Paramo jackets work differently, not sure if I understand fully how, but they are not a single layer jacket hence them getting a bit warm. They do rely on good ventilation when proper lashing it down, but regardless it’s the only jacket that I have used that properly works. Tend to work best worn next to the skin or with just a properly breathable base layer.

Although not trousers, for waterproof nirvana paramo is the one true answer.

Using their jackets has blown my mind in terms of full on waterproofing and proper breathability. Best waterproof I have ever used.

Wish they made trousers.

We should start a club!

That camping box looks ace!

The awning is very, very basic!

It’s basically an old ground sheet that I attach the rear roof bar with spring clamps, then it has two tow clip straps on the bottom two corners which I attach to the closing mechanism on the bottom of the doors.

It’s very simple but works so far. Might make a bar to keep it taught and stop the rear doors closing.

Agree about the importance of washing, however don’t over wash them and the usual advice applies about using suitable washing product (such as sainsbury’s sports wash or nickwax wash) before re-proofing as well as removing any trace of fabric conditioner from the machine.

Having said all that, I don’t regularly wash my royal trousers and they remain amazing.

I have had mixed experiences of waterproof’s from madison lately – I don’t rate them.

I use Royal Racing Storm Pants and they have been amazing, keep the rain out but breath really well too. Can’t rate them highly enough. They are really simple, allow pads underneath and are bombproof.

Prior to that I used Gore paclite trousers and they were pretty good but not quite as waterproof.

Also Aberfoyle. Best gravel location in uk, based on my very humble opinion…

Edge AL’s with some aforementioned hacksawing on the front one to get it to fit properly with 42 (or are they 43?) gravelkings on my Titus Goldrush.

Super solid, really quiet and look so much better than plastic guards.

Nice! You now have the worlds greatest bike!

I have one and absolutely love it, totally capable in all the new updowncrossdurohillfreeridecountry types of riding.

Best bike I have owned. So far.

Thank you all for the input. Lots to consider but I think the main issue I can’t get away from are the prices at the moment.

Going to put this one on hiatus until next year and see how things look then.

Don’t worry Daz, I have PM’d you. Could be interested and in no rush at all to get a van.

Euro 6….groan…didn’t think about that. Do the collective think this is going to be a huge issue?

Resale is not an issue as I tend to keep vehicles until they are pretty much done.

I am not based in an area which will have congestion charges applied, but obviously other costs could be an issue.

I am a low mileage driver so can cope with lower mpg.

Sharkey – I don’t do a lot of driving in these cities, if I do it will be in our small car. But thanks for the headsup anyway, I was not aware.

tthew – link not working.

Expert/dispatch might well be the answer… anyone got photos of bikes in the back of a crew cab one?

Thank you you tthew, good to rule things out

I forgot about the dispatch/expert. Good shout. Will have a look.

I love my sentinal – probably more bike than I need, but it climbs as well as a XC bike and goes down hill like a loon. What’s not to love?

I use a Genesis Longitude for bikepacking too, very versatile and lots of mounts. Run mine as a 29 plus with loads of clearance, enough for mudguards.

Really stable fully loaded with bikepacking kit.

They are also reasonably well priced, aside from the usual stock issues.

This sounds like all my experiences with WTB tyres, just swapped my WTB Senderos for some gravel kings for exactly this reason – the front tyre only went down a little, the rear needed pumping up before every ride. Lots of little bubbles on side walls. Lots of different sealants tried.

Gravelkings went up last night with no bubbles at all and stayed rock solid.

Love how they ride, but they are pants for holding air.

This is something I think about every time I see an E-mtb. I think they are great fun, but don’t own one.

I do wonder how they cope with real world UK mtb conditions and if the owners think a lot about how to make sure their investment is going to last a long time.

Will the ebike bubble burst in a few years due to this or are there plenty of examples of people using them all year round with no issues? Will watch this post with interest.

Wow, ok. Still the same conclusion – most brakes are inconsistent in their performance/reliability except hope.

Been really useful this as I have had such a varied experience.

Shimano are absolutely the worse brakes – so unreliable.

