Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Thu Oct 01, 2020 5:06 pm

But still i have the fear!

Do you think there's anything that might ease that fear other than just doing it more?

Moving to Scotland or somewhere were I might have half a leg to stand on!

I genuinely worry about where I'm going to sleep. The idea that I can be moved on at any point during the evening - no matter how remote the chances and how sensible I might be! I'm sure it's something that experience will teach me. I have many years or touring under my belt so planning ahead for a ...

Worth adding the Fiat Doblo to the list. :-bd I have a Fiat Qubo, it's like the Doblos little brother, 1.3 Multijet diesel gives me 50mpg on my 80 mile round trip commute, £20 a year to tax and £300 a year to insure with no no-claims bonus as I hadn't driven in over 10 years. I've just bought a new...

Worth adding the Fiat Doblo to the list. :-bd I have a Fiat Qubo, it's like the Doblos little brother, 1.3 Multijet diesel gives me 50mpg on my 80 mile round trip commute, £20 a year to tax and £300 a year to insure with no no-claims bonus as I hadn't driven in over 10 years. I've just bought a new...

yourguitarhero wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 10:58 am I've got a Blackburn Outpost Top Tube Bag I was looking to sell. In good nick, say £25 posted? Think they're £40 new.

I'll have this if it's still going?

Vans do tend to be pricier (something to do with insurance's automatic assumption they will be higher mileage work vehicles IIRC). As others have pointed out, you can get nearly the same functionality out of several van-like MPV and they tend to fall in cheaper insurance categories (plus they are u...

At the risk of being somewhat contentious, the toughest climb is the one that appears after a feckless riding buddy has proclaimed that the climb previous was the "last one".

can you not just driver her car if she does all the leisure driving - I am not sure what the term means tbh. Secondly getting a car because you are getting a dog seems a tad of an over reaction to me.what if it gets car sick ! Thirdly your first ever insurance is going to sting very very badlly ind...

Have you thought about a small van? You should be able to get a bike or two in the back as well. This would be ideal, but something about the van classification seems to bump the insurance for, what I can tell, no reason whatsoever. Happy for someone to point me in the right direction here if there...

This is properly off topic but I appreciate the opinion of many on here, so, help! I'm 30, I've lived inner city life for most of my grown up life and last year we (Me and Mrs Mythste) purchased our first house on a commuter line into Manchester. We're almost rural. How chic. I have no desire to dri...

Lovely, guess you had to up your budget? Yes and no. I’m fortunate to work for a small business who asked me which C2W provider I wanted to use. I did some research and found the Green Commute Initiative which not only allow you more than the 1k (which I believe most do now) but do a much better ha...

Good going! The 2020/21 Unit X looks really good, and lots of good features. I have a 2018 Unit and it ticks many boxes for me, and very versatile to build up how you want. In terms of a fork, i've been using a surly Krampus fork (not boutique!) because they're good and solid, and also trying out a...

For anyone interested (and for the many who are indeed, not interested!) I have just ordered a 2021 Kona Unit X which seems to tick all of my boxes! Plus I do have a bit of an affinity for Steel so even though its only the Chromoly, I like that. I'll rag the SX groupset, slowly upgrade it, and maybe...

Obviously, this year has been a bit of a write off for international excursions, and truth be told the closest thing I've been to an international cycling holiday is the Outer Hebrides! It still counts. I'm looking for some opinions (Kind thanks to Norm who has OK'd this post). My family have a Vill...

One of my comrades on the last Hebridean trip left this lovely write up if it helps. https://nickhubble.bike/2019/05/29/on-riding-the-hebridean-way-and-the-isle-of-skye/ 4 days isn't enough if the wind doesn't play ball. We went south to north (as is most often recommended) and had a week of hellish...

I did some pretty comprehensive research a few weeks ago when wondering if I could commit to commuting 5 days a week, all your round, plus using a bike as a proper utility vehicle (In defiance of "needing" a motor vehicle. By my reckoning, anything that was going to give decent mileage and...

Thanks!

An easy touring route with 10,000m of climbing over 600km? lots of gradual climbs or just a nice tailwind?!

Hello! Im struggling a bit. I'm pretty competent when it comes to creating road routes, but a bit out of my depths when it comes to finding gravel and off road routes. I'm looking for a route passable on a croix de fer with 35mm GKs on. Happy to ride to a start point within 10-15 miles and quite com...

RIP wrote: ↑Tue Sep 08, 2020 7:21 pm Compliments on your searing honesty .

fate

which was? lots of nice time spent in the pub then sleeping in the toilet block? So not all bad then

For the sake of my reputation, I'll say yes.

A lesson in preparing to be prepared. A few weeks ago some of you might remember I posted about a shakedown ride on my Croix De Fer in bikepacking mode. The big day finally came Friday before last, three days of mainly road but some canal/reservoir/gravel thrown in for interest sake. Littleborough (...

Thanks for all the advice! I totally hadn't considered a bottle mount mover. that's a good shout! The red bottle on the bottom is for fuel and really the only sized bottle that doesn't foul the front mudguard so that's staying put (and is quite neat, I think!) Ultimately, I'm in the fortuitious posi...

Not as interesting as some, but I had a lovely shakedown ride from North Manchester to the Seaside on Saturday. My first time out with everything I intend to take on a couple of 3-4 nighters before the year is through. The route was 50 miles and ~3k feet of climbing. Nothing mega but enough to find ...

Should anyone be interested in an update; I have done what many a man before me has I'm sure done too. I've listened to all of your advice, done research based on your advice. and ignored all of it because I think I know better. Gone for a Trangia mini. 330grams is leightweight by my standards and I...

I was expecting more responses for brukit style all in one kits if I'm honest. What do we think drives the recommendations I've had before? Is it purely weight? The trouble with Jetboil type stoves is (a) they're heavy and (b) they're bulky but if convinience is a prime concern then they're probabl...