Bikes of Trans Pyrenees Race 2024

Rob Hyde

Age: 46

Cap number: 82

Location: London, UK

Bike: Mason Bokeh. All the usual stuff, plus Absolute Black 46-30 chainrings with a 34t cassette for climbing, and an Arkane Dyanmo wheelset with 32mm tyres for the inevitable mountain groads.

Key items of kit: A bell and red rear reflector off my daughter's bike to comply with the race regs, and climbing sandals so I can enjoy a nice walk with my bike.

David Sanchez

Age: 30

Cap number: 22

Location: Lausanne, Switzerland

Bike: Ricca road steel frame, GRX crankset – 2x12-speed with 48/31T chainrings paired with an 11-36T cassette, Ultegra Di2 derailleurs and brakes. Hunt front wheel with a SON dynamo hub, DT Swiss rear wheel, 32mm Continental GP5000 TL-ready tires, Spirgrips, and a Brooks C15 saddle for comfort.

Key items of kit: A classic mix of owned and borrowed Apidura bags, equipped with a Garmin Edge 830 and an eTrex 30x for backup navigation. A Sinewave Beacon is paired with a Supernova rear light for visibility. Sleeping gear includes a Sea to Summit Ultralight air mat, SOL Escape Lite bivy, and an inflatable pillow. Reversible pedals, since you're still deciding between racing or fast touring mode.

Christian Dupraz

Age: 47

Cap number: 37

Location: Berne, Switzerland

Bike: Bike by Röbi Stolz, steel frame with homemade wheels, GP5000 tires in 28mm/30mm, SRAM Force 2x10-speed drivetrain with 48/33 chainrings and an 11-36 cassette, rim brakes, and a Brooks saddle.

Key items of kit: Old eTrex 20 for navigation, traditional sleeping kit including Exped BivyPoncho, non-dynamo lights.

Jon Light

Age: 54

Location: Ireland

Bike: Canyon Ultimate CFX SL, carbon frame, Shimano Dura-Ace drivetrain with 11-34 cassette, and 28mm Continental tires.

Key items of kit: Ortlieb frame and saddle bags, Cateye Amp/Volt rechargeable lights, Sea to Summit sleeping bag and mattress.

Ben Chuilon

Age: 44

Cap number: 18

Location: Oxford, UK

Bike: Cinelli Zydeco 2020, Hunt 35 Carbon Aero Wheelset, Goodyear 32mm Eagle F1 tubeless tyres, Campagnolo Centaur 10 speed groupset with Shimano GRX 48/31T crankset & 13/32T cassette, TRP Spyre mechanical disc brakes.

Key items of kit: Restrap full frame bag (small), Restrap race saddle bag (7L), Restrap top tube bag (1.5L), Rapha handlebar bag, Restrap hike-a-bike harness, Paragon Machine Works 2h2o stem water bottle mount, Alpkit Hunka bivvy bag, Thermarest Hyperion 32 UL down sleeping bag, 2x MagicShine RN1200 front lights, 2x Cateye Viz150 rear lights, powerbanks (40'000 mAh total).

Maksim Kehayov

Age: 31

Cap number: 089

Location: Bulgaria

Bike: Canyon Endurace CF8 (2022), size M, Shimano Ultegra R8020 mechanical groupset, 50/34 chainrings paired with an 11-34 cassette, DT Swiss E1800 wheels, Continental GP4000 (32mm width).

Key items of kit: Revelate Designs Spinelock 10L seat bag, Tailfin 2.3L frame bag, Tailfin 1.7L downtube pack, Garmin Varia, and reflective stickers for extra safety, along with a JBL GO 4 Bluetooth speaker for extra fun.

Stefan Van Gijsel

Age: 51

Cap number: 076

Location: Kallo, Belgium

Bike: Time ADHX, Beast Components seat post, handlebar and wheels. Sram Red AXS 48-35 in front and (experimental) 10-44 in te rear on a XPLR rear derailleur. Tailfin bags throughout with mini side panniers for weight distribution (rather than more stuff). Pirelli Cinturato Velo 35-622 tires with reflective sidewall. Son hub dynamo in the front wheel feeding the Supernova in the dark and a power bank during day. Two emergency rear lights on the Tailfin Aeropack. Speedplay pedals, always!

