It will be worth looking at mountaineering jackets too, they tick all the boxes except, perhaps, the long in the tail. For fabrics, my preference is Gore-tex active shell (most breathable of the GTX range) although it would be wise to consider event and polartec neo-shell. Rab, mountain equipment, T...

I completed a year in pictures blog. Not much in the way of bike-packing but a little bit of variety

http://singlespeedsimon.wordpress.com/2 ... -pictures/

Opps

A new fat bike film is being released across the pond and the film company have released two chapters for general viewing

Chapter one
http://vimeo.com/80375092

Chapter two
http://vimeo.com/80375092

Looks pretty good to me :D

I'm out as I should be starting in Capel Curig this weekend :D

Off the top of my head, TNF cats meow and mountain hardware lamina 20 should be ok. Both are synthetic
but there again, that vango looks pretty good, probably a better buy :)

Zippy that's the most helpful thing I've read all day :D So could someone recomend me a chain set and rear cog (with spacers) that would equal about 48 gear inches? Does the front chainring have to be ss specific or could I go for something like a downhill chain set (shimano zee 1x10 springs to min...

On the basis that if your freehub fails to engage, you're a bit stuffed, I've always just degreased the freehub and run that dry. Everything else I run with stock grease. I don't want to do more harm than good prising open sealed bearings. That's good advise, cheers. Plenty of time to practice camp...

If you look closely, you'll spot two anything cages and an Alpkit possum http://singlespeedsimon.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/alpkit5.jpg?w=300&h=225 The frame bag (sized small for my 15inch frame) will fit 2 inner tubeswth tyre levers, a small coil lock, multi-tool, patches and a pump. Doesn't r...

In my 29er, I'm currently riding a 32x16 butt Cheshire is flat! Went to the local Welsh hills and saw my arse on that gear, so thinking of a ~20 tooth

Good man on the voodoo, lovely bikes. I've got a hoodoo steel frame as a spare in the garage (bright yellow), donated my scandium voodoo to the wife and currently using a steel Wanga singlespeed for commuting :D

The snow may of given you a rubbish walk, but it does produce some nice pictures. Sounds like a trip that you'll remember for the next few years :)

I use some mavic wheels that were about £200. Pretty light by my standards and ride well. Not sure of the name (crossrides?) but for 10% of the wheelset value, I got a 3 years insurance via Mavic. Basically, if they cant fix your wheel within the 3 years, they give you a new one (apparently even if ...

Possum for me, been wanting something similar for ages but never found the right thing (and I was too lazy to design my own!)

Cheers James, the more encouragement I hear and the more positive thing I hear makes the race more realistic and not some fantasy stuff that only a select few 'hardnuts' do :D

Training in the Cairngorms sounds like a plan

Don't you have to have special parts as well? Bearings that can cope with the cold. I was hoping a stock on-one would be enough? Their website isn't very good at telling you how to get to where the race is. :? Rovaniemi is quite small, pretty much most of it is on the one 'high street' if I remembe...

That sounds a great way to celebrate Christmas day.

I'll raise a toast to you guys when I'm having a beer an xmas eve in front of the fire place :D

s8tannorm wrote:You're right Simon ... 100 euro deposit. The entry is now 250 euro too? :?

250 euros if you enter before a certain date and 350 if you're a late comer. Think entries opened up in August this year to allow people to get cheap flights etc sorted out

I started off on the WRT last year and it is indeed, a slippery slope... ...still, everyone here is friendly and happy help with any questions :) One of the group rides (I've only been on one) is the best way of getting to know the guys here. Chester based here, didn't realise there were a few local...

Fingers crossed I'll get a tool kit from the wifey and that's it really. I'm treating myself to a new TNF jacket this week, so no complaints :) My parents have booked me and the wife a mini break to Manchester in January. So it will be a trip to the comedy club one night and if my pregnant wife feel...

Cheers Stu, just what I needed to hear :D

Found a mountain hardware lamina minus 30c bag today for £160 (snow+rock), so that will fit the bill.

I thought the security/bail out was 100 euros? I might have to double check before I commit myself and sell one of my bikes to raise funds for a fatty

I'd suggest placing a jacket over you (rather than wearing it) but inside the sleeping bag rather than on top of it ... stops the jacket compressing your bag. Now, why have I never thought of that :oops: That's a much better solution (mines fallen off in the past, so gave up and sleep in mine). Che...

I'm thinking of entering the race in 2015, but that's as far as I have got :D For the last 10 months, the race has been bugging me, so this month, I'm debating whether to train for the race over the course of the next 13 months or put it down to a mid-life crisis (at 29!). I've noticed that most of ...

Shimano winter boots with thick merino wool socks. I upsized my boots to allow for the thicker socks and to allow my toes to wiggle. If you use you normal summer shoes with thicker socks, you may be cutting the circulation off Also, keep the shoes by the radiator before a ride, helps to keep your fe...

If i'm right, this is the spec for the bag Comfort Temp: -1°C Limit Temp: -7°C Extreme Temp: -25°C For customers to my store, I would say the -1c is for people who feel the cold and women (they generally feel the cold more), whilst the -7c is ok for someone who sleeps warm (and those people who insi...