for boots, any decent boot will do. Preferably waterproof. If you have a mesh jacket, you'll never get so hot that your feet will be the things killing you - and even if they smell, you can always wash your socks. If it's cold, then you won't be sorry that you brought good boots. Actually, once you have boots sorted, socks become important. Get a good pair or two of lightweight, merino hiking socks.
For gloves.....and again assuming you have heated grips (potentially very important at the top of the Picos), Rukka Viriums will see you right for all but the hottest of weather. For that, something that flows air like Rukka AFT gloves, but probably again not necessary - sweaty hands won't kill you either. The main point is to keep your core at a decent temperature, extremities are better at fending for themselves.
daytripper!
Registered user
See below!
daytripper!
Registered user
Am curious about logistics of this. For folks who are flying out, does all the bike gear (for +45C to -5C riding) plus rest of the hol stuff go in a fleet of suitcases at great expense or are you 'wearing' it on the plane (think Michelin man)? In the dim n distant past I remember issues about the likes of RyanAir kicking off about taking your helmet on board (oo'er) as in "it-doesn't-fit-inside-the-Onboard-luggage-test-frame so leave it behind or buy it a seat". Not sure if I'd risk putting my helmet in a suitcase (oo'er x2). Seem to recall we ended up taking a givi top box as Hold lugguage and putting both helmets in that. Also go for a rental bike with racks and panniers. I guess decent m/c hire centres provide helmets tho given C19 variants I think i'd want to give it a good wipe round if it's still warm from the previous user 
I would definitely be giving someone else's helmet a good wipe before using itAm curious about logistics of this. For folks who are flying out, does all the bike gear (for +45C to -5C riding) plus rest of the hol stuff go in a fleet of suitcases at great expense or are you 'wearing' it on the plane (think Michelin man)? In the dim n distant past I remember issues about the likes of RyanAir kicking off about taking your helmet on board (oo'er) as in "it-doesn't-fit-inside-the-Onboard-luggage-test-frame so leave it behind or buy it a seat". Not sure if I'd risk putting my helmet in a suitcase (oo'er x2). Seem to recall we ended up taking a givi top box as Hold lugguage and putting both helmets in that. Also go for a rental bike with racks and panniers. I guess decent m/c hire centres provide helmets tho given C19 variants I think i'd want to give it a good wipe round if it's still warm from the previous user
S20 5G sent this......
If you can leave kit at the holiday destination then I would very, very strongly recommend taking your own helmet. Not just because of the current c19 issues but that no matter how reputable the hire company you have no guarantee as to how their helmets have been treated. Or how old it is. I have taken my helmet to a variety of places around the world and have always taken it on the plane as hand luggage. I have never had a problem fitting it into the overhead locker and the airline staff at the gate cannot stop you taking it onto the aircraft.
Any thoughts lads? thanks.
Checking the weather forecasts the week before you go will give you a better idea of what to wear.
The forecasts may not be 100% reliable, but they'll be better than asking people based in the UK about what the weather in Spain is going to be like in four months time.
Checking the weather forecasts the week before you go will give you a better idea of what to wear.
The forecasts may not be 100% reliable, but they'll be better than asking people based in the UK about what the weather in Spain is going to be like in four months time.
But the Ukgser crowd know EVERYTHING!
I’m picking up a pair of jeans this weekend and I plan on doing some riding here in Ireland. Just going to keep it simple. If my gear isn’t prefect, I’ll know better next tiMe. I plan on wearing everything on the plane. Obviously not the helmet! First time doing a bike journey without my bike!
I have an old street guard suit I might leave over there. Not sure yet! Might just look cool in my jeans and leather jacket. Maybe I’ll bring both!
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