Kit and Caboodle

In case you are wondering about our snazzy kit ;

 Jerseys are by Champion Systems to our own design and very nice they are too.  These really are quality items, and the guys at Champion really came up with the best price under a tight timeline - and were extremely friendly and helpful about it too - thank you so very much for delivering a few days before the promised date- that really took the stress out of the last few days at home.

We have become something of a trio of Rapha-philes of late.  The seat in their bibs is plush to say the least and little details like the pocket in the back really do speak of a quality product.  ( the chamy cream is also pretty exotically pine scented and effective, wafting scandinavian freshness into nether regions ).  Their arm and leg warmers also rate something of a mention as they are deeply fleecy warm and I needed a medium size in both - amazing given the diamater of my stick arms and legs - thanks Rapha, I feel like a bit of a muscle, with guns and thighs.  Usually size smalls are sliding down at the first opportunity.

I can't speak highly enough of the Rapha merino socks.  I made do without overshoes during the most apocalyptic weather I have ever ridden in.  My feet spent literally hours completely soaked - I squelched them out of shoes in Fougeres and they were all white and wrinkled.  But they had been warm and comfortable all day.  The socks are something like $50 for 4.  Quite reasonable and literally the best socks I've ever ridden in.

One grizzle with Rapha gear, however, is the shape of the cycling cap.  Sorry guys, but you just didn't get that one quite right.  In-situ, it looks like a small boys private school cap, pin-headed and mean ( the cap, not the boys ), without the full-bodied float of a proper Euro cotton cap.  You need to study up on a few pics of Big Mig from the early 90's, you'll get what I'm trying to say.

While on the subject of merino, I also used a Smitten underlayer with some smug snugness.  This is a really nice item, well worth taking a look at.  Thanks Carl - for a quality Tasmanian product.

I would have to remark on the rather remarkable $40 DHB rain jacket.  Scotch-guarded nylon and semi-transparent, weird large neck opening, but we stayed largely core dry and warm through heavy, heavy, heavy rain.  If folds up into a light, neat package, what more do you need ?  It completely exceeded my rather minimal expectations - I hate wearing a cape, they are generally horrible - but I was thankfull to have it along and it worked very well.

No, I didn't wear double knicks - just lathers and lathers of anti-chafing cream - re-applied at intervals through each day ( even at the side of the road ).

I only wore double socks on the last day because I was getting sore under the balls of the feet, and I wanted some extra padding.

I didn't need to wear two jerseys, and was comfortable at all points except mid-afternoon on the way to Fougeres where I think I was close to hypothermic ( because of the heavy dousing from showers ) without realising it.  I seemed warm, but my hands were losing feeling.  Double gloves and a dry cap solved that problem and I recovered with a hot meal at the next control.

Even on the night stages, I didn't wear my merino beany. 

I guess at least we looked the part...