Transalp with "Dr. rad"Andreas Albrecht |
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Info-Pool: Preparation of Transalp
- Do I have alpine experience?
- Can I manage the plan on my own before the tour begins?
- join a professional provider (see: homepage of the german magazine Bike) or
- would like to go with me in 2007 - the tours take place on my
"classical" route of Transalp just like in 2003
- the order of events refer to: tour report 2003/September (german report)
- if you are interested in taking part in 2007 click here or - join an individual group (for instance via Forum of IBC - International Bike Community)- click here .
- In some cases it probably makes sense to take part in my
Transalp trainingscamps at Lake Garda in Italy.
more info (in german) you can find here.
the report of the 2005 camp (in german) you can find here.
1. individual
- condition
- a high degree of fitness is a prerequisite for a successful Transalp expedition
- a high degree of stamina is required
- at least: 2000 kilometres with MTB/racing cycling in the season prior to starting a Transalp crossing
- general rule:
you should manage a bike tour of about 80 - 100 kilometres in a average speed of about 15 -20 km/h without problems;
you should be able to control your bike at high speeds especially on dirty and stony roads - you should have already done at least one tour with an elevation gain of about 1000 metres with a backpack of about 7 kg
- mental preparation
- you have to know what is expected to you:
you will have to push the bike during certain stages of the crossing - the bike will need to be carried for short distances; you should already eliminate all periods longer than 15 minutes in your tour planning
- that's why: obtain information, for example over the internet, because there you can direct questions to experienced Transalp riders
- ask your questions in the german IBC-Forum www.mtb-news.de/forum
in the category "Reisen, Routen und Reviere" you can also ask in english - critically assesses the tour-reports of other people; keep in mind that it is your own capability that matters and not that of other Transalplers
- many "dream - singletrails" with a backback are impossible to drive - 400 metres pushing the bike downhilll while it is raining makes no fun
- nutrition
- listen to your body; it tells you exactly about nutrition in extreme situations
- breakfast: as much and whatever you 'd like to eat
- at lunchtime: eat sufficiently, but keep it light (noodles or soups; no beer, no meat)
- during the trip: bananas, energy bars, etc.
- make sure you drink plenty of water (water is seldom a problem in the Alps - as you can drink from streams )
- advice: overnight stay: if it' s possible always book half board; you generally get plenty to eat at a resonable cost
- bodyweight
- every kilogram you have to carry uphill - tip:fast before the tour starts
- I've had good experiences with fasting; before Transalps I reduced my weight about four to five kilograms during a fast week; this almost compensates for the backback weight
- during the fastweek you can train a little bit
last date: end of fasting 2 weeks before Transalp begins
2. material
- mountainbike
these days a full suspension is the best
choice;
however "air-suspension" can be problematic as they are difficult to repair on the road; continuing the trip is possibly impossible;
for that reason I worked an aluminium hoop from the wasteyard as a suspension Dummy (130 g) - see picture
meanwhile I reverted to steel spring suspension (better safe than sorry!)- bar ends are recommended as well as if you use Downhill - handlebars
- if possible: 2 bottles - with bottle cages attached to the
frame being the best choice;
tip: aluminium bottles by Sigg (the closing lid on the tip keeps the drinking noozle dirt free) - saddle with quick release skewers
- very good mountain drive train: at the front - the smallest chain ring at least 22 teeth, at the back - if possible 32 teeth as maximum (better: 34 teeth)
- before the tour starts check if the chain has stretched; change if necessary
- don`t forget replacement brake linings; I made very good experiences with disc brakes (hydraulic system)
- don`t use too light tires
- shoes/pedals
- whether you use click pedals is a matter of personal
preference; I never used them on my first trips.
however it is important to have sturdy shoes that protect the anke and enable you to walk the bike; necessary: test before - don't ever use new shoes on tour
- backpack
- everything has to be transported in your backpack
- bigger bags aren`t possible in the alpine terrain except small handlebars or frame bags
- maximum weight including contents: 6 - 7 kilograms; necessary:
test before
Transalp 2001: I finally reached 5,5 kilograms including backpack (a feeling like flying!) - I don`t recommend integrated drink - systems (Camelbag or others) because of weight
- I'm using Deuter backpacks since 2000 and I am
very happy with it
2000-2002: Deuter Trans Alpine 30 - 1200 g
2003-2004: Deuter Trans Alpine 25 - 1100 g
2005: Deuter Speed Lite 30 - 850 g plus extra raincover - 80 g
- bicycle computer
- basic equipment, absolutely necessary
- my tip: Sigma - unfortunately still without altimetry
- altimeter
- in my opinion also absolutely necessary
- I think it is also important like a bicycle computer;
they are used for orientation and are helpful for your own mentality (general rule: 400 - 500 metres of altitude uphill per hour) - my tip: models of Ciclosport (with memory and PC - analysis), e.g. HAC 4
- mobile phone/telephone
- in the meantime the Alps are opened up almost area-wide for mobile communications - so do say the providers (it's only a joke)
- one mobile phone per participant is useful for emergencies, e.g. if you lose sight of others at a downhill run (don`t forget a storage battery if it doesn`t work for a week without charging again)
- however it is just useful if you made notes in the roadbook about the numbers of the regional mountain rescue and also of the alpine huts as well as the numbers of every participant
- otherwise I use the particular phonecards of the country
