Shared among detail-eyed and ebay regular friends, fwiw
Sorry ..

Time and expenses-wise, getting a month off off in one go is the hardest part. The rest, it's probably about a 'nice but nowhere near top end' bike's worth of costs. Since the best bike to use is one you've already done a lot of miles on, so, just saved you the new bike costs to put towards it : )

I think I need to give myself a deadline, start saving money and annual leave, or it will never happen.

BMX rules .. if you call it you gotta do it. Just say the words / send the letter of intent
Next year?

prequel 1883

I thought that was excellent.

Richard Brash Age 50 / Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire (UK) https://bikepacking.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/rBrash-2025-tour-divide-rigs_1-2000x1333.jpg Boner? I know a Rich from Berko? Go Rich! Crikey were Tailfin handing out racks to entrants? They're clearly doing well. In fact, bikepacking in 2025...

Looking forward to more of Eddie Clarke's photgraphy along the route. I've been watching 'Yellowstone' recently, it's a good series but I watch it for the landscapes of Montana as much as anything else. Dotwatching, not much these days. If only there was a dot-gopro type of device so I could see wha...

Based on the recent rise of the pertex+pile thing via Dry Robes .. might be a smart buy

If you find the rear mech, they work perfectly for using with 10 speed road shifters and an 11-36 cassette for a cheap but lovely gravel groupset I can vouch for that, my audaxy road bike uses that set up - a short cage M950 XTR rear mech, 11-32 10s cassette, 105 10s STIs. Rim brakes and square tap...

How ling I wonder did it take you to get over the v brakes thing (on mtb) when coming over to discs.

No time at all : ) that was a change that made sense. Still got a couple of nice rim braked road bike here, though that's more about the older style steel forks and frame than the brake choice.

Anyone want to talk about inside downtube storage..?

Sure having that open area to carry your snack bar and tools more neatly you have a heavier and/or less structurally sound frame
(same applies to internal cable routing)

Surely James, you're gonna use internal cables at some point in life. I found them lovely because of bikepacking straps not needing to dodge the cables anymore. Not if I have the choice.. again, pointless imho but really, there's more important things I'd give my concern to : ) But a wireless and c...

Hi, no, actually - it's still here in a box unused.

a cable that needs feeding through a frame

Internal cable routing? Not for this committed retrogrouch!

Chainset the worst XTR I can think of, mainly graphic and chainring The industrial design of all bike kit is unfortunately more industrial now isn't it. I like new XTR styling a lot more than Transmission (too cybertruck brutalist or just pain huge imo). I'd agree it's the least appealing XTR FC so...

If you ever get the chance to own I really think you will love it. I had it for a while on an Arkose that had a D12 / Tektro mash up (was actually the first production bike with electronic gears and hydro drop bar discs) and I can get Shimano kit at prices that make XTR justifiable and affordable. ...

I rode SRAM T-type shifting for an afternoon last year so will be interesting to see what the XTR is like in terms of shift speed. SRAM felt slow to me, very deliberate and solid though. I liked Di2 on a road bike (to ride, if not my choice to own). MTBs are more of a tool to do a job and I'd genera...

Big news of the week on many sites is the the XTR launch. I got as far as this before thinking my stance on bike electronics* was justified "Shimano conservatively claims over 338 km (210 miles) of riding per charge – a figure based on 38.5 km of riding per week, with 35 shifts a kilometre.&quo...

Top top tip Pete

It's getting the item into the bottle that seems the main problem. Thought about some kind of corkscrew thing cut from plastic sheet like this -

Do they do a Thermos fitting for winter ablutions?

Luxury camping gear

Erm... I've you've ever been to India or Nepal you'll have learned what to do*, no plastic widgets needed. 'Saving waste' .. :roll: *more hygienic than paper too. As someone said, if you got some sub standard splashed on your face would you just wipe it around with paper or wash it off with water (a...

+100 for the alt swear filter. Bid0n = piss bottle
That should get some thread attention

Sorry. I don't say piss bottle normally oc. I've got a bottle mounted along the near-level top tube of a bike and predictably the water sloshes about a lot. I tried cutting an old plastic pop bottle into a sort of tabbed tube and put it inside the bike bottle but it didn't really change things much....

https://tokyobike.co.uk/products/chair-zero

Saw this while looking for something else. Just over 500g. £130 though.