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.

?

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 ...

I'm also a bit of a die-hard paper map-er. But, recently i've been finding ways to just use pictures of maps on my phone. I've used Bing OS layer in the past and done screenshots, and taken photos of paper maps I own. I've found I can satisfy my map readers need to look at a map and take in the envi...

I'd tend to agree with what's been said about the benefits of soft luggage so far, and it's worked for me too. But you do have to be in the mindset of only taking what is necessary and packing light. I do find some soft luggage products to be annoying or badly designed - or I just don't get along wi...

My mate has got on older model designed for 29+. I've ridden it a couple of times and I love it, very capable and ideal for bikepacking. Imagine the current ones are just as capable.

Alexandera has finished, 18 days and 20.5 hours :-bd I make that over 4 days faster than her time for last year :grin: Great ride Alexandera! :-bd Every picture of her does show her smiling, and shows that a great attitude goes a long way. Also, she said that her legs were her secret weapon - and w...

I really enjoy riding in the new forest, even though none of it's remotely technical. Here's a route I did a couple of years ago that took in a lot of the designated off road trails (that are easy to follow), and went via a stop at the sea. Would be easy to start from Lymington and do it in a long d...

Couldn't fit in a bivvy this month so no BAM. But I had a weekend away with my folks and rode from Salisbury to Blandford Forum via Martin down, Pentridge and Tarrant Rushton airfield. Only 37 miles but a surprisingly tough ride in the heat, and more bushwacking than I hoped for. It was a beautiful ...

Agree with the sentiments about rules, and feeling like you must do something epic, and must bivvy. I couldn't fit a BAM in this month but did some nice riding anyway, and stayed with family instead. Also riding over similar terrain, bridleways that required painful bushwacking in parts. I used to l...

Agree with the sentiments about boredom being a state of mind. I often find myself more attracted to landscapes that might seem superficially 'dull' or 'monotonous'. I actually like riding in forest plantations (overlooking their sometimes dubious biodiversity for now!) and flat plains, as there are...

Norway is spectacular. I've not ridden there, but it seems a great place for touring. If there is a lack of off-road trails, then it would be more than made up for by the stunning landscape. I'd be happy doing some hiking side trips instead. Glad you enjoyed it!