Not on a T6, but I had a Fiamma 4 bike rack on a T4 tailgate and it pulled the hinges away from the van hatch frame. Never broke but the panel gap at the top definitely ended up pretty wide easily allowing fingers in. Though it was loaded with 4x full suss xc MTBs at times. Personally I wouldn’t use a hanging bike rack for anything more than a couple of bikes at a time and certainly nothing with a motor.

Got a tailgate T5 now and towbar rack all the way.

I’ve the Atera Strada DL3.

Previously on a tailgate T4, now on a tailgate T5. Just back from a 2000mile round trip to Alps with a full suss emtb, full fat eGravel, and proper CX bike on it. Batteries removed. Took the load well. Tailgate opens, if wide bar MTB closest to tailgate you’ll need to turn the bars to get fully open (overlaps about 3″ on a 760mm bar). Middle slot or drop bars would be fine.

Hasn’t missed a beat whole trip or previous 3 years I’ve had it.

Why carry toilet paper when leaves and moss literally grow on trees? (or in the undergrowth).
Take a sturdy tyre lever for digging the hole.

Credit/debit card a must. Plus a new plastic £20note doubles as emergency money and a tyre tear patch.

I’d always have a waterproof, this is the UK after all. Can be used as the warm layer too.

Plus a buff, too many uses to list.

Small roll of insulation tape as first aid kit.

I run a bit, from half marathons upward to ultras and multi-days. Predominantly off-road and with mountains when I can. I also ride a fair bit, again predominantly off-road and I don’t avoid hills. Though riding tends to be for fun and fitness where running I’m doing races.

I’d say a ratio of 4 to 1 is in the ballpark and what the watch calorie burn reflects. Of course there are exceptions to the rule like an hour at max heart rate for a CX race or descending an Alp in a mountain ultra, but averaging out over time, for me, 4miles bike is around 1mile run (ish).

Just a generic bike on watch, garmin hasn’t seen fit to create an ebike activity update for my watch yet. So calorie burn will be from heartrate only, I’m fittish for my age and the main differnce between those two activities is I’m only 9% aerobic on the ebike journey compared to 25% on the proper bike. Tbh It was a very rough comparison and the only sure data is that on my commute it is easier and faster on a derestricted ebike. Speed and ease will rise as you up the assistance level, battery will drain accordingly.

How is that calculation reached? Forgive my ignorance, but surely the eBike is putting out more power than that? As a total guess, even on eco mode it’s gotta be putting out 100W? So unless you’re putting out 400W for your commute, there’s no way the eBike is only contributing 20% of the work? IANAeB

Very simply by comparing two identical commutes on ebike and CX bike as recorded by garmin watch with wrist HRM. Very unscientific and no account taken on how loaded up panniers/rucksack headwinds, hangover level, eagerness to get in etc.

No idea on wattages, eco mode puts in an extra 50% of what I put in, tour 120% Sport 200% and turbo 340%. I suppose if i’m only putting out 100w then in eco its adding another 50w, in sport my 100w would get an extra 200w. I’m a MTBer at heart so this sustained wattage thing is beyond me tbh! In practical terms I’ve a long straight flat bit and in derestricted eco mode i can maintain 18/19mph(ish) but in tour its 21/22mph (ish). Aero resistance will be having a large effect by then too.

I commute on a Cannondale Topstone Neo (drop bar, skinnyish tyres). Predominantly cyclepaths and lanes from 20 to 30 miles each way depending on season and how wet I’m going to get. Bosch Performance CX motor, 500wh battery. Bike all ‘commuter’d up with mudguards, rack, panniers, and gaterskin tyres.

I got bored with the 15.5 limit very quickly as was slower than my proper bike (though much more sustainable for consecutive day commutes). Chipped it so could set own assist limit. Normally set around 22mph as I still gotta pedal and the motor is less effective on the little cog at the back. Speed is fine on the early morning pedestrian free commute, am happy to sit up and knock off the speed at busier times/sections as I would on a proper bike.

Can do the 21mile route both ways on a single charge, eco on the way in, tour on the way home and a bit to spare at the end. On the sunny summer days with the 30mile route I take in the charger for a top-up unless I go eco both ways. Going in by eco is fine, but the ride home is best done with a bit more power for the pleasure of it and am more tired after a workday. Plus the hills are at the end!

I still think ebikes are the spawn of the devil there to steal the purity and joy of spinning around in near silence under your own power. But am fully and hypocritically sold on the whole future of personal transport thing.

