What Do You Need To Ride 500km? | Tuscany Trail Gravel Ride

[@gcntech]

What bike and equipment would you take on your bikepacking adventure?

[@pistonburner6448]

Obviously not a brain, or such a decision would never be made... 😅

[@stefanwagener]

I am surprised that GCN presenters always take rather small bottles on epic rides, here it looks like 2x750ml, Hank often just a single 500ml (e.g. on Mount Olympus) as it looks like. And Connor had plenty of space for bigger 2x950ml bottles. 2x950ml gets me 80 to 100km with ~1000hm. And within that distance there is often a good chance to find a water fountain. I guess problem is, GCN shop doesn't offer reasonable sized bottles 😉

[@katilynalmeida4062]

1-2 water bottles, 2 tire levellers, 2 spare inner tubes, 1 mini pump, fully charged phone, 1 20,000 mAh battery pack, and a sack of snacks. Sometimes I'll carry an extra video game or book.

[@fukav1am]

I tend to take a tarp (from Decathlon) and use trees to hang it. It very light and there is loads of space underneath. Even for the bike or for a second person. The bike can also be used to fix the tarp. The only problematic day was a very windy one where I did not dare to sleep under a tree as a branch could fall down and the bike in the sloping terrain did not hold vertically so I basically only had the tarp over me and fixed by the pegs. It still worked.

[@TheSJONGEJONGEJONGE]

Sports nutrition chews: 35 euro per kilo. Actual Haribo gums: 3 euro per kilo. Both contain 70% carbs 😮 Expensive sports brands just jumped the bandwagon when they found out Haribo gums were in every top tube bag.

[@Dreamweaver94]

I definitely understand that work is work, no matter what it is, but it's got to be a good day when you're asked "Hey, think you could go ride a bike in Tuscany?"

[@Frostbiker]

"It's 500Km and you have two days to finish". It would have been so much nicer over four or five days.

[@Dreamweaver94]

@@Frostbiker yeahh that is the tough part. I've never ridden anywhere near that much in that time span, but Tuscany sounds like as fine of a place as any to do it!

[@gcntech]

We're very lucky 🙌 We hope you guys also enjoy watching the content

[@Dreamweaver94]

@@gcntech Definitely!

[@NicolaDiMarco]

Who's behind the keyboard?

[@stujm8376]

I ride in Tuscany every week (I live in Livorno), mtb, but these vids about gravel riding are fantastic. I love riding long rides, mainly fire roads and singletrack when I do. Doesn’t matter what you ride, just get out and enjoy yourself. My dream is to do a bikepack tour around the island of Elba.

[@jeremynelson8926]

I love you guys, but i watched this video to see your recommendations on mat, tent, and sleeping bag. If you don't want to name a non-sponsored brand, that's fine, but at least some tips on finding a good one? I did appreciate the tip on removing the inner liner of the tent at least!

[@petergarner]

Can confirm your experience with the Wahoo Roam. Last year, I took it on a 4-day bikepacking trip and decided to see how far it would go without a charge. Our route was just shy of 400 km, and it lasted until about 20km before the end on the last day. Pretty outstanding. On longer tours, I tend to charge it every other night just so I don't stress about battery life, but even so, it rarely gets under 50%. I'd be pretty confident on taking it on a 3-day trip without the need to recharge. I do wish Wahoo would come out with a solar equivalent, like the 1040 solar. But overall, I'm super happy with it.

[@timh5061]

Those PH hydration tabs are an absolute life saver! I took about 40 for an ultra race earlier this year, for a supply that lasted me a little over 5 days. One word of advice: they will quickly turn to dust if you leave them rattling in that plastic tube container. Carry those tablets in a ziplock bag - that will save a few grams as well 👍

[@gcntech]

Great tips! Thanks Tim 🙌

[@cb6866]

Thanks Conor and crew....very cool !

