That's a great write-up, and I look forward to reading more about your post divide thoughts and anecdotes. Greg May's write up is similar to yours and one I also enjoyed. For me, hearing about the gritty hard details makes it more appealing because the 'postcard divide' shortchanges on the difficult...

I picked up a copy yesterday and had a good look through, but not read it properly yet. I quite like it, but broadly concur with the thoughts so far. Interesting places are visited, interesting rides. Bikes, clothing, and most of the kit in a different aspirational league for my tastes. I guess havi...

Quite looking forward to it, though i'm not a fan of the title, as it's (close enough) half of a queen lyric, and i don't like queen.

I'm another one with bluemel 45s on my arkose, usually put them on this time of year until about April. Very happy with them, quiet except over the worst potholes, into their 3rd winter now, and room for for 38mm G-Ones.

Mudguards are the way to go for off road in winter

I also really enjoyed reading the 3 write ups. What an achievement for both of you, but also what a lucky lad to have experienced all that by his age. Inspirational reading for me and my young 'un, i'll be keeping an eye out for the book for sure

95% of my riding is from the door, if not bivvy trips (though they have accounted for 2/3rds of this year's 3 bivvy trips!). My local off-roading is very good, if not at all technical, but I try and make the best of what I have here. I'm lucky to have riding options in all directions and using the g...

Rip - i know a class 20 when I see one!

Spending the weekend with my folks in Dorset, partly to help look after my boy as i'm alone with him for the next week! Hoping to get out for a couple of local road rides on my dad's old Raleigh

Great stuff! Really nice to see father and son on such and epic ride. Brush mountain lodge does seem like a special place, obviously because of the people there.

No, ta. Ultimately i think my joy of riding would be seriously compromised by being paid to do things someone else wants me to do. Quite happy to ride for myself for free! I know it was hypothetical, but you'd have to do a lot more than hashtag a few posts on instagram. It would all feel very job-li...

Still ride my 26 inbred as my town bike, currently SS. I really enjoy it because it's tough, fast and agile, and it's a practical bike so I ride it in normal clothes and no helmet. My boy loves going on the Yepp mini on it too. It's also running my treasured 4 pot M755 XT brake on the front, which I...

RIP wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 06, 2019 11:43 am

Lovely that Matt, I've just been retrospectively round with you in spirit! Dead jealous . Still, come September..

Thank you sir! Are you heading there in September then?...

Did a big mid-Wales ride/bivvy at the weekend. It started life as doing the Trans Cambrian Way, but due to time, logistics and costs, it was a big loop from near Mach utilising some of the TCW, bits of Big Bear and bits I made up. Went from near Mach to Aber off road, Ystwyth trail to Tregaron, moun...

I'm sure you can pick something up from someone, but if you don't, you can get a £10 one from decathlon https://www.decathlon.co.uk/basic-1-person-hammock-blue-id_8330395.html?iv_=__iv_p_1_g_61980150214_c_316432703506_w_aud-308557095093:pla-295628810540_n_g_d_c_v__l__t__r_1o1x_pla_y_15177021_f_onlin...

Or get a train to Merthyr instead, and get on the Taff trail to the Gap fairly quickly. Then you miss the southern sprawl entirely. You could always take the Taff trail from Cardiff, never done it and no idea what it's like from Cardiff. It uses Sustrans route 8, part of the Lon Las Cymru, so it mig...

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 31, 2019 2:51 pm

A great memory for me is my preparation for my viva in 2011.

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Ha! If my viva had been representative of the eponymous car, it would have ended badly!

Borderer - that's a nice one! I hope to make similar memories with my boy, but it's a while off as he's only just walking! :grin: A great memory for me is my preparation for my viva in 2011. My best pal and I stayed in Ty'n y Cornel for a night, and spent the next cold november day riding around tha...

Frame swap for me too last week/bits of this weekend when i had some spare time. Got a super bargain Sanderson Town Crier 29 frame on ebay and built it up with most of the stuff from the Scandal I sold recently. Needs some brake hose lengthened and going to try a Geoff bar on it. Also have a 2.6 fro...

I know it's not rated any more, I just fancy including it on my ride for old times sake. I first rode it 15 years ago and loved the setting as much as the ride. Might just do it to see how it is, though hope it's not a slog.

Thanks both for the input so far, shame to hear that horse traffic might have diminished enjoyment. I'm thinking it's a 50/50 whether I do it or not. As you say psling, it's a stunning valley however you travel down it, and i've some nice memories form my trips down it - that's the main reason for w...

I'm planning on riding down this in just under a couple of weeks (southbound). It's been about 8 years since i last did it, and i'm wondering if anyone has done it recently or when summer vegetation is at its height? Is it in OK condition (for the area, my expectations are set accordingly!), and mos...

Restrap small frame bag, bit expensive though, and probably a bit big for general riding.

Interesting that it's billed as one of the toughest and *seemingly* more remote of the bikepacking races...surprised it has lots of 4G. That's more than can be said about lots of rural Wales! :grin: I have to agree that too much media on bikepacking races is a bit tiring and distracting. There's a g...

Looks a great route, and if it's as well crafted as people are saying , then seems worthwhile giving it (or bits of it) a try. I really appreciate the aim of creating a long and spectacular route that you don't have to travel abroad for. I would agree the balance between rough/exciting trails and ea...

Hi Sean, You can get the route here if you have a viewranger account (even a free one): https://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MTk5MzM= Or if that doesn't work just google 'wessex way viewranger' and it'll come up. Quick look and the portion between Westbury and Newbury uses a lot of byways on the ...