Cycle toured Berlin-Copenhagen quite a few years ago and found the Danish part really enjoyable - very easy navigation as following cycle routes, plenty of places to camp and lovely empty beaches to swim from. Flat, too, in the main, which was handy as I was singlespeed. Not sure it would be high up...

In the end, mainly based on advice from folks on this thread to focus more on getting the air pressure right than the size of the mat, I bought my wife an Alpkit Dumo in their sale.

She has tried it and proclaimed it to be 'alright'. I will take that as a success.

Thanks all for your input.

Don't worry, there will still be plenty of unsalubrious ditches up for grabs. Everyone knows those are the best kind anyway.

February done and still enjoying the challenge of a new thing! Finished work a bit earlier this time (2200) so headed a bit further afield into the Forest of Dean for some singletrack fun (it was slightly less blurry in real life). https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51872097130_d019d1acf8.jpg IMG_2...

Bit disappointing that despite previous discussions on diversity, and claims that (as a community) we're accepting of all walks of life, there's still supposed humour to be found in homosexuality. For anyone who's recently asked why certain riders make a thing out of being gay, here's your answer; ...

Managed my first ever bivvy before the end of Jan (25th) so feel I could be on the bandwagon for this year. Didn't think it was going to be much different from tenting but absolutely loved it. Took it easy for my first go in case I'd forgotten something crucial. Finished work on the farm at 2230, he...

03/01/22 95.5kg
15/01/22 93.9kg
21/01/22 93.8kg
31/01/22 93.7kg

Considering the ten days I've just had, I'll take that. Hoping to be back on track again this week, but also trying to be more gentle with myself this year so let's see.

I've never felt the need to say this publicly before, but for the record I am not planning to kill my wife.

I'm not always sure the feeling is mutual, mind...

Alec wrote: ↑Fri Jan 21, 2022 5:13 pm

Alec wrote: ↑Sat Jan 15, 2022 11:05 am

Alec wrote: ↑Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:57 pm 02/01/22 96.6kg
11/01/22 95.0kg

15/01/22 93.8kg

21/01/22 92.6kg

We are on surprisingly similar weights and trajectories ( other than the fact that you're doing a bit better than me!).

It's good to have a benchmark!

03/01/22 95.5kg
15/01/22 93.9kg
21/01/22 93.8kg

Was going fine until some very rare work-based stress arrived, then the biscuits came out. That's the area for improvement for sure.

gairym wrote: ↑Wed Jan 19, 2022 8:11 pmI bloody love riding bikes I do!!!!!

Never gets old does it?

My wife has similar concerns but found my Exped winter synmat LW very comfy. It's 9cm thick I believe. As luck would have it, 30% off :grin: https://www.trekitt.co.uk/sleep-shelter/sleeping-mats/exped-synmat-hl-winter-lw-sleeping-mat__33176?currency=GBP&chosenAttribute=7640147769458RED.LW&g...

That's good advice, thanks. She's not very patient but I might be able to persuade her to try out a few different kinds at different pressures - as you say they will be nicer than my lightweight stuff. Will give that a go and see. Any particular recommendations for reasonably priced 'normal' mats? W...

My wife and I are taking our kids bikepacking/touring this summer. I've got plenty of lightweight sleeping gear for myself and the kids, but my wife is adamant that, although she is looking forward to the trip, she wants what she describes as a "very very comfy" mat to sleep on. I've looke...

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 7:03 pm Target weight 77kg

7/1/2022 : 84.4kg
17/1/2022: 84.5kg (oh dear)

Maybe your hair has grown slightly!

03/01/22 95.5kg
15/01/22 93.9kg

FLV wrote: ↑Sun Jan 09, 2022 7:15 pm

Linkpin wrote: ↑Sun Jan 09, 2022 6:45 pm Sorry if I've missed it somewhere, but how many litres is the Alpkit Gourdon please?

It says 20 on it, bit it's about the size of one of their 13l dry bags. I'd be surprised if it was over 15

Thanks. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner - it's not quite the size I'm after.

Sorry if I've missed it somewhere, but how many litres is the Alpkit Gourdon please?

Thanks for starting this new, shiny edition of the thread! Somehow it feels positive to move on from the previous one.

Aiming for 81kg - lost track over Christmas but setting that behind me and starting again now with real determination.

03/01/22 95.5kg

Decided bollocks to it and weighed myself anyway after posting this morning. Wasn't as bad as I thought somehow.

18/09/21 95.3kg
25/09/21 93.4kg
02/10/21 93.1kg
09/10/21 93.6kg
19/10/21 92.6kg
19/11/21 92.9kg

Still to go: 11.9kg

Moder-dye wrote: ↑Mon Nov 15, 2021 7:27 pm Hello, my name is Kevin and I need to get a grip

Hope you manage to get as much of a grip as your Kestrels give you!

Haven't weighed in for a couple of weeks now. As I guess a few others here might have had experience of, I've had a bit of a mental health dip lately for various reasons. On the mend now mentally, having done lots of work over the years on ways to bring myself back to happiness. Despite having a fie...

18/09/21 95.3kg 25/09/21 93.4kg 02/10/21 93.1kg 09/10/21 93.6kg 19/10/21 92.6kg Still to go: 11.6kg definately a declining trend :-bd , well done. keep it up, but still declining down.. (Gawd this is getting like a Reg post :lol: ) People frequently accuse me of being in decline. In this case I'm v...

18/09/21 95.3kg
25/09/21 93.4kg
02/10/21 93.1kg
09/10/21 93.6kg
19/10/21 92.6kg

Still to go: 11.6kg

18/09/21 95.3kg
25/09/21 93.4kg
02/10/21 93.1kg
09/10/21 93.6kg

Still to go: 12.6kg

Bugger. Onwards and hopefully downwards it is then.