+1 for the Coronado’s, they work really well and seem to be good alternative

Nice, I’ll check that out.

If anyone wants a south downs one: SD300

my pedalboard

I give up, one day i’ll post a pic!

Here’s mine

Not seen his YouTube channel before, I think I’ll have a go with that over the next few days…..

I’ve got a Stage 4 and my wife has the Stage 5. She got hers the year before me and we both test rode lots of bikes first. I went from a 160mm 650B Orbea Rallon to the Stage 4, it’s more than enough for 99% of my riding. My one concern was that I may be a bit underbiked when I wen to Moab and Sedona as I’d taken the Orbea previously, but TBH the orange was totally fine. I love the way it rides, it’s way more sprightly than the Orbea was and way lower maintenance. We both ride all year round, whatever the weather and the prospect of having two pivot bearings in stead of the ten in the Orbea was very appealing. I’ve done 3000 miles on it in a year and definitely have no complaints at all.

When I did it I didn’t even go to the official start, we just rode to the Uni and then didn’t bother going in. Managed to get underway not in a big pack so the first part was fine.

Top tip: watch out on the chalky bit at the bottom of the descent from Harting car park, it’s mega slippery even when it’s dry!

OK on the Worthing section today, some puddles, but otherwise alright

I went last year and did Sedona, Grand Canyon, Moab and Fruita. I’d say do Fruita stuff first, we found we were so battered from six days at Moab that when we got to Fruita (which seemed to be smoother and more flowy) we were just too knackered to make the most of it.

Whole Enchilada, Navajo Rocks, Slickrock, Moab Brands, Amasa Trails were all good fun. Whole Enchilada is just *awesome*.

As stated above the shops in each town are a great source of trail information and a good way to drain your wallet too!!

Fruita brewery is great, and the Hot Tomato for ace pizza.

Try the L2B offroad route down to the SDW then turn right towards winchester, go as far as you fancy. Loads of places to tuck yourself away for the night and plenty of villages with pubs and cafes to drop off the hill to.

Stage 4 here, love it! Fast, light(ish), descends like something with way more travel. It replaced a 160mm Orbea Rallon and I’ve not found the travel limiting yet.

Link

One day I’ll manage to embed an image!

I love my Ice Cream Truck, it’s a tank, but you can pretty much do whatever you like on it.

Surrey Hills

Just done an Arizona, Utah, Colorado road trip, I’m on three and it was 3G only, though through the top of Arizona there was really no signal at all. Utah and Colorado were OK in reasonable sized towns.

You’re right there Mark Graylish, I passed through in mid july on my way to phoenix airport after I finished my divide trip. We rode the slickrock at five in the morning and it was still too hot! Spent the rest of the day in the swimming pool and anywhere that had air conditioning! Looking forward to returning with Rubber_Buccaneer in September, hopefully it’ll be a little cooler…..

http://sussexmtb.southdownshosting.co.uk/2016/12/28/23/

I did a mixture of Tim Woodcock’s route with all the wet weather options in and a bit of my own thing where I felt like it. We stayed in YHA’s and a private bunkhouse too.

A good trip, but five days would have made it a bit more enjoyable than four, we were always under pressure to keep moving.

Jimbosussexmtb

I had “issues” with the FC as I used to do MTB coaching there. As far as they are concerned the only trails you can legally go on are the bridleways running through the area, all other paths are off limits.

Of course we all take notice of that ;-)

I use the exposure revo and red eye, I started with the SP dynamo, but have changed to a Son hub as it would appear they are a bit more durable / last longer.

I made my own switch box with bits from Maplin and use a B and M E-werk for charging.

You can see what I did here: Powering the gadgets[/url]

It was a bit nippy! Not bad though.

I’m bivvying out up there somewhere tomorrow night, where are you planning on stopping?

I bivvy on it all year round, you’ll be fine!

Camping by Boulder River on the Divide

Boulder river camp site by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

Round the IOW this summer

JB104274 by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

Wessex way / NCN4 this summer

Wessex Bikepacking Trip by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

Ferry hopping on the NCN 2 this summer

NCN2 Trip – Hamble ferry by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

Getting some air at the Brighton Big Dog race by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

Ice Cream Truck by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

The ICT is a big old lump for sure, mine weighs 39lbs with a dropper post and a Bluto fork. That said it really doesn’t feel like it. It’s way more nimble than it has any right to be in singletrack. It does feel like it will be around longer than me though! Definitely overbuilt, but very confidence inspiring.

Ice Cream Truck by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

Got a bit tweaky on the #icecreamtruck this afternoon ** ** @intergalacticsurlybikes @surlysociety @surlybikesuk @surlysteel #surly #icecreamtruck #ICT #fatbike_29plus_life #fatbike #fatbiker #fatbiking #fatbikeworld #fatbikedotcom #26aintdead #itjustgotf by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

Love the ICT, lots of fun to ride, you can do whatever you want on it!

Day 2 on the trail by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

Somewhere near Elk Pass

Happy boat is happy by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

Can’t remember whether this one is on here already or not, I’m sure you will have seen it on your travels wwaswas

Yeah Pont Scethin a good choice, the long loop out into the countryside at NyA is great too. But if you don’t enjoy remote bridleways and farm tracks don’t bother! There are some really fun sections out in the middle of nowhere, I loved it!

I’m cheating and doing a team of ten, with Rubber Buccaneer and some others, I’ll be riding my Son’s Superfly 6 as my Sync has cracked and it’s outside warranty :-(

@birdage no, I sold the tripster to buy the ICT, my Sync has cracked

Good it’s not just me then, yesterday afternoon I had to leave dealing with customers to the others as I was a snotty crying mess! Double dose today to see if it helps…..

There you go @discoverworthing, but I’ll have to go back for a better one when the sun isn’t half on it by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

Ice Cream Truck by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

Love my Ice Cream Truck and assuming they ever come back into stock I’ll be getting a Krampus sometime this summer as I’ve cracked my Kinesis frame and it’s out of warranty

As per usual the mighty Travers was faultless today, 83 miles, the longest ride I’ve done for ages

Hit by a motorbike, put in a coma, serious head injury. Went back to work six months later on limited hours, found I couldn’t do it anymore. Had a complete career change, but can still only manage two days work a week though. Got bugger all income, but happy to be alive and able to ride a bike. Jenn inspired me and last year I had a crack at the divide with my son, made it to Butte and it was the best trip ever! Only trouble is I’ve got to go back and finish it off now ;-)

View from the toilet seat! by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

Lluest Cwm Bach bothy, great view from the toilet if you leave the door open

Day 25 on the trail by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

I have gorilla cages, I only use them when I’m doing something that needs me to carry extra water and I put a 1L bottle in each

Unfortunately not Andy, we never saw anyone about while we were there, we did savage the stored M&M’s and other chocolate though ;-)

I was just reading the Cranked interview with Mike Hall, he got to Helena on his third evening, mad!

Old ones:

2006 05 kona heihei by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

DSC00512 by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

DSC03267 by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

Current ones:

Photo by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

It was a tough ride in this morning, my legs felt like lead, however at least I finally had the Sync back together so I had a light bike to ride

On the trail day 17 by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

Travers Rusty by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

February 2017 Bivvy by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

Photo by Jim Barrow[/url], on Flickr

I’ve had mine a little over a year now, it’s had various incarnations of handlebar set ups while I sorted out a decent position for the divide. It’s a great bike, fast, comfortable, capable. I’ve got a rigid fork on mine, I reckon it would be a lot of fun with a suspension fork, but as I have other bikes with front suspension I though I’d keep it like this for bikepacking duties and long rides.