Bikes Of Transcontinental Race No11

Christoph Strasser

Age: 42

Cap number: 2

Location: Austria

Bike: Specialized S-Works Roubaix SL8

Key items of kit: Cyclite Framebag, Top Tube Bag, Handle Bar Aero Bag and 8L Saddle Bag Supernova M99 DY Pro SONdelux Dynamo 2x 0.75L and 1x 1.0L bottles 32mm Mondo Tires with Aerothan tubes Di2 Dura Ace shifting, 50-34 front and 11-34 back Syntace C3 aerobar with 4.5cm spacers, and Racelite 42mm handlebar

Frame type: Road

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 650b (27.5")

Tyre width: 30-34mm

Electronic shifting: Yes

Cynthia Carson

Age: 33

Cap number: 137

Location: Girona, Spain

Bike: 3T Strada Italia Wheels: Hunt 40 limitless gravel aero wheelset Sealant : Orange Seal Endurance Tubeless Sealant Chain: Flattop Silca hot melt wax + EnduranceChip wax additive Aerobars: Redshift Quick-Release Clip-on Aerobars with TriRig aerobar cups

Key items of kit: Bags: Tailfin Carbon R&D rear pack / 1.2L Top Tube Bag / R&D Custom Frame Bag Helmet & Sunglasses: Cytal Lite with Devour Saddle: Fizik Argo saddle 140mm Navigation: Wahoo ACE Water: 2 x 750ml BIVO bottles, 1 x 500ml Lighting: Supernova B54 & M99 Bottle Cages : Arundel Sideloader Carbon Cages from BikeTiresDirect Phone Mount: Peak Design

Frame type: Road

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 30-34mm

Electronic shifting: Yes

Andrea

Age: 55

Location: Italy

Bike: Bonetti artisanal

Frame type: Road

Frame material: Titanium

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 30-34mm

Electronic shifting: Yes

Matthew Spooner

Age: 53

Location: Zug

Bike: Specialized CRUX S-Works

Key items of kit: Swissside Allroad Ultimate Wheels, Pirelli PZero Race TLR 40mm tyres (tubeless), Rotor 160mm cranks, 44 tooth Rotor Q rings, eeThirteen 9-52 cassette, SRAM X01 Rear Derailleur, SRAM Red HRD shiters and brakes, 160/140mm Swiss Stop brake rotors, Swiss Stop pads, Rockshock AXS 50mm dropper post, Tailfin Aeropack, Apidura Top Tube bag, 2x Apidura food pouches, Vision Metron 4D MAS Bars, Redshift Shock Stop Stem, Infinity Saddle, Ravemen PR2400 front light, Ravemen NT201 radar rear light, Garmin Edge 1040 Solar GPS. System Weight with empty bottles 14.9kg

Frame type: Gravel

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 40mm-44mm

Electronic shifting: Yes

Kim Heikkinen

Age: 54

Cap number: 315

Location: Helsinki, Finland

Bike: Fairlight Strael 56R Shimano GRX820 2x12 48-31/ 11-36 Wheels by Stayer Cycles/ GP5000 AS TR 32mm/ Ritchey drop bar/ seatpost/ stem/ Profile aerobars SON dynamo hub and lights, Sinewave USB charger A bit of color to the grey ensemble with the muc-off orange valves

Key items of kit: Tailfin frame/ top tube bags 5.3/ 2.2L/ AeroPack Cargo 18L/ Apidura aerobar bag 2.5L Apidura pouch/ Sleeping kit: Yeti Fever Zero/ Thermarest Uberlite/ Cumulus Ultralight bivi/ This year for extra safety Garmin inReach mini2

Frame type: Road

Frame material: Steel

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 30-34mm

Electronic shifting: No

April Drage

Age: 44

Cap number: 20

Location: The Dream Factory (AKA Curve Cycling HQ) in Melbourne, Australia

Bike: Curve Cycling Belgie Ultra V2 prototype, Curve Cycling G5T prototype wheelset with dynamo hub, Curve Cycling carbon walmer bars. SRAM Force AXS with XPLR 13 speed T-Type derailleur with 10/46 cassette and a 38T chainring up front. 40mm Pirelli Cinturato Velo Evo tyres.

