DotWatcher.cc
Bikes of TransAtlantic Way 2025
9 June, 2025
Craig Morrison
Age: 56
Location: Kinsale
Bike: BMC URS
Key items of kit: Mixture of Apidura and Tailfin bags, Lightweight Bivy & sleeping Pad. Gore Wet gear & Albion warm gear.
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 35mm-39mm
Electronic shifting: Yes
Tim Lewis
Age: 53
Location: Newry
Bike: On One Pickenflick
Key items of kit: SON dynamo, Exposure Revo headlight, Sinewave charger
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Titanium
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 35mm-39mm
Electronic shifting: No
Timothy Barrett
Age: 64
Location: Kennebunkport
Bike: Specialized Roubaix 48/32 Chainring Shimano 11-40 Cassette Kogel Oversized Derailleur Cage Continental Grand Prix 4-Season Tires PRO Griffon Saddle Redshift Top Shelf Handlebars
Key items of kit: Revelate Designs Frame Bags Tailfin Carbon AeroPack Tailfin Bar Bag System 2 Redshift Arclight Rear Mounted Light Modules 1 Cygolite Rear Light 2 Cygolite Front Lights Schmidt Edelux II Headlight SON Front Mounted Dynamo
Frame type: Road
Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 30-34mm
Electronic shifting: No
Ciarán Fitzgerald
Age: 35
Location: Ireland
Bike: My take me everywhere Surly Long Haul Trucker. It's fitted out with a Brooks B17 saddle, butterfly handlebars (for all the hand positions) and a dynamo front light. I've bodged in some mountain bike gears on the back to go with the triple up front for all those hills.
Key items of kit: Saddle bag is a drybag from Aldi, frame bag is handmade by my mother in law and handlebar bag I picked up in a market in Portugal. Bottle cages are hoseclipped on to allow for bigger 1L bottles.
Frame type: Other
Frame material: Steel
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 30-34mm
Electronic shifting: No
George Hodgkinson
Age: 23
Location: Preston
Bike: Basso diamante
Key items of kit: Restrap/alpkit bags Rab bivi bag Profile design aero bars Reverse 34/37 wheels Force axs groupset 48/35 10-36
Frame type: Road
Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 30-34mm
Electronic shifting: Yes
Roberto De Osti
Age: 40
Location: Italia
Bike: ENVE - Fray
Key items of kit: Frame and Components • Frame: Enve Fray • Groupset: SRAM Force AXS 2x • Chainrings: 48/35 • Cassette: 10–36 • Wheels: Mavic Cosmic SLR 32 • Tyres: Continental Grand Prix 4 Season 32mm • Tubes: Tubolito • Saddle: Dash
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Bags • Handlebar bag: Custom by Rusjan Bags • Frame bag: Custom by Rusjan Bags • Top tube bag: Tailfin Top Tube Pack • Seat pack: Tailfin Aeropack
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Electronics • Head unit: Garmin Edge 1040 • Front light: Exposure Race MK17
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Personal Touch • Lucky charm: My little Monchhichi, always on the handlebar to remind me that every adventure is better with a smile.
Frame type: Road
Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 30-34mm
Electronic shifting: Yes
Gerardo Ballesteros
Age: 59
Location: Glasgow
Bike: Fairlight Strael
Key items of kit: Mix of bags from tailfin, Cyclelite and Revelate Designs. Light bivy, mat and bag at the rear, day clothes at the front, electronics and handy stuff on frame pac. A few lights with spares should keep me busy with the charging routine. Midge net. Huge stem bag to hold my jelly babies and random food. Comfy aerobars and tools and bits on bottle cage at the very bottom
Frame type: Road
Frame material: Steel
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 30-34mm
Electronic shifting: Yes
Mike Bird
Age: 58
Location: Schull
Bike: Fairlight Secan
Key items of kit: Apidura, Restrap bags. Outbound detour front light. Panaracer gravel king tyres.
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Steel
Wheel size: 650b (27.5")
Tyre width: 45mm-50mm
Electronic shifting: No
Isaac Lalicic
Age: 40
Location: ASTORIA
Bike: It's a niner RLT9 made of that magical 853 Reynolds stuff. Set up with full wood fenders. 48/31 GRX crank and 11/42 Cassette(non-factory spec!). It'll climb anything! relatively basic Hunt wheels, 34mm Schwalbe's are new to me, prefer the 32mm GP5000's but whatev's. TT bars with 70mm risers and redshift seatpost make it comfy.
Key items of kit: Key kit: 30watt speaker on a front rack! I'm a pannier guy and tend to carry more kit than usual but this year i went to a tailfin and had to add the smaller bags to make everything fit. Long top-tube bag + oversized feedbags will assist with keeping fueled while moving. Custom Dispersed brand frame bag carries a few gadgets and tool kit. I've got 4 forward lights from ToWild which double as power banks. They'll be handy because i'd hate to have to plug them in to charge if it's wet out. I'm also carrying a 1L thermos to keep plenty of warm or hot tea or maybe chicken soup when it gets a bit cold out to help fend off getting sick.
