@TheGingerOne Yes it can :)

@belgianbob I thought I’d broken it forever when I took the cap off. I had to have a coffee break between efforts to get it screwed back on!

@teethgrinder Badly lit, they’re orange

@ton If we chose the items I’d expect to see guitars, drum kits, at least 7 bikes per week, an Omega De Ville Prestige Women’s Watch, a snowboard and maybe an electric van. Fantasy Goods Friday!

I usually have heavy metal in my headphones and various things to be thinking/worrying about in my mind. The Kindle is for warm-ups and cool downs if I’m totally honest!

Its one of the perks of being a jurno, you get sent all the swanky stuff for free 🙂

Only one of these items was free, and one is on loan. I paid for the rest :)

Plenty of discount Smart Turbo’s around, use an old / second hand bike for the turbo, refurbished computer for your App du jour, Screwfix Fan for £30 etc.

This Garmin Tacx is on loan/test, but it is leagues ahead of any turbo I have used in the past. It’s worth the amount they charge, if not more (IMO) if you’re serious about training. That is a bike I already own that I can’t afford to build up right now, so it’s obviously cheaper than sourcing something else to go on there. May as well not bother with a £30 fan for indoor training – you really need to keep your temperature down so buying one that does that, for sub £100, is a good choice I reckon.

The retail price of the set up is not inconsiderable. I’m quite intreseted   to know if magazine staff get good “deals” on this stuff. Or if the outlay is part of the commitmemt

£1,199.00 Garmin Tacx – Test product on loan for review. Garmin want it back ASAP
£499 Identiti AKA frame – I was given this when my Ragley Piglet got stolen. (I paid for the Piglet and everything on it, but receiving a frame was absolutely an industry perk)
£119.99 Garmin HRM Pro – Paid full price for
£99.95 Vacmaster – Paid for, it was discounted at the time so can’t remember the exact amount
£149.99 LifeLine trainer table – Test product. Usually on sale at ~£60. I wouldn’t buy one myself, but I do think they’re good
TrainerRoad membership – Paid full price for

Some places would offer a media discount, but we don’t/can’t review items that we pay for, which is why this is a ‘look at my set-up’ column as opposed to a bunch of reviews.

I can’t help with the shock pump image I’m afraid – I think Benji made sure I didn’t get my hands on it after I told him I don’t like digital pumps. I would have ‘misplaced’ that Lezyne one…

Benji, the first item on your list is also on my list. School trip to Wales?

I have several friends with these jackets and they seem to live in them. Emma Whitaker (Reyt Good Rides) didn’t take hers off on a two day bikepacking trip back in October – if she had I probably would have swiped it!

@bigblackshed Stan belongs to Ross, I did a quite accurate doodle of him that I’ll post when I’ve found it! He’s quite a character

I worry that people get a bad impression of me from these videos.

Well what a pickle! We’ll add a question, in the meantime, you can all build up some excitement about what the question may be…

@vmgscot Could you share which articles you find easier to read? I’d be keen to know the preferred fonts, and also if 2 column or 3 column layouts work best.

You can see my bike stick in that photo. Normally I use a twig, or a small branch for heavier bikes… on this day I had a piece of timber part-buried in the ground and still struggled against the wind. I need to start filming my solo photography escapades!
(The wheels are well built, the photographer is an amateur).

3.1 Aviemore (four peaks ride, can’t remember the peaks… third was Creagan Gorm and that photo was before it)

3.2 Llangollen heading toward Worlds End/Horseshoe Pass

10.1 Pennine Bridleway – Walsden

10.2 Pennine Bridleway – Hebden Bridge?

10.3 Windy Hill, Saddleworth

I really love riding around north Wales, that photo in Llangollen was one of the best, most scenic days I’ve ever had on a bike!

I watched an owl hunting in daylight today. Didn’t punch it:

@jordan It is hands down the best enduro race we have been to (we being my friends, I don’t speak for Singletrack). If the takeaway from this article is that you should add it to the bucket list, then I’m happy!

@jon_clucas I don’t disagree with you, and I would like to put a lot of emphasis on the ‘Why bother?’ section of this article. To be honest, Classic Ride is a sponsored feature that we can’t afford not to include, and on this occasion the only option we had was a ride from a holiday I went on in my own time, and due to reasons mentioned in the article, it didn’t go to plan.
The reason I/we didn’t just report on the MANX Enduro is because it’s not a Classic Ride and we can’t promote those trails with a route guide. We have previously covered the IoM in a Classic Ride so I’lll drop the link below.

@cloggy thanks for that, changed it. I don’t share Hannah’s ability to focus at this time of the week.
I’m absolutely devastated by this news. So much hard work, progression, and inspiration has come out of Revs 😔

I’ve just had Ross tell me I’m ‘So XC!’ for complaining about a high front end on a 140mm fork. So to clarify – yes, I am XCAF, but it still feels like a high front end for a trail bike. Time may correct me, I best go out for a ride…

@sargey2003 How about now? :-)

They have special poo-dumping-zones, but imagine if your pot was full and you can only travel at 4mph to get to the nearest waste disposal pond

I’ve finally braved a bike ride in the sandals. Aside from the comedy tan lines my feet are now sporting, I have no complaints! Really comfy, stiff enough to work great with XT pedals, and if I lift my toes up on a descent it airs my feet.

@Neuromancer I used the Ortlieb waterproof seat pack and wore a backpack. I’m new to bikepacking, so I haven’t done much in the way of loading a bike up, but I tried saddle bag with bar bag for my first trip, and tried with a backpack this time. My conclusion is that I am not a bikepacker!

@footflaps That’s good engineering! They’re strong in the undo direction. The other side of the T-Bar is a regular hex. Rumour has it, I won’t be able to thread bolts so easily with this set…

Like a whirlpool, it never ends. And it’s you, Lezynedigitalshockpump, makin’ it spin…

26 comments and not one about how the Hope bars line up perfectly with the canal lock in the background. I honestly don’t know why I bother.

Having avoided the camera for four years, I thought the task of asking questions was a good premier for me. I’ll make a point of overshadowing Ross, next time!

The loafers are a prototype. They’re heated, they count your steps, and they have a sensor to alert when you need to cut your nails. They vibrate if you stand too close to instant coffee, and beep loudly anytime they hear the word ‘steed’ used in reference to a bike.

@pmurden I’m surprised it’s taken this long for them to appear, salopettes are brilliant in the snow so they make sense for mud/rain too. I think they look great!

This is excellent!

@crossed It’s a great windproof, and good for a splashy ride where the ground is wet but the sky is clear. I love the colour of it, I’m a fan of visibility! It is stained with mud that won’t come out, but other than that I have no complaints (and really, what was I to expect from a white trail jacket?!)

Generous! They’re one of few brands that make space for hips and thighs, so I did my usual trick of ordering the size I expected to be, then had to exchange them for the size down. I’m a UK 14 short, and I wear Patagonia size 10 that they label a medium.

@vmgscot They’re from Patagonia (Dirt Craft). I ended up buying both colours because they’re such good quality. Highly recommend!

Riese & Müller Packster 80 Touring (Reviewed in issue 131)

They never lose their charm. I’ve been on the highest roads in the valley, during sideways hail, and been giggling at how content I am plodding along on a cargo bike. Great write-up, Aran!

Waymaking: An Anthology of Women’s Adventure Writing, Poetry and Art. It’s not so much a big glossy table book, but it has a simple cover, it’s chunky and most importantly it’s a great read.

@tuboflard I’ve disappointed enough people in my life, so I don’t want you on that list! Map added :)