No its going to be wall to wall snow this winter I can feel it in my water!

You've nearly sold it to me but I seem to be spending an inordinate amount of cash on kit just now.... If alpkit ever do get the hunkas back in stock i may give one a whirl.... One more concern -I use a down bag hence my query about condensation - is it a case of taking extra care to keep it dry or ...

Thanks for the road clarification Scot Routes (although I would not be at all surprised if the road up to Inchrory lodge has been hit!) I'm postponing until next weekend in any case. The geldie can be a bugger to cross at any time of year although If I'd have got round that far and it was high, I wo...

Hmm Everytime I keep thinking about going bivi bag and tarp I look at the weights and think that my helium 100 carbon at just shy of a kilo is worth the extra 150 grams (over a hunka XL and a decent size tarp say) adding the advantages for midge survival and the ability to be dry and cozy in pishing...

One thing to think about if you are just going to bung a set of drops on a normal mtb is that you'll end up very stretched out. Fargo's have near cyclo cross length top tubes (ie short) and they work great with drops. An on-one inbred would give you a stretch like a pro road bike, even if you used a...

Looks about as effective as an umbrella, rain falls horizontally in these parts.... A bit off topic but I'm interested to hear that bivvy bags stop breathing in heavy rain - does this not defeat the purpose of the exercise? I've been thinking of an Alpkit hunka - I take this won't fit a sleeping mat...

On the BBC news website there was a photo of 'a minor road near Tomintoul' with a rather large hole in it and a raging torrent just beside it. It is almost certainly the access road up Glen Avon on the outer loop. Should be possible to fight your way round it and I guess will get fixed soon as there...

composite wrote:All you need to know about fat bikes is right here Dave.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-GOLD-BIKE-T ... 2518.l4276

Endomorph and larry tyres, oh how passe

Good photos Alpinum, you know yer sub standard!
'15 Kona wo looks good - £1500 for a 190 back end with v tyre 4.8's
Quite like the backborrow (assuming someone will import one!) but the numbers on the Surly ICT really look good - A Krampus with 5" tyres, oh yeah!

A fatbike offers less ground pressure but it aint magic so their ability to ride snow varies hugely on the conditions. On rough chopped up snow compacted by walkers they will cruise effortlessly whereas a normal bike will get kicked around everywhere. On the fluff they will cope better than a normal...

Same thing happened to my Krampus tubes just after I got it (at £11 a shot!) Caused by a combination of sharp edges on the rim hole (presta in schraeder sized hole with just tape for a rim strip) and my idea of putting one of the little threaded ring things on the inside of the rim to hold the valve...

Must get up there, its been on my to do list for yonks!

Well kind of a heavy CX bike - my fargo in the middle of the Galloway forest on my way down to see the Tour in yorkshire

Post the route up so we can all have a go! Sorry, not until it is finalised. After that it will be available to all. No worries - I've pretty much worked it out from your description in anycase - I note the 'missing track' doesn't appear on the 25k maps but it does on the 50k... odd. I guess you'd ...

Given where the route goes the shooting season should affect it - its all big ROW's so they will be shooting away from them not over them (and you!) Good luck for next weekend

Post the route up so we can all have a go!

Salsa cowbells are 46 cm c-c and v comfy - a great cross or touring bar. Most standard road bike bars measure to the outside of the tube except Race face cadence which are C-C.

The singletrack behind the Quirang from the wee road over to Uig down to Flodigarry is supposed to be fun but a lot of road riding to get there. Off piste on skye is a bit of a dubious prospect as its either impenetrable heather / bog or a rock face so if you go for it mind and take plenty photos. I...

Vango helium carbon 100 for me - one kilo with proper pegs and tiny pack size, roomy enough to sit up in and stood up to some horrendous rain and a fair bit of wind. Full retail is £400 but as with all vango tents you can get them way cheaper if you search on line - under 300 no bother. That trekker...

Its definitely worth doing and much easier than the HTR (!) I'm looking to do the whole lot end of august and I'm already looking forward to it!

This is getting to be a habit but its my favourite riding area after all... So the plan this time was to do the Cairngorms loop adventure race ( http://www.cairngormsloop.net/ ) as an Individual Time Trial, in order to qualify for next years highland trail race. I'd hoped to leave Saturday am but a ...

Quality!

I use the saddle nose over the shoulder method but i grab hold of the down tube just below the crud catcher. Holds the bike securely to your body and the dropped front wheel keeps the bars out of the way. Low front wheel catches on things (this used to be a nightmare when I had a 6" travel fork...

Only through sat map but they are cheap - £45 for full UK 1:50k

My way of dealing with the real nadgery trails is to not look at the clock and just pick away at them bit by bit - it'll be done when its done. When it gets really grim, I just think about the alternative - being stuck in the office staring at a fecking computer....