What year / model is it?

It's an early 60's Mercier 'Raymond Poulidor' .... so I'm told.

Do you make some sort of link or similar to be able to join poles together? I wonder if it might be too flexy/high risk though. I'm thinking of joining up the 110 and 100cm poles together, or maybe add a little jobbie to the top to make them up to 170cm (for example) No, I don't Ben. Once pole leng...

It's the Tuscan flag . . . . . i might be a little excited about the Bearbones summer holiday! (have you booked your place yet????)

Not going - I'll only get one overseas trip this year.

I haven't looked for it, but I wonder if Mountain Laurel Designs make one to go with their Supermid Nope ... but I believe there's a man in Wales who could make one. :wink: I have a Supermid, actually an earlier version, which I pitch with two carbon walking poles attached to each other. It's surpr...

Out of curiosity Stu, what kind of specific skills are you asked to demonstrate or provide instruction on? Is it riding itself, or something more specific to bikepacking? Bikepacking skills, such as erecting a tarp, selecting a suitable over-night spot, how to find clean water, route planning (yeah...

Have you joined the Scouts Wenchie?

I've taken people out on 'trips' before in a professional capacity, some people have just wanted to experience the joy and misery that bikepacking offers and others have wanted something more akin to 'skills training'. In reality either works well and allows people who perhaps don't have friends who...

Oooh, a new gravel bike eh?! I feel a little summer 'Pass Storming' coming on. Specialized quality control ain't wot it used to be Uhm yes, sadly it's been painted with what I assume was the rough end of a ragman's trumpet but otherwise it's fairly unmolested. I'm sure I can find a trace of origina...

160cm is quite a length and a lot to ask of a lightweight pole. However, with an increase in diameter, there's no real reason why a carbon pole couldn't be used. It would certainly offer a decent saving in both weight and pack size but would obviously come at a price.

Bathtub arrived Adam ... top job

Gwyn the post brought this today ... hopefully, it'll look a little better next time you see it

I could be up for something, although I may need to join you along the way / meet up. Do you have any idea of route yet Lars?

Just food for thought but as we cant take meths or gas on the plane, it maybe interesting trying to find it there ( im thinking for brewing purposes )

It's Italy not the Gobi ... I'd have thought both would be easy enough to source.

I was talking to Jim (ex-Alpkit) in Sep and he said he was thinking of organising something in Iceland, I don't know whether this is something to do with him?

Shame it's a stage race but hey-ho, you can't have everything.

http://www.glacier360.is/

Inner tubes? Oh, I have lots of knackered inner tubes ... just how many do you want as postage might start to get expensive?

I know this is an old thread but I've just spent lunch on the Cairngormwanderer blog (not bog!!) and came across this review of "The Book of the Bothy" https://cairngormwanderer.wordpress.com ... othy-book/ I had a long and interesting conversation with Tony Blackburn (no not that one), t...

Is there going to be lots of Italian ladies, oh no!!! Best pack some bromide

Ah, that's what you call her, I think she'll be riding with you

What's the location of the Chute in the photo? Grid ref or something like a streetmap link please

Top is located at SN 807804. There's a forest road at the bottom or a shortcut through the trees and over a little bridge ... direction depends upon which side of the valley you want to end up on.

Was it the same Chute that's on the Mach 3 route, or a different one?

Different one ... in fact, it's the one you went down on the route I gave you to Nant Syddion.

The comments here: http://travellingtwo.com/resources/flying-with-a-bicycle-in-a-plastic-ctc-bag are worth reading. Seems to be a lot of love for the clear CTC bags, obviously the thinking is that if people can see it's a bike, they'll be less inclined to pile stuff on top of it, throw it around or ...

Ben ... without rings or BB, they weigh 682g the pair.

Stu, I reckon 165mm cranks will be fine - I use them now and find them better (can spin the pedals faster and the power transfer seems the same. And fewer pedals strikes.)

I'm hoping they might help my knees out

Ben, I'll weigh them for you once I've de-ringed them.

Who's that with Chew?

I can deal with the Bearbones snoring chorus in a bothy but I might find the sports hall snor-off a bit too much!

Those who live in glass houses .........