Sick as a dog so, show me you Bivi / Bikepacking / Adventure racing gear…..

Did anyone get out this weekend?

No I didn’t get a night out but I did the Wentwood enduro today – it was brutal 😯

cheers for that link Stu, maybe tempted to have a go at a frame bag as the misses is a dab hand with the sewing machine.

any opinions on this tarp

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390290005312&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

saw that tarp – a bit smaller than the DD one, about the same weight and with postage about the same price – I’m still going for a DD one I think but I’m going to have to slum it in my work basha for now!

Valleydaddy, it’s pretty heavy but a good size, are DD ones lighter and bigger?

Bigface, no overnighter but out looking for GR … some pics on the blog.

ok cheers will make up my mind one day 😉

will take a peak at the WRT blog for some clues 😛

Looks good Stu, why am I so excited.. 😀 I want to get my os maps in the next week or so which one/ones would I need to cover the ground we are going to be covering in May??

OL23, 213, 214, 215, 239 maybe a good bet 😉

3 for 2 here

http://leisure.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/

let me know if you know of a better deal.

or you could ask for a custom map from OS

Well, made my tea and a meths stove and slept outside, but cheated as a small tent was used.

Sorry, map details won’t be given out until April. However if you do want to buy some, you won’t be far off the mark if you follow Valleydaddy into the map shop 😉

Whahey I guessed right do I win a prize – or commission from OS for increased map sales of those titles?

Not another trip to Go outdoors for Maps then… the wife will be happy.. 3 for 2 there on maps so Im told and a bit cheaper 😉

Bigface0_0 – Member

For me as a first timer and just starting out on the Bivi adventure road.
I wanted to get kit that ‘A’ doest cost the world and ‘B’ is small and dosnt really weigh a lot…

Yeah it’s all good as long as it’s fun. I think I just had a little internet strop moment so don’t take me too seriously.

let me know if you know of a better deal

well the same deal really, W H Smiths are doing buy one get second 1/2 price on 1:50k and 1:25k OS maps

This was recommended from here and they have indeed been very good and cheap.

http://www.dash4it.co.uk/store/

I’m sorry but I’m perfectly happy, from an environmental point of view, with 7 balloons per night.

To put it into context again, I have just eaten 7 individually wrapped celebration chocolates (not bought by me, they were a gift). There is more waste from those than from my 7 ballons. In the grand scheme of the average human life, it’s not even a drop in the ocean.

I tell you what, if ever I drive to go bivvying I’ll stop the car 5 yards shorter than normal, that will more than offest the carbon footprint. Whilst I appreciate your concerns, I just don’t think the argument is justified on such a tiny scale as this.

PSA-

The PHD spring sale is now live!!

It’s still a throw away philosophy where throw away is not necessary. It still dose not change the fact it’s only really a adventure racing system. not really any good for more than a couple of nights. They are both negative points and need to be accepted.

also

TheBrick – Member

Bigface0_0 – Member
For me as a first timer and just starting out on the Bivi adventure road.
I wanted to get kit that ‘A’ doest cost the world and ‘B’ is small and dosnt really weigh a lot…

Yeah it’s all good as long as it’s fun. I think I just had a little internet strop moment so don’t take me too seriously.[/quote]

@ didnothingfatal:

I picked up a Peak Elite AC this afternoon, pack size and weight are fantastic, 396g for full length mat Seems as comfortable as my Exped Down Mat, but much lighter

Do you notice the extra insulating capacity of the Exped to the extent you could use a lighter weight bag, compared to a mat without insulation?

We seem to compare the raw weight of mats when there is actually more to it than that in terms of performance, particularly with regard to insulation and how that would affect choice of other equipment. (discuss).

It’s still a throw away philosophy where throw away is not necessary. It still dose not change the fact it’s only really a adventure racing system. not really any good for more than a couple of nights. They are both negative points and need to be accepted.

I’ve just ordered 100 high quality latex balloons for my balloon bed. (£4.69) Balloon beds rock! 🙂 Horses for courses. No point getting yer ballons twisted up into a sausage dog about it. Let’s settle down, all be friends and get another brew going on the MYOG meths burners 😉

@ IanB

Do you notice the extra insulating capacity of the Exped to the extent you could use a lighter weight bag, compared to a mat without insulation?

We seem to compare the raw weight of mats when there is actually more to it than that in terms of performance, particularly with regard to insulation and how that would affect choice of other equipment.

The Exped is noticably warmer than a thermarest, both a base camp model and ProLite 4, and much comfier. In summer I’ve used it with a Mont Bell UL Down Hugger 7, (this bag has hardly any down) for high alpine camps, and it definently works at keep ground chill at bay. It’s also been used for glacier camps, although the better half used it, no complaining in the mornings so can safely assume it works, she was using a 3 season Mountain Hardwear down bag.

I went for the PAC mat based on the R value, depth of padding (a better night’s sleep means a better chance of continued silliness the next day) and the fact the GoLite quilt has no back section in the bag. So bag choice is determining pad choice.

The Balloon bed is good, it works, pure function, but the balloon bed with a OMM Duo Pad for the legs is about the same weight as the PAC mat, with a much greater R rating.

No point getting yer ballons twisted up into a sausage dog about it

ha ha ha so Im not the only person to spend ages try to make one then 😆 p.s where did you find 100 balloons for that cost ?

