Search found 206 matches

by mikehowarth
Tue Apr 06, 2021 2:54 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: sub standard rant time
Replies: 59
Views: 4736

Re: sub standard rant time

Couldn't agree more Simon. Maybe its just the nature of where we live where we are privy to it a bit more. Across all the lockdowns I've seen some really blatant flouting going on, you only need to take a look at some of the Strava rides that have been logged in some of the early lockdowns. I've alw...
by mikehowarth
Thu Mar 25, 2021 10:04 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Coukd someone measure me their Revelate large spinelock (or have you a newish revelate harness)
Replies: 28
Views: 2336

Re: Whats the biggest/broadest saddlepack (without going Carradice)

https://www.instagram.com/choughstuffcc/
[/quote]

I've been pondering one of those, mainly because they look nice and well made (having seen the wooden mudguards he made for his big fat dummy, which are fantastic). He seems like a lovely bloke too!
[/quote]

Yep Mike is a top chap!
by mikehowarth
Wed Mar 24, 2021 12:54 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Coukd someone measure me their Revelate large spinelock (or have you a newish revelate harness)
Replies: 28
Views: 2336

Re: Whats the biggest/broadest saddlepack (without going Carradice)

My mate Mike over at Chough Stuff is producing some excellent saddle packs.

I've seen it develop from the early prototypes and his attention to detail is :-bd

https://www.instagram.com/choughstuffcc/
by mikehowarth
Wed Mar 10, 2021 10:15 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Living a meagre existence so you dont have to work ?
Replies: 177
Views: 19555

Re: Living a meagre existence so you dont have to work ?

vaguely exciting news ton!

But wait...you have more than one birthday....are you the Queen?
by mikehowarth
Tue Feb 23, 2021 3:44 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: anyone run a Gates belt drive on their rohloff ?
Replies: 22
Views: 2675

Re: anyone run a Gates belt drive on their rohloff ?

Moral of the story....

Always carry a spare link in your tool kit and save your cash for retirement ton :-bd

Honestly a decent chain on a rohloff will last a very very long time.
by mikehowarth
Mon Feb 22, 2021 6:10 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: anyone run a Gates belt drive on their rohloff ?
Replies: 22
Views: 2675

Re: anyone run a Gates belt drive on their rohloff ?

Pretty much the others have said.

In really dry conditions I've also noticed Gates to have a tendency to be a bit on the squeeky side - not sure if you've noticed that pistonbroke?
by mikehowarth
Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:52 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Helvellyn avoiding striding edge?
Replies: 13
Views: 1435

Re: Helvellyn avoiding striding edge?

whitestone wrote: Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:42 am The climb up from Glenridding ends up going over Helvellyn Lower Man's north ridge which is a bit rough and steep but it's not scrambling so you can keep hands in pockets. .
The sign of a good walk :-bd
by mikehowarth
Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:35 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Anyone have a 'micro camper?'
Replies: 50
Views: 5182

Re: Anyone have a 'micro camper?'

Yet another cracking bearbones thread! My car hasn't moved in the best part of a year having started working from home since the start of the lock down, I've been considering chipping it in to get something a bit more utiliarian that will allow me to stuff it to the gills on tip runs, but also throw...
by mikehowarth
Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:27 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Helvellyn avoiding striding edge?
Replies: 13
Views: 1435

Re: Helvellyn avoiding striding edge?

I wouldn't be too put off by Striding Edge, there are a number of paths lower down however there is a steep and loose scramble to get up on to Helvellyn proper. The alternative approach from Glenridding is fairly accesible if you go up Greenside Road to the old mine and then follow the old pony trac...
by mikehowarth
Tue Feb 02, 2021 4:40 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Living a meagre existence so you dont have to work ?
Replies: 177
Views: 19555

Re: Living a meagre existence so you dont have to work ?

For me it's less about retiring, its mainly the financial independence bit I'm interested in. Think this sums it up for me. I see it as a balance between having the cash to do the things you want, but also the time to do those things. Being at either end of that scale isn't much fun. Couldn't agree...
by mikehowarth
Tue Feb 02, 2021 3:04 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Living a meagre existence so you dont have to work ?
Replies: 177
Views: 19555

Re: Living a meagre existence so you dont have to work ?

Great thread, so many interesting stories. Somebody mentioned the 'Reset' book earlier; thanks, I now have this on order. Ah, that was me, hope it is useful. Lots of great stuff on this thread, great to see so many perspectives, thoughts and ideas. The first lockdown hit shortly after we'd moved in...
by mikehowarth
Tue Feb 02, 2021 9:59 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Thermos mugs
Replies: 21
Views: 2514

Re: Thermos mugs

If you can get hold of a Stanley flask that will fit the dimensions I’d highly recommend. I invested in big Stanley flask for some socially distanced brews throughout the lockdown. I did a couple of surf trips up in the Hebrides last year. All my mates ended up going out and buying one off the back ...
by mikehowarth
Fri Jan 29, 2021 10:55 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Living a meagre existence so you dont have to work ?
Replies: 177
Views: 19555

Re: Living a meagre existence so you dont have to work ?

