UPDATE: Reviews section refreshed, redesigned, searchable: Go take a look
Waaay back in the day, I did a few bothy trips and overnight bike camping adventures and thoroughly enjoyed them. Now a mate and I are starting to plan a few more. These are going to be very relaxed rides to begin with. More likely overnighting at Inns rather than camping, but could transmogrify into more adventurous trips as we get fitter and more experienced. I'm initially looking at things like The Speyside Way or the John Muir Way over a couple of days.
I picked up a half price, bargain gravel bike (Okay, I've wanted a Clockwork since the late 80s, early 90s and I really like the colour. Sue me!), and as I was unpacking it last night I was thinking about where I could fit frame bags etc. etc.
Then it occurred to me that I've still got my old Edinburgh Co-op Revolution cargo trailer folded up in the rafters of my garage. A quick google tells me that I should be able to get a through axle conversion kit that'll allow me to fit it to the Clockwork. Is there any reason why not? Are frame bags an inherently superior evolution over my old bargain basement BoB trailer? I've ridden sections of the WHW and out to Ben Alder Bothy (although that was a puncture nightmare), with the trailer on the back and always found it light, responsive and a bit of a giggle. Here it is doing shopping bag duties when it was last out during Covid.
Oh, and before anyone points out the obvious. I tried putting 45mm tyres on the Boardman CX and riding it on forestry tracks. It was horrible. I very nearly lost the few teeth that I have left and thought I was going blind because the thing was bouncing around so badly.
I'm just curious as BoBs used to be the bike packing thing, but I only ever see bikes festooned with bags nowadays. Are bags superior? Would I be better just tucking my trailer away for the next pandemic? Or do I have a more elegant weapon from a more civilised age in my garage?
B. 😉
