Well DPD actually (or whatever man and white van is fronting for them in the North) and on Tuesday delivered a stunning Froggatt Green mk3 Cotic SolarisMAX. Most surprising was it was picked in Sheffield on Monday and deliver to me (north of Inverness) Tuesday pm. That is a first, time before last they couldn’t find me (I’m kinda rural and the post code covers several square miles).

My mk2 frame (which I sold to a mate when I bought my ti version and bought it back to replace the mk1 for bikepacking duties) has a chip on the top tube that just triggers my OCD (and I sold the mk1 frame so subsidised somewhat) and I just fancied something a bit more colourful.

The SolarisMAX will be built up as a proper trail bike (140mm forks, 2.6” tyres, 1x11, 200mm dropper).

The ti version will become the ‘packer. Just have to work out what guise (probably B+ 2.8” with a set of 29er set up reasonably light, esp as skinny Hope techenduro rims... also, I’ve two sets 29ers built up burly).

...and delivered a pair of Nukeproof pedals and a spare chain. Had 2 sets of Stamp pedals fail, both times it was the right side pedal got noisy clicking occasionally early in the ride and very shortly after came off the shaft. First pair failed about 7 months into warranty and was replaced by the shop, second pair failed about 14 months later and out of warranty. Had these on my CycloGravel bike so not had that hard a life in my opinion. Had planned to re-build the first pair with a service kit but what a nightmare deciding which kit you need for what version of the pedals not to mention finding actual stock!!!

A book about Ian Hibell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Hibell

His story is fascinating and tragic. He lived just up the road from me and I'd never heard of him until recently. Some of the old hands on here will recognise the name. The book is an anthology of his articles and I found it dead cheap on a second hand site (someone will write this of me shortly).

Have you read his book 'into the remote places' Dave? True hardcore nutter (I say that with great admiration). Prices of SH copies tend to fluctuate but well worth tracking down.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 10:47 am Have you read his book 'into the remote places' Dave? True hardcore nutter (I say that with great admiration). Prices of SH copies tend to fluctuate but well worth tracking down.

That arrived today as well. It is a bit fragile but I'm really looking forward to reading it

If anyone's interested, here's Mr Hibell appearing on Blue Peter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny81vcxTZQk

Dave Barter wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 10:43 am A book about Ian Hibell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Hibell

His story is fascinating and tragic. He lived just up the road from me and I'd never heard of him until recently. Some of the old hands on here will recognise the name. The book is an anthology of his articles and I found it dead cheap on a second hand site (someone will write this of me shortly).

Stu, rediscovered bike packing and save us all. He, (IanH) of course had the for sight to invent it. so I'll crown him the Bikepa King!

Good find That blue Peter clip.... Johnny noakes going off- route Into arse end of thd studio
Ian Hibell' I got lost so many time, I spent more time retracing my route'. A true bikepacker. (and to think all this stemmed from cycling & dossing on park bench, other dubious corners. ,as a school kid. truebickpacker
I think he came up with 'Take LessStuffv a bit later.... but remarkable for the time. Lesley Jude make a very good stand in bike stand!
from the wiki Page'

Ian Hibell began cycle-touring when not all his family could afford to travel to a seaside holiday by train. He and his father cycled there, sleeping on park benches and anywhere else they could find. He worked at Standard Telephones and Cables and took leave to go cycling, eventually riding more than he was working. He went on to ride the equivalent of ten times round the equator, covering 6,000 miles a year. He is recognised as first to cycle the Darién Gap in Panama and from south to north of the Americas. He also rode from Norway to the Cape of Good Hope and from Bangkok to Vladivostok.
...
A van drove over his arm and hand in China in 2006. He came close to losing his life after losing his bicycle while riding across the Sahara..... Hibell was killed on 23 August 2008 in Greece by a hit and run driver on the Athens-Salonika highway near Nea Erithrea.