Key items of kit: VAP Butterfly long aerobars, K-lite Ultra race dynamo lights & charging kit, well loved Revelate Spinelock 10L saddle pack, Revelate Mountain feed bags and a Tailfin top tube bag. Anticipating lots of wild camping I’ve packed a luxurious sleep set up; a Terra Nova Moonlite bivi bag, a torso length Thermarest Neoair X-lite mat & Montbell down pants. Other luxuries include, a tiny little speaker to keep the good times rolling, an enormous tool kit for peace of mind & my Patagonia micro puff vest because I rarely leave home without it.

Frame material: Titanium

Tyre width: 40mm-44mm

Electronic shifting: Yes

Amelia Linnett

Age: 32

Location: Barcelona

Bike: I own exactly one bicycle: an Oxford Bike Works Expedition that is beautifully optimised for touring and that I have attempted to coerce into what I'm telling myself is a suitable setup for TCRno11, mostly by taking off any components I don't absolutely need (kickstand, mudguards, rack...).

But it is still very much a touring bike: steel frame and fork, 26in wheels with SON28 dynamo front hub, 3x8 groupset (midrange Shimano) with front friction / rear indexed thumb shifters (Microshift), a well-worn Brooks B17 saddle, and don't forget the flat handlebars.

I have added some aerobars (Pro Missile) alongside the Ergon GP5 grips for comfort and swapped out the flat pedals for a set of SPDs. I've also replaced the touring-classic but heavy Schwalbe Marathon tyres with a set of Continental Race Kings: an unorthodox choice for a road race, certainly, but I liked the feel of them better than any of the road tyres I could find in 26”, and who knows, maybe they'll help me out on the gravel parcours.

There’s no prize for heaviest bike as far as I’m aware, but I imagine this would be in contention at 15.5kg (just the bike, without bags or water). I'm hoping what it lacks in speed it will make up for in durability.

Key items of kit: My kit list is pretty standard (required items plus emergency bivvy + mat, basic layers for weather, first aid & repair kits), leaning towards the minimal in a probably futile attempt to compensate for how heavy the bike already is.

Aside from the bicycle itself, the least conventional item is probably the CrankTank4, which saves me from my least favourite cycling activity (reaching down for water bottles). It also serves as a reliable conversation starter when passers-by ask if it’s a petrol tank.

Frame material: Steel

Tyre width: 50mm+

Electronic shifting: No

Harald Rinner

Age: 52

Location: Österreich

Bike: Trek Checkpoint

Key items of kit: SRAM Rival drivetrain, single chainring in front, 12-speed in the rear, 35 mm high Pancho Wheels wheelset, hub dynamo with charge regulator and Supernova lighting.

Frame type: Gravel

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 30-34mm

Electronic shifting: Yes

Christian Höra

Age: 37

Location: Pöhl, Germany

Bike: Canyon Grail CFR XPLR 2025 rear derailleur: SRAM RED XPLR AXS RD 13s equipped with XPLR XG-1391 (10-46) wheels: DT Swiss GRC 1400 Spline db equipped with Conti Grand Prix 5000 AllSeason Tubeless 28" | 700 x 32C cockpit: Canyon CP0039 handlebar: Canyon GEAR GROOVE Aero Extension modified by Huettel cycles handlebar tape: SQlab 714 saddle: fizik Antares Versus R1 dynamo: SON 28 frontlight: Supernova M99 DY Pro rearlight: Supernova TL3 Mini

