If you ask the mountain rescue service, this is precisely the problem: many cyclists think that planning tours and routes in the Alps works in exactly the same way as it does on the flat or in low-lying mountain ranges. All the necessary information is available online and can be accessed at any time via mobile phone. Anyone setting off into the Alps with this mindset will very quickly come up against one of these avoidable mistakes:
1. Choosing the wrong start date
When do Germans set off on holiday? That’s right: on a Saturday. This has been down to the bed-changing rota in booked hotels since time immemorial. Even guided Transalp groups prefer to set off on a Saturday. That’s why it’s a good idea for anyone crossing the Alps independently to set off on a different day of the week. Shifting your start to Friday or Sunday is enough to avoid running into large groups on the typical Transalp routes and getting caught in a trail jam. If you set off on a Monday, you’ll also find it easier to get a spot on the terrace at the huts and, above all, in the accommodation. After all, there’s no bed-changing on Saturdays in the mountains!
2. Starting without an overview
The first question you’re asked in the evening at the mountain hut when you’re crossing the Alps is: “So, where are you heading tomorrow?” Please don’t be one of the growing number of people who reply: “No idea, we’re following the GPS”. That’s not only reckless, but also dangerous. It’s not enough to download someone else’s route from the internet and blindly follow the track. Those crossing the Alps need a general understanding of their route so they can react at any time to weather, accidents or breakdowns. As a general rule, the route should always be assessed for its logical feasibility and, right up until shortly before setting off, checked for weather conditions and passability. Has there been a storm somewhere that triggered a mudslide and buried a section of the trail? This happened just recently in the popular Val d’Uina. The Alpine Club is a good source of information. It’s much easier to replan your route on your computer at home than on the small screen of a mobile phone or sat-nav. This is especially true if it also involves rebooking accommodation. The good thing about this is that anyone who researches the route in advance automatically gains the necessary general knowledge of the Alpine region.
3. It’ll be fine
Everyone has been eagerly awaiting the big day; one person needs to pop to the loo at the last minute, another is quickly tightening a bolt on their bike – things are always hectic on the day of the start, before the whole group finally sets off. You don’t want to be the one shouting “Stoooppp!” after just one kilometre because your rucksack is sitting a bit askew. But actually, you absolutely must! Minor niggles should be sorted out straight away, because otherwise, if you try to compensate for them, they’ll quickly turn into stiffness, back or knee pain – which certainly won’t get any more comfortable in the saddle over the next few days. That’s why professionals always plan an extra-short route for the first day, so that precisely these kinds of adjustments and settling into the group’s pace are possible.
3. Packing your rucksack incorrectly
Heavy items at the bottom. Or was it the light ones after all? Both are wrong. In principle, heavy items should be placed more towards the centre and balanced evenly. That way, nothing pulls on your shoulders or pushes against your neck, and nothing puts pressure on your lower back or tailbone. But the main reason is this: it keeps the centre of gravity close to your body, so it doesn’t pull you backwards or sway from side to side. It’s also important to put things you need to be able to reach quickly – such as a first-aid kit, money and rainwear – at the top or in the side pockets!
4. Forgot the brake pads
Most people think of inner tubes, pumps and mini-tools, but what about spare brake pads? On a Transalp ride, you’re carrying significantly more luggage; the descents go on for kilometres, and if you’re unlucky, you might get caught in a rain shower that just wears the brake pads away. And in the Alps, you don’t just happen to ride past a bike shop with the right spare parts. If you want to be absolutely on the safe side, you should also pack a spare spoke, a drop-out and spare screws for the cleats on your shoes. They’re just small parts, but they have the potential to bring a ride to a painful early end.
5. Not having any sun cream with you
Fits into the category: ‘Oh, I’ve forgotten that – I’m sure someone else will have brought some, or I’ll buy some on the way.’ More often than not, only one person in the group has thought to bring sun cream – and even then, it’s just a mini bottle from the chemist’s. In other words: it’s barely enough for one person on the trip. And buying it on the way is rarely an option in the Alps. The fact is, though: when cycling, your neck and arms are directly exposed to the sun. If your skin burns in these areas on the very first day, you’ll have to spend the rest of the trip in a long-sleeved top that’s too warm and/or wearing a scarf. Even if you’re the type who “tans quickly” – the sun’s rays are much more intense at high altitudes in the Alps. So even if it’s cloudy: apply SPF 50+ half an hour before setting off on your ride!
6. Clip the helmet onto the handlebars
There isn’t a single argument against wearing a helmet. It even protects you from sunstroke in hot weather. Or from completely unexpected traffic on a gravel hairpin bend. Or whilst pedalling harmlessly uphill, when another cyclist comes hurtling towards you at 90. But of course it also protects you in the event of a serious rollover on a blocked trail. Incidentally, statistically speaking, the latter happens less often than a fall on a supposedly harmless gravel road. If the helmet feels too uncomfortable or traps heat, then it’s either a poorly ventilated model or one that’s been adjusted incorrectly. In that case, might it be worth buying a new one with improved ventilation?
7. Sleeping in
A Transalp isn’t a race. If you’ve got the whole day to cover 50 kilometres and 1,200 metres of elevation gain, surely you’re allowed to have a lie-in? Yes and no. There are various reasons why it’s better to get up early in the mountains:
- Breakfast is often no longer available at the mountain hut from 9 am onwards
- Minimise the risk of thunderstorms and make sure you’re at your next accommodation by 4 pm
- From mid-August onwards, the days will already be noticeably shorter
- The larger the group, the alarmingly more time is taken up by short breaks (toilet stops, photos, putting on or taking off jackets), mishaps and paying for lunch.
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor