[Damo]

I'm planning on some multi day bike rides in the Swiss & French Alps this summer. Mainly only one or two nighters. Maybe there's a refuge in the mountains I can stay in, maybe not.

Does anyone have any advice on what to take? Many routes require climbing wire ladders/metal spikes driven into rock faces etc, so the bike will need to be strapped to my backpack somehow. What is a good 1 person shelter/sleeping bag etc that dont require trees? Basically the lightest (but not wallet damaging) and most essential kits.

Google Earth is proving indispensable in route planning.

 

[Da Peach]

Sounds cool. I'd be nervous of pedals or handle bars tangling on those via ferrata bits. That would kinda freak me out.

As for light stuff, wouldn't something like this do?
http://www.backcountrygear.com/camping-and-hiking/tents/bivies/makeshift-bivy.html

I'm guessing you'll be carrying a heavy camera...

 

[JohnE]

I am looking into trips such as these also...although not into any mountaineering with a bike strapped to my back. Thats pretty gnarcore...

I have a sweet bivvy sac, I think from Kelty or Kampmor, it was military issue...plan on using that. I am lookng at the old salt routes from Italy through the Alps into Germany...will pick up between Munich and Garmsich...ride to Florence pulling a BoB trailer. Planningplanningplanning.

 

[Da Peach]

Sounds awesome.

 

[DirtMcGirk]

I've done it with a bivvy sac and a light weight sleeping bag. The main issues I ran into problems with were with water and tubes. I never got so far off the range that I needed mountaineering gear. You, sir, have a huge pair of balls. Not being sarcastic either. That's metal-gnar-gnar-hard-****ing-core.

 

[bean]

I'm planning on some multi day bike rides in the Swiss & French Alps this summer. Mainly only one or two nighters. Maybe there's a refuge in the mountains I can stay in, maybe not.

Does anyone have any advice on what to take? Many routes require climbing wire ladders/metal spikes driven into rock faces etc, so the bike will need to be strapped to my backpack somehow. What is a good 1 person shelter/sleeping bag etc that dont require trees? Basically the lightest (but not wallet damaging) and most essential kits.

Google Earth is proving indispensable in route planning.

Why not leave it in place and haul it up after you like climbers do with haul bags? You'll have better mobility while you're climbing.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Why not leave it in place and haul it up after you like climbers do with haul bags? You'll have better mobility while you're climbing.

That would require straight-up vertical or overhanging terrain. I suspect a lot of the areas protected by the ladders/wires will not be and the bike would just get tangled up when you were trying to raise it.

 

[bean]

That would require straight-up vertical or overhanging terrain. I suspect a lot of the areas protected by the ladders/wires will not be and the bike would just get tangled up when you were trying to raise it.

Fair point. The bike does have a lot more pointy stuff sticking out from it to catch on things.

 

[Da Peach]

Sharing a 5.10 photo from Facebook...not sure it worked...