Search found 197 matches

by Hamish
Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:33 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Rear rack for a krampus
Replies: 21
Views: 1486

Re: Rear rack for a krampus

I have used these Tourtec Expedition racks on my Pugsley for years. It fits my Longitude too. https://www.merlincycles.com/tortec-expedition-rear-pannier-rack-47169.html It’s not pretty but it’s not quite the ugliest rack I have seen either. And it’s cheap. I tried my Tubus Cosmo on my Longitude and...
by Hamish
Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:24 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Another busy summer of BBQ, campfires and litter?
Replies: 58
Views: 5490

Re: Another busy summer of BBQ, campfires and litter?

Gower... the tracks and paths were fairly quiet, the beaches were quite busy with walkers on Saturday, quieter today. The roads were much busier and more hassley. Quite why the driving is so bad here when the place is so small that you can only gain a few minutes by driving like a maniac is anyone’s...
by Hamish
Thu Mar 25, 2021 2:20 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: OT question for the over 50's.
Replies: 59
Views: 5532

Re: OT question for the over 50's.

I think that right now a lot of us are looking back as the present is a bit odd and the future uncertain.

And I agree, significant events with regard to family make you look back and reflect... be that losing a relative or someone leaving home or finishing university.
by Hamish
Wed Mar 24, 2021 11:17 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Looking for a budget windproof...
Replies: 28
Views: 2246

Re: Looking for a budget windproof...

I'm still using a Montane Velo. Pretty much perfect. I think they stopped making them a few years ago but there is a "Featherlite Trail Jacket" available now. Me too. I can’t understand why they stopped making it, As you say it would be hard to improve on. I do have an Alpkit Morphasis sm...
by Hamish
Tue Mar 23, 2021 3:14 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Another busy summer of BBQ, campfires and litter?
Replies: 58
Views: 5490

Re: Another busy summer of BBQ, campfires and litter?

Living in the middle of an AONB I find that the biggest issue often isn’t the number of people as much how they get here. The traffic last year when things opened up was pretty horrific and the way people drive, where they drive and park and what they drag with them and leave behind is a problem.
by Hamish
Fri Mar 19, 2021 9:21 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Topical Article By A Woman Who Bothies Alone
Replies: 73
Views: 7810

Re: Topical Article By A Woman Who Bothies Alone

I think that a forum discussion on this is always going to be difficult. I don’t think I learned much new from the article but I still felt it probably needed saying and it helped me think the issue through. I have done quite a bit of work on diversity and gender having spent years working in commun...
by Hamish
Fri Mar 19, 2021 12:38 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Topical Article By A Woman Who Bothies Alone
Replies: 73
Views: 7810

Re: Topical Article By A Woman Who Bothies Alone

Hmmm, that discussion on the Facebook is pretty depressing.
by Hamish
Thu Mar 18, 2021 11:19 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Topical Article By A Woman Who Bothies Alone
Replies: 73
Views: 7810

Re: Topical Article By A Woman Who Bothies Alone

Good article - but in some ways I think she probably diplomatically understates the issue. You meet few lone women in bothies and men are probably the main reason for this. Even some of the comments in bothy books indicate a pretty misogynistic tendency in some male users so I am not sure that even ...
by Hamish
Tue Mar 16, 2021 6:59 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Custom made frame bag recomendations
Replies: 11
Views: 1192

Re: Custom made frame bag recomendations

I have some stem cell type bags from these guys and they’re really well made.

https://www.aiguillealpine.co.uk/produ ... frame-bag/
by Hamish
Tue Mar 16, 2021 6:55 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Bargain Alert Thread
Replies: 4899
Views: 1190963

Re: Bargain Alert Thread

Spacemaker sale now on at Alpkit. Annoying that a lot of the women's stuff 50% off but the equivalent men's stuff is 25% off or thereabouts. I don't think it's going to do much to tip the balance of historical gender inequality, but it's mildly irritating. Maybe it's deliberate ploy to encourage fe...
by Hamish
Sat Mar 13, 2021 7:37 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: What you done t' your bike today
Replies: 1521
Views: 246983

Re: What you done t' your bike today

Nice. I've got the same one. I think the 'new' frame is the same too, or at least that any alterations are extremely minor. The current incarnation takes 29 inch wheels anyway. Must say that I really like the 29er setup, it rolls like a monster truck over rocks and stuff. I looked at getting a Boot...
by Hamish
Sat Mar 13, 2021 11:41 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: What you done t' your bike today
Replies: 1521
Views: 246983

Re: What you done t' your bike today

So I ‘swapped out’ the stock forks for a pair of Surly ECR forks. It now has a nice high set of Jones Bars on the longer steerer, the forks are a tiny bit longer and there is a few mm less offset. The front wheel sits nice and central in the fork. The net result of this is that the bike rides reall...
by Hamish
Sun Mar 07, 2021 11:05 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: What you done t' your bike today
Replies: 1521
Views: 246983