Just rode proper bike in this morning (being social with a mate). Comparing to ebike 21mile route commute last week, ebike took about 15% off ride time and used about 20% less calories.

In summary, love the ebike commute and has definitely reduced car use. Makes it easier getting out on the shit days as it is easier and quicker. Plus not so wiped out when I get home so evenings aren’t a write-off. Proper bikes still used for joy.

I’ve a Cannondale Topstone Neo, gravel bike with 500wh battery, Bosch performance line CX motor and running slick 32mm tyres 60mile+range isn’t a problem with even the limit turned up. It’ll keep good speed on ‘eco’ mode on the flats with a knock upto ‘tour’ on the hills and perhaps a bit of ‘sport’ for the really steep ones. Switch off on the downhills. My 30mile commute with pannier(s) (47km) takes 90minutes and I can do a day’s work and ride home without blowing out my ass.

With the 15.5mph limit battery lasts even longer but commute would be closer to 2hours as it’s pretty hard holding speed above that limit with even a whisper of an uphill. Better/faster on the proper bike than a limited ebike.

I made the jump just before Christmas maxing out the c2w budget with a Cannondale Topstone4. Has been my 100% commute machine since then. But as I’ve only been in twice that’s not much to shout about! But I do think when I go back more often the 30mile each way ride is well within my grasp 2-3 times a week. Bike is powerful, fast, comfortable, and I think in warmer times I could squeeze a return trip out of a single charge. Will definitely be saving the the halfway drive i was making to commute before.

Its also great fun exploring local lanes and bridleways. Definitely selling out but I keep telling myself I’m saving the nice bikes for summer as I abuse the commuter in the mud.

So in response to the OP, I’d get a Topstone as a car replacement. It won’t replace it totally, but will do on commutes.

I noticed this the other day, Somerset Loop.

http://www.thestrawberryline.org.uk/index.php?section=vision.

A vision rather than a complete path but you may be able to link it with lanes. I’ve not ridden the loop, but have done the sections between Frome and Bristol and the Strawberry line itself. More tarmac or Gravel cyclepath than offroad so not difficult going.

I’m a hater. Ebikes are cheating. I see them as capability enhancer, ie when you’re old and body breaks down, injured, time limited to train to get your fitness up, bored with golf and can’t be bothered to get bike-fit to ride real bikes, have an issue the motor can un-issue you with etc etc.

Then I bought one before Christmas on the company C2W scheme with the idea that I can use it to do full commutes rather than the part way van, part way ride commutes I currently do, and still have energy to work when I get there (30 miles each way). I’m saving the planet that way, allegedly, and saving replacing a car, possibly. Not quite full suss from the OP but there are parallels.

Over the holidays I can’t stop riding the effing thing, it is so much fun. I’m riding it further and faster than I would have done on my clockwork bikes in the time I have to ride. It’s a Cannondale Topstone ‘Gravel’ type bike so pretty capable on and off road, and fantastic for the local stuff we’re all restricted to at the moment. The fun comes in the Sport and Turbo modes, eco mode is for battery anxiety, and Tour mode for the first 10minutes of a ride before succumbing to the power temptation and switching to Sport fun.

I’ve still used the acoustic bikes when going out with mates as would be impolite to have it easier than them on the group ride and the abuse I’d get as a fit bloke slacking on an ebike would be never-ending.

I ride and run for joy and to maintain fitness/cake consumption. When I’m out on the ebike for the fun factor it definitely doesn’t earn me the calories a push bike does. In calorie earning stakes using my heart rate monitor as a guide, a run earns 100 cals a mile, road bike 33, MTB 25, Ebike 15 (ish). And that’s with me going as fast as I can uphills on the ebike trying to be right up by the assist limit as hill steepness allows. So, fitness-wise the ebike is good for getting me out, not so good for delivering fitness/cake. However, I can go for a run in the morning then an ebike ride in the afternoon, so gives a bit of easy extra outside phys. The rides I’ve done on the normal bikes have not been any less fun than the ebike, just different as there’s no motor element but there is the light, fast, nimble elements.

So answering the OP. Will Ebike replace my clockwork bikes? No. The new-bike-itus will eventually wear off and it’ll become the commuter it was bought for and occasional grin inducing Turbo blast fun bike, plus a tool for getting my teenage daughter out of her room for a ride with me. Proper bikes for proper rides will carry on as before.

Shepherd’s Hut

Up on Salisbury Plain, catch it now before it gets turned into an airBnB.

