Search found 7847 matches

by whitestone
Thu Feb 01, 2024 8:34 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Bivvy curious
Replies: 20
Views: 876

Re: Bivvy curious

Back to the etymology :grin: I use "bivy" as a noun (contraction of bivouac) and "bivvy" as a verb. The doubling of a final single consonant when going from noun to verb is pretty common in English: trap -> trapping; etc. Anyway... I use a lightweight Borah Gear bivy, 170g, along...
by whitestone
Wed Jan 31, 2024 11:16 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Liner, Quilt, or Better Bag?
Replies: 12
Views: 489

Re: Liner, Quilt, or Better Bag?

Also, what do you wear to sleep in? That's a very valid point: I'm guilty of going au naturel too often, and really ought to remember to make use of my old-school Helly Henson LIFA long johns and top. Remember that bag ratings are for the user wearing a lightweight base layer so you'll feel colder ...
by whitestone
Mon Jan 29, 2024 2:22 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Flttingford bothy
Replies: 16
Views: 606

Re: Flttingford bothy

Thanks both for that We could handle a short push ok We may even do kershopehead bothy and visit the downed Halifax which is nearby on glenghu hill but again is meant to be hard to access There is a visible path from the forestry road to the bothy, it's just easier to push than to ride so we're not...
by whitestone
Mon Jan 29, 2024 1:13 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Flttingford bothy
Replies: 16
Views: 606

Re: Flttingford bothy

As Phil says, easy apart from the last couple of hundred metres which is a bit of a push. We visited it in 2018, trip report here - https://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=169555#p169555 . I'd imagine the saplings around the place have grown a little in the intervening six years. T...
by whitestone
Sat Jan 27, 2024 5:46 pm
Forum: Your Trips & Adventures
Topic: Todays walk
Replies: 49
Views: 13065

Re: Todays walk

I headed up into the Dales to fill in some VeloViewer squares - any human powered activity can contribute and some of my missing squares are all but impossible to get to by bike. I'd a big block of seven contiguous squares at the head of Littondale. I parked at Halton Gill at the top end of Littonda...
by whitestone
Thu Jan 25, 2024 5:09 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: The post man's been ...
Replies: 11421
Views: 1906194

Re: The post man's been ...

Some Winter Event goodies because we weren't able to get down to Llanbrynmair that weekend.
by whitestone
Tue Jan 23, 2024 9:05 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Have tarps lost their popularity?
Replies: 36
Views: 1714

Re: Have tarps lost their popularity?

It's probably the perceived "faff factor" and tarps don't really fit in with the hipster/gravel scene as promoted by the bike industry, plus of course being able to sell a £400 tent rather than a £50 tarp might be a factor. Pretty much our first bikepacking trip was on a really wet and win...
by whitestone
Sat Jan 20, 2024 11:00 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Exposure Joystuck
Replies: 25
Views: 1365

Re: Exposure Joystuck

Might be worth questioning the IP rating? Really not my forte in that side of things Although I am a user of exposure, it does put me off a brand that has ‘excellent customer service’ and is well known for it too. If the product is good, then how do people know this? Generally companies with a repu...
by whitestone
Fri Jan 19, 2024 8:10 pm
Forum: Your Trips & Adventures
Topic: Bivvy a Month 2024
Replies: 406
Views: 19413

Re: Bivvy a Month 2024

Nice one Sean. I did consider heading out for a hammock bivy the last couple of nights (well Tuesday and Wednesday) but the temps round here were well below what I've got hammocking kit for, I've only one UQ which is rated to -4C, I've been OK at -1C but haven't been lower than that. The stacking fo...
by whitestone
Thu Jan 18, 2024 11:27 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Electric Socks
Replies: 19
Views: 905

Re: Electric Socks

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...
by whitestone
Wed Jan 17, 2024 8:26 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: A wee whisky appreciation thread.
Replies: 38
Views: 1568

Re: A wee whisky appreciation thread.

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.
by whitestone
Mon Jan 15, 2024 1:08 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: 8g meths stove help
Replies: 33
Views: 2626

Re: 8g meths stove help

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...
by whitestone
Mon Jan 08, 2024 9:53 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: UK stamps for overseas users
Replies: 4
Views: 387

Re: UK stamps for overseas users

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.
by whitestone
Mon Jan 08, 2024 9:52 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: How much grief can I expect?
Replies: 43
Views: 2091

Re: How much grief can I expect?

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...
by whitestone
Mon Jan 08, 2024 7:39 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: UK stamps for overseas users
Replies: 4
Views: 387

Re: UK stamps for overseas users

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...
by whitestone
Mon Jan 08, 2024 6:01 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: UK stamps for overseas users
Replies: 4
Views: 387

UK stamps for overseas users

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...
by whitestone
Sun Jan 07, 2024 7:26 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Orange MTB Bikes going into administration
Replies: 5
Views: 585

Re: Orange MTB Bikes going into administration

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.
by whitestone
Thu Jan 04, 2024 9:03 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Sleep system configurations
Replies: 17
Views: 951

Re: Sleep system configurations

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...
by whitestone
Tue Jan 02, 2024 8:23 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Happy New Year, and plans for 2024
Replies: 52
Views: 2374

Re: Happy New Year, and plans for 2024

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, ...
by whitestone
Tue Jan 02, 2024 12:29 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Fitting tight tyres
Replies: 15
Views: 825

Re: Fitting tight tyres

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 ...
by whitestone
Tue Jan 02, 2024 10:36 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Winter Event entries now open.
Replies: 67
Views: 14186

Re: Winter Event entries now open.

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
by whitestone
Sun Dec 31, 2023 3:37 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Anyone use a foam mat instead of a air one
Replies: 6
Views: 557

Re: Anyone use a foam mat instead of a air one

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...
by whitestone
Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:51 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Which Exposure light?
Replies: 26
Views: 1432

Re: Which Exposure light?

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...
by whitestone
Thu Dec 28, 2023 11:32 am
Forum: General banter
Topic: Anyone ride exclusively singlespeed?
Replies: 14
Views: 922

Re: Anyine ride exclusively singlespeed?

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...
by whitestone
Tue Dec 26, 2023 9:58 am
Forum: Your Trips & Adventures
Topic: R4pha500
Replies: 29
Views: 2156

Re: R4pha500

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...