...and dropped off a couple of 20" voile straps, a 48oz Nalgene and a bottle of Smoove wax chain lube from Bikemonger, and a 203mm SRAM disc and M5 tap set from Fleabay

This

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 11:16 am If anyone's interested, here's Mr Hibell appearing on Blue Peter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny81vcxTZQk

That's a cracking little video. Amazing how much stuff he got into those panniers. Huge pots and proper size stove. Real bias towards eating over general kit. Those skinny little wheels/tyres must have taken a right beating

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 11:16 am If anyone's interested, here's Mr Hibell appearing on Blue Peter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny81vcxTZQk

Quite amazing. My modern stuff is way more compact than his tent, stove, cookpots etc yet seems to want to occupy far more volume.
I'd never heard of him before although I may well have seen the original programme as Blue Peter was regular viewing in our house. ( B & W mind).
I don't give two hoots about most celebs but I was genuinley upset the day John Noakes died.

woodsmith wrote: ↑Mon Feb 14, 2022 7:04 pm I don't give two hoots about most celebs but I was genuinley upset the day John Noakes died.

Aye, what a guy. Famously reputedly never insured during all those amazing escapades and challenges.

The latest BB t shirt turned up. It's a nicer colour in real life and the material is softer than I was expecting. Winner

Olsen carbon fork 789g with axel

jay91 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 15, 2022 4:47 pm Olsen carbon fork 789g with axel

your don't mean
Axl, out of Guns & Wroses.?
[edit typo ccok up again]

Famously reputedly never insured during all those amazing escapades and challenges.

That's because he was tucked up in a 5 star hotel with Shep.(allegedly )
Hero of my childhood, digging dens in the woods and generally trying to maim oneself, simpler times.

...with a fab looking book kindly sent by A Very Nice Person from This Place...... from the back cover: "the mildly unhinged misfits" (who can they be thinking of?)..... "an outbreak of dreams"..... "but so long as you remember to wrap up warmly you'll fine"..... "safe from being eaten by the Nightwalkers". Der der DERRRR!

Thank you

Not seen our old postie for a while. Says he's only working one day a week these days for the fun of it!

...and brought my first copy of the MBA newsletter since I joined up

thenorthwind wrote: ↑Wed Feb 16, 2022 5:06 pm ...and brought my first copy of the MBA newsletter since I joined up

You can get it via email and, IIRC, this saves them money so increases the proportion of subs going to projects.

Sorry. Save the whale and all that

Good on you for becoming a member and PS subs can be gifted aided (if you qualify) which is for them and for you

Cheeky Monkey wrote: ↑Wed Feb 16, 2022 5:16 pm
You can get it via email and, IIRC, this saves them money so increases the proportion of subs going to projects.

I kind of like the old school approach, but I might do that. Thing is, the email will just be one more thing to skim and delete, whereas a paper copy I'll actually read while having lunch or whatever. But I agree, saving them money that I've just donated them makes sense.

Cheeky Monkey wrote: ↑Wed Feb 16, 2022 5:16 pm Good on you for becoming a member and PS subs can be gifted aided (if you qualify) which is for them and for you

Will definitely do that, ta.

I also received a handlebar this morning, but I've been somewhat trumped ^
That BLB Hobo bar I was prevaricating about has arrived.
The Hermes man brought me a DHB merino base layer from Wiggle at the same time. I spent a while looking round some of the more upmarket clothing places for a pure non-mulesed merino base layer in the right configuration (long sleeves, half zip, 200 weight) before finding that the DHB and Föhn in-house Wiggle brands have all the options, in a few colours, are non-mulesed and decent quality at a very good price.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 12:34 pm

I hope the live up to expectations at over £170 a pair.

ledburner wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 3:08 pm

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 12:34 pm

I hope the live up to expectations at over £170 a pair.

[edit] I means just £70 a pair if the Mrs SWMBO is reading

thenorthwind wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 12:48 pm I also received a handlebar this morning, but I've been somewhat trumped ^
That BLB Hobo bar I was prevaricating about has arrived.
The Hermes man brought me a DHB merino base layer from Wiggle at the same time. I spent a while looking round some of the more upmarket clothing places for a pure non-mulesed merino base layer in the right configuration (long sleeves, half zip, 200 weight) before finding that the DHB and Föhn in-house Wiggle brands have all the options, in a few colours, are non-mulesed and decent quality at a very good price.

On a tangential note, in a road.cc article they touched on the r@pha merino supply chain. Merino wool gets sent from Australia to Italy to get turned into yarn. Consumer waste gets turned into polyester fibres in china. Both are then shipped to a mill in Poland where they're combined into cloth. This cloth then gets shipped back to china to be cut and sewn into clothing. The finished clothing then gets shipped to the UK. Modern industrial supply chains are a little mind boggling.