Key items of kit: Nimbl Ultimate cycling shoes, Vivo barefoot shoes for the hike-a-bikes. Pedal Ed rain shell jacket and Pearl Izumi rain pants. Warmers, windproof jacket and jersey. Sleeping pad, bivy, thermo liner. First Aid kit, spare power bank and charging cables.

Daniel Szontagh

Age: 40

Cap number: 71

Location: Tárnok, Hungary

Bike: OnXOne- BishBashBosh. I've been using this bike for a few years, but I've repainted it several times. This time it is decorated with my kid's favorite animals, a carbon frame and fork, carbon seatpost, seat, and integrated handlebar, SRAM Force levers, SRAM X01 derailleur, SRAM X01 chain, a 40T chainring, an 11-52 cassette, and Tufo Thundero 40mm tires on Hunt 4Season Gravel wheels.

Key items of kit: Apidura bags, sleeping kit: bivy, sleeping bag, and a small pillow, a bracelet that my kids made (with the promise to bring them stones from the mountain), and a dynamo lighting and charging system.

Thomas Cooling

Age: 39

Cap number: 17

Location: Cornwall, UK

Bike: Frame - 2018 Cannondale Super Six Evo Hi Mod Disc Groupset - Shimano R9120 Duraace Groupset Wheels & Tyres - 30mm Tubeless Goodyears on handbuild 1200g wheels. Gearing - 48/32 Chainrings with 11-32 cassette Sleep System - Aiming for hotels if but I've got a bivvi bag with silk liner and down jacket as backup. Power - I'm running 2 x Fenix rechargable lights with a 10k mAh and 20K mAh backups

Key items of kit: Key bits of kit.... loads of carbs, spares for most eventualities (touch wood) and hopefully a decent pair of legs.

Jean-Christophe Huche

Age: 38

Cap number: 075

Location: France

Bike: Trek Checkpoint SL7, carbon, SRAM Force AXS 1x12, 40 chainring, 10-44 cassette, carbon Aeolus RSL 37 wheels from Bontrager.

Key items of kit: Bags are a mix from Ortlieb (saddle and frame pack) and Restrap (top tube pack). Lights are from Lezyne and navigation is handled with a Garmin 1030s. Key item (not shown in the pic) is a Thermos bidon that can carry 750ml of burning hot coffee!

Lee Jackson

Age: 46

Cap number: 36

Bike: A Fairlight Secan with Shimano 810 GRX, a Brooks C17 saddle and Stayer wheels, including a SON dynamo on the front. To see in the dark, I've got SON lights as well as an Exposure Sirius and Flare.

Key items of kit: I'll be using Tailfin bags for TPR. The front bags for specs/sunnies, phone, snacks & battery pack . The rear aeropack for wet and cold weather gear as well as my sleep system (Therm-a-Rest NEOair, Cumulus X-lite sleeping bag, and Sol Escape bivy).

Sophia Attwood Apperley

Age: 27

Location: Stocksfield, UK

Bike: My bike this year is my gorgeous new custom Ti frame, based off Sonder's race gravel frame the "Sedona." I named mine Sonder Lucidity after the Queensryche song "Silent Lucidity" I love it like I've never loved anything before in my life. (Bike wise, I'm not a monster.) I'm running a GRX setup with a 30/46 - 34 ratio, even lower than last year so I can save my knees and spin to my heart's content up all the steep climbs. I've gone for Pirelli Cinturato AllRoads, tubeless, obvs, which I've tested on both road and gravel and love, although I'm deploying my typical gravel avoidant tactics on my route this year. I also run TRP spyre mechanical discs, a controversial preference of mine (to hydraulics) which I think are the best of both worlds and perform 10/10 when set up with Jagwire cabling. (Done in VC167 club colours!) The mudguards pictured will be coming off for sure though. And obviously, the most important component on my bike is the Brooks saddle.