Key items of kit: bike computer: Garmin Edge 1050 (backup: Garmin Edge 840) frontlight backup: Supernova airstream 2 backlight: Garmin Varia Radar RTL 516 USB charger: Cinq Plug5 Pure modified by Huettel cycles bags: Apidura (expedition saddle bag 17l; expedition frame pack 5,3l; racing bolt on top tube bag 1l; racing aerobar pack 2,5l; backcountry rear top tube pack 1l; 2x backcountry food pouch 1,2l); Cyclite Handlebar Aero Bag 4,9l Albion Cargo Vest

Frame type: Gravel

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 30-34mm

Electronic shifting: Yes

Tom Barrow

Age: 33

Cap number: Not provided yet

Location: Brighton & Hove, United Kingdom

Bike: Sonder Colibri Endurance Titanium Road Bike Sonder Black i21 Carbon Wheelset (32mm Tubeless)

Key items of kit: Alpkit Koala 13L Saddle Pack (+ Rhinowalk Stabilizer/Bottle Holders) Alpkit Deluge 6L Frame Pack Alpkit Toploader 4L Handlebar Bag Decathlon Stem Bag Profile Design Aerobars Garmin 1040 (Non-solar) Exposure Lights Shimano M540 SPD Pedals

Frame type: Road

Frame material: Titanium

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 30-34mm

Electronic shifting: No

Robbie Jebb

Age: 59

Location: Lincolnshire

Bike: Mason Bokeh 3

Key items of kit: Restrap Frame Bag, Restrap top tube bag, Alpkit Saddle bag, Supernova M99 DY Pro, Hunt wheels with Son 28 dynamo, SPD pedals.

Frame type: Gravel

Frame material: Steel

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 35mm-39mm

Electronic shifting: Yes

Tom Humphrey

Age: 60

Location: Cranbrook, kent, UK.

Bike: Handsling A1ROevoS

Key items of kit: Restrap Race Frame, Top Tube and Saddle Bag Son 28 Dynamo Hub Supanova M99 Pro DY Front Light Parcours Strade Carbon wheels Continental GP 5000 AS 32 mm tyres (Tubeless) Spa Cycles Nidd leather saddle (My sofa!) Profile Design Aero Bars Garmin 1040 Solar GPS

Frame type: Road

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 30-34mm

Electronic shifting: Yes

Felix Laberge

Age: 29

Location: Montréal, Québec

Bike: Cycle Tulipp, allroad

Key items of kit: Bike is an handmade steel frame from Cycle Tulipp with a DURA-ACE / GRX transmission. Tailfin frame-bags paired with a Silca seatbag should be enough for carrying essential in addition to an albion vest. Wheelset is handbuilt by atelier S210; aivee + son28 hubs on S210 carbon hoops.

Frame type: Road

Frame material: Steel

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 35mm-39mm

Electronic shifting: No

Thomas Groenewegen

Age: 35

Cap number: 177

Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands

Bike: J.Guillem Atalaya Gravel with GRX Di2 2x12 groupset. Using a 46/30 crankset paired with an 11-34 cassette for a decent climbing gear. Wheels are the carbon Tailwind AR27-45 with Son 28 dynamo hub, with tubeless Pirelli P Zero Race TLR tires in 40mm width. Saddle is the SQlab 612 active, mounted on a Canyon VCLS seatpost.

Key items of kit: Bags are from Tailfin. The AeroPack in the rear is for items needed during nightly stops. The top tube bag and frame bag are for spares and other items needed during the day. Also using a feed bag between the aero bars for some extra easy access storage. Aero bars are from profile design with the Ergo+ armrests and 70mm of spacers for optimal comfort. Front and rear lights are from Son, powered by the dynamo hub.

Frame type: Gravel

Frame material: Titanium

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 40mm-44mm

Electronic shifting: Yes

Ian Lyons

Age: 45

Cap number: 366

Location: Yorkshire

Bike: Genesis Fugio, Shimano GRX, DT Swiss G1600, Schwalbe G-One All Around Tubeless Tyres (Rear) Speed (Front). Brooks Saddle, Assioma MX-2 Pedals, Chris King Headset and Bottom Bracket.

