The Sun Trip 2020 in L’Équipe.fr magazine

Today, a very nice article on the Sun Trip was published by L'Équipe magazine. Find the full article online at: https://www.lequipe.fr.

Here are some extracts below:
“In June, Sun Trip competitors will ride from Lyon to Canton in China on electro-solar assisted bikes. On the program: 12,000 km and fifteen countries crossed.

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Browsing the Internet without looking at the compass too much, Jean-Marc Dubouloz, amateur cyclist, comes across a film relating the 2018 edition of the "Sun Trip". The images showed strange cyclists progressing on alpine slopes, over the plains of central Europe, or under the overwhelming sky of the Kazakh steppe. Pedaling lying under cover under their solar panels, or towing them on a trailer attached to their traditional bike, the Sun Trip competitors joined Lyon … Canton, 12,000 kilometers further!
Love at first sight from Jean-Marc Dubouloz: “I was amazed,” says this audiovisual entrepreneur. I immediately knew I wanted to do this. ”

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Launched in 2013 by Florian Bailly, this extraordinary event aims to be a sort of “Terrestrial Vendée Globe”. […] The rule is simple: reach the final destination independently on “electro-solar assistance” bicycles (traditional or recumbent, cargo bikes, etc.). Any recharging on sector being strictly prohibited, the competitors will advance all the more quickly as the sky will be blue. Conversely, rainy and dull days require more muscular effort, promising both fatigue and shorter distances. […]

"What attracted me was this unique blend of human adventure and technology," says Dubouloz. The fiftieth is also passionate about the issue of soft mobility: […]the energy required for each participant to join Canton is for 1/3 of muscular origin and for 2/3 photovoltaic. […] On such a long adventure, you must reduce the risk of damage, and above all plan to repair by yourself. […]

The time limit for joining Canton is set at three and a half months. Our amateur cyclist is aiming for less than 60 days. June 1 will begin for him "the adventure of a lifetime".

Author: Olivier Haralambon
Posted January 13, 2020 on
https://www.lequipe.fr.

 

Visits: 208

The Suntriper Christophe Dugué interviewed by France 3 TV

Christophe Dugué participated in the Sun Trip Tour in 2017, and also in 2019 with his wife Stephanie. His professional world has allowed him to build himself powerful, rigid and lightweight solar panels. Indeed Christophe works at Photowatt, a French manufacturer of panels.
In front of the cameras of France 3, he talks to us about his motivations and his approach, and Stéphanie explains to us how much his solar bike helped her in the ascent of the big alpine passes.

Pour la planète : Christophe Dugué à vélo solaire

Parcourir les Alpes ou pourquoi pas rouler jusqu'à l'autre bout du monde en toute autonomie dans des conditions plus écologiques qu'en voiture ou en camping car, c'est l'avantage du vélo électrique solaire. Christophe Dugué s'est lancé en participant au Sun Trip, une course à vélo solaire unique au monde. #pourlaplanète The Sun Trip

Publiée par France 3 Régions sur Mercredi 20 novembre 2019

Visits: 194

The Sun Trip Tour 2019 in the 200′ magazine!

The magazine 200 makes cycling a daily adventure, it feels a love of cycling in all its forms, it grants letters of nobility to the little queen, whether the bike in town, wilderness, mountain , on all the roads of France, Europe and elsewhere. The magazine 200 does not segregate between cyclo-sportsmen, competitors, cyclotourists, travelers, adventurers …
That's why he devoted an 8-page article to the participants of the Sun Trip, and recounts their adventures on the human level as well as technical and sporting.

A number available in kiosks until the end of January 2020

Visits: 183

The photo album of July 12th, from Divonne-les-Bains to Chamonix

Find the images of the adventures of the 7th day of the Sun trip Tour 2019: the quiet journey with Ralf, Divonne-les-Bains to Sallanches where Jean joined us, and after Sallanches, the course of the day which switches after an unfortunate passage at a bike shop, the necessary break at a village party, and the late arrival in Chamonix due to technical problems.

Visits: 156

The July 11th photo album: from Villars-les-Dombes to Divonne-les-Bains

It was the 6th day of the Sun trip Tour 2019, we all had the goal of arriving at Divonne-les-Bains in the afternoon: the soft morning light on the church of Villars-les-Dombes, meetings in Pont-d'Ain: Béatrice and Yannick, Antoine, Arnaud, Laurent and Corentin with their vintage tandem, the deep color of Lake Nantua …

Visits: 194

Sun Trip Tour: the atmosphere of July 6th in photo!

