Mariner wrote:Have a look for ruggedised version of 'portapow' usb driven battery charger.

This one?

http://www.portablepowersupplies.co.uk/ ... e-battery/

Looks like the batteries would be better secured, and it has an output mode as well.

I've used this from car sockets and solar panels with good success: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0107OK1RA However, the batteries aren't held in the charger very well, and might bounce out if it was in a bag off-road. Since you only need 2x AA cells, you could probably go with something like this: ht...

Coming in from leftfield, look for a Saunders Jetpacker from eBay. 1-2 man double skin tent, pitches outer first or outer only, complete all up weight of 1.25kg. Uses two straight poles, the longer one of which could probably be replaced with a walking pole. The telescopic pole design is however ver...

Go and check out Cademan Woods around kms 277-278. I cut my MTB teeth there...!

See what the physio says and talk to them about whether a foam massage roller might be useful. I had a Transverse Myelitis[1] just over seven years ago, and was left with about 90% mobility in my legs overall, along with some balance and proprioception issues[2]. In my legs, it seems to have affecte...

Could someone send this over to me please? The link above seems to have died...

...ideal for a CX bike as it takes out the MTB-like bits of the Ridgeway at the Chiltern end and replaces with easy bridleways and quiet roads, also a couple of nice dirt road sections towards Swindon. Exactly the sort of insight this board was invented for! I find it easier to edit on BikeHike the...

Not sure how a jacket gets less breathable by washing it, unless some old soap powder has clogged it up This may have been the issue... or it may just have been knackered. I'm pretty sure I cleaned the drawer out first, but not sure if you should do anything to the rest of the washing machine. We u...

(9/ 10 were a death march so hell yeah bring on the route descriptions) What would be really useful is a site like this for the UK, where trails and routes can be added, rated and commented on: http://www.vttour.fr/topos/mont-viroulet,2398.html (example route) One thing we could do to everyone's be...

I guess we may already know about this site, but I kinda wanted to bookmark it here. A load of (presumably well-tested) long distance UK routes: http://selfsupporteduk.net/

Bearbonesnorm wrote:Want to know whether there's a shop at SJ 687312?

There isn't

Here's my opening gambit on GPSies:

http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=lsvwnysnkfnbyyuu

Plenty of scope for extensions and bivvy spots.

Oh and I've no issue as to whether it might remove an element of adventure. All the info's already out there in the form of OS. Except that OS maps tell you nothing about ground conditions or track type. Google satellite can be useful there of course. As for track management, GPSies is my preferred...

I was thinking of a new board where we have 'General Banter', 'Classifieds' etc now. Then one thread per route.

Would there be any interest in setting up a Route Repository forum board? I know that some of us like to disappear into the wide blue yonder without having any idea of what track or ground conditions are actually like, but for beginners or anyone who likes to know what they're taking on, it could be...

I have a Rab eVent jacket which has seen a lot of abuse and not much love. I've tried the usual Tech Wash / TX Direct / Tumble Drier approach, but it no loger beads water on the surface, and doesn't seem very breathable any more. Is it wrecked? Can it be restored to full working order? If I need a r...

You can, I've been talking to the proprietor and they'll be open. He's mentioned being ready for a few riders coming past with appetites. I don't think they're that busy in early Sept, I was thinking of staying there this time just to ride the section just after it at dawn, it's a nice place. Eithe...

Do you know of VTTrack? It's more for full-on mountain biking than gravel tracks, but very useful for that part of the world (and others) nonetheless. For those tracks that have it, the difficulty ratings can be very useful. I wish there was a similar resource for the UK.

http://www.vttrack.fr/

GPS Visualiser's a great site, found it really useful for working on the full route files. For route editing, I find bikehike.co.uk is great ,as you can 'follow' roads and tracks on Google Maps. Unfortunately, the MapQuest features (elevation and follow tracks on OpenStreetMap) no longer seem to wo...

best water carrying capacity. Not really needed, loads of water points and the cues note where many useful ones are, to save doing what we did last time, carrying 2l up big climbs where there's taps on the top. One thing to note: fill up at the Col de Tende. the section immediately following that i...

edit, answered my own q (googlemaps to gpx conversion) ...followed by GPS Visualizer DEM overlay. Edit: just noticed, actual singletrack on the Col de Péas, very nice: https://ssl.panoramio.com/photo/30549008 http://www.vttour.fr/photos_courses/col-de-peas,6625-1.jpg http://www.vttour.fr/photos_cou...

I've been biking for about 28 years and have nearly always worn something on my back. I often get out on the road bike now with everything I need in jersey pockets, but for non-overnight off-road riding, I'll invariably have something on my back. Latterly, I've been looking to lighten the load there...

If you can cope with 1.5 man, Sauders JetPackers still sometimes turn up in good nick on eBay for <£100. 1.25kg all up, a bit more with the 'A' poles.

Many, many thanks, Dr Matt. Those IGC maps look to be exactly what I'm looking for. No problem. I've not ridden there myself as yet, but I understand that getting decent topographic maps of Italy is rather difficult #understatement Please note that at least some of the IGC maps have NO sort of grid...

Guy Martin (he's one of us now?) prefers Transits: http://www.driving.co.uk/car-reviews/gu ... 2-h2-2015/