Jim, we've bought boxes at Nice airport before, they can be booked in advance for ~20E but are a bit thin and you need to get there quite early to pack the bike etc. There's bike shops around Nice that are happy to let you help remove thier carboard waste, that's what we did last year. Ride to the shop, pack bikes, make coffee and/or buy some stuff then get a cab to the airport.
There's also a few riders in Nice who may be able to help with box/bag storage for those that need it but ride times etc may make that a better option for those with a looser schedule and it's not ideal if you arrive at Turin. For a Turin arrival flight I'd use a disposable box and pick a new one up in Nice, it's worked ok for the 3 trips I've done that have finished there.

I think there will be a fair number of people in the 7 day social club.
It's a holiday after all and with the climbing and altitude to contend with 100k a day for a week will be plenty.

I'd prepare to ride bits on your own, but I'd imagine a few informal groups forming along the way.


PS.. Can we keep the spoilers to a minimum?
Part of the adventure is not knowing what's around the corner

Thanks James / Chew,

Looks like I can wing it for a bike box in the way back then.

Looking forward to the seven day social club!

Now I just need to source / build a more appropriate bike than my Cotic Soul 26" by September...

Hi all, first post, first adventure, first cols...
so much to do, so very very excited :)

gentjim wrote:Thanks James / Chew,

Looks like I can wing it for a bike box in the way back then.

Looking forward to the seven day social club!

Now I just need to source / build a more appropriate bike than my Cotic Soul 26" by September...

I did my first 'epic'* trip on my trusty Soul.

*subject to personal opinion.

Nowt wrong with a Soul for bikepacking duties*!

*also nowt wrong with replacing your bike if you feel like it

A Soul or similar would be fine, 100s of RTW tourers can't be wrong on 26". Jumpers for goalposts etc coming up .. as I took a digi pic of this old pic only yesterday - my first week-plus long ride in the alps was on my old Rocky Mountain Blizzard with the Z3s locked out and 1.5" slicks fitted. Bar bag and seapost rackpack. It was great, not about the bike or kit at all. Came hurtling down Alpe d'Huez in a storm and was glad I hadn't bothered to get a road bike built for the trip

Haha. Yes, I still v much love my Soul, don't get me wrong, and it's been my bikepacking mount for ages. But the rollover angle on properly nobbly stuff has slightly started to bug me. Not a lot, but a little.
But it's mainly that I rode three days mainly on- but also off-road the other weekend on my road bike, with 25mm tires and bikepacking luggage (probably ill-advisedly, and only because the Soul was temporarily out of action), and the difference in speed vs effort was noticeable. So I'm now thinking of building up a Singular Gryphon to have something that "goes anywhere" still, but a little more nippily than my 26"er.
Will be keeping the Cotic both for fun and bikepacking duties. Unless the Gryphon really delights...

I might be up for this. With lieu time accumulated at work I seem to have shed loads of holiday this year, enough that I'll have a couple of weeks to use around this time of year. One week on the ride and a week to get home?

Starting to delve into the planning, wild camping some if not all of the nights is prefered option so kit list is coming along accordingly.
With the temperature differential valley to peak and the option to descend for optimal bivvy/tenting, what are people's thoughts on sleeping bags? A 10c comfy 5C minimum 2 season, or pay the weight penalty and go 3 season, bearing in mind the refugi bail out option.

JustinF wrote: what are people's thoughts on sleeping bags? A 10c comfy 5C minimum 2 season, or pay the weight penalty and go 3 season, bearing in mind the refugi bail out option.

Thinking down quilt and down jacket if needed. If I get to cold i'll find someone / something to cuddle up to.

It seems the European Road Championships happen to be in Nice, Sept 14th-18th, route is from Monaco to Nice and a loop up and around 'Eze.
Being a bit of a petrolhead a Monaco diversion was already on the cards, might have to stitch the Championship route in for the last day.
The Euro's are usually an U23 affair but this year they are doing full Elite status with some big names apparently signed up Nibali Contador etc, just might have to extend my holiday...

Anyone use Twitter?

https://twitter.com/TorinoNiceRally
#TorinoNice

A better outlet or link-up for related stuff that's not really 'update' content for the site.

Also, rally patches due as a minor fund-raiser for a good cause I think we can all relate to - more here http://torino-nice.weebly.com/updates.html

It seems the European Road Championships happen to be in Nice, Sept 14th-18th, route is from Monaco to Nice and a loop up and around 'Eze.