Key items of kit: Alpkit Frame Bag, Deda Elementi Aerobars, Garmin Fenix 7x Watch, iPhone 16 and Quadlock Case, Canyon Scampr Gravel Shoes, Albion Cargo Vest, Exposure Boost lights, Anker 27650mah Powerbank.

Frame type: Gravel

Frame material: Steel

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 35mm-39mm

Electronic shifting: No

Johan Lowette

Age: 62

Cap number: 103

Location: Duffel (Belgium)

Bike: Specialized Diverge Comp Carbon Roval wheels C38 Pirelli P zero Race TLR 35 GRX mechanical 11s (11-40) Infinity Saddle Cranck Brother pedals Profile Design Aero bars

Key items of kit: Tailfin toptube/ framebag/ rack Son 28 dynamo (thanks Atelier15.be) k-Lite race lightning Sleeping kit: outdoor Helium bivy / liner / Forclaz pad Garmin Radar (a must have) Wahoo Roam v2 Hydration vest

Frame type: Gravel

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 35mm-39mm

Electronic shifting: No

Tor Hovland

Age: 50

Cap number: 303

Location: Trondheim, Norway

Bike: Gavia Terra LTD, a Norwegian brand.

• Nextie 44/54 wheels. I built the front myself around a SON dynamo.
• The widest possible range with electronic shifting: 46/33 up front combined with a 10-44 cassette. Not supported by SRAM, but it works well out of the box.
• Continental GP 5000 AS 35 cm.
• Redshift Pro Endurance suspension seatpost.
• Specialized Power Expert with Mirror saddle.

Key items of kit: A lightweight Cumulus sleeping bag, and an even lightweighter Klymit Inertia X Frame pad. Hoping to not use them much!

Helly Hansen Lifa long sleeve UV shirt, and a home-made cap with sun shade for the neck.

Compeed Extreme, Allevyn foam dressings, Xenofit Second Skin, and Avène Cicalfate+, for protecting my sit bones for as long as possible.

My very nice Rogue Panda frame bag was custom made for my Trek Domane, but it fits OK here as well.

Forumslader for driving my B&M IQ-X lamp and to charge my stuff. But I'm also bringing a fast charger and a small power bank.

And my Insta360 camera!

Frame type: Gravel

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 35mm-39mm

Electronic shifting: Yes

Ricard Sörman

Age: 53

Cap number: 194

Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Bike: BMC Kaius 02, Force group, Bontrager XXX aeolus 6, Continental GP5000 AS 35mm tubeless, 43/30 gearing and 10-36 cassette, Speedplay Szyr pedals, profile design 25/45 TT bars and Aeron pads. BMC/redshift shock stem, Infinity saddle. Apidura and Tailfin bags

Key items of kit: Garmin Edge 1040 Solar, Anker power bank, Lupine headlamp (Exposure Mk4 extra), Garmin Varia, Toppeak Wishbone, Kit for fixing the bike, and kit for fixing me. Another set of clothes. Spd sandals are my luxury item

Frame type: Gravel

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 35mm-39mm

Electronic shifting: Yes

Bram Somers

Age: 35

Cap number: 345

Location: Leuven, Belgium

Bike: Colnago CLX, equipped with a Shimano Ultegra drivetrain, SPD-pedals, Campagnolo Shamal Ultra wheels and Specialized Armadillo tires.

Key items of kit: Cyclite bags, AGU snack-pack, Lezyne Mega XL GPS, Profile Design aerobars, sleeping kit (Vaude bivvy and Sea to Summit mat and liner), Lezyne lights, clothing (down jacket, rain jacket, gilet, knee warmers, arm warmers, buff, spare bibs and socks), double power bank, tools and spares.

