The 1st Torino-Nice Rally, anyone?

[gairym]

Thanks, downloading now.....

[jameso]

Planning?!?

Very little apart from how to get to Turin. After that it'll just be wing it

Have a read through the cues as they're very useful and easily give you an indication of where the next bit of civilisation is. Like Andy says there's something roughly at every 100k to aim for.

Expecting it to be a very different trip to Tuscany.


One thing I would mention is the original route files are very detailed.
Most people will need to convert them over to gpx files and then condense them down to 1000 points per track. My Dakota doesn't like them any bigger and you don't loose any of the detail. Also for those looking for base mapping, the Italy Wonderkarte version covers all of the route.

On the GPS files in general .. I created the routes as GPS Route files in Bikehike, then added elevation with GPS Visualiser. As Gairy mentioned one may have been saved as a Track? I have a set of <500 point converted files that a rider sent to me, let me know if you want those. I've only ever used a Garmin, apologies if the originals aren't ideal for all, tips for next year's routing welcome based on experiences of using these?

As far as supplies planning goes, winging it will be fine. It's to be encouraged even : ) The Via del Sale is the only long section with any risk of going hungry but it's 50 miles max assuming you rode through the last town without stocking up, there's a refuge and small village on the way anyway. There's more supplies points than the cues list, the cues just cover the best/obvious spots. Water points are plentiful too. The cues show a W or S (for Water or Supplies, underlined meaning last for a while) at last-chance points for food or water before a big climb or longer dirt section, but they're cautious cues and I'm sure you could find water more regularly than that - houses, use a filter etc. It's really not a logistically challenging route, it's not intended to be. The GPS even takes you through some towns that could be ridden past, to put pastries and pizza in front of you.

This week I heard of a chap on a 3-day timetable fixed by his flight from Nice .. now that could get a bit more interesting, logistically. I'll admit I've had that in mind as an aim for another time so it'll be interesting to see how he gets on or which route he uses. Suggested the 'Pannier.cc version' with the Cannoni taken out by descending the Vallon D'Elva (opt 1), that would still be a fair ride in the time!

[ZeroDarkBivi]

Finally got round to booking flights (Return, Bristol-Nice) and Turin accom (Tomato Hotel). Still working out what to do with the bike bag in Nice (Airport Left Luggage is very pricey) before riding up to Ventimiglia on Sunday evening and getting the train to Torino on Monday morning.

Before that I need to finish building the bike that is sitting in my garage; Travers Rudy Ti 29er frame with Travers CF Forks, Rohloff Hub (yet to be broken-in), and no idea what rubber to put on the Stans Crest rims. And I probably should look at the map/gps stuff at some point. 5 days to complete before my return flight, so I expect the short-cut options will be utilised.

Almost quite excited!

[jameso]

ZDB, there' a chap in Nice you could leave a bike bag with. PM me and I'll do an email intro so you can arrange if you like. Genuine guy, emergency services worker who's riding the TNR.

[robert]

Hello, I live in Nice too, in case of need don't hesitate to ask me.

For the train to Torino, it's not an issue. With the bike mounted, you must take regional trains, but there are many and it's about 4 and 5 hours long.

The Nice - Vintimille trains all take the bike without problems. Be aware that in Italy you must pay your ticket (they are cheap compared to France), but you have to pay also for the bike, it's 3,50 € for a whole day (24 hours).

[rufus748]

Great, so having booked the flight it wouldn't let me add the bike, I had to ring and do it separately.
Having jut spoken to the airline there is no room for my bike.
Turin to nice on foot anyone?.....

[SixPotBelly]

Great, so having booked the flight it wouldn't let me add the bike, I had to ring and do it separately.
Having jut spoken to the airline there is no room for my bike.

That sucks! Which flight?

[gairym]

Post your bike to the Turin and meet it there?

I'd say post it here and I'll bring it but it's looking like our car is going to be in the garage and so the latest thought is that I'll be heading there on the train now.

[Chew]

Can you get a refund or switch to another airport/flight?

[rufus748]

That sucks! Which flight?

Bristol-Turin Tuesday 10.30

Post your bike to the Turin and meet it there?

I'd say post it here and I'll bring it but it's looking like our car is going to be in the garage and so the latest thought is that I'll be heading there on the train now.

Cheers Gairy, good thought. I'll price it up

Can you get a refund or switch to another airport/flight?

Would cost me €120, only cost £114 for the flight...

[SixPotBelly]

Bristol-Turin Tuesday 10.30

Which carrier is that? I'm thinking it's one to avoid for the future!