[@gcntech]

Super cool! We had so much fun riding this event 🙌

[@lalo12254]

Time line / chapters: Colnago Grizl? Could be interesting

[@topi3146]

GCN is onto something.

[@JakeBikeAU]

Ha! I got split-second excited when I saw that!

[@gcntech]

We're inventing bikes now 🤣

[@michaelbeck8681]

That was so informative, thank you!

[@a1white]

It would be interesting to hear how this campag groupset compares with the Shimano equivalent which Conor has ridden

[@stratocaster660]

Very nice video. What would you change in your set up if you didn't have as many resupply points?

[@questgivercyradis8462]

Or alternatively, if you had more resupply points. I'm trying to figure out what size bags to get for bike-packing on my road bike. Bigger ones? Just get smaller ones that aren't as pricy? On the commuter I can just load the heck out of panniers and bungie cord stuff to the back rack. Not so on the road bike.

[@lydiagould3090]

What brand is your small sleep mat? All mine are too big, and I can’t find a tiny one?

[@fontpartners1695]

Sleeping bag? Clothes? Burner system?

[@PC-ge4fw]

How tall are you and what size Canyon do you ride. What is the exact model frame? I’m 6’2” and looking to buy a gravel, most likely the bike you ride in the Tuscany video. Thanks

[@markhagen7777]

I think you need to have Connor come to Ragbrai end of July it’s in its 51st year dare I say it probably has more cycling participants in the course of its annual week event than any other.

[@markhagen7777]

and I mean globally

[@gcntech]

Interesting! We'll check it out. Any excuse for a bikepacking trip 👀

[@markhagen7777]

Here’s a little background…. in the United States annually there are county and state fairs that bring in all manner of good folks to celebrate the summer season. Consider RAGBRAI (des moiines Register Annual Bike Ride Across Iowa) to be a rolling state fair that centers itself around bike culture, not racing, and takes place In the center of the US, Iowa. It’s an endurance event most times over 420 miles runs from point to point Mostly small town America from the western border of the state at the Missouri river to the Mississippi river on the eastern border I could say more but that’s enough of a start for you intrepid folks. And hey, it’s beautiful people first and the countryside. Absolutely. Let me know if you want some help

[@jw7620]

Is that a standard Garmin Varia seatpost mount affixed to the seatstay or something else? Did it seem secure? Hack or bodge?

[@jameslee-pevenhull5087]

Same as a 600 km Audax, except offroad tyres.

[@gcntech]

Yeah pretty much 🙌

[@hathar1750]

when you hover over the segments in the video... someone added colnago grizl..... I think canyon cant be happy about that ;-)

[@premekstar9620]

Does anybody recognize the front light? Any recommendations?

[@RMC-PT]

Just ride a bike and have fun 😂

[@drooghead]

That was quite a long advertisement.

[@oakkerbhonepyae6545]

fixie with brakes is better, trust me

[@gcntech]

For a bikepacking ride? 👀

[@jharricam]

11:28 for the love of god clean your lenses and camera sensors!

[@Justmarcusdave]

so are you going to tell us the brand of tent!!!! ffs

[@dlucey123]

Probably not sponsored

[@svenlima]

All cycling computers of Garmin and Wahoo are useless for navigating because the screens are too tiny. You can't plan the route even 2 km ahead because you can't see the trails when you zoom out and you don't have oversight when you zoom in. This is why I've bought a water dust and vibration proof "construction worker" phone (Rug Gear) which I mount on the handle bar. I've cycled around the world on a custom made travelling bike. Depending on the conditions I use 1,5'' tyres or 2.4'' tyres.

[@franky12]

I would agree that the displays are too small and confusing for spontaneous rescheduling on the move. I always use my Garmin Edge 1040 with pre-planned tracks that I upload to the device beforehand. It's unbeatable, the battery lasts for three full days. However, I also use my smartphone for spontaneous rescheduling on the go.

