Took some time but I've finally posted our trip through Wales. With lockdown and delays getting bike parts we were only able to proceed in October, and of course ran into some pretty solid batches of rain! Though we were slightly prepared for this sort of thing from a previous (also October) trip th...

Converted to tubeless fairly recently: On my old bike I couldn't get the tyre bead to remain in-place so gave up; On my newer bike I have absolutely no problem getting a seal with a track pump... though getting the tyre on was practically impossible.... until I learned that it helps if you squeeze b...

Maybe I should start the Bear Bones Broadcasting Corporation on Youtube BBC might have a go at you there... :lol: In case my comments gave the wrong impression, as a relative newcomer to bikepacking I've found online resources and the ever increasing abundance of bikepacking gear tremendously helpf...

As a middle-aged male (guilty as charged) who is currently in the process of switching from traditional cycle touring to trips of the bikepacking variety... I disagree (in a friendly middle-aged sort of way) with a lot of the sentiment expressed here. It is somewhat fashionable to say 'just take wha...

My wife and I had also been pondering a trip (cycling in this case) through parts of the Brecon Beacons just north of the locked-down areas en route towards mid-Wales. A complication is that we had planned to take the train to Abergavenny but this involves a change in Newport, which is locked down.....

I’ve just fitted a 29x2.6 barzo to the front and a 29x2.6 mezcal to the rear Wanted to say the exact same thing. I've not had a chance to test out this arrangement (new build in progress) but they seem like a good pairing with Barzo out front for dealing with slightly muddier / bite-ier situations...

Thank you! Very much appreciated!

I am planning a route through mid-Wales and so far I've been able to find campgrounds for all nights except for the vicinity around Nant-Y-Moch reservoir (10km radius, give or take). Any recommendations for where to look (or where to avoid) for suitable wild camping spots? Any thoughts on wild campi...

vaguely exciting, thanks for the responses, first-hand info is invaluable.

Thanks.

Regarding the Carnau route, if it has been raining, how boggy would this area typically become? What would the implications be for rideability?

We'll be on 2.6" tyres.

Thank you, good to have local insight and confirmation on the route. Out of curiosity, do you have any thoughts or experience on the Carreg-Wen-Fawr through to Esgair Garthen route further to the north-west? The dip between the peaks looks like it might be boggy, but the ride down towards the dam wa...

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed Sep 16, 2020 6:37 pm If you use 1:25k Explorer maps, you can tell which forests are owned privately and which are owned ny Natural Resources Wales (kinda the new name for the FC).

Good to know, thanks!

Alpinum wrote: ↑Wed Sep 16, 2020 9:22 pm What size did you go with? 5 L?

Yes, I went with the 5l.

Thanks, several options I hadn't looked at before.

The Planet X options looked like good value but were out of stock so I went with a discounted sea to summit option.

Looks like good quality and should do the job!

I have a fork with three-mounts for e.g. gorilla cages or the passport style equivalent. What I'm wondering is where to find a sufficiently durable bag or stuff sack that works well for these? Doesn't necessarily need to be waterproof but my thinking is that many stuff sacks won't necessarily be dur...

Thanks, good to have first hand input!

I'm trying to figure out a good route for crossing the hills / mountains south of Claerwen Reservoir. At present I'm thinking of making the crossing from Carreg-Wen-Fawr through to Esgair Garthen and then down towards the dam wall. There are some bridle-ways further to the south-east but from the sa...

I'm currently planning a route through Wales and I see there are several locations with forestry and what appear to be logging roads. I'm trying to stick to "legit" routes where possible (e.g. bridleways) and so I'm wondering whether the logging roads are open for public thoroughfare or if...