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Re: off-road LEJOG. Two guys did a CX version last year - http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=6349&hilit=LEJOG
I think an 'adventure' is to simply plot a line on a map that that relates to a place that [u]you[/u] haven't been to before and with little prior knowledge go off and explore. What Montgomery describes I would call an 'epic'.
Jones with the right tyres is a dream to ride. [url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5704/24014882372_726616e58d_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5704/24014882372_726616e58d_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/CA7xS5 ]IMG_6498[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/yorkshirebiking/ ]Stuart Rider[/url], on Flickr
[i]offroad LEJOG this summer
Is there a published route or are you making one up?[/i]
Last summer, I should have said. I made my own route up, and I'm not publishing it. Making up the route is part of the adventure...
Run what you brung.
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This'll do. 20 years old & still going strong.
What is 'adventure?' It's not a relative term.
I know what you mean, but I have to disagree as 'adventure' is innately relative to the person experiencing it. How that translates to bike marketing/usage is up for grabs - that much I concede*
Definition of adventure in English:
noun
'An unusual and exciting or daring experience:
her recent adventures in Italy'
MORE EXAMPLE SENTENCES
'Does the idea of touring conjure up exciting images of places to see and new foods and adventures to experience in foreign lands?'
'For some children starting kindergarten is an exciting adventure, for others the experience borders on the terrifying.'
'It is also an exciting adventure and a story of a quest that must be fulfilled.'
[url] http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/adventure [/url]
*Although I'm reasonably sure that I don't require to spend upwards of a grand to ride trails and backroads that locals manage every day on a rusty 1950s Flying Pigeon carrying sacks of cement/flour/rice etc 😉
I don't know why we're debating the word when the OP made it quite clear what he meant 🙄 😆
I use my CXer, my TCX Adv1, for adventure CX. I normally use grifos' or Clem's MSO's or about to try out Clem's Gravel Grinders all depends on route and course conditions. I've got a couple of Apidura bags, a compact seat and a compact bar bag which I can fit all my overnight/day rides stuff in admirably.
I like the idea of a Monster CX bike for long distance off road, but TBH my TCX is so good at what I want from it it seems madness to add another bike to my wardrobe..
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@Scotroutes your Travers looks absolutely amazing, I am genuinely in awe. It looks fantastic! I love the Dually rims and the Dynamo setup! Super Jealous. Are those clamps for the bar extensions custom machined? Never seen anything like them before. The Tour Divide sounds amazing, good luck! (:
And ooh, does anyone know if there are any frame out there similar to it, as in semi fat with an adventure tint to it (short tt) but cheaper? £1500 is a bit much for me to spend on a frame. I can't really think of any. There's the Salsa Deadwood which is drop bar but at that price the Travers looks better value..
Not mine buddy, but brant at Pact bikes could do you a full custom Ti frame for less than £1,500.
Having just seen a Genesis Tarn recently, I might suggest looking at one of those too.
Oh no I'm terrible I scrolled down too fast :S Sorry Hummerlicious!
The Genesis Tarn actually looks fantastic thanks, looking at that now! The Longitude has a much shorter top tube though on the small size, I'm really digging that. Never had an Ally fork on a steel frame though, can't imagine how it would ride!
your Travers looks absolutely amazing, I am genuinely in awe. It looks fantastic! - Cheers, I took ages to decide what I wanted and then took ages to decide the spec! Sad thing is the weather is so crap now I've only ridden it a couple of times. I want to keep it in good nick so I don't have to replace the drive train before it gets to america.
I love the Dually rims and the Dynamo setup! Super Jealous. - I Had to have the silver ones imported from the states, cost me £55 p and p, eek!!
Are those clamps for the bar extensions custom machined? Never seen anything like them before. - Do a search on facebook for BarYak and you'll find the chap, they are made in the states, it was cheaper than a set of Ti Jones loop bars by a long way so seemed like the obvious choice for me.
The Tour Divide sounds amazing, good luck! (: - Thanks, I'm equal parts scared and excited, I've wanted to do it since I first heard about it from Jenn, I can't wait to go, hopefully I can raise a load of cash for cancer research at the same time.