Key items of kit: Instead of a rack and panniers, I'm blending in with the crowd and running a Tailfin. It remains to be seen whether I'll be able to fit everything in the top bag or whether I'll have to run fork cages on the mounts as well in order to bring everything I desire to feel confident in my self sufficiency. I've also got a SON dynamo hub this time (does this count as bike or gear!?), with a Busch and Mueller IQ-X front light and an EWERK device so I can charge my gear too. Lights wise I'll also be running alongside the dynamo a Leszyne 2400 lumen rechargeable light. Sleep system: I'll be taking an Alpkit Ultra 80 sleeping bag, Numo mat and an emergency bivvy. One of my ortlieb drybags (with valve) will double as an inflatable pillow. My "luxury" item will be a few sets of disposable hand warmers, which I always hold while sleeping using a "lightweight" setup as I just can't generate heat otherwise and it allows me to use lighter kit. My other luxury item is my Albion vest, there's literally no better way to carry receipts, sweet wrappers, random pieces of chewing gum...it's like a wearable bin! Sometimes I find rubbish in there from things I ate 4 Audaxes ago. I jest, but it 100% is one of the best bits of kit I invested in this year.

Damien Delbergue

Age: 58

Cap number: Je sais pas

Location: France Soissons

Bike: Giant Revolt with Force and Rival 12-speed groupset, Lightbicycle wheels (1050g), 46/33 chainrings and a 10-36 cassette in Ergal. Continental GP 5000 28mm tires with inner tubes, Deda aero extensions, Klamp front light, an additional Lezyne light, and Specialized rear light; no dynamo.

Key items of kit: Tous les sacs sont de la marque Restrap, sauf le petit sur la potence qui vient de Roglov Bags. Sac d'hydratation de Restrap, vraiment solide. Couchage avec un pantalon en duvet et une doudoune Haglöfs, matelas Big Agnes, et bivy Alpkit Kloke qui m'a sauvé la vie plusieurs fois. Tenue Castelli avec pantalon et veste de pluie pour être prudent. Deux GPS Bryton, trois power banks de 10,000 mAh, et mon MP3 indispensable.

Maman, j'ai peur, comment je vais faire pour m'en sortir?

Robert Booth

Age: 30

Cap number: 95

Location: Vancouver, Canada

Bike: Cannondale SuperX 2020, Cannondale Hollowgram 40T crankset with Stages Gen 3 left-sided power meter, Zed carbon wheels, Specialized Pathfinder Pro 38mm tires, SRAM GX AXS 10-52T, Redshift 44cm handlebar, Profile Design Air Stryke aero bars, Prologo Dimension Tri saddle.

Key items of kit: Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt v2, Passport handlebar bag, Apidura frame bag, Restrap top tube bag, BBB snack bags, Acepac saddle bag, ETC, Lezyne, Kryptonite, and Moon lights, Biolite and Everbeam head torches, Outdoor Research Helium bivy, Klymit sleeping pad, Coleman sleeping bag.

Tim Budd

Age: 44

Cap number: 066

Location: Glossop, UK

Bike: Fairlight Secan steel frame with a Shimano 105 drivetrain, featuring a 50/34 chainring on the front and an 11/40 cassette on the back. Tyres are 700x35 Continental GP5000AS.

Key items of kit: No sleep system to speak of as I'm planning to stay in hotels, but I do have an emergency bivvy bag. My lights are battery-powered, mainly Exposure for seeing, and some Alpkit ones to be seen. My bags are a combination of Apidura, Podsacs, and Alpkit that I've accumulated over about a decade. Mudguards? Maybe... we'll see what the forecast suggests, but they have definitely been invaluable on training rides.

Florent De Boisvilliers

Age: 44

Cap number: 008

Location: Bordeaux, France

Bike: Origine Axxome II 350 with Shimano Ultegra 50/34 x 11-34, Mavic Ksyrium SL wheels, Continental GP5000 tires (25mm), Garmin Rally RS200 pedals, and Garmin Edge 1040 Solar. I'm also carrying a 10,000mAh power bank.

Key items of kit: Bags: Tailfin AeroPack, Apidura Racing Long Top Tube, Apidura Expedition Frame Pack, Riverside Food pouch.

Lights: Klamp EXR1600 (front), Lezyne Strip Drive 300+ (rear) and Lezyne Femto USB Drive (rear).

Sleep: bivvy + sleeping mat + pillow + liner

Florian Scattolini

Age: 36

Cap number: 99

Location: Venerque, France

Bike: Giant TCR with rim brakes and tubetype setup, Mavic Ksyrium S aluminum wheels, SMP Well saddle, 50/34 chainring with 11/34 cassette.

Key items of kit: Sleep set: Bivvy/down jacket for outdoor reste. Hôtel when necessary.

Philipp Baumann

Age: 36

Cap number: 57

Location: Baden, Switzerland

Bike: Orbea Terra 2020 Di2 custom paint

Key items of kit: MAAP x Apidura Saddle Bag 7L, Cyclite Top Tube Bag 2.2L, Rockgeist custom frame bag, Apidura Downtube Pack 1.2L, Apidura Food Pouch 0.8L, Lupine Minimax light.

Maksym Matvieiev

Age: 42

Cap number: 28

Location: Germany

Bike: Vitus Zenium Carbon

Key items of kit: Transmission Shimano Tiagra gear ratios 50-34 / 36-11

Judit Ertl

Age: 48

Cap number: 48

Location: Mór, Hungary

Bike:Trek Domane SL6, wheels: Continental Grand Prix 5000 AllSeason TR road tires with reflective rim, black 700 x 35c. Frame material: carbon. Drivetrain brand: Shimano Ultegra. Gear ratios: front 50-34, cassette 11-36.

Key items of kit: Sleep shelter: Sea to Summit Spark SPI sleeping bag, down DuPont Tyvek single. Non-dynamo light: RockBros front light, 1500 lumens. Bags: Tailfin Alloy AeroPack, 2x5L Tailfin Mini Panniers, Tailfin Top Tube Bag - Zip (1.1L). GPS: Garmin Edge 1040 Solar.

Andreas Klause

Age: 60

Cap number: 67

Location: Bad Vilbel, Germany

Bike: Specialized Roubaix Carbon, tire width 28mm, gear ratios 11/34 and 34/50, SON dynamo, VAPcycling Butterfly handlebar with wings.

Key items of kit: Sleeping pad and dynamo charging.

George Kitto

Age: 43

Cap number: 056

Location: London, UK

Bike: Kinesis ATR V2 -Titanium. Campag Chorus 2x11sp.

Key items of kit: Apidura frame bag, mixed other luggage including seatpack, top tube feed / powerbank bag from Restrap. Silva ultralight hydration pack w 2l bladder. Additional 1l bladder in frame bag.

I have a bivvy bag and a pad, puffy jacket but no sleeping bag or tent. Plan on using some hotels.

Grégory Garcia

Age: 40

Cap number: 100

Location: France

Bike: Sauvage LaPiste, Shimano GRX 600 drivetrain (48/31 chainrings and 11/34 cassette), Duke World Runner 25 alloy wheels, Tufo Gravel Speedero 40mm tires on both front and rear.

Key items of kit: Topeak frame, saddle, and handlebar bags; Restrap hike-a-bike harness; RockBros top tube bag. I carry two power banks and USB lights, along with my Bryton GPS. The sleeping kit includes a bivy bag and sleeping bag, and for extra luxury, I'll take warm clothes to sleep. The rest consists of a usual waterproof vest and gloves. I've filled the bags with food, mainly mixed fruits, nuts, and date bars. I might also carry a CamelBak.

Ayoub Sahli

Age: 30

Cap number: 043

Location: Poisy, France

Bike: Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 8 Di2 (2023) - Stealth color, carbon frame, Shimano Ultegra Di2 drivetrain with Shimano SLX MTB cassette, 32mm tubetype tires, and 50/34 x 10-45T gearing.

Key items of kit: Bivvy, dawn jacket, and base layers; wall charger and batteries (non-dynamo); compact ControlTech Sirocco aerobars.