Crossing over with the “how did you know your partner was the one…” thread, I woke up this morning to find out that my wife had bought me an Alpkit Ti mug! Ok, it was my birthday pressie, but it was exactly what I wanted!

Bless her!

where did you find 100 balloons for that cost ?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220727030781

They’re the better quality Qualatex ones that come with the balloon bed. I’ve tried cheaper ones , and although they all lasted the night without popping*, the blown up dimensions are all over the shop, whereas the Qualatex ones all blew up roughly the same size.

*(actually, one did burst when I was blowing it up but I managed to survive the night sleeping on only six balloons. One way of lessening yer campbed carbon footprint by a seventh 😉 )

If anyone want a cheap Alpkit Numo for the grand price of £26 get clicking
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Alpkit-Numo-Sleeping-Mat-/130495250466?pt=UK_SportingGoods_SleepingMats_Airbeds_CA&hash=item1e621f8022

How effective are the Numos for keeping you warm, or are they purely to stave off bumps/pebbles/nettles?

It’s a great thread this but it needs an index 🙂

What was the verdict on light bags? At 6’3″ I’m too big for the little Alpkit one. I feel the cold but I have got a Rab gilet that I can wear. For the last (early spring) trip I did I just used my full on winter bag but that weighs about 1100g and would be way ott for warmer nights.

Did anyone get out this weekend?

Yep, me. First test of a load of kit: Hunka bivvy, Rig Tarp, my on-bike setup. 45 miles or so to the Teifi Pools and back from Rhayader. Lovely trip, but cold on Sunday.

Claerwen Reservoir[/url]
Claerwen[/url]

Bike loaded and ready to go
[/url]
Before[/url]

4 speed cassette (32×14/17/21/27)
[/url]
4 speed[/url]

I think it’s this way
[/url]
Esgair Perfedd[/url]

Penygarreg reservoir
[/url]
Penygarreg Reservoir[/url]

Claerwen reservoir
[/url]
Claerwen reservoir[/url]

You don’t say?
[/url]
Motor vehicles prohibited[/url]

Afon Claerddu
[/url]
Afon Claerddu[/url]

Ready for the night
[/url]
Outside[/url]

The view from my bed
[/url]
Inside[/url]

In the morning
[/url]
Nant Egnant[/url]

Some nice bags over at phd in the sale.

EDIT: Nice job Chris … that’s just what it’s all about. For those who ‘don’t get it’ you don’t know what you’re missing. 😀

That looks like a great little trip, what frame bag is that?

It’s a Jandd frame pack: http://www.jandd.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=FFP
Bit of a squeeze in the Inbred – it’s designed for a longer headtube, but added some useful extra space. Not sure you can get them in the UK – I got it S/H from a guy who had brought a couple back from the US.

I think a larger, fitted bag would be better – seeing markenduro’s up there ^^^ makes me want to make one. Or I’ll just get a Revelate tangle bag, along with a new seatpack… 😕

Chris, how did you make the 4 speed cassette? Is it butchered together just using spacers, is it clunky to shift gear?

Great pictures, just what the thread needed.

The hub on that bike is a WTB Single Duty SS cassette hub – the flange spacing is wider than standard for a stronger wheel. The freehub has a Hyperglide pattern spline, but is half the length of a standard freehub, and has an external thread for a BB lockring.

The cassette is a cut down 9 speed 12-27 road cassette: drill out the rivets, chuck five of the sprockets away and reassemble (re-riveting the biggest three sprockets back together to stop them gouging the aluminium freehub body) using three nine speed spacers.

Result is a short, wide-ish ratio cassette that fits a SS cassette hub but that can be used with 9 speed shifters – in this case a Dura-Ace bar end shifter mounted on a Paul Thumbie mount. I could get away with a short cage mech as it’s a 27T big sprocket but had the XT in the shed.

I’m not sure that it gives enough of an advantage though – I found myself wishing for a much lower gear than I had and would have liked a 22T granny for some of the climbs. In future I think I’ll just go back to 32/20 SS and walk more.

chris n did you know that you were just yards from the most comfortable Bothy in Wales? Gas fire, cooking and lighting all for nowt. Won’t say where it is but it provided a home to about 12 on the WRT last year.

great pics there chris_n a real inspiration to get out 😀

@pistonbroke
I know, but I was testing my bivvy kit, not the local bothies. 🙂 It’d be possible to travel pretty light from bothy to bothy round there – I can think of four within about 30 miles.

I wanna go again, can’t wait until the WRT. must get the cheque off soon!

C’mon then chaps what do you think about these…
Alpkit Gourdon 20
http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16379&category_id=251

Ive got a camelbak Mule but cant really get much in these little chaps..???

Bigface … I really don’t like riding with a pack after seperating my shoulder (then having to ride 30 miles home) last year. However, I needed a pack when I was instructing a DoE cycle expedition so bought a Gourdon 20. It’s fantastic, light, comfy, waterproof and what else could you get for the same money?

Highly recommended, I recall putting something on the WRT blog about it last year.

The plan is just to carry my clothes/jacket in it so not a massive amount of weight… I like the stealth one but also like the idea of a couple of extra pockets for…..Stuff!!!

Wow this thread has inspired to give bike tracking a sample, dont suppose anybody knows any suitable sort of campsites around afan/heads of the valleys in south wales, so I can go practice some fieldcraft with my bike.

Plodtv … I’m sure Valleydaddy and some others will be along to point you in the right direction shortly.