Sram have really poor levers (imo) from what I have seen in terms of being too fragile and the overheating thing is unacceptable. Having said that, I have some old trail 9 brakes which are rock solid and force road ones which are also solid. But generally it appears hit and miss with reliability across the whole range.

I agree with the bb7 comments, most reliable brake in the world.

Magura have given up even trying due to the new plastic levers.

Clarke’s are not worth the bother (failed after one winter).

Hope it is then.

Yep, full circle.

To be fair I wouldn’t buy anything other than hopes and I did recommend hope to my mate!

Thank you for the comments though, they have confirmed what I thought. That it appears that shimano are a bit hit and miss, as are sram and magura.

You are close to the absolute gravel Mecca which is Aberfoyle. If you use komoot search for Gravelfoyle and see if you can find Kerry Mcphees collection. That’ll do ya!!

I would look at decathlon – TREKKING INFLATABLE MATTRESS TREK 700 AIR XL

This is a backpacking mat – but I have used it in winter, sleeping on a damp stone floor where it was so cold people’s shoes froze and I was toasty.

Comfiest mat I have used.

@scutler Shhhhhh!!!!!

I would totally be up for a full timed loop including all the full on stages, could be a new format?

Speedduro? Xduro? Encountry?

I beat my mates by hours in terms of the whole loop but lost significantly in terms of the stages!

An excellent excuse for a new type of bike…

The results for the epic still appear to use the total stage times to dictate standings rather than journey time.

Can’t see any difference between that and the normal enduro.

Oooo, the epic might be more my thing. Well, I will have a look at the times people got round in and then decide!”

Think that is a good idea about being able to practice stage 1 and 2.

PS – anyone know the difference between the Epic and Sport?

Stage 7 was unrideable when I hit it, a torrential shower hit just as I started riding and made super slippy. Then my mech snapped off!

My mates who were a stage behind said by the time they hit it, it was bone dry and super fast! It’s nuts how much it dries there.

Ace weekend though, superb route, all other stages where absolutely amazing deffo recommend it. Tyre choice is important though – a DHF on the rear was not the ideal choice!

Just focusing on the “maintain it myself” idea…

If you get a multi pivot bike then doing the bearings is an involving job – absolutely in the grasp of most competent home mechanics.

The bike is a sun of parts – so the less parts means less to maintain which does point to a single pivot bike.

Such as an Orange.

I have ridden them for years and they are all generally very capable pretty light bikes.

I have moved away onto a transition due to repeated cracking issues with oranges – this is resolved now so don’t worry – but as the transition is multi pivot it requires a lot more maintenance.

Just my tuppence.

I kind of agree @continuity, sure others will be along soon to disagree! Done Swaledale loads and I do love it.

Also thought about heading across the Lakes as I am up that way already.

@greyspoke, I run 42’s and have used mudguards with plenty of clearance. I have some 55’s which also fit (without guards).

I think 2” mtb tyres would be fine to be honest.

Thanks all.

I have done the PBW and settle loops and agree they are good, but was looking for something different. Might even just head over to NY moors…

So, I wouldn’t touch a anything carbon from PX/On One based on a few cracked C456’s.

However, I love their steel and ti frames. Had a Kaffenback which was an absolute stalwart.

I now have a Titus Goldrush Ti frame and it is amazing. Really well built, high quality and rides like a dream.

I can’t recommend the Goldrush enough, probably a life time bike for me.

Thanks for the ideas, might just take my gravel bike with me and do a gravel ride on the Friday…

2 days was really enjoyable, wind direction helps as the prevailing wind is west to east which is the direction I rode.

Did it on a fully rigid 29er with a hub gear and pre-gravel gravel tyres, flat bars with ergon bar ends and grips.

None of it is technical or requiring an MTB it’s hybrid/gravel heaven.

Plus one for a cheap stick on garnin mount. Very secure, not massively noticeable when not on your bike.

Just make sure your case holds your phone securely.

What years are good in terms of reliability?

Not sure what euro 4 means.

Anyone??

That’s cool, I do not discriminate on the basis of bike type!

As the haters say, gravel bikes are just crap mountain bikes, so an actual mountain bike will be super duper.

Would be cool to meet up.