And ooh, does anyone know if there are any frame out there similar to it, as in semi fat with an adventure tint to it (short tt) but cheaper? - As I said I spent ages looking and couldn't really find anything else that tickled my fancy. Had to sell all my worldly goods, but the end result was worth it.
Cheers,
Jimbo
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3852/15312970195_374c5ff31e_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3852/15312970195_374c5ff31e_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/pk9Yxv ]Camban trip, Sept 2014 027[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmygrainger/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr
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Had 'adventures' on all 3.
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"Adventure bikes"! I also use my fs mountain bike but I haven't been able to strap enough stuff to it to avoid wearing a backpack.
That cannondale looks amazing. It's just a mountain bike with drop bars on, right? For some reason it really works...
What tyres on that, CFH?
@ montgomery did i read about your adventures on crazyguyonabike ? would you care to share the extra brazeons on your inbred ?
montgomery - at last, a seatpost longer than mine...... 🙂
I'm starting to hanker after a Jones!
Here's mine. Another Peregrine.
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[i]the extra brazeons on your inbred?[/i]
Bottle mounts under the downtube and on the seat-tube; Crudcatcher mounts under the downtube; seatstay bosses for the Sherpa rack:
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The frame's looking tatty since its respray in 2008/9. If I got another respray I'd consider adding bosses inside the triangle for a frame bag, but given the obsolete standards (wheels, headset, maybe even axle widths soon) it might be better just buying a new bike (Marin Pine Mountain?).
I made my own route up, and I'm not publishing it. Making up the route is part of the adventure
Bang on.
For absence of doubt, that's what we're doing. But if there was a generic published one that everyone was using, we'd be trying to avoid it !
There is one, [url= http://www.users.waitrose.com/~ianclare/lejogoffroadbymountainbike.htm ]here[/url], which is the only one you ever see referenced.
That's the thing, y'see. I quite like the concept of the Great Divide Tour but suspect the reality is probably one of just being part of a huge ceaseless convoy of riders all doing the same thing. It's the antithesis of 'adventure.'
So right. You never know what you're going to find. We did Luton to Rome 5 years ago on road bikes on a route I planned. You should have heard the abuse I took when we hit the white roads in Italy, or when we had to climb a massive load of steps just outside Besançon. Neither of which I'd exactly expected...
We're doing wales c2c this year (on CX bikes), route planning starting with the sustrans then basically adapting as much as possible (100% with a bit of luck) to come up something unique. If we manage to do it and stay friends it's LEJOG next year!
That's a lot for postage, ouch! How much did the rims cost you? I saw Charlie the bikemonger is selling them for just over £100 each. And I saw the BarYak things, they look fantastic! Never seen anything like them before. Oh, and how is the Exposure Revo? I have a B&M Luxos U but truth be told it's not that good offroad, very very good on the road though! The thing that makes me weary of getting a Revo is the lack of Usb charging but I see you've got a Cinq? (:
I would be scared and excited too! It should be one hell of an adventure! I wish you the best of luck.
I can't really see anything out there either! Hope you don't mind me asking, but what makes the Travers the one for you? The thing I like the most is how short the TT is, it's just 565mm on the small which should be very comfortable for more upright riding. Glad to hear it was worth it! (:
Depends on what sort of adventure I am looking for really! They come in many forms( adventures and adventure bikes) I prefer gnarmac tourer myself :-))
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If this post illustrates anything, it's that bikes can be all things-to all folks.... that and you can't beat a bit of bike porn!!
If this post illustrates anything, it's that bikes can be all things-to all folks....
Yeh, and like Scotroutes post earlier. Having a **** load of bikes helps! 😀
umop3pisdn - Member
What tyres on that, CFH?
Apologies, missed this earlier!
Challenge Strada Bianca.
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[url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-stw-skinwall-appreciation-society ]MOAR SKINWALL PRON HERE! [/url]
They're all 'adventure' bikes for me.
