Spanish Bikepacking Diary: Day One

This 17 day series of Amanda’s first ever multiday bikepacking trip is exclusively available to Singletrack World Members. It gets more scenic as the journey unfolds, so stay tuned for more updates!

In February 2023 me and my Partner In Climb Rhys embarked on a bikepacking journey from Barcelona to Malaga, making sure to go up and over as many mountain passes as possible along the way. An overall journey of 1,200km* with 20,000m* ascent on gravel bikes, with no accommodation pre booked or intended. Our only restriction was that we had our flight home booked 17 days after arrival, and given the lack of trains or public transport that allows bikes on it, we had to complete the journey.

The route was planned quite meticulously to ensure we’d make the full distance, yet still have enough time for a good rest along the way. Three days on, one day off seemed like a healthy balance, but in planning it this way we couldn’t cut days short and add the distance onto the following days, as time simply wouldn’t allow the rollover. Rhys developed a spreadsheet to work out the average km/h needed per day, which at the time I thought was overkill but during the trip it became a great reassurance to see that we were on target despite various obstacles, scenic breaks and food hunts. On such a large journey, numbers are both your friend and your worst nightmare. They can lift your spirits by ticking away consistently, but they can just as quickly put the fear in you when you don’t see change that reflects the way your legs feel.

Planning a trip of this magnitude is a skill in itself, having to make sure you pass through enough towns to refuel, deal with maintenance issues, visit the pharmacy or have something to do on the rest day aside from eat, sleep, bathe, repeat. We packed enough kit to technically be able to survive without any accommodation and just regular water fills and supermarket sprees. We also anticipated colder temperatures than our usual Spanish winter trips, as we were further north and heading up passes up to ~1800m, so packed enough layers to survive the cold nights.

*the distance and elevation increased during the trip

Bike:

• PlanetX Tempest
• 11-46 cassette, 44T front chainring
• Arrow Wheelset
• USE Vybe Seatpost
• Specialized Pathfinder Pro 38mm, tubeless
• Specialzed S-Works Power Pro With Mirror Saddle (with an AirTag stashed in it)

Baggage:

• Tailfin Aero pack with 5l panniers
• Jack The Rack
• Restrap 1.5l handlebar bag
• Apidura Expedition Full Frame pack (with 3l bladder)
• Exped 5l Dry Bag

Sleeping Gear:

• Outdoor Research Helium Bivy
• Sea to Summit Flame Fml sleeping bag
• Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight pillow
• Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL Camping Mat
• All reviewed here

Riding Gear:

• Rapha Core Bib shorts x 2
• Rapha Flyweight Jersey
• Rapha Merino Mesh Base / Albion All-Road Sleeveless Mesh Base
• Giro Chrono Expert Gilet
• Maloja SopraM Windproof Jacket
• Pearl Izumi AmFIB Gel Winter Gloves
• Bluegrass Union Gloves
• GoBik Arm Warmers
• Buff

Clothing:

• Rapha Women’s Explore Down Jacket
• Isobaa Short Sleeved Merino
• Patagonia Capilene Thermal Leggings
• Northface Skirt
• Nukeproof Long Sleeve Merino
• Merrell Vapor Glove Barefoot Shoes

Other:

• Garmin 1040 Solar
• Exposure Diablo
• Exposure TraceR Rear light
• Hiplok Z LOK
• Leatherman Squirt, Multitool, tubeless repair, CO2, Tubilito tube, chain lube etc
• Medicine, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, Bum Butter

Day One: Barcelona Airport to Alcover

• Distance: 104km
• Ascent: 1,500m

The first day is pretty straightforward on paper. We collect our bikes from the oversized baggage counter, build them in the airport, and ride 104km to Alcover. A mere 1,500m ascent over that distance promises an easy day getting used to our loaded bikes, making adjustments and getting climatised. Two positive mindsets and the motivation you feel at the beginning of an adventure should see us through.

Building bikes in an airport arrivals terminal is surprisingly easy. I didn’t have the foresight to tape my Leatherman near the handle to get the zipties snipped off, but aside from that it’s a breeze… until we roll outside and realise we have no idea how to dispose of the cardboard bike boxes. I’d like to say that the garbage guy we found was really helpful and told us what to do with them, but I’d be lying. I’d also like to say that we eventually found some large recycling bins, but again, I’d be lying. So we neatly flattened them and put them next to the bins and cheesed it before the garbage man yelled at us again.

The route away from Malaga airport is surprisingly scenic. A brief section of busy roads leads us to a wiggly climb outlined with red rock and lush green trees. Having spent several weeks in Spain during the past couple of winters, seeing greenery and growth is quite novel, given the ongoing drought. We take turns in announcing how well our bikes ride when fully loaded, which is a pleasant surprise. Even weight distribution is key for cornering control, but in general the handling just feels great with the extra weight.

It’s somewhere along this climb that I realise my knees hurt. No sooner have I noticed the pain, it has become excruciating and I have to unclip from my pedals and balance the edge of my shoes on them to relieve the pain. Long story short – I took mountain bike shoes and learnt the hard way that the stance width on a gravel bike is narrower than a mountain bike. No amount of cleat adjustment worked, and we’re forced to accept that we need a detour to a bike shop, one our first day. Checking the route, it won’t be far off the plan to stop in Valls, just 5km east of our planned destination Alcover, so we limp our way there with regular stops for me to get off my bike and bend my knees.

At around 80km we’re completely out of sunlight and rolling through a village when we hear the sound of a nail bomb exploding. I squeal to a stop behind Rhys, who’s looking around for the villain, only to find to his horror that the sound was actually his rear wheel exploding. No, not the tyre, but all the spokes coming loose. At this point I’m in so much pain and I’ve been pretty anxious about resolving my own problems, so I just burst out laughing and lighten the mood immediately. It shouldn’t be funny, but knowing that he built the wheels right before the trip and didn’t run them in, or use a spoke tensioner, it is hilarious to me. It also leads to the relief of us agreeing that we need to book some cheap accommodation in Valls and spend the following morning shoe shopping and rebuilding a wheel.

We book a 4 star hotel for around £30 thanks to it being off-season in Spain, and enjoy the space to re-pack our bags so they make more sense after the airport build. After a good nights sleep I take my unloaded bike to the bike shop and leave Rhys rattling spoke nipples out of his rim in the hotel. I dust off my Spanish GCSE knowledge and am now the proud owner of some Bontrager shoes.

Coming Next…

What do I do with my mountain bike shoes? What’s broken now? Are those caterpillars poisonous?