Not the Alp-X but I have a Gore Phantom in medium and I’m more or less the same build as you. 34 waist, 33 chest but a little shorter.

Fits nicely with a thinnish layer or two underneath.

I’ve had some black iridiums for years but would never use them for cycling unless you were permanently in bright sunlight. They are perfect for on holiday as they block out all glare but keep all colour and contrast.

Rode Tunnel Hill at the weekend (not that far away) and it was the driest it has been for months. Rain due tomorrow morning though so that’s bound to change

Its near the axel. Looks like one of the pins only goes into the pedal rather than sticking out. Will need an allen key to unscrew.

Vans Gravels. Before that I was using Salomon trail shoes but the pins were trashing them and my feet were freezing.

Vans seem solid and the grippy waffle soles really hang on to the pins

Instructions say 5 identical strips but I know the ones around the brace don’t need to be as long and I ended up cutting more off

Loving my Gore Phantom too. Currently temperatures of about 5 degrees mean just a long sleeve base layer underneath is enough – nice and toasty.

Very windproof, not tested its water resistance yet.

I ride in Salomon XA Pro trail shoes. Grip nicely but are no good in winter as their uppers are like running shoes (maybe the Goretex lined ones are better). Waiting for my Vans Gravels to come ….from Austria as I have small feet too!

Never ridden it but walked it and the area is simply stunning. Then again so is much of NZ with some great riding around Hamner Springs (a couple of hundred south of Queen Charlotte) and Rotorua in the north island.

Off there again in the spring for 3 weeks in a campervan so hopefully get a couple of days riding in myself.

Was fine on Thursday but it rained a bit that night, not much but enough to keep those roots nice and glossy. The wind today seems to be drying things off nicely though.

Yep shed loads of roots and slippy too. I’ve ridden bits of the course over the last week and it was drying out nicely although it did rain last night…

Am heading that way at lunchtime today. Must have a look around. Is there a map anywhere? Assume it starts by the green?

Blocked by work firewal. Labelled as ‘suspicious’

These look very much like the ones I got from On-One this week. Paid £24 each – 2010 models. No mention of tubeless.

The one in 3 weeks time is at Porridgepot where I while away the odd hour.

Spent some time there the day before yesterday and was fine with a NN up front and a Conti X-King at the back. Nothing deep and nasty just a little bit slippy. Climbs were fine with no lack of traction.

The area does drain really well though and is fine within hours of bad rain. Can’t see it getting too much worse by then.