Exceptional equipment: lights and bike-computer mounts that were designed and 3D-printed by myself ^^

Dominik Engelke

Age: 46

Cap number: 102a

Location: Rheinberg, Germany

Bike: I‘m riding my trusty Cicli Bonanno Italo Disco steel frame. Upgraded the Shimano 11-speed Ultegra gearing to 11-36 in the back and 50/34 in the front. Tyres are a little wider this time for some gravel fun ;) 32mm Schwalbe Pro One

Key items of kit: My sleeping system includes a Sea to Summit sleeping bag combined with a Klymit mattress for outside sleeping, along with a few nights in hotels/B&Bs. For the darker times, I use a Lupine Neo powered by battery plus a Scout 3XTH headlight.

Spork and motivation from my wife :)

Juan Miri

Age: 47

Cap number: 93

Location: Paris

Bike: Bombtrack Hook EXT C

Key items of kit: Frame: Bombtrack Hook EXT Carbon Drivetrain: Chainring Absolut Black Oval 38T + Casette 10-42 + Sram Rival Tires: Challenge Strada Bianca Pro TLR 36mm Sleep shelter: Hotels on the road No dynamo, Knog PWR Lights + batteries Apidura Bags Roval 700c Wheels Trekking lightweight shoes Profil Design bars

Esther Lloyd

Age: 34

Cap number: 68

Location: London, UK

Bike: 🚲 Condor Super Leggero SL (AKA Francesca)

• Carbon frame
• Shimano Ultegra Di2
• 32mm Conti GP5000 AS TR (I'm surprised they fit)
• 12sp 50-34 (another surprise it works) 11-36 cassette
• Not really the best bike for the job, but new to this world and focusing first on the $/km

🛞 Custom Arkane carbon Light Bicycle wheelset

Key items of kit: ⛺ Moonlite bag cover, a sleeping bag that will hopefully be warm enough 👝 Apidura race top tube pack, and small frame bag 🎒 Restrap Adventure Race saddle bag, Restrap hydration vest (best kit ever, thanks to TNR!) 🔦 kLight Ultra Adventure lighting system, powered by a SON28 dynamo 🚴‍♀️ Gifted aerobars, Moon Sport additional lights, and a little speaker for some musical support. 🤷 Fully laden with nerves!

Tiia Päkk

Age: 33

Cap number: 094

Location: Estonia

Bike: Ridley Kanzo Adventure 2.0, frame material carbon

Key items of kit: 1. Top tube bag for snacks, pills & some cosmetics items (spf chapstick and sunscreen, chammy creme, eyedrops etc…) 2. Framebag for inner tubes, more pills, hand & leg warmers & powerbank + cables & some toiletries. 3. Saddle bag for sleeping sys (sleeping bag, sos bivy, inflatable pillow) & rain gear + some warm(ish) stuff for the chillier moments. 4. Aerobars 5. Tool & spare stuff bag 5. Food pouch for extra fuel. 7. 11-50 cassette paired with 38t chainring 8. Computer, spare phone, rechargeable lights + visibility vest 9. Water capacity would be around 2l + I am carrying a filter + spare soft flask.

I am hoping to sleep indoors every night, but it’s better to be ready for unexpected naps out in the wilds.

Caroline (Caz) Buckland

Age: 33

Cap number: 34

Location: London

Bike: Liv Langma Advanced Pro 1 Ultegra groupset Gearing - 11x34 back, 50x34 front San Marco Shortfit 2.0 3D Saddle 700 x 30 vittoria tyres

Key items of kit: Apidura and Podsac bags Fenix helmet lights Flame FmI Down Sleeping Bag LACD - Bivi Bag Light Edge 540 Solar and Edge 530 Restrap hike a bike straps

Andy Booth

Age: 33

Cap number: 79

Location: Peak District, UK

Bike: Canyon Endurace AL with Shimano Ultegra mechanical 11-34 (GRX 48/31 bodge at the front), Hunt 4 Season dynamo wheels, Schwalbe Pro One 34mm tubeless tyres, Profile Design 45/25a aerobars.

