A bicycle in good condition, lubricated and well adjusted, will reduce the rubbing coefficient (the equivalent of a slope of 1% for a good bicycle). Make sure that your derailleur gears are well adjusted. In addition, worn chains might crack in the high mountains and you may be stuck in the middle of nowhere. Check your air pressure before each tour: it should be between 7/7.5 kg in wet conditions and 8/8.5 kg in dry conditions. You should also carefully check your brakes and wheel mountings.
• A small repair kit.
• Your bicycle flask, so you can always
take water (there are many
fountains with fresh water
in the villages of Oisans).
• One or two snacks in order to avoid hypoglycaemia.
• A windbreaker and a warm jacket
(there may be sudden changes in temperature).
• A mobile phone.
• A few euros for a drink on the mountain pass.
Excellent maps of Oisans can be bought from Tourist Information Offices. For example, Michelin map no. 333 of the local area of the Département Isère (Savoy) covers the whole region. For more detailed information, we recommend maps with a scale of 1:25,000, such as top. 25 Bourg-d’Oisans and l’Alpe d’Huez 3335 ET, top 25 Meije Pelvoux 3436 ET, top 25 Les Deux-Alpes 3336T.