Search found 47 matches

by Aidan
Mon Apr 27, 2015 10:22 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Vintage bike mud/trudge epic
Replies: 3
Views: 1404

Re: Vintage bike mud/trudge epic

It is indeed. In fact that's the book recommendation that came along with the link Andy sent me to this article.

He ran out that way over Easter and took some great photos of it:

Image
by Aidan
Sun Apr 26, 2015 4:35 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Vintage bike mud/trudge epic
Replies: 3
Views: 1404

Vintage bike mud/trudge epic

This story from 1900 will have familiar elements for anyone who has bikepacked in less than favourable cirumstances:

https://archive.org/stream/wideworldmag ... 4/mode/2up

Highly recommended!
by Aidan
Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:01 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Rovaniemi 150
Replies: 399
Views: 68272

Re: Rovaniemi 150

RE: Brakes... I would avoid hydraulics, myself. I think Jeff Oatley used them in the ITI, but he lives in those conditions so he can make sure his setup works. Unless you take both and test them before the race (and have the conditions you want for testing in that time), you're taking a risk. The ad...
by Aidan
Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:11 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Tour Divide ... thinking out loud.
Replies: 36
Views: 7166

Re: Tour Divide ... thinking out loud.

I think a lot of the angst about people riding the Divide is because the rules were good enough for "us". In the sense that the people who wrote them, and the people who were first attracted to ride the trail didn't need more detail and complicated clauses, and everything nailed down in de...
by Aidan
Mon Oct 20, 2014 4:19 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: waterproof shorts
Replies: 10
Views: 1706

Re: waterproof shorts

Cut-off army gore-tex is quite flappy around your knees and does tend to slip down off your hips.

I once made belt loops out of cable ties and used string as a belt for the full-on hobo look. Pro :-bd
by Aidan
Fri Aug 15, 2014 5:40 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Q's for Fatbike users
Replies: 35
Views: 5819

Re: Q's for Fatbike users

For snow, I'd go big. The difference in riding the Iditarod on 65mm Large Marges vs 100mm Clown Shoes was enormous. To begin with on the 100s, I kept almost tripping myself up. I was bracing myself to plough into the soft stuff and lose momentum, but it floated so much better that I could just keep ...
by Aidan
Mon Jun 30, 2014 4:45 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: So - bibtights and bivvy bags. A bad idea?
Replies: 11
Views: 2103

Re: So - bibtights and bivvy bags. A bad idea?

For me, bibs every time. You'll likely spend a lot more time riding than sleeping, so get the comfort right for that. I'll unhook the bibs as soon as I stop for the night, then put on whatever upper-body layers I need while setting up. Once I'm in the sleeping bag, I pull them down but keep them aro...
by Aidan
Mon Jun 23, 2014 11:43 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: new pump??
Replies: 17
Views: 2609

Re: new pump??

I used to use a Mountain Morph, but it does take up a hell of a lot of space. Since I was hardly getting any punctures, I decided to save some space with a Lezyne alloy drive. It works well for me, doesn't take up much space, and even went with me on the Iditarod where I had some big tyres to inflate.
by Aidan
Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:51 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: EWE 2014
Replies: 15
Views: 2488

Re: EWE 2014

Hello all... Yes, Rich is currently the only brave soul on the list. I've got other aims this year: The Yukon 1000 canoe race http://yukon1000.com/y/index.php , and trying to get over the cost of the Iditarod. It will be great if Rich can make it and keep EWE alive! There will be some minor route ch...
by Aidan
Sat May 24, 2014 2:50 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Highland trail 550!!
Replies: 391
Views: 56482

Re: Highland trail 550!!

I think the "late" starts will just be down to the intervals in Spots (successfully) sending out their position. If yours sent just before the start, Trackleaders wouldn't know you've started until the next position gets sent some time later. And it will clock you as already being down the...
by Aidan
Wed May 21, 2014 3:30 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Dakota 20 bar mount
Replies: 8
Views: 1640

Re: Dakota 20 bar mount

I'm still using the Dakota with that bodge.

Works well for me on and off road.

The mounts seem to be slightly variable. I have two and one was a much better fit out-of-the-box than the other. So that might explain why some folks have no problems.
by Aidan
Thu May 15, 2014 11:49 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Deore brakes?
Replies: 16
Views: 2340

Re: Deore brakes?

I had always used XT, but I have Deore on the Puffin.

The pad retaining pin is a split pin on the Deore instead of a screw-fitting and they don't have the adjusters on the levers.