Key items of kit: Lights: Exposure Revo front and rear (dynamo powers both these and a Sinewave USB charger), Exposure Strada headlight, a few other lights from Exposure, Cateye, and Moon. Luggage: Apidura saddle bag, frame bag, top tube bag, packable backpack, and snack pouch; Restrap TT bag. Sleeping kit: Outdoor Research Helium bivy, Yeti Fever Zero sleeping bag, Klymit X-Lite air mattress.

Sergey Shulubin

Age: 53

Cap number: 49

Location: Europe

Bike: Bearbike alu frameset, fixed gear dingle transmission 46x13 + 34x24, Mavic Ellipse wheels, Campagnolo ultra torque crankset (easy to fix/change)

Key items of kit: DIY rear rack and front panniers made of old bike bag, phone as navigation, handlebar pads made of gel shoe soles

Tom Williams

Age: 52

Cap number: 64

Location: Netherlands, Veghel, North-Brabant

Bike: CANYON Grail CF SLX Zipp 303 Firecrest wheels with 32 mm continentals, Sram•Force.

Key items of kit: Nordisk Telemark LW 1 tent, Sea To Summit UltraLight Insulated mattress, Ortlieb and AGU packing set. All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them…

Graham Steward

Age: 57

Cap number: 28

Location: Bristol

Bike: This time I’m taking my Trek Emonda ALR and again running an eclectic mix of components: Ultegra front mech & 105 rear with GRX 48/31 chain set and 11 speed 11-34 cassette. I’ll need those lower ratios! Tyres are tubeless Schwalbe Pro Ones and my B&M IQ-X front light is powered by a Sondelux hub.

Key items of kit: I’m expecting rain & cold so I’ve packed all my extra layers in waterproof bags (Restrap race bags front & rear along with a 3l Ortlieb frame pack). I’m not planning to sleep out but am keeping my options open with an Alpkit Hunka bivvy & Yeti Passion One sleeping bag. Finally, if the going gets tough, I’ve got a stick of rock from Tenby to help get me through !

Thomas Lier

Age: 30

Cap number: 51

Location: Utrecht, Netherlands

Bike: Bianchi Oltre XR4, drivetrain: Ultegra Di2 groupset (yes, bringing the charger just in case!), brakes: updated to the latest disc brake version for extra stopping power, power meter: 4iiii (to remind me how slow I’m going up those steep climbs), new addition: 3D-printed saddle for added comfort, wheels: high-profile rims with tubeless tires.

Key items of kit: Frame bag: Miss Grape 6L, saddle bag: improvised 5L bag strapped down, lights: Lezyne (3) and Sigma (1), navigation: Garmin Edge 530 with Hide My Bell 🔔.

Bryan Bourauel

Age: 27

Cap number: 92

Location: Cologne, Germany

Bike: Rose Backroad GRX810, 28" Rose R Thirty Light (rear wheel), 28" ETRTO KX 31 (front wheel), carbon frame size 59mm, 2x11 Shimano GRX 810 drivetrain, SON 28 hub, Supernova M99 DY Pro light, Legacy II aerobars, Stages power meter.

Key items of kit: Apidura Frameback and Ortlieb Seat-Pack.

Nils Heeren

Age: 54

Cap number: 33

Location: fluid ;-) tonight in Sant Gregori, Catalunya, but for more than 12 years I am at home in Mannheim, Gernany

Bike: Cannondale Topstone Alloy, 1st Gen., fully customized, w/ only original parts being: frame, seat post clamp, headset bearings & spacers & clamp, handlebar

Key items of kit: [on bike:] fully customized drivetrain, fully customized cockpit w/ proprietary attachment system for Sea2Summit eVent dry bags, partially customized dual-independent lighting system (1x Szpernova, 1x kLite); [on body:] Bell XR Spherical helmet w/ Petzl Actik 600 lm hemet lamp, custom utility backpack v3 (versions 1 & 2 used on TPRNo1 and TPRNo2, respectively)

Ludwig Steiner

Age: 45

Cap number: 38

Location: South East Germany

Bike: BMC Teammachiene

Key items of kit: Lightwight bivy setup. Powerbank based lights. Hydrovest and 34/36 gearing for the mass of mountains.