Favourite items: the little armband on the aerobars (much love to those who made it) and a ten-year-old water bottle that smells awful but holds great memories (the white one).

Photo by Michiel Bronckaerts (superbroncado.be)

Frame type: Road

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 25-29mm

Electronic shifting: No

Saudubray Erick

Age: 62

Cap number: 344

Location: france

Bike: trek émonda sl

Key items of kit: éclairages avant arrière , vêtements chaud , couvertures de survie

Frame type: Road

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 30-34mm

Electronic shifting: Yes

Nikolas Jonek

Age: 34

Cap number: 225

Location: Hannover, Germany

Bike: Bike: Canyon Grizl 8 1x AL.Groupe: Shimano GRX RD-RX822-SGS. Cassette: Shimano Deore XT CS-M8100 (10–51 teeth). Chainring: Garbaruk 42T (single chainring, 1x setup).Powermeter: Magene PES P515 Powermeter. Tires: Pirelli P Zero Race 700 x 40mm. Wheelset: DT Swiss Gravel LN

Key items of kit: Apidura Backcountry Food Pouch, Apidura Expedition Saddle Pack (14 L), Apidura Racing Frame Pack (4 L), Apidura Racing Long Top Tube Pack (2 L) and Topeak Backloader Wishbone. Sea to Summit Spark 7C Down Sleeping Bag, Bivvy bag, Ultralight sleeping pad, Albion Ultralight Insulated Jacket and Garmin Edge 1040.

Two smartphones for safety: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 and Samsung Galaxy A55 5G.

Frame type: Gravel

Frame material: Aluminium

Tyre width: 40mm-44mm

Electronic shifting: No

Moa Henriet

Age: 35

Cap number: 261

Location: Malmö, Sweden

Bike: Got this dream bike 3rd hand for cheap. Mechanical Ultegra groupset with rim breaks. 50 mm deep carbon wheels with continental GP5000 ASTR 32 mm (just barely fits), set up tubeless with mucoffs big bore valve. Profile design aerobars with 40 mm raisers. Crankbrothers double shot pedals.

Key items of kit: Top tube, frame, saddle and aerobar bags all from Restraps Race line, food pouches from Geosmina. Old North face hip bag and generic camera bag from for my lil Olympus Mju:V. GPS unit is Coros Dura, front light Bookman Volume 1500, a smaller spare light and multiple cateye rear lights. Iniu 25.000 mah powerbank. Bivvy bag, exped sleeping mat and silk liner. Rain kit from vaude. Water capacity is 1.5 litres but will fit soda bottles in cockpit and hip bag on the go.

Frame material: Steel

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 30-34mm

Electronic shifting: No

Alan Paterson

Age: 59

Cap number: 124

Location: Dunbar, Scotland

Bike: Merida Scultura Endurance 12 speed Shimano 105 Di2 50/34T x 11/34T Syncros saddle (retained from TCR09) Continental GP 5000S 32mm - tubeless

Key items of kit: Bags are Apidura at the front and toptube with a Rhino 14L saddlebag on the rear. I've got a little pouch on the front of the handlebar bag for sweets. Two Moon front lights, one with integrated Garmin GPS connector so a good space saver. Two Catseye rear lights. 4 thermal water bottles to hopefully keep drinks a little cooler for a little longer. A Sea to Summit sleeping bag and bivvy bag for emergency sleeping.

Frame type: Road

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 30-34mm

Electronic shifting: Yes

Ekrem Ekicigil

Age: 37

Cap number: 283

Location: Istanbul, Turkey

Bike: Soulrider Frameworks - Custom Ti (Ti160)

Key items of kit: Zipp 303 Firecrest, Continental GP 5000 AS 35mm, R8170 with 11-36 Casette, Cyclite Bikepacking Bags, Supernova B54 Pro Battery Light, Garmin RTL515 x2, Anker 735 Prime Powerbank, JBL Wind 3s to listen to tasteless playlists.