Its not just Biking/Walking. I was down Saunton Sands yesterday. Busy carpark and beach and lots of surfers in the line-up. I guess it should be no surprise with open access to surf forcasts showing it to be good. Is a big carpark, bigger beach and even bigger sea so all good. Notably though I saw quite a few mates down there, easy to chat at distance beyond the break line, and being salt water washed evey few minutes. But we’d all got there separatly illustrating why the carpark looked so full, they’ll definitly be retaining their business through covid.

Another vote for planet x 365. The right price too at £24.99

Elite Deboyo

https://www.elite-it.com/en/products/water-bottles/thermal/deboyo

Fits the bottle cage and good for 6 hours, longer if kept wrapped up in a bag.

Search Toseek on ebay, from china with an aero section at the top.

I have one, does the job. £30ish

Edit, also available from Amazon

I’m a thule fanboy. Also a kayaker and have the same thule roof bars that have been going for 28years of overloading with upto 8 kayaks and youthful exuberance of urban surfing. They are still straight and switched from car to car/van, kayakers swear by thule too. However I’ve also got an Altera towbar rack which is brilliant, so will be dividing my fanboy love with Altera too

Ouch, Total Bummer, feel your pain.

I did a tib and fib in a climbing accident many 20odd yers ago, I didnt fall off, was still holding onto the crag as that bit detached and we fell together.

Anyhow, ended up me having a Tibia nail (rod down the middle of the big one), fibia had to reconnect itself. Was walking on crutches in 5 days and out of hospital just after. Saved up painkillers for the walking assessment so I could get out. Obviously takes a while to get back to full strength but it will come. I still have the metalwork in there but it is no hassle whatsoever and hasn’t effected my riding at all. I’ve even run a few ultra-marathons on it.

Not much comfort but hopefully good to know there will be very little lasting damage. Keep pressing that morphine button if you’ve got one!

On-One Fatty. Not particularly good at anything but makes me smile, is dead simple with no suspension, low level x5 groupset, and always the first bike out the garage. Tbh i might as well get rid of the other 4 mtb types as they gather dust. (not a bike collecter, just a crap seller)

That would be my normal type of commute. And one I’ve done once since lockdown when I needed to go to office (key worker but can mostly work from home). My opinion is that it is fine, its a commute and you’re on your own.

Word of warning though, the cycle bit of my commute is on Bristol cyclepaths and it was the most I’ve been at risk (or risking others) the whole of lockdown as the path was very busy with all sorts of people, mostly brilliant, but with large share of others not aware of their surroundings. If I have to go in the office again I’ll drive the lot and save my exercise for somewhere more isolated later (or stop in quiet spot on way home)

Cheers and be safe.

Slightly left field reason.

Looking onwards to end-of-life,  aluminium is more recyclable than carbon so possibly a more environmentally friendly choice.

I’ve driven to the Alps for biking, kayaking and boarding. Flying is OK but you can only do it during the day. Drive down and back overnight and you can gain 2 days on the Trails rather than waiting at an airport.

Also having a car/van makes it easy getting to different areas.

I hired a Scott scale from here:

http://lifecyclesfuerteventura.com

Well maintained bike and excellent friendly service.

I downloaded a free route from the viewranger app that made a nice north tour along the coast and up and between a few old volcanos. Mostly gravel tracks and nothing technical. Though I was able to push up to a summit or two and also found a couple of off route wadis to ride down for a little more fun.

http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/ODM2Nw== Via @ViewRanger

LAX. So disappointing, it’s Hollywood ffs, how can the airport be so low-rent?!

Dakar, 10 hours either swatting flies from my nether regions in the toilets, or watching some bloke in a nappy painting the white line down the centre of the runway between landings.

https://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FOOOCFAT/on-one-carbon-fatty-fork

Straight steerer and carbon fatty fork, dunno about the stooge bit.

Altura Varium currently for sale at Merlin. More snug waterproof softshell than shell but feels nice to wear and keeps the rain off.

Windhill is worth a day’s visit if you go for a nice lunch in a nearby pub too.

There’s a fair few trails and downhill tracks on the Mendip hills between Burrington Combe and Cheddar Gorge which is close to Bristol, and free. Local shop Badass Bikes in Burrington may be able to help with more detailed directions.

http://www.badassbikes.co.uk/contact.php

“The cleats for those candy pedals looks like they are 2 bolt and similar to Shimano / time mtb pedals?”

CB cleats are two hole the same as shimano MTB cleats.

However, though CB and Look cleats may be intercompatable into each others pedals (more from coincidence than design i think) a Shimano cleat mtb won’t clip into a CB pedal or visa-versa.

