MTB the untold British story
Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2017 4:28 pm
On Bike at the moment, maybe other sources, but worth a watch if you can. Starts with a bit about the rough stuff fellowship, bike packing with jason miles at the end
https://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB3/
https://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=9775
OT ramblings ... I went for a ride with Geoff and a few of his Cleland fans a few years ago, he used to live and ride in Wendover, my local spot now. A really interesting guy and it was a total pleasure, an honour, to ride with him. He was the forefather of British ATBs when I first started riding off-road. I took my Jones along for the ride. They're actually very different in many ways, I thought. Both bikes are really agile and intuitive on anything technical, but the Apps bikes were really designed for 'bushwacking' off-trail vs the Jones being a more capable 'technical terrain' rigid traditional mountain bike - I felt the Jones handled speed far better, but the Apps bike was genuinely incredible for picking a line through scrub, over tussocks etc. I went looking for trialsy stuff withing a few minutes on it. Geoff's not a young chap but there was no keeping up with him across one diversion along a steep hillside traverse over divots, tussocks and rabbit holes where he sandbagged us all, a route I suspect only he ever rides. I rode home thinking about how good a Cleland design would be for true bikepacking in a backpacking style, ie where you're less limited by where the trails are and you just ride across the ground as you can. Perhaps not the way that access regs and/or considerations for the environment would have us ride, but a nice way to explore.The Cumbrian wrote: ↑Fri Apr 24, 2020 10:38 pm Watching this reminded me about Geoff Apps. I can recall reading articles about his bikes in magazines in the late 80s and early 90s. With hindsight, he seems to have very similar ideas about bike geometry and use as Jeff Jones.