Frame type: Road

Frame material: Titanium

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 35mm-39mm

Electronic shifting: Yes

Jackson Long

Age: 31

Cap number: 78

Location: Idaho, USA

Bike: Opting for comfort = speed with my Specialized Diverge STR equipped with SRAM Force XPLR AXS (42t / 10-44t) and Hunt wheelset paired with Continental GP5000 AS TR 35mm tires to rip some Italian gravel roads.

Key items of kit: Apidura bags will hold a minimalist but essential kit. Highlights include 3L of water capacity to hydrate my Hot Boy Euro Summer Vacation, a small film camera to capture the #memories, and a small microphone to record daily podcast updates for my global fanclub.

Frame type: Gravel

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 35mm-39mm

Electronic shifting: Yes

Jim Luther

Age: 60

Cap number: 248

Location: Vancouver, BC Canada

Bike: T-Lab R3 Omni

Key items of kit: Classified PowerShift rear axle Enve Adventure fork Shimano GRX Di2 11 speed (11-34) Cane Creek eeWings titanium cranks (46) Cane Creek eeSilk suspension stem and seatpost SON dynamo with Sinewave Beacon 2 headlight and Supernova E3 taillight Tailfin Aeropack, top tube, and fork pack with Apidura down tube tool/repair bag Infinity saddle Garmin 1040 Solar with Garmin external battery

Frame type: Road

Frame material: Titanium

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 30-34mm

Electronic shifting: Yes

Lucas Alvarez Canga

Age: 36

Cap number: 337

Location: Oviedo, Spain

Bike: The best bike is the one you have. This is my adventure bike—equipped with wide tire clearance and tubeless wheels, which I believe makes a big difference compared to my aero road bike (a pity, though). It features a Shimano GRX RX810 groupset (46/30, 11-34), which is bomb-proof and will definitely help on the climbs. The setup is completed with Continental GP 5000 35mm tubeless tires.

Key items of kit: Same as with my bike, I carry my travel bags: an Alpkit handlebar bag, Roswheel and Apidura bags in the frame for the Canyon, and an Ortlieb bag on the seatpost, along with a trail vest. My sleep system is a bivvy bag, which fits entirely in the handlebar bag.

Frame type: Gravel

Frame material: Aluminium

Tyre width: 35mm-39mm

Electronic shifting: No

Joe Howe

Age: 23

Cap number: 12

Location: Oldenburg, Germany

Bike: Giant Defy 2020 Advanced 1

Key items of kit: Mavic Kysreium Elite UST Wheelset, Ultegra R8020 Mechanical/Hydaulic, 165mm Cranks, Magene Power Meter, 110mm Redshift Suspension Stem, Redshift Aero Bars, Supernova B54 Pro, Sella Italia Novous Endurance, 38cm Deda Short Reach Bars, Continental Gp5000 AS (32mm Front, 35mm Rear), ZTTO 11-34 Cassette, ZTTO Disc Breaks (160 front, 140 rear), Apidura Racing Bags (4L Frame. 1L Top Tube. 7L Saddle. Hydration Vest), Wahoo Element Bolt V2

Frame type: Road

Frame material: Carbon

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 30-34mm

Electronic shifting: No

Chris Murray

Age: 48

Cap number: 33

Location: Hampshire, UK

Bike: Niner RLT9 Steel

Key items of kit: Zipp SL-70 XPLR handlebar; SRAM Red eTap AXS groupset with 46x33T Quarq crankset; Vision SC40 wheelset with 11-42T cassette & Ferrodo rotors/pads; Redshift Shockstop PRO Endurance seatpost; ISM saddle; WattShop armrests with Vision tribars; Tailfin cargo pack with carbon arch; Restrap top tube & snack bag; custom size Straight Cut Design frame bag.

Frame type: Gravel

Frame material: Steel

Wheel size: 700c (29")

Tyre width: 30-34mm

Electronic shifting: Yes