I've used a few sets of the cheap Joe's branded valves off CRC/Wiggle. They're brass rather than aluminium and work as well as, or better, than any others I've used. Won't match your rims though, presumably. I prefer Gorilla tape to Tesa tape, but that's a personal thing. Always used Stan's because ...

Cairngorm John Wrote by a chap from a chap from caingorm mountain rescue. Quite an insight to the runnings of mountain rescue from day to day stuff to how they operate out on the hill. Fascinating reading especially some of the rescues, really is an eye opener and plenty of lessons can be learnt fr...

Alpinum wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 10:49 am Worst of all lubes is any of MucOff's liquids. You'd be better off rubbing your chain with an old rancid salami.

Admittedly I've not tried rancid salami, but I don't doubt you'd be right.

I try not to, ahem, wax lyrical about it too much, but I'm a big fan of hot wax. I put a freshly waxed chain on before this weekend's winter Jennride and even after a pretty solid 48 hours of rain, fords and mud of all varieties, it was still running fairly smoothly. Previously used Putoline but cur...

February done here too - pre-Jennride bivvy near Kentmere with Andy. Probably no photographic evidence because my phone's currently in a bowl of rice: that probably tells it's own story :shock: Well done Bob and Cath for heading back out after the pub... It was hard enough going back to an already e...

Interested to hear what you make of the coffee books. I've flicked through The World Atlas of Coffee in a couple of (clearly the better sort of :wink: ) coffee shops, and it was interesting, but perhaps not enough for me to go and seek out a copy. I like the sound of the other two though. I'm glad ...

Thanks all. I was thinking I needed the compression sack for the sleeping bag at least to keep it compact, but even doing away with that and stuffing it around mat and poles/tyvek is filling the space better. With all the stuff pictured above in and squashed, there was still room for top-to-toe bas...

It's my fault, I got excited about spring and packed the fun bike due to needing less carrying capacity, and even put my "summer" wheels on :shock: (well-worn Rocket Ron for the long road bits). Bloody lovely here in the north east today. Shame I've spent most of it in the garage fettling ...

Yup, do away with the individual stuff sacks and let stuff fill the space better, will make a big difference. Put more rigid things in first, like a rolled up sleeping mat, then stuff softer things like sleeping bags in around them. If you need to separate things with dry bags, it can be helpful to ...

Spring vibes with the mild weather. I know it's the first of many false springs, but the slightly longer days and higher sun have been making it feel less like the dead of winter for a couple if weeks now, even though it's been largely grey and wet. Leisurely packing for a couple of nights out :grin...

That's probably what I'd be doing had I not got dragged into this BAM thing... Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing!

Hyppy wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 10:26 am Don't forget your mudguards!

Never off the bikes!

Great news, even for someone who's never been. I must correct this!

Any BAMers, or anyone else, want to join for a Friday night bivvy near Staveley after sampling the brewery's wares? I was thinking of somewhere nearby, maybe Craggy Wood, but having seen the route, might just start early and head up to Kentmere reservoir.

Fell races are often very informal and cheap to enter. Different distances but you'll probably find one close enough to 13 miles.

Or just go for a 13 mile run?

... literally as I was posting on another thread, while I was having some lunch and a break from amateur tree surgery, and brought a new cooking pot, a Soto Thermolite. 750ml to give me a smaller option than my 1l Alpkit pot. Anodised aluminium, which I prefer to titanium. Seems a nicely thought out...

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Mon Feb 12, 2024 1:34 pm Yet, if we'd like to save the planet, then eradicating the human race as quickly as possible would likely provide the best outcome.

Collectively, we're doing a pretty good job of that already. It's the order in which humans are being eradicated that bothers me - I'd start at the other end.

Happy birthday Phillip!

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Fri Feb 09, 2024 9:16 pm Making stuff is ace

It really is isn't it?

Cheers Stu.

Binding seams is not the most ace part, but it's done (I haven't been doing it all night, just got back from the pub).

JimmyG wrote: ↑Fri Feb 09, 2024 11:00 pm Thanks David!

Who?

A quick "Happy Birthday" to that stalwart Bammer - James G :-bd . I think it's your "Granite" birthday - a bivvy in Aberdeen to celebrate perhaps? :smile: Thank you Reg. Nice of you to notice. Mind you, at my age I barely take notice myself! 68! :o Still, I'll take it over the a...

Thanks Justin! It's the little finishing bits that are always fiddly. Divider: https://i.ibb.co/TcTtW9H/20240209-133339.jpg The postman's just been with my seam binding tape, so I suppose I better get that in while the sewing machine's out and it's cold and raining. One change I made from my other f...

Cheers! It's a satisfying project, and might be easier than you think.

I made a frame bag for my Occam. Nothing too clever, but there's a useful amount of space in there, enough to get at least a 1.5l bladder in, which is 1.5kg less on my back/hips, and the shape was always going to require a custom job. https://i.ibb.co/V9Km7Ky/20240131-214828.jpg https://i.ibb.co/2jL...

So much to like

Having finished reading: Dark Rye and Honey Cake: Festival Baking from the Heart of the Low Countries by Regula Ysewijn World Atlas of Coffee: From Beans to Brewing - Coffees Explored, Explained and Enjoyed by James Hoffmann Agency by William Gibson The Devil's Cup by Stewart Lee Allen Now onto: Bl...