But they work great... I'd struggle to justify going beyond Deore in the future.
by Aidan
Tue May 13, 2014 1:53 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Multitool recommendation
Replies: 38
Views: 5892

Re: Multitool recommendation

Damnit! The chain tool on the Hexus 2 is driven by popping off one of the tyre levers from the side of the tool, and that lever has an allen key bolt in it. The allen key bolt just sheared out of the tyre lever while fixing a client's bike on a guided ride. Grrr. Maybe the old Alien style where it s...
by Aidan
Tue May 06, 2014 11:37 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Freak failures
Replies: 48
Views: 6496

Re: Freak failures

Some good near misses for me... After weeks of winter night rides on the cross bike, the face-plate of my stem broke off on the way to the curry house. 5 minute walk from home. Just after doing a gap/drop with about 7ft height difference, I was chatting to a friend and one of my cranks fell off. And...
by Aidan
Wed Apr 30, 2014 4:10 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Multitool recommendation
Replies: 38
Views: 5892

Re: Multitool recommendation

In the past, I used a selection of allen keys stuck into a bit of plastic packing foam, and a chain tool separated out from an old multi-tool (weighs less than specific chain tools). That worked OK, but I ended up switching to a Topeak Hexus 2 for a number of reasons: Having exactly what you need fo...
by Aidan
Thu Mar 27, 2014 11:03 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: RatRace Crossing - Am I missing something?
Replies: 17
Views: 2405

Re: RatRace Crossing - Am I missing something?

I did their Scottish coast-to-coast (run, bike, kayak) a couple of years back. I did it with my wife as a trip rather than a race and it was down-right odd to be turning up at a designated campsite. And before sunset. And with a tent. All that hanging out when you could have got to the other coast i...
by Aidan
Tue Mar 18, 2014 11:48 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: For all you visually impaired fat bike riders.
Replies: 15
Views: 2070

Re: For all you visually impaired fat bike riders.

I seem to have some orange ones on the way. Sam will never forgive what I'm about to do to the Puffin :shock:
by Aidan
Tue Mar 18, 2014 10:47 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Brands?
Replies: 43
Views: 5753

Re: Brands?

I avoid Scarpa boots because they're typically used by know-it-all Mountain Leaders. I can justify it since they're expensive, but know-it-alls are the main reason.
by Aidan
Fri Mar 14, 2014 7:59 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: "What I learned at the bikepacking 101 seminar"
Replies: 15
Views: 2511

Re: "What I learned at the bikepacking 101 seminar"

I would take their "Camp near a water source" advice and turn it into "Don't camp near a water source". Only a small change but it has a number of benefits: Less mozzies If you don't sleep where you cooked (probably by the water) you're less likely to get eaten by bears You shoul...
by Aidan
Sat Mar 08, 2014 8:21 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Alpkit Bikepacking Storage
Replies: 16
Views: 6145

Re: Alpkit Bikepacking Storage

Andy was really happy with the backpack here for his DSLR

http://www.privateer.cc/2012/06/grenzst ... e.html?m=1
by Aidan
Tue Feb 18, 2014 8:02 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Really good egg wanted - and a SPOT tracker
Replies: 10
Views: 2103

Re: Really good egg wanted - and a SPOT tracker

If anyone else needs to borrow a Spot for the Highland Trail, mine is available. First generation, so its a bit of a brick, but it works. SteveH - you do need a subscription for it to work. But if you borrow from someone who has a subscription, they can set up a profile in your name when they lend i...
by Aidan
Sun Feb 16, 2014 3:17 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Training thread
Replies: 60
Views: 7963

Re: Training thread

This thread is really interesting. For what it's worth, I'm not sure that most sports science targeted at cycling has much useful to say about performing well at multi-day bikepacking events. I've talked to professional coaches about it, and they admit that they don't know what really works. So you ...
by Aidan
Tue Feb 04, 2014 7:29 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: CTBM Swanage
Replies: 8
Views: 1382

Re: CTBM Swanage

Charlie The Bikemonger
by Aidan
Fri Dec 06, 2013 3:51 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Rovaniemi 150
Replies: 399
Views: 68272

Re: Rovaniemi 150

You could fill a book with musings about winter racing, but specifically on the point of low-temp grease... On the basis that if your freehub fails to engage, you're a bit stuffed, I've always just degreased the freehub and run that dry. Everything else I run with stock grease. I don't want to do mo...
by Aidan
Fri Sep 13, 2013 12:18 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Replacement rotor recommendations?
Replies: 4
Views: 1328

Re: Replacement rotor recommendations?

Note sure what to recommend, but I would think twice about using KCNC or Ashima lightweight rotors. I've had both and they wear through really quickly. There's so much drilled out of the middle of the braking surface that it wears into a groove, which then wears out your pads more quickly. Then, aft...