MTB cable discs work to a point but not well, I tried to improve them on my O-O Lurcher Frankenbike/Monster-crosser with Tiagra Road levers by shortening the the caliper armss. Helped a bit with giving a bit more pad clearance but I lost power from them.

Binned the idea and bought a set of Shimano Sora cable disc calipers, like night and day. Works really well.

Local here.

The Costa thing and Windhill B1kepark are entirely unconnected.

The Costa in Longleat is off the sustains route. It is a shame that Longleat have taken this view but fully understandable that they do not wish non-paying through traffic using the parks fee-paying customer facilities.

Windhill is much improved fron the old black canon trails. Massive work has gone into them and it is now a pay and play Park. Brilliant and worth a visit. Outside of Windhill and the safari Park there are still many many trails around the forest free to ride.

For sustenance as stated above the Bath Arms in Crockerton, the other Bath Arms in Horningsham, and the Shearwater cafe are all excellent stops.

Ps, Windhill carpark is half a mile ride (if that) on a concrete road from the trailhead. Not “miles” as stated above.

Drive, use autoroutes, get an autoroute tag.

You can’t fly at night so can gain an extra day riding by travelling overnight. Yes its tough and you can feel like a roadkill badger afterwards, but its more riding.

Flying wastes daylight hours!

I have a SWB T4 poptop camper, I can carry 3-4 bikes inside, either fully assembled with the front wheels on the floor and the rears on the (covered) camper seat/R&R Bed. Or wheels out with frames vertical (bars and forks on the floor) bungeed to the back of the passenger seat.

When camping though I tend to put them on a towbar rack outside, but I could sleep in the poptop roof with the bikes still inside.

With only one bike I can carry it, wheels out, upright against the passenger seat back and have the van downstairs bed down. But its a pain moving about trying not to touch the chain, mud etc and get filthy.

So if you can get a camper with the rear seats quite a way back then this may work for you.

Is always going to be a compromise with a small van that you want to use as a daily driver too. You just have to choose on whether the compromise is going to be in carrying bikes or camping comfortably. VW tax aside, they appear to make the right size vans ;)

All softwear straight into the washing machine. Its a washing machine, that’s what its for.

Waterproofs, shoes and hardwear hung in front of or put on top of everlasting 1960’s Valient central heating/water boiler in kitchen then brushed off when dry.

The gasmen keep saying I need to buy a more efficient boiler but can’t answer how a new condenser/on-demand thingy will dry my kit ;)

“Yes you could ride the same roads for free on any other day of the year and it is a lot of money for some flapjack and high5 powder…”

You can ride the same roads for free on the same day. Obviously you wouldn’t collect a ‘free’ T shirt or make use of the food stops, but the signs are visible to all.

If weight is a feature you’re looking for then this site is great as you can sort by weight:

https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/mens-clothing-c1/mens-down-insulation-c52

Down tops in the link but other types on the site.

Andy

2 years into OO Fatty ownership and still my go-to bike. Budget option on floaters throughout. Used for virtually everything offroad including a bit of bikepacking.

Full suss comes out occasionally. Went to Cwmcarn and did a “meh” loop on the Full Suss then put it back in the van for the rest of the day and took out the Fatty which was ace.

Went to bike park Wales last week and took the Full Suss, it was ace and the fatty would have destroyed me at the speeds we were going.

BPW trips are once in a blue moon though, so back to the Fatty now.

Local woods and just about everywhere except trail centres – Fatty
Trail centres – Full suss Trance
CX races – Lurcher monster cross SS
Poncing around looking niche – SS Sawyer 29+ (also bikepacking, same thing)
Commuting – roadbike

Or whatever’s closest to the garage door!

Bacon butties with thick flavoursome local bacon (not water filled anaemic supermarket bacon). Butter.
Clotted Cream Teas
+1 for wooden furniture that I don’t have to be concerned at sitting down on with muddy shorts.
Decent sized mugs for tea.

Well publicised opening times so I know you’ll be open when I loop your way.

Andy

Any tyre can have a small contact patch if you pump it up hard enough. Soft compound rudder tread with stay soft and drag however for any size tyre fat to skinny.

Bigger (ie heavier) tyres will take more effort to accelerate up to speed but hold more momentum.

I used 32/14 at Hengrove CX today. Was quick the first few laps, held my own in the middle of the race, thought my legs were going to fall off in final couple of laps.

Course was 98% grass, flatfish over parkland banks and hillocks. I came 24th out of 48, 46 of the other bikes were geared.