I meant to mention 'plain sight' yesterday but Reg has now done so. I've found that sometimes the more public a place, the less chance you have of anyone questioning you. Maybe it's something to do with 'ownership' and no one feels like they own a park bench, bus stop or bandstand, so in most cases...

Obviously some of us prefer the stealthy approach, but the current issue of Arrivée magazine (AudaxUK mag) has a great article on a wild camping tour around the UK. It contains probably the best step-by-step instructions I've ever read on how to ask for permission to camp on someone's land. https://...

Schwalbe Marathon Supreme roll well. 40mm.

I should have added that, from a legal perspective, cycling on a track or path that isn't a ROW would come under the civil law of trespass, not the criminal law. Same as for wild camping. So the landowner can first ask you to leave, then and could potentially take you to court for the damages. Polic...

Others have answered the "is it rideable (legally)?" question. For the "is it rideable" question, aside from your own judgement based on study of contour lines, Google satellite view and your general understanding of the terrain in that locality, the best place to look is geograp...

There's a Decathon 2-person tent for sale on the Cycling UK forum. Just under 2kg so not especially light. But £40 isn't bad. https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?t=158269 It's a single hoop design (originated in the Terra Nova Laser I believe), similar to the Vangoo Banshee 200 mentioned previ...

Rack and panniers. Just sayin’

Selle-SMP have test centres, I think some will do it by mail order https://www.sellesmp.com/en/store-locator

London Bike Kitchen runs a saddle library along with their fit service https://www.lbk.org.uk/saddle-library

I had two objectives: to finish and to have fun (in that order of priority). My plan was to ride to Brest reasonably briskly and arrive with enough time in hand to ride back a bit slower as I knew I'd be riding into the unknown, having only done a 600km once before, and had all kinds of fears of bad...

All set, though I think I'm pointed in the wrong direction. Looks like it's going to be dry but hot. Bon courage à tous.

Are either of you taking bivvy bags?. I'm contemplating taking a hunka and a very light sleeping bag, just so I can do my own thing without relying on the beds at controls. I've struggled to sleep in rooms full of farting, snoring blokes in previous audaxes and I like the idea of being able to slee...

In addition to what others have said, there may be some guidance from 'microadventures / S42O' thinking. I'd echo jameso's suggestion of a local route, either a day ride or an overnight. Make it something pleasurable & manageable, not a test of extreme endurance. Then get your kit organised and ...

Bill Houston
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKfNKNxntY0

Last summer I did two nights at YHA Port Eynon in a family room that sleeps up to six (double bed, two sets of bunks). The hostel is the old lifeboat station and the room had a big picture window overlooking the bay. No en-suite but not a big hostel so never a problem. £86 a night. Not dirt cheap bu...

Sad to see. I'll probably cancel my yearly sub soon depending on how the story pans out... I'm more 'stay and fight'. But again, possibly misguided. I don't expect they're selling them off for fun, must be financial pressure. All that time closed or lower occupancy during Covid. I remember after fo...

Story here: https://independenthostels.co.uk/latest-yha-hostel-sale-present-a-golden-opportunity/ YHA Hostels for sale June 2023: Haworth 950K Streatley on Thames 850K Holmbury St Marys 800K Eyam 650K Patterdale 650K Minehead 600K Poppit Sands 550K Boswinger 550K Cheddar 550K Hathersage 500K Dufton ...

At the risk of revealing my ignorance, aren't OS Landranger (1:50k) and Explorer (1:25k) products *only* available as raster/image format, not vector. The OS makes vector products at those scales, but the cartography is quite different.

Some have questioned whether they are legit or not, I guess we just don't know for sure. I am pretty sure we all know the answer to that one I know it's more a moral defence than a legal one, but I already have two paid-for OS maps subscriptions: one a grandfathered Viewranger purchase via Outdoors...

Many thanks for the replies - really helpful!

A bit of a niche question, but as has been discussed on here, there are OS topo maps available on eBay for about £40. They come on a microSD card. Some have questioned whether they are legit or not, I guess we just don't know for sure. My question is more practical - is it possible to load this prod...

Did my 600 over the weekend so am all set. Re saddle, am currently on a Brooks Cambium C17 carved, but wondering if it's a little firm as I'm a bit tender on the sit bones today. Trouble is, I don't do many 15+ hour rides which is the only real way to find out what remains comfortable with extended ...

^^^^ this - mine were charged off a dyno when needed to be at the TDR and other races. During 24s they get a piggy back battery. The whole beauty is that they don't need replaceable batteries. Shed load less waste and a lot less to go wrong. Though, I have had a Diablo die on me - which was fixed u...

*looks at Mk1 Joystick* Still works fine. *looks at Mk1 Race* Still works fine.. There is a reason some of us have spent money on our Exposure lights. Buy once. Buy well. No doubt for what they do they're unsurpassed. But they are pricey and they don't have replaceable batteries, which may be a fac...

https://www.bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/budget-bikepacker-lumitact-g700/ Sounds like once the battery had been replaced, the main shortcoming was the weight. This £68 Fenix model comes in at 115g, so still 20g more than a Joystick, with the same 3500mAh battery. https://www.myfenix.co.uk/product/fen...

Anyone using a Fenix torch?

Quite a few of them run on a replaceable rechargeable 18650 battery, which makes sense for long durations, compared to a built in battery that requires recharging. Have often wondered how the beam pattern of these torches differs from the much beloved Exposure Joystick.