To answer a couple of the questions above. You need to mixture of investing in both pensions and ISA, if you plan to retire before your pension kicks in you need a cash bridge to tide you over that will depend on how far out you are from your pensionable age. Ultimately you need to maximise all your...
by mikehowarth
Thu Jan 28, 2021 10:55 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Living a meagre existence so you dont have to work ?
Replies: 177
Views: 19555

Re: Living a meagre existence so you dont have to work ?

I guess we're all trying to figure it out in our own way based on our own personal circumstances. When I went travelling I realised how little I needed to travel by bike, and my quality of life was infinitely higher than being a desk jockey. It's worth digging into the FIRE movement - Financial Inde...
by mikehowarth
Tue Jan 26, 2021 9:36 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Has anyone ever visited the famous Panderia in Tolhuin, Patagonia.?
Replies: 3
Views: 592

Re: Has anyone ever visited the famous Panderia in Tolhuin, Patagonia.?

Wow, thanks for sharing thats incredibly sad to see. Panderia Union is a really special place, especially for anyone that has stayed there, the owner and staff are so welcoming and hospitable especially considering the number of people that pass through every week during peak cycling season. I rode ...
by mikehowarth
Wed Dec 09, 2020 11:39 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Do you strava?
Replies: 70
Views: 5039

Re: Do you strava?

I mainly use it for ride logging and cribbing local knowledge from other riders thats about as far as I go with it now. I used to be super in to the numbers, but I'm doing less and less 'proper' riding each year. With various house projects, I've rarely ridden my bike for pleasure in the last 18 mon...
by mikehowarth
Mon Nov 30, 2020 12:15 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Cheapest/lightest option to add warmth
Replies: 20
Views: 1317

Re: Cheapest/lightest option to add warmth

Plenty of sound advice on here so far. I'd throw in the Sea to Summit Reactor Liner as another option worth considering. As Bob points out, the main thing is ensuring the bag is lofting properly, sticking on more clothes is often counterintuitive. Andy Kirkpartrick wrote a great article years ago, a...
by mikehowarth
Sun Nov 01, 2020 12:13 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Luxurious one person accomodation - HexPeak, Duomid
Replies: 14
Views: 1735

Re: Luxurious one person accomodation - HexPeak, Duomid

Fly creek is a good lightweight tent but as you say Rich they are compromised when wind changes direction.

I wouldn’t class them as a comfortable tent, headspace is limited definitely more on the compact side.

Tarpent Double Rainbow?
by mikehowarth
Wed Sep 09, 2020 9:23 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: The post man's been ...
Replies: 11421
Views: 1905633

Re: The post man's been ...

PaulB2 wrote: Wed Sep 09, 2020 7:35 am
chrisjones wrote: Tue Sep 08, 2020 8:31 pm
PaulB2 wrote: Tue Sep 08, 2020 4:39 pm
chrisjones wrote: Tue Sep 08, 2020 4:10 pm 0D5DC5D9-2733-49F4-B232-0E3F708238EA.JPG
The new scrambler?
You bet'ya. :grin:
Trying to decide between a big bro and one of these so it’s nice to see it in the flesh so to speak
Just building a Big Bro at the moment, definitely very nicely finished!
by mikehowarth
Wed Sep 02, 2020 12:41 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Veloviewer map - explorer tiles
Replies: 794
Views: 138309

Re: Veloviewer map - explorer tiles

Yep Eaton Hall is definitely an elusive tile - only way to bag it will be an open day. Hoping August open day will be on, otherwise it’ll be a long wait to next year! Believe me I’ve been staring at this tile for a week or so, and had a look at pretty much every conceivable entrance - all locked ga...
by mikehowarth
Thu Jul 09, 2020 9:46 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: can we go on the Hebrides yet?
Replies: 9
Views: 1231

Re: can we go on the Hebrides yet?

Yep all fine from the 15th July. Most camping places don’t seem to be opening until August that’s including any of the trusts land used for wild camping. We’ve just booked ferries to go to Harris on 21st July, availability seemed ok. We did try to go to Tiree but they seemed to sell out in no time e...
by mikehowarth
Tue Jul 07, 2020 1:23 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: My Book’s Kickstarter goes live 7 July.
Replies: 18
Views: 3001

Re: My Book’s Kickstarter goes live 7 July.

Backed - looks like its flying Rich :-)
by mikehowarth
Wed Jun 24, 2020 12:57 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Dangerous dogs
Replies: 25
Views: 3245

Re: Dangerous dogs

Generally a big skid, followed by dismounting the bike has always worked for me, it kind of shocks the dog and then it realises you are a human. If they're really persistent a quick squirt of a water bottle has always worked in UK. South American dogs are somewhat different and none of these tactics...
by mikehowarth
Mon Jun 22, 2020 8:48 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Go Outdoors set to go in to administration
Replies: 51
Views: 5672

Re: Go Outdoors set to go in to administration

Quickly skimmed over a piece in the Sunday Telegraph yesterday afternoon. The bigger issue seems to be acquisition of several other brands, and some debt refinancing which has all coincided with COVID19 basically drying up most footfall in stores. I wouldn't be suprised if Pentland do a pre-pack adm...