Ok, so having never won anything apart from a bottle cage at the Spar n back I entered a competition at work for a VIP trip with team Sky in the run up to the Tour de France. Today I found out I have won a fully supported Sky ride from London to Sheffield over 3 days, with hotels and 3 good meals a ...

Great read and a great ride. And the tale of Dusty the dog is brilliant. Looking forward to the desert part now......

Some 2nd hand XTR cranks, not sure for which bike, maybe the single speed I am building from my old race bike.

And a borrowed SPOT from fantasticmrmatt

And last week some chain rings, kcnc seat post clamp and carbon paste.

Good luck with It Ian, I am feeling nervous fitting a new chainring - wouldn't like to have only just built the bike before the HTR.

Not sure what I might have of any use to you, but if you need bits post up on here and I'll see if I can help.

Dave,
you on a 26 inch wheel or 29? If a 26 I have a couple of good rear wheels you can borrow (but try not to break them!)

2 weeks to go. Not quite crapping it but not far off. Final bike checks this weekend and a full trial pack - and I've already said goodbye to a few people......

I bought a couple of metres from point north a few months ago that I will probably never use - if you want to bung a tenner into a charity tin you can have it. Cost me around £13 posted I think.

260g sleeping bag! Want want want. And I don't think anyone at home would even notice a package that small arriving........

That's a real shame. Looks like you were going great up until that point.

I guess most people have, at some point, broken a bit of their bike they weren't carrying spares for. What's the worst failure you've had and how close to civilisation were you? (Prompted by a seat post clamp failure yesterday, just 100metres from the house, this was the 1st time I had used that bik...

Just got back from a few days in Pembrokeshire, so have spent the day washing the van, mowing the lawn, scarifying, mowing, and tomorrow am planning a bivvy trip to test my new borah bivvy. Not sure where to go yet though, might ride down to Bredon hill. Just thinking of those lucky lot doing the Ca...

Borah bivvy is here! It's blimmin light, but it feels too flimsy to last more than 5 minutes - I hope it's tougher than it feels!

Looking forward to a trial night in it (it has a bug net as well, so it will be great for Scotland

I take jam sandwiches. I love them - there's no better meal in the middle of nowhere when you get a pack of squished jam sandwiches out of your pack. Honey sandwiches are a close second, but the honey soaks into the bread too much. I also take a 500g bag of cranberries and raisins. These are brillia...

Well done all, sounds like a bit of an epic!

How old is your son? If you can do 25-30 miles per day then it will be a great ride, just be mindful that food stops are not that plentiful, so it may be worth carrying at least a days worth of food. You may need to go off route to pick up supplies if you get a bit low. There are a lot of hills, but...

I think my Borah bivvy bag is at the post office. Just need to pay £14.43 and it's mine after 2 long months of waiting. And on Tuesday I should receive some leg warmers, some overshoes and some new gloves. I can't bear the anticipation!

Yes, are you doing the MTL also or the whole thing from Kirkby Stephen?

I have only ridden the southern end, and it is a good ride, but try to pick a dry couple of days as wet weather will eat brake pads and the limestone part of the Peak will be quite slippery.

How long are you planning to take?

Thanks Neil. One day I'll get a Flickr account so I can post some pics. I found the nant syddion bothy whilst poring over the maps today - when I rode past it at the start of day 2 I thought "that place would have made a good stop" - it looked like a great spot looking down the valley and ...

OK, so now got round to writing up my trip: Weds 9th April - drove down to Swansea, parked up the van and rode down to the train station to catch the 15.55 to Llandudno Junction (with change at Cardiff).Had booked the train and reserved a space for the bike - but they seemed to have got this a littl...

I vary between co2 canisters for short trips to a mountain morph for overnighters. Having set up as tubeless, I have only ever punctured when the sealant has dried out, although it know a ripped sidewall would be problematic. I think in 4 years of tubeless riding I have only punctured twice, both wi...

I find exercise makes me fart. And eating.
Walking and cycling are bad for it, but I just consider them as extra propulsion - sort of speed farts. I am sure it takes more energy to stifle one though than to let it out in all it's glory.
And at 47 they are still funny!

I'm liking this - lots of choice for this one as well! I reckon a Topeak or park tools one is the way to go. Or a £10 one from Superstar.

Stu, can you put a limit on the number of different replies a "what shall I buy" thread can have? If only Ian had replied it would have made the choice much easier, simpler (but more expensive). I propose that only one reply is allowed, unless the 2nd, 3rd, 4th all make the same recommenda...

thanks all - I haven't made up my mind yet, in true STW fashion I will ignore the input from you all, buy something with paypal gift, moan when it doesn't arrive, and end up out of pocket with nothing to keep my legs warm. Or buy one of everything and sell them in a year or 2 for tuppence. by SimonD...

And this is where I struggle! 5 replies and 5 different recommendations, for something as easy as a legwarmer! :???: The Assos look good, but I will rarely wear them so is £50 well spent? The Enduras will be too warm based on my leggings of the same material, and the Craft ones look the most promisi...