Only fear i get is from the chance of not waking up...sounds dramatic i know but most irrational fears are. Ive been known to 'fit' or shake in the night from low blood sugars, while i usually wake up sometimes after long tiring days i dont, and have awoken to my partner trying desperately to wake m...

Probably not of any help as i havent used many in the field, but have seen plenty in shops and sewn many of my own. First thing i noticed about a couple bigger brands is they're very good at making what looks like vaguely exciting bikepacking bags. I chose my words carefully there. But upon closer i...

Okay...ive been naughty, ive bought another bag.... (i will donate my old ones i promise) A camelbak solstice LR Hate wearing a pack cycling, mostly use a camelbak palos but struggling to carry enough food and water for big day rides (aswell as room for all my meds) so needed something to carry more...

May sound backwards thinking, but after 3 digital home machines i now use an analogue machine, no digital controls or fancy patterns but solid dials and some actual punch to get through tough fabric. Currently use a singer heavy duty (looks like something out of the cold war) ugly but tough. Prefer ...

Round here its all brown boat shoes (with no socks!!) and black suits with rolled ankles, or tweed suits and grey suede lace ups. ....yeah, i dont get it either. My wedding im going to be wearing leather, real man shoes. Still....i got complimented on my hipster-est attire and starts a great convers...

Sometimes it doesnt have to be all high tech and modern. My favourite ultra packable spare shoes are just daps, found a pair with a sole to thin they roll up. Nylon upper dries well and elastic laces makes them very comfortable. Great for "barefoot" style running too as you can feel the gr...

Id really struggle to have just one, my 2 main bikes are such solar opposites im glad of the contrast. I could never get the use of a full fleet though. Would be so wasteful. I have a true road bike, and a full suspension trail bike, both such fun hobbies and very different, one could never do both....

Judging by the stack of poorly designed tshirts with "not as funny as it sounded in my head" quotes sitting in a box...i can also atest to the difficulty in designing good tshirts with cycling related humor. Turns out, just because i run a business that primarily makes patches and shirts, ...

I still fail to see the distinction between spare and backup no matter how many times its reworded. I carry parts to fix more likely problems, like punctures, chain breakage, loose common bolts. Try and cover as wide as possible without carrying too much, spare links and bolts are tiny but could be ...

Shes got the sponsors now, but never started that way. Raced across isreal in a cotton t-shirt, second hand bike and borrowed camp gear and still gave the men a run for their money! Oh and who decides to start a 2700mile race down the states...AND ride an extra 1000 miles just to get to the starting...

Gotta be martyn ashton! Genuinely the nicest man in the sport, inspiring and like all true british he deals with his condition with humour and sarcasm :-bd He makes regular trips to Margam Country Park which is just down the road from me, never lucky enough to be there on the same day though. And if...

I got it slightly discounted at Forest of dean cycle center, the lid and jaw were bought seperately for less than a complete set AND he gave me 10% discount for buying together....win! I couldve got even cheaper online but i like buying in person and trying on. Plus the shop was so nice and helpful ...

Never as much riding as i like, winter was tough dealing with the cold (and non existent circulation on the bike) camping has close to non existent but im getting into more trail riding now. Fittest ive ever been, doing a greater mix of outdoor stuff with hiking and running. Diabetes is well under c...

Okay, its time to point and laugh...ive gone and done it....gone full #endurbro Last week i picked up a pair of IXS kneepads, and sunday i got a shiny new brain bucket... Bell Super 3r WITH the detachable jaw.. I feel so ashamed, i should really hand in my "bikepacker card" and stay quiet ...

None of us want to fit into a category, but sometimes it helps understanding our reasons, beyond adventure and freedom. We know theres a clear difference between an endurance racer and long distance tourer dispite the physical goal being similar (sometimes appearance too) Same goes for those of us t...

Edit: options added

I hate to pidgeon hole this hobby but sometimes we all fit into a cliché and all have different reasons for wanting to get out. Some of us see a bike as a means to go camping, other see camping as a means to ride more. Our kit choices reflect this. We all do a bit of everything i guess but its the m...

I still firmly believe in a middle ground solution, but few options at the moment. Racks are simple, carry a ton of kit (if you let them) and very stable. Solid built racks for big weights carrying only a fraction of that weight should hold up fine. Some say they rattle loose or break (so can any bo...

+1 for innertubes, use em for so much. Agree on one side being grippier than the other but sandpaper lightly roughing it up sorts that.

Also works better sewn in patches than simply wrapped

+1 for yoga, but you needn't be in recovery mode to see the benefits of it. I suppose like all things it depends, mainly on how well you recover. If youre tired and low on energy (cardio) after alot of endurance stuff but still feel fit enough to move then i enjoy practicing Trials, im dreadful at i...

This is a little late as ive been too busy riding it to post about it, good thing i suppose... Postman delivered a brand spanking new trail bike, Specialized Camber 650b womens! (Yes i chose a womens bike, it fits better) My first full suspension trail bike, for trail centers, bike parks and trying ...

I suppose it still has to be ridable, safe, and maybe atleast a little enjoyable. Riding around on pure tat has no appeal, but something basic and leave you less paranoid about theives seems to make sense. As for the whole minimalist thing? I see the irony, and im not going to get defensive, im in a...

Town/pub bike/winter bike/everyday "no one will nick it" bike/ordinary bicycle... Whatever you call it, do you have and use one and what is it? So ive bought a new MTB, fancy all singing full squish trail bike for all manner of "Gnar" riding with my slightly mental other half. My...

This sounds like the perfect reason to pursue minimalism. Its a path ive slowly gone down as my eyes were opened to how cluttered modern life can be, i wasnt stretched thin like some people but felt myself heading there. I needed to do something about it before its too late. Plus health conditions o...

Sadly when it comes to airsoft, drama mostly means politics, ego, and self appointed leaders of nothing. Its why i dont play anymore, bikes are much less stressful (seriously) Well for my trail center days out with the fiance' weve both decided to go back to flat pedals. She loved it right away (the...