Re: What you done t' your bike today

Not today, but over the last few weeks... I bought a Longitude in June and have been riding it round Gower ever since. It’s not been a bad bike but the the front wheel sat a little off centre in the forks and the steerer was a little short. So I ‘swapped out’ the stock forks for a pair of Surly ECR ...
by Hamish
Tue Mar 02, 2021 9:34 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Stay at home ends
Replies: 45
Views: 3277

Re: Stay at home ends

I got it from work. Around 2 weeks of self isolation and then about 6 weeks of general tiredness before I could get back on the bike for a mile or 2... I was careful to give myself plenty of rest for them 2 weeks and took it easy for about 2 months after. Mate got PTSD after his (in his 30s)... Thi...
by Hamish
Sun Feb 28, 2021 10:09 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Tent on rack + panniers / something else?
Replies: 14
Views: 1297

Re: Tent on rack + panniers / something else?

I often use a rack with small panniers, particularly if I am carrying a winter tent (Nallo 2 GT) and all the cooking stuff for two. For many here I suspect that is considered overkill. It means though that we can be very comfy on a long trip in the winter and I really don’t like heavy loads on the f...
by Hamish
Thu Feb 25, 2021 3:44 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Off topic - loading a kayak on a car
Replies: 23
Views: 2839

Re: Off topic - loading a kayak on a car

RobLyon wrote: Thu Feb 25, 2021 2:50 pm I think the best solution would be to fix your back, is there any yoga/strength training you could do?
Fixing your back is important. But to avoid hurting it again a good kayak loading technique is vital!
by Hamish
Thu Feb 25, 2021 1:00 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Off topic - loading a kayak on a car
Replies: 23
Views: 2839

Re: Off topic - loading a kayak on a car

I'd love to get / try a proper sea kayak but a) the expense and b) it strikes me that not having a bit more than basic knowledge could be a bit, like, potentially, y'know lethal :wink: Had big plans last year for some trips and courses up in Scotland but that all sadly got kyboshed. Mebe this year ...
by Hamish
Wed Feb 24, 2021 11:33 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Off topic - loading a kayak on a car
Replies: 23
Views: 2839

Re: Off topic - loading a kayak on a car

Cheeky Monkey wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 10:32 am
... Tupperware kayak ...
*wonders whether to be offended*

Nah, never a truer word :lol:
Nothing wrong with Tupperware!

I have both composite and plastic boats... as much as I love my composite kayaks, if I was buying a new sea boat today I would probably go for plastic...
by Hamish
Wed Feb 24, 2021 11:25 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Who plans their routes?
Replies: 24
Views: 2080

Re: Who plans their routes?

I tend to build up a picture of the places I am interested in by looking at maps and google earth and stuff and scope out a load of routes which I can then use and link together when I’m riding and then see how it all goes and change plans according to mood, weather, distance covered and so on. It d...
by Hamish
Wed Feb 24, 2021 12:58 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Off topic - loading a kayak on a car
Replies: 23
Views: 2839

Re: Off topic - loading a kayak on a car

I load my sea kayak by placing a bit of thin carpet on the back roof bar. I use an IKEA longish hall ‘runner’ type rug which has a slidey top and a non slip bottom. I place the stern centrally behind the car and front of the kayak with the nose about two feet forward of the edge of the tailgate alon...
by Hamish
Sun Feb 21, 2021 11:05 pm
Forum: Classifieds
Topic: Microshift Inter11 11 Speed STI Levers for Shimano Alfine 11
Replies: 1
Views: 260

Microshift Inter11 11 Speed STI Levers for Shimano Alfine 11

For sale Microshift Inter11 11 Speed STI Levers for Shimano Internal Gear Hubs. Unused, so in as new condition. They are these ones: https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/gear-shifters/11-speed-microshift-inter11-sti-levers-for-shimano-internal-gear-hubs/ They are up £199.99 new so how about £105 posted? FF23...
by Hamish
Thu Feb 11, 2021 10:03 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Do you like giant cassettes?
Replies: 54
Views: 4202

Re: Do you like giant cassettes?

I used to have an 1/8th chain on a singlespeed but it wore just as fast. Same here. I think the wear is in the pins/holes they sit in not the plates so the size/speed of the chain doesn't seem to make much difference? That's how I understand wear too. Agreed, I had a massive heavy duty single speed...
by Hamish
Thu Feb 11, 2021 9:59 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Anyone have a 'micro camper?'
Replies: 50
Views: 5183

Re: Anyone have a 'micro camper?'

Bearbonesnorm wrote: Thu Feb 11, 2021 4:52 pm
Bedford Rascal
Now you're talking. :-bd
Remember Jonny Dawes in his Rascal in Stone Monkey? He made them cool for a minute...
by Hamish
Thu Feb 11, 2021 2:16 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Do you like giant cassettes?
Replies: 54
Views: 4202

Re: Do you like giant cassettes?

Durability is so subjective and becomes important as the cost increases. If you buy expensive cassettes and chains you want them to last so it's reassuring to hear your experience. Intersting that the article confirms what I have read elsewhere, that the new narrow chains last well. Durability is a...