TheBrick, have you already entered? As the event is now full and you will be placed on a waiting list, so you may not get an entry to it.

No experience with that frame. But for others I’ve found if you put a small bend/kink in the last inch of the cable you are feeding through helps. As you feed it in, you can then rotate the cable around to find the exit hole a lot easier than you can with a straight cable.

I find the alipkit ones good. They come with 3 different lenses

https://alpkit.com/collections/sunglasses/products/spectra-cycling-sunglasses

Whitestone, thank you for sharing that picture. They roll up a lot smaller than my existing mat

Cheers for replies. Off to look at the Exped Synmat stuff

I have a Garmin Edge Explore. That will do what you are after. Simply follow map on screen or load a route and follow it.

You’ll want to install Open Street Maps. See
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/08/how-to-install-free-maps-on-your-garmin-edge.html

TJ, out of interest it looks like you have attached a pannier bag on the back of your trailer. How have you done that, is it some sort of custom rack mounted to trailer, or is it just held in place with bungee cord?

And what type of camping chair do you take?

To me that doesn’t seem comfortable. I’m not saying it isn’t. If you find that comfortable then that is great and it works for you, so it must be otherwise you wouldn’t do it.

Where as I am happy to carry more weight, I like more space in a tent and want a few more comforts. Even if I carry stuff I don’t use. Your whole sleeping set up is much lighter than just my tent. I could go a lot lighter, but to me carrying an extra few kilos of kit on the bike is no big deal.

I’m not saying your setup is wrong, it just wouldn’t work for me. I don’t do any racing like you do, so that is maybe one of the reasons I’m not bothered about the weight.

I sometimes wish I could try and do light weight setup like you do, as I find these lightweight bikepacking interesting, but I don’t think I would enjoy it.

If you really want a something for touring with heavy load carrying ability what about a Salsa Blackborow?

https://salsacycles.com/bikes/blackborow/2020_blackborow_gx_eagle

Bit overkill, but there wouldn’t be much you couldn’t carry on that!

Can’t really comment on the Surly Ogre, but I have a LHT and that seems fine fully loaded, it actually feels better the more weight you have on it.

Was it the frame that was flexing or the rack? Some racks flex more than others.

Having a stiffer frame will be fine when loaded, but probably will be very harsh when unloaded.

Daft suggestion, the rear tyre wasn’t too soft? As too low a pressure can make the extra weight move around a bit more, due to the flex in the tyre sidewall.

Look at Plus500, app is easy to use and has a demo mode, where you can practice. But if you do use real money beware as it is CFD’s (Google will explain what these are much better than I can), and you can loose money very quickly.

But if you do get a profit in demo mode, it does not mean you will necessarily make a profit in real trading.

As above, nothing.
Just shift it into what would be the big ring, that will stop any movement in the lever and keep it under a little bit of tension. But you don’t really need to do that.

Unfortunately there isn’t really a big 2nd hand market for touring bikes like there is for road, gravel or mtb’s. Touring bikes aren’t really replaced as often as other bikes, where riders often change every year or two to keep up with the latest trends. Owners tend to keep touring bikes for many years.

I’m biased and would recommend a Surly LHT, but that’s as I have one and very happy with it.

Another recommendation would be to look for a 2nd hand Ridgeback, they had a nice couple of steel touring bikes in their range. They come with disc brakes and if you prefer they also did a flat bar version.

They have started felling trees near the red trail, just before the descent to blackling hole. So there is a few unofficial trails out of use around there.

I really wouldn’t defend a Conservative over anything.
But what about innocent until proven guilty?

If guilty then they deserve their nuts cutting off and being put in prison for life.

Cheers for replies.
No idea on weight i’d carry, normally when touring i tend to pack way to much plus the kitchen sink. Usually 4 panniers, bar bag and tent on rack. So I will probably not be doing a minimalist approach to what I carry if bikepacking, also my camping kit is not the lightest

Did you beep your horn at him earlier? If so maybe he is going to take his revenge and hunt you down. See trailer for ‘Unhinged’ the new Russell Crowe film.

