Such a great article - thank you for bringing back memories!
My time riding in Finale, I was on DD tires - but I'm relatively light and easy on tires. Things I learned in my time time in Europe:
-bring lots of spare brake pads. While Shimano and Sram are easy to get - I run Hayes Dominions, and getting replacements would have been tough in most bike shops.
-if you're going to be riding trains, having a bike bag with a front wheel is a god-send. I used a regular EVOC bike bag (the basic with with 2 wheels in the back) - and between the trips on the train and lugging around town, I felt my arm would fall off.
-they look super cheesy, but having a handlebar mount for your phone is really helpful if you're piecing together rides that link regular roads and trailforks. Sometimes, wiggling through those castle town, it's nice to have more street info than what the Garmin shows. When the real descending starts, I would toss my phone in my pack.
-I loved my full face with removable chin bar. Having a little more face protection when on the other side of the world is a good thing.
If you're in Italy - make sure to head to La Thuile. The Aosta Valley is stunning, and the trails there are raw and amazing.
I wanna go back to Europe so badly.
Dec. 30, 2024, 6:18 p.m. - jaydubmah
Such a great article - thank you for bringing back memories! My time riding in Finale, I was on DD tires - but I'm relatively light and easy on tires. Things I learned in my time time in Europe: -bring lots of spare brake pads. While Shimano and Sram are easy to get - I run Hayes Dominions, and getting replacements would have been tough in most bike shops. -if you're going to be riding trains, having a bike bag with a front wheel is a god-send. I used a regular EVOC bike bag (the basic with with 2 wheels in the back) - and between the trips on the train and lugging around town, I felt my arm would fall off. -they look super cheesy, but having a handlebar mount for your phone is really helpful if you're piecing together rides that link regular roads and trailforks. Sometimes, wiggling through those castle town, it's nice to have more street info than what the Garmin shows. When the real descending starts, I would toss my phone in my pack. -I loved my full face with removable chin bar. Having a little more face protection when on the other side of the world is a good thing. If you're in Italy - make sure to head to La Thuile. The Aosta Valley is stunning, and the trails there are raw and amazing. I wanna go back to Europe so badly.