On the two Rovaniemi trips I used a pair of Scarpa ice climbing boots that I already had (couldn't get, or justify, a pair of 45nrth Wolvhammers). i think they are an earlier version of these https://www.scarpa.co.uk/mountain-boots/phantom-tech-hd/ (I paid nowhere near that price BTW) The boots have...

Caol Isla and Ledaig have been our standard go to malts. Pretty much opposite ends of the spectrum! Cath did buy me a bottle of Kelpie - one of the annual specials from the Ardbeg distillery - sadly we've now finished it.

One that I've had recommended to me is Dalwhinnie.

https://www.bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/product/ultralight-22g-meths-stove/ This one? Does the mug/pot just sit on top? I've got a windshield. Yes. The flames come out of the side so you won’t extinguish them. See earlier in the thread for more details. The 22g stove suits something similar to the w...

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Mon Jan 08, 2024 8:28 pm This Bob? https://send.royalmail.com/

That looks the ticket, ta. That site never appeared in the results of my searches.

These days no manufacturer can afford to make a truly "bad" vehicle. You might get a lemon but it's unlikely. The local post office use Peugeot Partner vans (basically the same vehicle as the Citroen Berlingo and the Vauxhall Combo) so presumably they are reasonably reliable. We are on our...

Could it not just be done on-line Bob? Person in France buys postage for UK to France on-line, prints label and attaches it to envelope or whatever. Packages envelope and posts that from France to the UK. You put 500g of crack into envelope and drop it off at the post office. Sorry if I misundersta...

A bit of an odd one and my google-fu seems to be lacking... Is it possible for someone living outside the UK to purchase stamps that can be used here to send an item back to them? Specifically the return envelope should arrive here with the postage already affixed so no "here's €2 for postage&q...

Sad news. About 20 years ago I had an EVO4 hardtail, a nice responsive bike.

Doesn't appear to be an isolated case - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-n ... e-67902540 - job losses at Raleigh.

Looking at the specs for the Jungle Bag it's rated at 7C comfort/ 2C limit. That's slightly better than a quilt like the Cumulus 150 (9C/4C) which I find is fine for UK summer usage but it's two and a half times the weight. (The next heavier Cumulus quilt, the 250, is rated at 4C/0C and is still onl...

And a Bob Graham in June Ace! It's probably 5 years since my BG and it's still the best day Ive ever had. I proposed to my good lady on the steps of the Moot Hall after running leg 5 together. Thankfully she said yes, although she had provided all the road support as well as running the final leg, ...

Well s##t in a bag and punch it! It worked! I tried the tips above and the one that I think made the difference was starting opposite the valve hole. Overall the tyres are still a very snug fit, but not ridiculously so. Can anyone explain why this technique works ? Isn't the rim structure the same ...

benp1 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 01, 2024 10:03 pm I don't suppose anyone has gone to the trouble of putting all the GRs into a mapping tool so they can be seen in one map?

gridreferencefinder.com

Pretty common for winter fat bike racing where you would be sleeping on snow (which is a surprisingly good insulator) - essentially zero setup time plus you don't run the risk of puncturing your mat on hidden cut sapling stumps. The downside is that they are bulky - most either have a mat that folds...

Road and off-road beam patterns are quite different but a bar mounted light with a road pattern and a helmet mounted light to supplement it for off-road use would work. Exposure ain’t cheap but you get what you pay for. I think they still use the mini jack style socket as they are more water resista...

Two names spring to mind: Javi Singlespeed George I dabble in it and most plus/minus points are covered by the above posts. I find short sharp hills not to be too bad, it's the long low(ish) angled ones that are hard work. On road I could ride hills that had a single black arrow on the map but had t...

Thanks Dave. I always run it slightly nose down. One of Mike Hall vids explaining how he sets up and keeps nose down. It suits Pogacar as well I feel it forces more weight onto the arms. But each to their own There was an article about saddle angle in, I think, The Guardian where British Cycling ha...

We spotted some nacreous clouds from the house yesterday (along with many others around the country). Cath got a good shot but I was slightly too late- still showed the formation but not as well.

Still not spotted any noctilucent clouds, possibly the rarest formation to be seen.

I've got a mix for my job as a "boucher en bois". My main brand is Makita with sprinkling of Hikoki(Hitachi) and Dewalt. All have some outstanding tools and all have some garbage. The Makita nail guns are utter tosh, I hate the loudness of the paslode as well as the gas needed but like th...

Following up on some of the points made about larger volume tyres... I grabbed a set of the Alpkit 27.5+ wheels and did some testing on a hilly loop in the Dales comparing them to the 29" wheels I normally use. I wore a HRM with that data displayed on the Garmin so I was hopefully putting in th...

My usual recommendation/rant is that unless you are relying on the tools for your full-time job then the in-house brands from the likes of B&Q are good enough. I've a B&Q Performance Power circular saw, got it for a small project and now it might get an hour's use each year. Simply no point ...

Cath and I did most of that route going the other way around a year or two ago. The Trout Beck BW was mostly rideable going up the way so apart from the washed out bits (I recognise the bit in the picture) it shouldn’t be too bad. The first time I went up GDF it was a pea souper and sleeting and sno...

Not specific to Devon or even the East Devon Trail but generally... Arrive late and leave early. Pick somewhere that you can't see any house lights - if you can't see them then it's less likely that they can see you. Don't flash your lights around, i.e. don't draw attention to yourself. The countrys...

Current air quality of S Dales and Westmoreland = blue? Deep blue! Contact garage- they say I have to get it to them. Err how? My service agreement has breakdown cover so the garage texts me their number. Except it’s the helpline not the breakdown line. “Text me the right number or transfer me“ - “...

boxelder wrote: ↑Tue Dec 12, 2023 1:37 pm @whitestone - Yikes.....but just think of the improvements this will bring to the air quality of S Dales and Westmoreland

And…

The bloomin’ thing wouldn’t start this morning

Cue Gary Larsen...