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Steel
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 30-34mm
Electronic shifting: No
Jason McCandless
Age: 39
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Bike: Allied Allroad
Key items of kit: Tailfin cargo aeropack, Tailfin frame bag, Tailfin top tube bag. Orucase Smuggler XL handlerbar bag, Profile Design 52a aerobars, Garmin Edge 840.
Frame type: Road
Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 35mm-39mm
Electronic shifting: Yes
Martin McShane
Age: 68
Location: Shireoaks UK
Bike: Stayer All Road Custom Build Frame. Stayer 700c Wheels. Sram X01 AXS Eagle. 10-52 rear cassette SRAM Force D2 1X 40T. GP 500 35mm tyres
Key items of kit: Tailfin Aeropack, top tube and half frame bags with bar bag. Apidura food pouches. Exposure headlight. Cateye rear light.
Frame type: Road
Frame material: Steel
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 35mm-39mm
Electronic shifting: Yes
Chris Colcutt
Age: 61
Location: York
Bike: Cannondale Synapse
Key items of kit: As little as possible!
Frame type: Road
Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 25-29mm
Electronic shifting: No
Douglas Johnson
Age: 33
Location: London
Bike: Specialized Roubaix, in Red
Key items of kit: Apidura Frame Bag, Apidura Bar Bag, Apidura Saddle Bag.
David Sreeves
Age: 59
Location: Cheltenham
Bike: Genesis Vapour 2009
Key items of kit: Rockbros 3l top tube bag High5 750ml water bottles Bivvy bag & mattress, wet-weather gear plus evening-wear all carefully and attractively wrapped in black, heavy-duty bin liners
Frame type: Road
Frame material: Aluminium
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 25-29mm
Electronic shifting: No
Sean Case
Age: 56
Location: Amberley, West Sussex
Bike: Windover Bostal in signal orange. 1 x12 Shimano GRX drivetrain, profile aerobars on 70mm risers set up for comfort. Ritchey WCS gravel drop bars, Redshift suspension stem. Fizik vento argo 150mm saddle - normally ride a 140 but gone for extra width for long days in the saddle. SPDs and Hunt supradura wheels with 28mm Hutchinson Challenger tubeless tyres.
Key items of kit: Bit of a mash up of new school/old school bike luggage with Restrap aerobar bag, front handlebar bag, one feed bag, and one workbag (not pictured) Alpkit feedbag and frame bag, Carradice top tube and Barley saddlebag with support and quick release. Alpkit Ultra 120 sleeping bag, sea to summit inflatable pillow, alpkit cloud base mat, EDZ merino base layers, grip grab waterproof bib shorts, over shorts, arm and leg warmers, Gore wind proof gillet and waterproof coat, endura cycling jersey.
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Steel
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 25-29mm
Electronic shifting: No
Paula Downes
Age: 40
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Bike: Fairlight Strael 3.0 Ultegra di2 50-34/11-34. Profile Designs aerobars with 50mm risers. Selle Italia SLR boost endurance superflow saddle (possibly swap to an older Brooks saddle last minute). Flat pedals. GP5000 tubeless. Comfy Enve bar tape.
Key items of kit: An Ortlieb seat pack that has seen me through some big adventures. Tailfin top tube & frame pack. Two tools I initially thought were gimmicky but turned out to be great: Daysaver multi tool and Cycplus e-pump.
Frame type: Road
Frame material: Steel
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 30-34mm
Electronic shifting: Yes
Mark Moroney
Age: 75
Location: Derry, Ireland
Bike: GT Grade gravel, carbon frame, 10 speed Shimano, 30/46 x 11/36.
Key items of kit: Mix of Ortlieb and Restrap bags. Full bivy, sleeping bag, air mattress
Frame type: Road
Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 30-34mm
Electronic shifting: No
Glenn Finnegan
Age: 53
Location: Ardee
Bike: Fustle Causeway
Key items of kit: 7 litre handlebar bag, Topeak rear carrier ,1 x 11 ,
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Aluminium
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 40mm-44mm
Electronic shifting: No
Shane Courtney
Age: 54
Location: Loughill
Bike: BMC TeamMachine
Key items of kit: Profile Design Aerobars, Apidura bags, Sinewave Beacon Light, Hunt Dynamo ...
Frame type: Road
Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 30-34mm
Electronic shifting: Yes
Joe Morrison
Age: 68
Location: Derry
Bike: Fairlight Faran
Key items of kit: Tailfinn
Frame type: Road
Frame material: Steel
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 30-34mm
Electronic shifting: No
Clarke Nellins
Age: 23
Location: Armagh
Bike: 2015 Trek 1.1 that's been upgraded over the years. Mishmash of 105, tiegra and grx with hunt wheels, selle Italia saddle and red shift bars.
