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I'd do the Spanish one.
You've been up to Scotland already, no? It's nice but the coast gets a bit samey after a while. I found inland more spectacular.
There'll be loads of camper vans on the pretty bits and it'll probably piss rain at least half the time.
And you're already in Spain!

mini portable electric pumps off Aliexpress?

I used it out on the road for the first time today. Worked really well, and saved me getting cold, dirty hands!

Cyclami

Thanks. I'll leave off the cassettes for the time being.

Fwiw the rings that I have that work well are a Stone double, 32-46.

I'm impressed with my Ali-X chainrings.
Has anyone tried the cassettes?

If you can reduce weight without compromising anything else, other than your wallet, it's worth doing. Just optimising other stuff is likely to give better returns on effort.

There is a tendency to take more stuff as you get more risk averse with age and experience so it's good to manage that and avoid the weight creeping up too much.
But I think bulk, number of items that need to be handled and packing efficiency are more important than weight. Chris's article quantifies that well - he always takes loads of stuff and manages to do OK!

It's great.
I got this one, as it was the smallest of the various options.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005999149230.html?spm=a2g0n.order_detail.order_detail_item.3.51edf19cSJZpRD

just deflated a 28mm tyre and blew it up with this, to about 80psi. Took maybe 1.5 minutes. Battery lasts for 4 minutes so I'd expect to be able to get two-three tyre inflations from it - depending on size and pressure, obvs.

I got one the other day but haven't tried it yet. Will try it and report back...

Ican?

https://icancycling.com/collections/road-bike-frame

I can't vouch for their current range but I have done maybe 20k km on one of their earlier models over 8 years with no issues.

They're a bit cheaper than winspace.

Thanks everyone for thoughts. I've got it done, with maximum amount of liner being used, although I think it would have been fine if I hadn't used any. But it's definitely useful for re-cabling as I had to undo it a couple of times and was much easier just to whizz the cable through the liner. And I'll undo it again as I want to fit some inline adjusters.

It looks like it will shift ok, when I have enough cable tension, but I've not put a chain on it yet and tested properly. Main thing is that the cable runs smoothly through the liner and there doesn't seem to be anything too crazy going on in the hidden depths of the down tube!

If you run outer cable housing all the way through the frame to the mech how is it exerting force on the frame?

Here I was referring to if I put a bit of outer between the mech and where the cable exits the frame behind the BB, like you do with a rear mech.

Yes, given I've bought it anyway I may as well use it wherever it will fit.

I can't run outer right through the frame as there isn't space in the cable guide under the BB, and the channel that goes through the frame from BB to the exit hole for front mech.
So I need to stop it somewhere. Only option really is that plastic insert where the cable enters the frame at the top of the down tube. I guess it is designed for the purpose, just seems to be asking a lot from a little piece of plastic.

The only alternative, which is starting to look quite appealing for an old bike, is to give up on internal routing and just cable tie outer all the way.

Ahh, I've found another little hole round the back where the cable goes! It has a conduit that goes down to the bottom of the BB, that looks nice and neat now. It was full of 8 years worth of gunk but I managed to force the cable through.

That big hole must be just for di2. I'll put a bit of tape over it.

Just discovered I could run housing up to the front mech. Don't think I will though as it would just be resting on the frame where the exit hole is, probably not designed for the force.

Unlike the little plastic insert where my cable goes into the down tube, it is taking the full force of the front shift. Maybe I'll end up running housing down the down tube...?

Shimano tech docs not quite kept up to date with developments in frames! This is from 11-speed 105 R7000.

I just have a hole where the front mech cable comes out, about 7-8mm circle. So I could run the liner right to the front mech, from under the BB. But I thought the end would be exposed and would get dirt in it.

I'm cabling an old frame with internal routing that used to have Di2 on it.

Do I need to use the white plastic liner stuff (not cable housing) inside the frame? Is there any benefit from doing so or is it just extra faff?

If I use it, how far should it extend? eg all the way along the internal bit right to the front mech / chainstay exit hole, or just where the cable goes under the BB?

Is it for gear cables only or would I use it on the rear brake cable? I assume not as I think it is a pretty straight run through the top tube.

Yes. I've ridden a lot in the hilly area to the east of Cologne - Bergisches Land and Sauerland - as my mother in law used to live there. It's lovely riding, quiet roads, decent climbs (not mountains), smooth surfaces, light motor traffic, etc.

I've also ridden in most of the other areas but not so much. They're petty flat. Quite a lot of cycle paths, which are often good, sometimes mediocre. Still pleasant riding though.

I would definitely have considered it if the dates had worked.

My daughter just learned to ride on one of these - purchased from another forum member - a few weeks ago!
GLWS

Presumably for lost dot staff salaries must be a significant cost.
I expect similar for nc4000 and some of the other big events.

Indypac was free to enter for the first, and only official, edition (although Jesse put a good bit of his own money into it). Since then it's been an unofficial event run on a Facebook group, so still no charge to enter as no organiser to pay. But it still has tracking and feels like a proper event.

I assume the tour divide is similar (but correct me if I'm wrong).

I don't begrudge people making a living out of doing something people want and are happy to pay for, and I've been very happy to pay for every event I've entered. However organisers may not always add as much value as they might think they do as there are some great events that manage without them.

These are quite good lights, they're what I've used for town use for the last few years.

Shaped beam and reasonably bright. Probably brighter than my old exposure strada! Only weakness IME is that the rubber band mount can slip so you have to adjust them, but not such an issue for being seen.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005999457783.html?spm=a2g0n.productlist.0.0.66f16f0eaCTDmG&browser_id=ba3b48ecffae4544ac6e461c0caaf9d2&aff_trace_key=40b055de2be94655974d2edf571cb26a-1696526418000-09488-b7S7Ir9e&aff_platform=msite&m_page_id=vtlhsdylwcazthvw18c273dda7c173e3df1b8c22aa&gclid=&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21GBP%214.29%212.03%21%21%2137.58%21%21%4021038e7717014654141183033ec025%2112000035252561475%21sea%21UK%21750030315%21&algo_pvid=f494c456-cc75-49a9-b43d-6d0d8518f66d

There's six people on the lost dot Homepage.

What I know about costs of running a business that doesn't seem too high.
No idea how much work all of it actually is, and what the sponsors contribute.

But they have a pretty full on job for the duration of the race, that's a given.

I'm not saying it's too high but that it's a lot higher than it used to be.

Probably it was too low to begin with, and I agree it's hard work: there are easier ways to earn a living, but the expansion of the cost base shows how it has changed from what it was in the early 'grassroots' days.

Plus media licences, plus £25 registration fee

I understand lost dot were charging £50 per sponsor!

You'll understand the costs of putting on these events better than me but it does seem that the prices have gone up faster than inflation.

I don't think people who can afford to race are too price sensitive so there seem to be plenty of riders. And the TCR is probably still cheap compared to an iron man.

But it's quite a change from the early days of the TCR when I can't remember what the entry cost but it was probably less than half of current levels. At current prices they are getting £150k in entries, plus media licences and whatever the sponsors might put in. It seems like a lot of money to organise a bike ride!

I think lots of Italians enter.
Not many Brits.