Touring - Buying equipment in the UK

Hi Again!!

I have seen several suggestions on here for buying touring equipment..... However, none of them are UK based. Does anyone have any suggestions for buying the following kit in the UK. Some can be bought at LBS, but I will like to save some money on the more expensive items!

I need the following:

Tent
Sleeping Mat
panniers
handlebar bag
spokes
spoke wrench
Mess tin
Water bottle and holder
gloves
waterproofs
Glasses (spectacles)
Drinking cup
Tools
Tubes x2
bar ends

Suggestions on kit would be great, but its where to get it in the UK thats most important!!

Thanks

Jamie

The UK has tons of shops that you can get that stuff at. And why do you need to get glasses from a bike shop??

I think the point of my post is for some advice on which are the best...... Sorry, I should've been more explicit.

regards,

Jamie

Probikekit.com generally has the best prices around on everything, and they're in the UK.

As for camping stuff, I have no idea. But I would imagine that a Hilleberg tent is probably cheaper for your being in the UK than they are for us in the US. Then again, while extremely nice, they are probably overkill for touring.

Check our your Decathlon stores. I haven't been in the ones in the UK, but I love the ones in France. Rowan and I flew to Europe in 2007, made our way to France, staying in hostels the first few nights, and as soon as we set foot in France, found the closest Decathlon and bought a tent for the rest of our trip. That tent was (and still is) great!! It withstood all the rains of August 2007.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/


Go Sport in France was also a good source of cycling bits and pieces. I got my rain pants at the one in St Quentin, just outside Paris. I don't think they have an outlet in the UK, but they aren't all that far from where you are.

http://www.go-sport.com/

For the bike stuff I had great luck and fast, cheap shipping with Ribble.com

Try posting here. http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/index.php?c=4 A good UK cycling forum that should get a good response. Try the "Road Buying Advice" or "Tour & Expedition" sections.

And Rowan gets a lot of stuff from Chain Reaction Cycles:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/

www.yacf.co.uk is a UK based cycling forum that might be able to advise you about where to get stuff in the UK.

Ortlieb panniers and handlebar bags are very highly regarded on both sides of the pond.

Trangia stoves (denatured alcohol/meths) and cookware are a good way to go.

Therma-Rest sleeping mats are very high quality, but expensive. A cheaper and lighter (but bulkier) option is a closed-cell foam pad like people used before Therma-Rests were invented.