Key items of kit: -Restrap top tube and bar bag holster. -Cyclite aero bag -Aerostream front and rear light with Rockbros secondary rear light -clip on bars and frame bag from Decathlon -Profile Design bottle cage (minus included leaky aero bottle)
Frame type: Road
Frame material: Aluminium
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 30-34mm
Electronic shifting: No
David Greene
Age: 33
Location: Dublin
Bike: BMC Roadmachine
Key items of kit: Time XC pedals (very bad-knee friendly). Clip-on TT bars. Selle Italia SLR saddle. 11-36 for slow and steady climbing.
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 30-34mm
Electronic shifting: No
Peter Fortune
Age: 38
Location: Waterford, Ireland
Bike: Canyon Grizl SL8 running 35mm GP5000 AS TR tyres set up tubeless. The cockpit features Profile Design Sonic Ergo aerobars on 50mm risers and is wrapped in thick Lizard Skins 4.5 bar tape. The GRX drivetrain is adapted with a Roadlink DM to pair a 48/31t crankset with an 11-40t cassette.
Key items of kit: My kit is carried in a full Apidura Racing setup. The sleep system is a Cumulus Magic 100 Zip bag with a Thermarest NeoAir Uberlite pad and a Montbell bivvy. For rain, I'm relying on a Gorewear Spinshift jacket, and navigation is handled the Coros Dura (incredible battery life).
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 35mm-39mm
Electronic shifting: No
Ivan Cornell
Age: 55
Location: London
Bike: Titanium fixed gear Burls frame with Kinesis disc brake fork for extra clearance up front. 45T chainring and Halo Fix-G flip-flop hub with 16T/17T sprockets for 76"/71" gear inches.
Key items of kit: Alpkit frame/saddle/top tube bags from TAW2017 have been supplemented with a Wizard Works LIl Presto Barrel Bag for extra snack carrying abilities.
Frame type: Road
Frame material: Titanium
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 25-29mm
Electronic shifting: No
Ian Mitchinson
Age: 47
Location: Donegal, Ireland
Bike: Canyon Grail, GRX system 48-31T 12 speed, With DT Swiss Wheels, Tires are Continental Grand Prix 5000 All Season 32'. Canyon Gear Groove Aero Bars
Key items of kit: Using a top tube bag and cargo aero pack both by Tailfin. Front lighting with Supernova Airstream 2, on the back have a Garmin Varia radar with an additional Exposure Tracer. Saddle Fizik Argo 3D printed, and a load of dyno plugs.
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 30-34mm
Electronic shifting: Yes
Andrew Corey
Age: 43
Cap number: ?
Location: Cheltenham, UK
Bike: Ribble R872 Shimano 105 2x11 mech DT Swiss / Son dynamo wheelset built by lucky13 bikes, Cheltenham Tailfin/ restrap luggage Tubeless setup Panaracer Gravelking semi-slick 700c x 30mm
Key items of kit: Chapstick/ 1 man tent for that added luxury
Frame type: Road
Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 30-34mm
Electronic shifting: No
Ryan Gaughan
Age: 33
Location: Mayo/Donegal
Bike: Canyon Aeroad CF SLX
Key items of kit: Topeak 10 L saddle bag - clothes mostly, rain jacket, winter pants might be needed for cold mornings.
Zefal top tube bag for phone, snacks, glasses etc.
Topeak middle bag - electronics, tools, pump, toiletries
Garmin Edge 530 for for nav combined with Fenix watch for additional stats.
Lights front and back
Side entry bottle cages
Frame type: Road
Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 25-29mm
Electronic shifting: Yes
Carolyn O'Dwyer
Age: 31
Location: Glasgow
Bike: Sonder Camino Al
Key items of kit: Tarmac interface: talismanic RH Switchback Hill tyres on a mishmash wheelset built with love.
Dynamo light and so many disparate reflective elements that I’ll be both visible and confusing. Garmin Varia radar light completes the road safety system.
Bags by me, optimised for snack storage and retrieval. Big thanks to prickly gorse and functional sewing project for the patterns and tutorials! Brand new spork by Lomo.
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Aluminium
Wheel size: 650b (27.5")
Tyre width: 45mm-50mm
Electronic shifting: No
John Hellewell
Age: 58
Location: Ireland
Bike: Checkpoint ALR4
Key items of kit: All bags are ortlieb. A few upgrades, 11-50 cassette, hybrid brakes, sqlab saddle and conti 5000 AS TR tubeless 35mm tyres.
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Aluminium
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 35mm-39mm
Electronic shifting: No
ROVELLI ROBERTO
Age: 60
Location: Italy
Bike: Specialized diverge
Key items of kit: Rear bagagli
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Aluminium
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 35mm-39mm
Electronic shifting: No
Daniel liebscher
Age: 35
Location: Cork
Bike: Fairlight Secan
Key items of kit: Wizard works Frame bag, re strap race bags, SON dynamo hub + headlight, Busch and muller twilight, Pirelli P zero race 700x35 tyres, GRX 46/30 11-36 cassete
Frame type: Gravel
Frame material: Steel
Wheel size: 700c (29")
Tyre width: 30-34mm
Electronic shifting: No