[@adiros9226]

i done the Tuscany Trail 2024 with my old Phone / Battery Pack and Komoot. i had my Garmin Oregon 700 with me as a Backup if my phone will die on me (didnt happend)

[@veganpotterthevegan]

Why do you need to see 2km ahead? Are you going 250kph?

[@svenlima]

@@veganpotterthevegan It's about planing while cycling. I've cycled 2600 km through Italy, 1900 km through Cuba etc. I do not plan the tracks in advance because I improvise along the way depending on wind, topography, local recommandations etc. If I need to decide in Naples if I want to go east towards the mountains or to the south along the coast I need to see more than 2 km to have an idea of the cities, the touristic sites along the road and the best/nicest way to get there. Plus a couple of other reasons. I just wonder why Garmin & Co. aren't able to build a phone-size navigation device for cyclists. There are some for motorcycles but they need to much power and are too heavy.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

@@svenlima I have over 250k miles in my legs and don't need to see 2km ahead of me. Not many people want an enormous computer on their bike. If they did, someone would make it.

[@franky12]

What was the purpose of the Garmin Varia Radar pointing into the sky? Did so many helicopters overtake you? 🤣

[@youra79cccp12]

Only€€€€€€€€€€

[@zygmuntthecacaokakistocrat6589]

The appropriate question is "WHY do you need to ride 500km (in one go)?" I've done that lots of times, taken a week to do it, used *gasp* panniers! & enjoyed myself. Or you can try to do it in 2 1/2 day/nights, get precious little sleep in a bus shelter or a ditch, be cold, wet & hungry because you can't carry appropriate equipment in your silly little frame bags, live off energy bars, have near misses/crashes because you're operating on no sleep, or die (as more than a few ultra-endurance numpties have) and unless you're a bonafide masochist, hate it after about 4 hours. Just remember kiddies: just because the 'cool kids' are doing something, doesn't mean it's worth doing.

[@miguelfigueira1719]

There is no single way to enjoy cycling. Some people like to take their time and slowly enjoy every bit they can. And some people (many times, the same people) enjoy the challenge and pushing their limits. Both are fine, that's what's so great about it! Just do what gives you the kick :)

[@gcntech]

It's all about finding what works for you 🙌 We agree, one hit might not be he way to do for most people but Conor wanted the challenge 👀 We also have to get him home so he can film more videos 🙌 like Conor mentioned in the video, if he was to do it again he would take his time and soak in the views ☀

[@Deepak19944]

An ebike

[@gcntech]

That would make things easier 👀

[@ShesARichGirl]

First baby

[@gcntech]

🥇

[@olski2129]

2nd !

[@gcntech]

🥈

[@ivanturner4965]

All stuff you have been paid to promote. How exciting.

[@Hans-sb1ko]

Those Canyon bikes are cheap shit sold for gold that rely on heavy influencer marketing to survive. Old Canyon bikes before the KZbin era were actually quite good. But now, would not recommand.

[@deanluke2182]

14min add. Boring!

[@pistonburner6448]

What do you need? A readiness to face genital numbness, priapism, infertility, elevated PSA, erectile dysfunction (ED), lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), and prostatitis. Not to mention the huge effects of the ludicrous decision to hang around on roads for days and breathe in high levels of particulates! But none of that matters if you're flattened by a bus...which you expose yourself to for some reason. There are dozens of different ways to do great exercises and sports (not located on roads, and which don't destroy your health), and then some people decide to get into an un-ergonomic position for hours with their weight on their prostate which rests a small bit of plastic, weaving around lorries, buses and camper vans...weird decision. Did you really think this through?

[@alexpatonGCN]

Hope you feel much better having got that off your mind and sharing with everyone 😂

[@pistonburner6448]

@@alexpatonGCN Yes, and now I'm off for a cycling trip...

[@topi3146]

Studies please!

[@alexpatonGCN]

@@pistonburner6448 glad to hear, have "fun" 😊

[@Rollbretttreter]

Finely crafted shitpost 😂