organisation
- principles
- use the experiences of other transalplers (tour reports in magazines or in the internet)
- always assess critically these reports on the basis of your own eperiences, your demand of efficiency and also your capacity
- every time take into account emergencies and bad weather situations
- on the way inquire yourself in bicycle shops, alpine huts or
ask a mountain guide;
information about special routes given by "only-wanderers" has to be taken with a pinch of salt - best travel - time: June - September according to the snow conditions I made good experiences with tours in September
- expenses
- per tour-day: you can expext to pay 50-60 EUR for an overnight stay/meal in simple boarding houses or alpine huts
- if you choose an overnight stay: if possible take half board
- you can only safe money concerning the costs of drinks (take water and mix powder with you instead of buying a half litre sparkling apple juice for 3 EUR)
- arrival/transfer
- transfers by car will be problematic if you have to go by car to the starting place and destination because of a huge loss of time (refer to my tour Switzerland in 1994)
- absolutely easy and very reasonably priced is the transfer back
from Lake Garda to Innsbruck/Garmisch
- by train: Rovereto - Brenner - about 10 € (on no account buy an international ticket)
- bottlenecks could appear in July / August
- before the tour starts, check at home the timetable concerning bike taking with you
- from the Brenner you can go by the Austrian regional railway to Innsbruck or straight to Garmisch
- if there is enough time, you can go downhill by bike to Innsbruck (40 km in one hour)
- super tip by Julius Großmann concerning bike transport in trains which usually do not offer bike transportation: "The bike is packed into two plastic dustbin liners which are available in the DIYs (wheels to be separated) and so you can put it into the luggage rack of almost all trains." - absolutely ingenious, so you fool them all. Refer to his homepage: www.juloase.homepage.t-online.de
- in Italy the bike transfer in busses is mostly possible and very reasonably priced, also cable-car systems usually take the bike for free
- overnight stay
- here you have to decide whether you would like to stay in the valley that means in guest houses of the holiday resorts or in alpine huts in the mountains because this has got an influence on the route plan
- I personally tend towards overnight stays in the valley
- Pros valley:
- hardly accommodation problems during the high season
- you are in secure surroundings if there is a sudden change of weather over night
- the uphill stage should be passed in the morning
- medical supply is easier if there are health problems
- Pros alpine huts:
- you experience an incomparable nature event if the weather is nice
- alpine huts magic has its own attraction
- if you want to have an overnight stay at the alpine huts, you absolutely have to reserve an accommodation by telephone before the tour starts
- maps
- on a scale of 1:50.000 is okay; if you have got a smaller scale it will be heavier, meanwhile I scanned many of the needed maps excerpts and I printed them in A4-sized paper (it saves absolutely weight)
- Kompass-maps
www.kompass.at
- widespread almost everywhere, everywhere available
- cover completely the German, Austrian and Italien Alps area
- in new issues mountainbike routes are marked
- disadvantage: partly too imprecise, bad orientation on the mountain ridge
- summary for maps and how to buy by Amazon click here
- if you take Kompass maps then: red broken lines are uphill/downhill mostly passages by pushing the bike; red dotted ways (as a rule only footpaths), not recommended
- Italian Tabacco maps are very recommendable:
- very exactly, very good route descriptions
- mountain ridges and terrain structure are very detailed and clearly shown
- unfortunately you cannot find all areas in these maps
- address: CASA Editrice Tabacco, I-33010 Tavagnacco (Udine), Via E. Fermi 78, Tel.: 0039-0432-573822, Fax: 0039-0432-573823
- available for example in the internet shop of Deutschen Alpenvereins:www.alpenverein.de - swiss maps in the internet: www.swisstopo.ch
- german special bookshops with maps on sale:
- Gleumes & Co., Hohenstaufenring 47/51, 50674 Köln, Tel. 0221-211550, www.landkartenhaus-gleumes.de
- Dr. Götze Land & Karte, Alstertor 14, 20093 Hamburg, Tel. 040-357 463-0, www.drgoetze.com
- Schropp, Potsdamer Str. 129, 10631 Berlin, Tel. 030-235 5732-0, www.schropp.de
- Geobuch, Rosental 6, 80331 München, Tel. 089-265 030
- Alpina, Friedenstr. 4, 85609 Aschheim, Tel. 089-903 7655, www.alpina-buch.de
- Versandbuchhandlung Jürgen Schrieb, Schwieberdinger Str. 10/2, 71706 Markgröningen, Tel. 07145-26078, www.karten-schrieb.de
- route plan
- your own planning with the help of the maps is absolutely necessary, although you use reports of other participants, especially for the mental preparation
- 1500 - 2000 altitude metres are possible per day
- not too long stages - biketime: 8.30 am - 4.00 pm, if possibly start earlier in the morning
- you have to think about bad weather conditions
- use forest streets, avoid broken footpaths
- no fear because of little tar streets or cable - car systems in cases of bad weather
- roadbook
- I plan my tours with the help of a self - developed roadbok
based on an EXCEL table
easy calculation of the distances with the help of the maps; easy analysis after the tour - how you can comprehend the detail information of my tours on this homepage - meanwhile I create the height-profiles after the tours with the help of the recordings of the bicycle computer
- example of a roadbook: open in new window
- packing list
- don't carry too much with you!!!
- max. 7 kg in the backpack including the weight of the backpack,
5,5 kg are optimal
possible with the help of the follwing packing list - open the up-to-date german list in new window: click here
2008-Jul-04
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since: 2003-Jun-6:
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since: 2003-Jun-6: