Search found 204 matches

by ripio
Tue Jun 01, 2021 2:39 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Do you carry a spare mech hanger when bikepacking?
Replies: 17
Views: 1397

Re: Do you carry a spare mech hanger when bikepacking?

I have one of these universal ones from Joe's shop in my toolkit for emergencies: https://www.weirdosonbikes.com/product/emergency-mech-hanger/ Reminds me I need to try it and see if it works on each of my bikes, just in case - better to find out in advance. Not particularly universal if it only wo...
by ripio
Tue May 25, 2021 6:49 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: New Alpkit Tents
Replies: 50
Views: 6042

Re: New Alpkit Tents

Ok thanks.
But I've often experienced condensation (on al my tents) dripping from the flysheet onto the inner fabric and had it been mesh, I'm sure it would have continued through the mesh and down onto my sleeping bag.
Not to mention that mesh lets the draughts through and reduces warmth.
by ripio
Mon May 24, 2021 11:11 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: New Alpkit Tents
Replies: 50
Views: 6042

Re: New Alpkit Tents

From the Alpkit website photos it looks like the roof of the inner is mesh, is that correct?
This puts me off it as it would mean condensation dripping through the mesh onto sleeping bag etc..
It also seems an odd choice given that mesh is generally heavier than normal inner tent fabric.
by ripio
Sun May 16, 2021 12:29 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Touring complications - Brexit related
Replies: 25
Views: 2317

Re: Touring complications - Brexit related

Bike touring over the channel, the holiday for the average man.. or was. I think that 120 a day fund is for visa >90 days without accommodation though, average man doesn't get that much time off anyway. Nope, that page is where you end up if you say you are staying for less than 90 days. And the 'a...
by ripio
Sat May 15, 2021 10:58 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Touring complications - Brexit related
Replies: 25
Views: 2317

Re: Touring complications - Brexit related

More concerning than the staying with friends and family thing is the requrement to be able to show funds covering 120€ per day if you are not staying in pre-booked accommodation. So if you want to go for a three week camping tour you need to have €2520 in your bank account, even though you might on...
by ripio
Sat May 15, 2021 4:50 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Touring complications - Brexit related
Replies: 25
Views: 2317

Re: Touring complications - Brexit related

What about staying with Warmshowers/Couchsurfing/Homecamper hosts etc?

Also, there have been plenty Aussies, Kiwis, Americans, etc, cycle touring in France for years, how have they been managing?
by ripio
Tue May 11, 2021 4:47 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: New Alpkit Tents
Replies: 50
Views: 6042

Re: New Alpkit Tents

What pressure does the air beam get inflated to?
Presumably only a few psi?
by ripio
Fri May 07, 2021 7:40 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Bluetooth headphones
Replies: 17
Views: 1762

Re: Bluetooth headphones

I picked up these https://www.therange.co.uk/technology-and-appliances/music-and-audio/headphones-and-earphones/black-wireless-sports-pods/ in The Range recently, didn't really expect much from them at a tenner, but they are actually remarkably good. Battery life is much better than many more expens...
by ripio
Sat Apr 10, 2021 10:02 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Quad/patella tendonosis
Replies: 7
Views: 775

Re: Quad/patella tendonosis

Had occasional knee issues all my cycling life (past 30 years),usually mild tendonitis or patella tracking syndrome, that cleared up with a short period of rest and some exercises. I had a bad phase of knee problems (tendonitis, and/or plica syndrome, and/or patella tracking syndrome, it was never q...
by ripio
Fri Apr 09, 2021 4:59 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Quad/patella tendonosis
Replies: 7
Views: 775

Re: Quad/patella tendonosis

If at all possible it is worth seeing a decent physio, preferably a sports oriented one. They can do a lot more than just give you exercises, i.e. ultrasound treatment, laser, ems.
Failing that, kinesiology tape can help. Google for application techniques, can be a bit trial and error though.
by ripio
Wed Mar 31, 2021 10:12 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Custom Decals
Replies: 9
Views: 1101

Re: Custom Decals

Print your own? Waterslide decal paper for inkjet printers e.g. https://www.craftastik.co.uk/clear-white-a4-inkjet-water-slide-decal-paper/ Just bought some myself from Amazon but not used it yet. Several videos on youtube showing the process. Basically you print your design either on clear or white...
by ripio
Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:13 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: New Alpkit Tents
Replies: 50
Views: 6042

Re: New Alpkit Tents

Very similar to the Vango F10 Hydrogen tents but a third of the price. The Vangos also use schrader valves. Interesting thought, would it be feasible to use the air in your tyres to inflate the tent beam at night with some kind of interconnector, then vice versa in the morning? Obviously some toppin...
by ripio
Wed Mar 24, 2021 10:41 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Rohloff Speedhub. Not fit for purpose?
Replies: 11
Views: 1105

Re: Rohloff Speedhub. Not fit for purpose?

Bearbonesnorm wrote: Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:51 pm Do they have a breather of some sort? Could water contamination be condensation if a breather were blocked (assuming there is one).
Rohloffs breathe through the axle I believe.
by ripio
Thu Mar 04, 2021 5:45 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Shimano Stock Levels
Replies: 24
Views: 2838

Re: Shimano Stock Levels

Doesn't help that we can't buy stuff from a lot of the European retailers anymore.
by ripio
Thu Feb 25, 2021 6:08 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Road bar mounted friction shifter?
Replies: 13
Views: 1837

Re: Road bar mounted friction shifter?

Not cheap but you could possibly mount standard bar end shifters with friction mode to these mounts https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/gear-spares/paul-mountain-thumbies-bar-end-gear-lever-shifter-mounts-318-mm-band-on-shimano-version-black/ But shifting across an 11 speed cassette in friction mode would m...
by ripio
Thu Feb 18, 2021 7:26 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Sonder Frontier - anyone had/got one?
Replies: 9
Views: 1213

Re: Sonder Frontier - anyone had/got one?

I've had a Frontier for nearly 3 years now. Very good bike. I got the mk1 verison with suspension fork and 27.5+ wheels/tyres with 2.8" tyres. Used it for three weeks bikepacking in Scotland in 2018, plus various shorter trips since. Recently got a set of 29er wheels for it as well and have bee...
by ripio
Thu Feb 11, 2021 2:08 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: NO! Just no.
Replies: 33
Views: 2924

Re: NO! Just no.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 12:44 pm What is the world coming to. I've just seen the makers of Weetabix offer up cold baked beans on top of weetabix as a serving suggestion for breakfast. What is going on? Is it the fault of lockdown?
How do you know they're cold?
There's no indication in the photo I've seen that they are cold.
by ripio
Sat Feb 06, 2021 8:16 pm
Forum: MYOG
Topic: Sugru - how hard does it cure?
Replies: 7
Views: 1493

Re: Sugru - how hard does it cure?

I'd think it would be too flexible for that purpose.
by ripio
Sat Feb 06, 2021 8:14 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Apparently this bothy is on the HT550, which is it?
Replies: 11
Views: 1195

Re: Apparently this bothy is on the HT550, which is it?

. You can't see it from the track which is uphill of what that shot is looking at plus it's a pretty fast bit of track so unless you had an idea of where it was you'd probably zip past any path leading to it without noticing it. Well I saw it from the track in 2018. Went down for a look at it, deci...
by ripio
Thu Feb 04, 2021 11:08 pm
Forum: Routes
Topic: Iceland from the East to the West?
Replies: 58
Views: 7093

Re: Iceland from the East to the West?

Dick Phillips?
by ripio
Thu Feb 04, 2021 6:15 pm
Forum: Routes
Topic: Iceland from the East to the West?
Replies: 58
Views: 7093

Re: Iceland from the East to the West?

RIP wrote: Thu Feb 04, 2021 11:02 am. There and back by sea - none of that easy aeroplanes malarkey.
Ah, yeah, the Smyril Line ferry?
I flew from Glasgow, but always fancied going by boat from Shetland.
by ripio
Wed Feb 03, 2021 10:38 pm
Forum: Routes
Topic: Iceland from the East to the West?
Replies: 58
Views: 7093

Re: Iceland from the East to the West?

I'll get the rest of them scanned and put up on flickr sometime soon hopefully and will stick a link on here. The observant may have noticed that one of my rear panniers ended up being carried hung on my handlebars. This was because my rear rack broke down near the bottom of one leg and my emergency...
by ripio
Wed Feb 03, 2021 9:07 pm
Forum: Routes
Topic: Iceland from the East to the West?
Replies: 58
Views: 7093

Re: Iceland from the East to the West?

Some photos from my 1991 trip to Iceland https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50905817791_c1dc2ab88b_b.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50905112508_a1f371cab9_b.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50905813111_874ce66104_b.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50905113723_3da57edd62_b.jpg...
by ripio
Mon Feb 01, 2021 6:32 pm
Forum: Routes
Topic: Iceland from the East to the West?
Replies: 58
Views: 7093

Re: Iceland from the East to the West?

I cycled across Iceland (south to north, Sprengisandur route) in August 1991, then took a bus from Myvatn to Hofn and cycled from there back to Keflavik, all done in a two week holiday from work.
Fantastic trip, great country, always meant to go back but not made it yet.
by ripio
Sat Jan 16, 2021 8:15 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Why Don't Sleeping Mats Have A Pillow?
Replies: 25
Views: 2508

Re: Why Don't Sleeping Mats Have A Pillow?

mattpage wrote: Sat Jan 16, 2021 4:26 pm I prefer not to have a pillow, so I'm quite happy they are not included.
Same here.
Haven't slept using a pillow for the past 40 years, either at home or camping.