AJ, you’re something else. Are we the same species or are you just insane? Damn, I’d like to be able to follow your lead.

AJ, Can you post the pics I cant get on Twitter at work…!!!RUBBISH

Quick question if I may. 🙂

Interested in a very small frame bag thingy, is Ian/SO actually making these please? If so, contact details would be appreciated.

Thank you so much. 🙂

Some of you might be interested – Photoset of me the missus and a couple of pals doing a weekends trek. Given the amount of rain I am glad of full tents on this one, Forgot the bikes tho

TJ – some nice pics there.

CG – drop Beth an email and we’ll try and sort you out with something 😀

It was a rainy night on Saturday but MarkEnduro who is preparing for WRT and Martin and myself preparing for the Tour Divide braved the conditions in the Peak.

Here is a group shot, mine in foreground, Mark’s tarp at the back, Martin in the middle in Alpkit bivvy bag:

P5080620 by blackhound59, on Flickr

Close up of Mark’s set up – it’s a Decathlon tarp,not been through for a few years but always enjoy it in either direction:

P5080622 by blackhound59, on Flickr

Riding home through Silly Dale:

P5080626 by blackhound59, on Flickr

CG – there are cheap small frame bags here

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/products/accessoires/bags/bike-bags/frame-bags/

I don’t know what the quality is like but seem ok for the price.

Looks like a nice spot Kev … hailing from the Peak District I feel I ought to know it but can’t place it.

Very impressed with Marks super long guy / booby trap in the second pic 😉

Stuart, yes you will, but would rather not say on a public forum. Sure Mark will tell you later this month

IanB – thank you, e-mail sent. 🙂

valleydaddy – thanks but look a wee bit small for my clutter!

Well a rather nice Wildcat handlebar harness arrived today 🙂

Pics to follow

Tiger6791 – Member

Well a rather nice Wildcat handlebar harness arrived today

Mine arrived on saturday. (cheers Ian/Beth)

2011_0507wildcat0001 by singlespeedstu, on Flickr

2011_0507wildcat0002 by singlespeedstu, on Flickr

very nice I am jealous

You never know Pete you might win one at the WRT … thanks to Beth and Ian 😀

I do hope so Stu that would be awesome then I could order a frame bag to match 😉

These handlebar harnesses look nice, but just wondering what advantages they offer over a couple of straps or bungees around an Alpkit Airlock?

Harness makes the load much more stable (that should perhaps read, the right harness makes the load much more stable).

Thank you for the positive comments 🙂

Nick – the main issue we wanted to address with the harness was avoiding contact with the frame, which risks rubbing a hole in your dry bag or wearing the paint off the frame while also potentially interfering/ restricting your steering.

Mountain Lion 1 by WildcatGear, on Flickr

In developing this concept, we also designed a strap assembly that won’t work loose and holds the loads much more securely than some bungees would. Besides frame clearance and stability, other plus points include space to easily route your cables down between the harness and the stem, as shown above.

Incidentally, the WRT prize harness will be red, as pictured above. Standard colour is black, but we wanted to make the WRT one a bit special 🙂

The harnesses look great Ian, even better in the flesh too, I like the way it’s mounted away from the frame as my Revelate one has rubbed my frame already, tape now in place.

I am hoping the tombola delivers my WRT raffle ticket on the day as red would match my dry bags 😀

Right so water bottles….

Since getting my new Wildcat Framebag I now have the problem of water. Don’t like it on my back so onto cages it will go.

Now I’ve got the universal mounts but the question is where?

under the downtube?
on the forks?
under the seat?

Forks I reckon.

Bladder in the top of the framebag?

@wildcat Yeah I can see the benefit now, although my 456 already has a hole in it’s headtube sticker 🙂

When will you be taking orders, do you have a price in mind?

http://wildcatgear.co.uk/products/handlebar-harness/

Got mine already 🙂

Some reading material here which might interest you folks. If you can’t ride the Tour Divide a chance to read about the efforts of those who have.

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-cordillera/15659154?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1

Available in paperback or for download.

All profits to the family of Dave Blumenthal who tragically died in last years race.

Looks like the STW chaps are out bivvy’ing tonight.

Cheers for that Kev. I’ve got volume 1 so here’s hoping volume 2 is just as good 😀

Right so water bottles….

I’ll probably use a camelbak but I also have a handlebar mount for a waterbottle that I may try like this

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/raleigh-handlebar-mounted-cycling-bottle-cage-p137149
or you could use this to adapt one you have

http://www.swinnertoncycles.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=260677

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/topeak-bottle-cage-item161310.html#info

(picture upside down)

Is it? look again 🙂

you saw nothing there carry on! 😉

Just thought I’d pop in this thread and see if people had any comments on my kit ideas. Live in cheltenham so was going to ride out into the wilds of the cotswolds friday (40km) camp out somewhere, 60km ride, camp out sat, 60km home again.

Vango helium 200 tent (1.3kg) – ex-demo £67
Lifeventure 660 sleeping bag (600g) – borrow my dads
Pacific outdoor peak oyl lite mat (540g) – hopefully £25

all three to go on a topeak mtx seatpost rack

then,
primus gas stove, some mess tin thing, couple of pieces of spare clothing, dakine 3L bladder, “add water pasta and sauce” packs for dinner, cereal bars in the morning. all in a 22L osprey talon bag?

Probably pub lunch. Only thing i’m thinking about is water, streams be alright for that though i guess?

Taking it easy for the first trip, then thinking about heading elsewhere in the country.

dirtbiker100 – looks like you are sorted with that lot 😉

as you may know you could save a bit of weight using a bivvy bag and maybe a tarp set up but each to their own.

Post some pics of your adventure 😉

All above sounds spot on, I found that I wanted to change my (refine it) kit after trying stuff.

What you’ve got will work

Right so water bottles….

Back on page 4 there was talk of those feedbags that strap beside the stem – you can put a bottle in one of those. I’ve got and been meaning to adapt the one I posted here. Not enough hours in the day lately though…

I had a thought about them recently and you saying a chalk bag wasn’t sturdy enough, what about a lens case?

Sounds a bit odd but I bought a peg bag that will (easily) convert into a bar feed bag type thing, like this one

http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/shop/home_and_garden/laundry/pegspegbags/120128228_brabantia_clothes_peg_bag.html?CAWELAID=867855423

Not very heavy, drawcord top and not expensive for when it all goes wrong.

Before I got my mountain feedbag I used an insulated bottle holder… I used this for arrowhead race to hold my trail mix..

… only has one velcro strap on bars but I looped a little strap round the head tube and round bottle holder to hold it steady.. worked a treat

http://www.outdoorresearch.com/site/water_bottle_parka.html

sorry can’t find a UK site for it but I bought mine from Wildtrak in Newcastle.

good shout there Stu 😀

In order to keep this thread alive, here is last Thursday nights trip out into the Dark Peak. The grouse were very vocal overnight!

someone was camera shy 😀