[rufus748]

Bristol-Turin Tuesday 10.30

Which carrier is that? I'm thinking it's one to avoid for the future!

Brussels Airline.

Thinking I might just dismantle everything I can from it.
Pack the frame and extras thereby little more than a frame size and the wheels as extra hold luggage.

[Taylor]

Great, so having booked the flight it wouldn't let me add the bike, I had to ring and do it separately.
Having jut spoken to the airline there is no room for my bike.
Turin to nice on foot anyone?.....

That's proper shonky.

[Crazy English]

On the GPS files in general .. I created the routes as GPS Route files in Bikehike, then added elevation with GPS Visualiser. As Gairy mentioned one may have been saved as a Track? I have a set of <500 point converted files that a rider sent to me, let me know if you want those. I've only ever used a Garmin, apologies if the originals aren't ideal for all, tips for next year's routing welcome based on experiences of using these?

Can you send me a copy of those please,

my garmin will have a heart attack if i put the 6k point tracks on it.

[Mugsys_m8]

Hello all, Béné and I are massively looking forward to this. Thanks James! Think the bikes are almost sorted.... Train to Turin booked (we live near Grenoble if we can be of any help to anyone), hostel booked etc.

Can anyone see elevation graphs of the gpx files in Basecamp? I'm just getting ' The current map does not contain any elevation data on the selected route(s)' when I click on the graph tab? The elevation data does seem to be there for each point.

Can't wait!

Cheers

Dan

[rufus748]

That's proper shonky.

.

Of all the words I used that wasn't one of them, haven't heard that for years! Cheers Taylor it's sorted...!

'Adapt and overcome'

Quick visit to Hlafords and collected a kids bike box

By taking off wheels, stem, bars, seatpost etc it fits in, snug but it fits. It comes in under their maximum size bag allowance but over the normal allowance. So to upgrade to excess baggage was €15 whereas a bike was €45.

So thanks to Brussles Airlines I'm €30 in pocket. Na, na, na, na, na !

[Chew]

I love it when things like that happen Andy.

Dan - The datas there. Try bikehike.co.uk to see the height. .....or maybe not, it'll be a nice surprise

[Mugsys_m8]

Cheers, I had a play with that earlier and couldn't get it to upload a gpx file....it seems I did something to it as bikehike now works nicely...
Shame I've just gone through each gpx file and put them back into gpsvisualiser to get a profile! We live and learn! No idea why basecamp is not playing ball though with the graphs.

[Taylor]

I'd have said far worse but the swear filter would have broken.

[jameso]

Sorry, away and missed a couple of points here

Gairy + Justin, I still have patches, just that sending them in time may be a problem now. I can post 1st class on Tues am or bring some to Turin though. Paypal as in the mail about it. Will tot up and get the total over to Smart Shelter at the weekend.

Cyclingtiger, car parking - this in from Sergio just now,

I think the best solution is to park at Caio Mario ground parking that is 1€/day at about 3 km from the downtown.
It has a video surveillance service but better don’t leave any valuable goods on the car.
http://www.gtt.to.it/cms/parcheggi/31-b ... caio-mario (sorry, no english version…)

Otherwise any underground structure is very expensive

look at http://www.gtt.to.it/cms/parcheggi/31-b ... -rotazione (sorry, no english version…)

the nearest is the Valdo Fusi parking
http://www.gtt.to.it/cms/parcheggi/31-b ... -valdofusi

the prices are
working days
8.00 to 20.00 € 1,50/h
20.00 to 8.00 € 0,80/h
holidays
00.00 to 24.00 € 0,80/h

so for a week the cost is about 185€!!!
is best to buy a monthly forfait for 140€ (but is a lot of money!)

The Caselle Airport has some long stay parking but the prices are about 40€/week and they are really not convenient for Turin

Actually the airport isn't bad, easy to get to the centre if you use the 1st route file as a map/route or look up the train info in the last mailout.

Jon, PM me / let me know where you want those 500 pt GPS files? They're the std sections just divided into smaller chunks, ie section 1 becomes 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3.

[cyclingtiger]

Thanks James,

We've plumped for the airport. Not a lot of hassle for the balance of security and cost. Train goes pretty much direct to our hotel too.

[JustinF]

Thanks James re.patches, you have mail.

[jameso]

Cheers Justin, got it. 1 more patch in the 'To Turin' bag. Iron-on with a hot Ti mug base in the square Monday night after a few Peronis?

[Chew]

Iron-on with a hot Ti mug base in the square Monday night after a few Peronis?

Are these iron on patches James?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Is it kind of shiny on the back?