Find all the atmosphere of the first day of the Sun trip Tour 2019 in the photo album of July 6th: the presentation of the bikes on the place of the Town Hall of Puy-en-Velay, the first kilometers through the landscapes of the Haute-Loire, the valley of Allier until Saint-Flour.

Pictures + short videos:

Visits: 111

Sun Trip Tour: review of distances and height differences

This Sun Trip Tour 2019 was slightly sportier than the 2017 edition, a little more kilometers and more altitude. But everyone had the freedom to choose the easiest or most difficult routes. And the suntripers who dreamed of winning the challenge of the best climber had to blow up their counters, especially for the elevations more than for the distances! For me, the routes were constrained by the different repairs to be done more by the sporting challenges. But I still managed to pass passes deemed difficult, such as the Col de Finestre and Col d'Agnel, with beautiful landscapes.

Date juilletDépartArrivéeDuréeDistanceDénivelé+Trace GPS
3DijonL'Arbresle06:38201 km1410 m
6Le-Puy-enVelaySaint-Flour05:47102 km1867 m
7Saint-FlourCheylade03:5061 km1137 m
8CheyladeSaint-Ours05:56116 km1938 m
9Saint-OursL'Arbresle07:26188 km1699 m
10L'ArbresleVillars-les-Dombes02:3154 km392 m
11Villars-les-DombesDivonne-les-Bains05:52134 km1666 m
12Divonne-les-BainsChamonix07:14133 km1809 m
13ChamonixBourg-St-Maurice06:45126 km3032 m
14Bourg-St-MauriceLanslebourg04:1480 km2280 m
16LanslebourgPinerolo05:48113 km2658 m
17PineroloMolines-en-Queyras07:58124 km2664 m
18Molines-en-QueyrasAspres-sur-Buëch05:06136 km2311 m
19Aspres-sur-BuëchCrest02:59102 km719 m
20CrestValence01:1436 km216 m
TOTAL1 781 km26 170 m

Visits: 139

To take the train with a solar bike !

The after Sun Trip Tour: from Valence to Dijon via Châlon-sur-Saône

On July 20th, I leave Valence in TER to join Châlon-sur-Saône. I use the idea that guided the design of my solar vehicle: to take the train. Principles: – a standard bike is always accepted in the TER and in some TGV, – the trailer is acceptable with the panel vertically, it does not take more space than a bike. For the moment, I have taken the train a dozen times in France and Switzerland, I have never been opposed to refusal.

If necessary, we can reduce the length by sliding the 3rd panel on the 2nd, in less than 10 minutes.

In some trains (TGV and Lyria), we can create the equivalent of a cover with trash bags and big scotch (and for the bike, disassembly of the wheels, and when I have the time, pedals and handlebars before putting it in a bag).

July 21, I finish cycling back to Dijon, at 34 km/h average speed.

Visits: 146

From Divonne-les-Bains to Chamonix

Sun Trip Tour 2019 – 7th day
We start from Divonne-les-Bains in procession, then we scatter each at our own pace. Some choose the main route with a simple route, others prefer the route drawn by Vécolo, on small roads with calmer traffic, but more tortuous. The sun is full, and our batteries remain 100% charged throughout the day.

At the end of the afternoon, telling a bike shop, I decided to have my rear derailleur adjusted. But bad luck gets involved: the young mechanic can not do it, too bad, I'm leaving. But I will discover a few miles later that the controller does not work anymore: I can not change gears. It's past 7pm, the store no longer answers the phone. I have the morale in the socks because we have to attack a long coast to Chamonix. Ralf and Jean cheer me up, they will accompany me to destination whatever happens. By hand, I install the chain on the largest pinion and we begin the climb. Halfway through, a village party allows us to regain strength. We arrive at the cottage around 21:20 where we will be greeted by the cheers of other sun-trapters!


