For longer and/or colder days, I usually switch out the standard soles and slip in a pair from my fell running shoes. Also, slap a strip of thin duct or electrical tape over the cleat plate and that should help cut down the cold spot.

Brilliant write up. I've been looking at this as my first big off-road ride which I hope to do later this year. I've been scoping the inner ring over winter including a snowy run over Hope Cross to Aston and riding the frozen peat over Cut Gate. Oh, and lots of falling over trying to get down Bradwe...

Yes, but not in the way that the report is using it.

Yeah, I knew it was going to be a bit inadequate but wanted to check how it managed down towards it's lower comfort level. No point in testing it without at least trying to see how it work at it's limits. However, the fit was pretty good and I slept warm enough once I added the duvet my mum loaned u...

First night in the Rab Neutrino 200 last night. It was allegedly 4c and it was a bit on the cold side. We were sleeping in a big tipi with none of the heat benefits of a bivi or a small tent though.

Rab Neutrino 200.

This is my first lightweight sleeping bag. It's very light. It also seems quite translucent. I'm hoping I haven't made a grave error of judgement.

On the other hand, I ordered the XL and it seems like a pretty comfy fit so I'm happy with that.

First things you need are a truing stand and a spoke key. This is a pretty valuable piece of kit anyway because just about any amount of riding on any surface will eventually knock a wheel out of true. It's slightly less of an issue for disc brake wheels but still worth paying attention to for keepi...

Happy birthday lad

I'm also looking for a sleeping bag of a similar spec.

I'll check out these recommendations but what's the forum view on the Rab Neutrino 200?

Also, if I get a rated to 0c, how stupidly hot am I going to find it on a summer night in Scotland?

Yes

Ah go on, think about how much luggage you could strap to one of these.

As luck would have it, I discovered last night the chain on my fixed needs replacing. If you send me an address I'll pop it in the post for you. I'm also likely to do the chain and cassette on my road bike pretty soon. I know from experience that shops can be a bit reluctant to hand over their used ...

The Crikey, how much approach is unlikely to create a whole new thing for thousands of people, but surely making bikepacking, or lightweight touring, or whatever we want to call it, more appealing to a different group of people is good? WARNING - Devils advocate. In answer to the above question - W...

Aye, but as I've experienced, being able to afford a hotel doesn't magically put it where you would really like to have it. Kudos to these guys though. I generally find that Crikey, how much reporting tends to be a bit overwrought on the style, swank and "history" of cycling but at the end...

The Decathlon bikes are generally OK. The budget version may be a bit on the hefty side and a bit less forgiving geometry and components wise. If you're looking at more economical bikes, I'd recommend also checking out Boardman (Halfords) and Pinnacle (Evans). If Mrs. ootini is going to be doing any...

There's enough people out there lauding Brooks that I don't doubt their quality. There's a couple of issue though that keep me away from them. Firstly there's a break in period which I'm just too lazy to bother with. Some people reckon anywhere up to a month of regular riding. I don't fancy a month ...

£85 + p&p for a single sprocket? I suspect that demonstrates the money to sense ratio of the target audience.

The lass has signed up to do an Ironman later in the year so we're going up to Kielder to do a general course recce. Looks like a weekend of road riding, running and mooching in the tipi with a nice warm stove. Bit miffed at no MTB but I'm sure I'll manage to enjoy myself.

The Alpkit sale inspired me to order up a couple of bits that I've been pondering. A top tube bag and stem pouch arrived on Saturday. The orange is a bit more ORANGE!!! than I imagined it would be but I suspect that brightness may fade with a bit of use. I've got them so that the wife and I can tria...

As for socks, I just use some M&S "cotton rich" socks unless it's a) really code then I wear ski socks or b) really warm when I wear short running socks. I tried bamboo socks once. They were really comfy but died very quickly.

For anything longer than nipping to the shops or my short commute I wear either cycling shorts or cycling tights. Shorts are Altura and tights are Endura. No complaints for either and they've both seen me through many miles including a bunch of 200k+ rides. If I'm touring I'll just pack some light c...

I think that this picture probably show what you're looking for. https://wheelsofchance.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20121016-195016.jpg As you can see, there's just enough clearance to allow the levers to move in for shifting. The also appears to be just enough clearance to get a good grab on the le...

I would pull the doors off the two little rooms and install shelving for bits and parts. I'd put whatever your preferred form of bike racking along the internal wall, preferably with some kind of anchor point so that the bikes can be locked. I'd shift the sink to one corner and put up a worktop alon...

mAh means milli-Ampere hours. Basically it's a descriptor for batteries and other power stores that tells you the maximum milli-amps it can supply for one hour. If it were to supply that many milli-amps for one hour, it would then be either drained or significantly degraded to the point that it coul...

I regularly see Karen Darke riding about over Houndkirk up in the Peak District so with a certain amount of willpower it seems possible. Of course the people you're targeting probably aren't going to have that kind of drive to begin with. Bikepacking trikes? I've seen something close to them in the ...