Good spot there Justin, wasn't aware of that .. I may do the same. Cheers. Both routes use the Col Eze so I'll map out a good diversion option nearby, in case anyone's at that point on the 16-18thth when the Col Eze is in use. Top straggler-points to anyone that is .. bonus of being able to have a beer watching the pros before finishing on the beach.

So,bivvy rules in them there areas?
Is wild camping/pitching up at the side of a trail :-
1/ Ok ..
2/ get up and out before the locals come and chase you..
3/" Off moi land".

Done a fair bit of motorbike touring in parts of Europe and when we had to stop in between camping sites, never got chased,not done any bivvying though.
Thanks

Tayside wrote:So,bivvy rules in them there areas?
Is wild camping/pitching up at the side of a trail :-
1/ Ok ..
2/ get up and out before the locals come and chase you..
3/" Off moi land".

Answer 1/. with Rule #1 also. Technically I think wild camping is illegal in France (?) but after many nights sleeping trail or road-side there I'd say it's fine, just be sensible and discreet, eg a spot needing you to climb over fences or walls are off-limit, etc. See Oregon Outback story link in the 'Bikepacking Crikey, how much-style' thread for how not to do it : )

James,

Looking at booking flights etc..

Any indication of when draft routes may be available?

You looking at flying from Manchester Chew?

Chew, there's a map jpg on the updates page, the 700km along / 20km up and 30% 'gravel' type dirt road is a pretty good guide for time aims and it can be a chunk less. Do you need something more detailed for planning? Route info was planned to go out later in June but it could be early July. I'm wary of starting to send out the route info too early ie before I'm happy it's all 100%, but let me know if something more general can help. I think the alternates can make up to a +/- 2 day time difference at average pace, from using all the short routes to taking the longer / extra bits. If you were running late you could get to Nice airport from Col Turini in maybe under 4 hours. 45 miles, gradual downhill mostly with a climb from Menton to avoid the Monaco tunnels (edit, or via Col Braus D2204 which is on-route, works out 45 miles from Col Turini to airport also)

Thanks James.
I'm in no rush for the trip and want to take in as many of the options as possible.

Roughly how many km and meters of climbing do you expect if people wanted to complete everything?

Just trying to plan how much time I need to do everything at a relaxed pace, but not twiddle my thumbs too much.

Just over 700km and about 30.. ahem .. ,000m* if you do the full route inc the higher version of the Izoard, but not inc the Molini pool optional out and back (~1000m down then back up, ). The other alternates don't change the distance much, just make a climb a bit more easy or change an off-road section to on-road.

*Just merged them all together to check. Here's a profile -



It doesn't feel quite that hilly .. add up the individual climbs-proper, the 15 main spikes on that profile and you have about 15,000m. Does explain why I thought originally that 3 days would be impressive pace.

Only 30,000m alt. gain?



Think I'll be doing the easier (less daft hard) version as 20km is more than plenty for me.

Better get myself into some semblance of form.....

Bearbonesnorm wrote:You looking at flying from Manchester Chew?

Yes. Looks like you can fly out to Milan (train/ride to Turin) and then back out of Nice without any issues.

I'll have a proper look this weekend.

30,000m of climbing

Thanks for the update James. I've two weeks booked off so plenty to fill the time

I've two weeks booked off so plenty to fill the time

I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking that taking a fortnight over this would be the most fun way to do it! Unfortunately my riding companions will have flights to make but will let them ride on ahead if their daily targets get in the way of enjoying the trip. Too much scenery to soak in to rush :)

I swear the expresso and pasta diet made it feel far more manageable than GPS makes it look/sound : )

Looking at this jpg route map it's easy to see a couple of zig-zags that can be cut-off, the route files include where they are and GPS files to follow. I'll upload the route onto Komoot.de as that's a great site to look at alternates and links on, a route viewer with drag to adjust that also suggests options. Cool site. I loaded up the full route as a try-out and it brings up off-road or tarmac alternates, displays the road/dirt mix as % etc so it's good for planning your own cut-offs if needed. Or extensions : )

As a bonus climb-saver, you could look up the SP32 between Germangnano and Forno to the west, just 20km / ~500m and it cuts out all of that first spike on the profile. Get a head-start and heckle the faster riders as they come past that evening then settle into the really great climb and dirt section coming up after that.

I've booked my flights. Can't wait!