Copyright Zeppelin

Visits: 125

From Villars-les-Dombes to Divonne-les-Bains

SunTripTour2019 – July 11th, 6th day In the crossing of the Dombes until the Ain, I appreciated the adobe buildings (groomed earth in a banche) and in the walls, the use of the pebbles in a decorative way in association with the brick. This morning, veiled sun, the panels produce 50W, it is necessary to roll with precaution, not to push the assistance. The improvement of the mid-day does not continue the afternoon, too bad! The itinerary prepared by Vécolo, through fields and woods, is very pleasant. But after a few kilometers of chaotic dirt road along a river, we decide to find a more rolling track. The Komoot application takes us on small roads without traffic, it's a treat. And this is how we find Olivier and Norbert, Catherine and Jean-Michel, who also use this application. Arrival in Divonne-les-Bains: Ann, Peter and I arrive together, we are interviewed by a lady very interested in our bikes; she posts her video immediately on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzx3cZ9Hu0q/?igshid=bxqo5bharnzh Thanks to the city of Divonne-les-Bains for giving us this hearty meal! PS: surprise at 3am: automatic watering starts on the beach, it's panic in the camp. Norbert and Olivier are the most affected, their duvets sound soaked. Benoit takes a laugh. Bikes have nothing. I am relieved because in a half sleep, the crackling of jets made me think of a battery fire.

Visits: 119

From L'Arbresle to … Villars-les-Dombes

Sun Trip Tour 2019 – July 10, Day 5 A day like the others: this morning, the attachment of my trailer broke (Dirke had noted this weak point while examining my bike), it is normal, the diameter of the bolt was too weak. I continued to Villefranche-sur-Saone by fixing the drawbar with 2 Rilsan (these necklaces are great!). Finally, I imagined a solution that will be more durable, I hope: at a garage I soldered the fastener directly on the wheel nut. Thanks to this welder who saved me! I make a break for various repairs and suddenly, I drive little: 25 km in the morning and 30 km in the evening. Cherry on the cake: I have new shoes, it's great because by dint of braking with the feet, the others had more sole! Life is beautiful …… until tomorrow! And tomorrow, what will be the challenge, the problem situation?

Visits: 118

From Saint-Ours – Vulcania Park, in L'Arbresle

4th day of the Sun Trip Tour: 9th of July A beautiful morning at the Vulcania Park, the public discovered all the prototypes of solar bikes, we took advantage of the Park's animations. Special mention for the packed lunch with local and artisan dishes served in glass containers. Departure by caravan then the 55 participants scattered to follow varied routes: we have indeed 3 days to arrive at Divonne-les-bains, about 325 km. I traced straight through Thiers where I met Christophe Bayard and Silvia Plozner. Thanks to a faithful sun throughout the day, I managed to reach L'Arbresle at 20:30, after 187km of road. Nice day, the heat wave has finally left it helps to pedal! https://www.relive.cc/view/2518501243

Visits: 108

From Cheylade to Saint-Ours-les-Roches

Sun Trip Tour – July 8, 2019: Everyone cares about this day of 120 km with a lot of elevation. Me, I have other concerns, in the first place, my brake pads that weaken again: after an hour of driving, I am forced to brake with feet to go down to Condat! Fortunately, Gilbert and Jean de Vécolo are waiting for me: they have been warned of my worries by my friends. Thanks to them, I can find in Super-Besse 3 pairs of pads of the right model! I warmly thank Fred of VTT ÉVASION for having kept in his store these plates became vintage today. Thanks to Vécolo's friends without whom rescue would not have been possible! But another surprise awaits me: my solar panels no longer produce 1 Watt! I put 1 hour to find the fault: the fuses of my solar regulators melted to the heat. I beckon on the side of the road, it is Gisele who saves me by offering me two beautiful new fuses. Thank you Gisele! It is almost 13:30 and I have 100 km and a lot of altitude! I will arrive at my destination at 8 pm, in extremis for the meal!

Visits: 133

From Saint-Flour to the Cascades Lake in Cheylade

Sun Trip Tour- July 7, 2019
Today, the stage in Cantal is short, without significant elevation. We cross wild landscapes, villages with old houses in volcanic stone in various shades, from warm brown to gray. I think of the times when these villages were populated and productive, around agriculture, handicrafts and small industries. My bike pulls me from my daydreams, he recalls to me: the brakes work less and less well, despite the pad sanding done this morning. I am forced to brake with the foot and it heats strongly in the shoe!

In the evening, we all meet for a bivouac around the lake of Cascades Cheylade. While the sun recharges our batteries, swimming refreshes us and allows us to do a bit of washing. The day ends with a dinner on the terrace of a restaurant at the lake, in a cheerful atmosphere.

Visits: 96