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Challenge Strada Bianca
What was it you said about marketing BS
Shouldn't those tyres be called 'Challenge Cow Crap Lane"
'Challenge Cow Crap Lane"
Round here, it's more buffalo and pig, but otherwise, yes. 😆
Gari- How do you find the Van dessel ? Did you order it direct ? 🙂
I work in the bike trade, so it wasn't too bad, but that £55 really stung, serves me right for being a tart I guess.
The Revo is great, I have a SP hub on each of my bikes now and just swap the light between them. It's fine for MTBing, the only time it struggles is if you have someone with a light like a six pack behind you, doesn't quite cut the mustard. It's great having the set up that I can get my stuff charged while I ride.
I really wanted a plus bike as I loved my genesis longitude, the travers team were at the big dog last year so I got to try Michael Travers Rudy Fat (as it was called then), size wise it was spot on for me. The geometry is very similar to the Kinesis Sync I have so I just felt immediately at home on it, just with a bit more cush from the tyres.
Challenge Strada Bianca.
Cheers. How are you finding them? Current top choice for Paris Roubaix.
Invested in front and rear Freeload racks which have served me well for four years turning whatever I have into an adventuring machine. Once the webbing ratchet is cinched up they stay put and carry all I need whether strapped on, rack-top bag (pictured), side-panniers or a mix of all. Probably the most versatile bits of kit I've invested in.
Pictured below on my old Maxlight (mounted higher than usual for some reason)
As most of my biking is about exploring and photography of far-flung bits of landscape it eventually turned out that all I really need for adventures is:
1x mtb (preferably a size bigger than I would go for ie 19" rather than 18")
Add to this:
2x extra-long bar-ends
2x Schwalbe Hurricanes (or Marathon Racers for surfaced lanes)
1 or 2 x Freeload racks and some panniers/bags.
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[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5646/23204666881_8eb8748e96_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5646/23204666881_8eb8748e96_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/BmvZ2t ]20150530_151533[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/ir_bandito/ ]ir_bandito[/url], on Flickr
Fortitude with a Rohloff and SP Dyno hub.
I love it, but its about to start evolving into something with bigger tyre capability.
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Another Jones. Riding the Pacific Coast Highway in 2014.
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And my Vaya Ti, it's not been on any adventures yet though.
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[url= https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=1CQ&page_id=134004&v=1Q#pic_585489 ]Adventure bikes[/url]...
A real classic there ^
That is excellent, monty is that you ?
I had one of those exact same bikes in 1987. Team replica though mine with the 18-23 tubing,
I saved up for it myself with my paper round money and I rode it everywhere (Local) it never ventured off the British Isles but it was my pride and joy.
[i]That is excellent, monty is that you?[/i]
In the picture?! No, that's Richard and Nick Crane. I posted the book up because it's my favourite cycling book - a true adventure, read it if you haven't already. I remembered it yesterday because I was thinking how the Cranes' 'Running the Himalayas' was everything that the current Levison Wood TV series isn't.
How are you finding them? Current top choice for Paris Roubaix.
They're awesome. Ridiculously hard to fit fresh out of the box, fine since. They feel fast, and supple, really good grip on all surfaces bar wet leaf mould. Cutting up a little bit on Hampshire/Wiltshire flints. However, find me a tyre that can grip on wet leaf mould and handle he flints of doom.
In summary, they're lovely.
"Paule, thanks, I will take you up on the offer of assistance. Mostly in the form of route guidance around the back of Liverpool towards Halewood as this area seems to be a bit misguided, spoke to a few people recently ALL of whom got lost in that same area.
We looked at the route and made the decision that we could definitely do it in 20 hrs, Man maths dictates when we actually get on the ground we can achieve it in 30. It looks a cracking route and mostly off road.
I think I'll start a seperate thread"
xyeti, I'm happy to provide advice too if you need it. I know the TPT well along most of it's route, particularly on the Liverpool side, happy to help. I don;t come here often though so email me on samur2@hotmail.com if you want specific info. Personally I'd say the Halewood section is easy, it's the Aintree bit that catches most people out.