But random people do random stuff. Would just forget about it.

Because it is a Surly!!

My Surly LHT does seem to roll very nicely despite its vast weight and low quality build kit. Its not fast like road bikes are, and is slow to accelerate, but with the weight it just seems to roll along happily on the flat soaking up the bumps and eating up the miles. Just wish I got to use it on more touring trips.

It is fantastic, but as sharkattack mentions its not all like that.
There is some bad bits.
But most of the Northumberland coast really is stunning

1 hardtail. Its my one and only mtb.

Do you need the space or money? If so sell it. If not keep it.
I have several road bikes, could easily sell one, but not desperate for money or space so happy to keep more than one type of the same style of bike.
Also if you keep the orange you could use it in worse conditions and keep other bike for best.

That See.sense bag looks ideal.👍
Shame about it being August delivery

TJ, when making any kit you might need a special sewing machine to do the flat stitching that you find on most kit, it has a proper name, but can’t remember what it is called. Most home sewing machines can’t do that, or at least that is what my wife tells me when I’ve asked her to repair any of my kit when the stitching has come away. And she is pretty handy with the sewing machine.

Nobeer, I get that. But motorbike kit is there to protect you in the event of an accident. And protect you from the weather.

Cycling kit, I get it wicks away moisture and is classed as technical fabric. It has to fit to your body while cycling, but I still see it as overpriced for what it is. I know there is the r&d cost, but after that it will be made in some Chinese sweatshop for next to nothing.

Have to agree with cycling kit being overpriced. Some companies must be making a fortune.

Not just on the cycling kit but also on the bikes. Compared to the cost of motorbikes cycling is ridiculous

A

Wouldn’t buy a bike without one.

Apart from a quick ride to the shops, I will not use a backpack. I really hate riding with them. Stopped using a camelback about 20years ago.

Something I would like to see on all bikes is a splined steerer tube and stem.

Could see it adding a bit of weight and may seem overkill, but at least your bars would always be 100% lined up with the front wheel and not out of line a few degrees because you didn’t line it up properly when tightening your stem up.

Or maybe that is just me and my dodgy eyes, that thinks this as an issue!

Service forks? So you are actually meant to do that? 😳
Last bike must have been 12 years and didn’t service them. Current bike haven’t touched them in 3 years!

Do you know what the vehicles are and do you know what sort of price you want for them? Maybe worth saying on here to see if anyone is interested. Could save you a bit of time if you already have potential buyers lined up.

I ended up with the mother in laws car after she died, took a while to get rid. So last thing you want is to have to either rush to sell them, or have to extend your time back here just to get rid of some vehicles

Road or mtb bars?

If mtb bars how about a Surly Bridge club? 27.5 wheels ideal for bridalways and tow paths and then get a set of 700c wheels for more road duties. Comes with all the rack mounts you need.

https://www.bikemonger.co.uk/surly-bridge-club-13776-p.asp

Possibly off a bike light?

Probably where I live if it wasn’t for smack heads, crime and the general scrotes in the area.

Otherwise would have to be Iceland

A Marin Mount Vision. First and only time I bought a full sus, in about 2000, rode it, thought it was ok at first, well it was a big upgrade over fully rigid I had before it. But never really liked it. Bought a hard tail not too long after and then got rid of Mount Vision.

Just didn’t like the energy sapping feel of it, and much prefer riding a hard tail, it suits my riding. Apart from one 5 minute ride of a mates bike I’ve never rode another full sus since.

Keep thinking of buying another full sus, but don’t want to shell out a load of money and not enjoy it.

Do you think it is definitely the screen and not something else? Possibly stress, has anything changed with her job?

I say this as after changing jobs about 6 years ago I started suffering with regular migraines. Thought it was due to using computers more often than previously role. For 5 years I struggled with them, tried changing screen settings, stopped drinking caffeine, made sure I drank plenty of water and tried taking regular breaks from screen time, but still had them.

Changed jobs nearly a year ago and now spend all day sat at computer, but never had another migraine since (hope I haven’t jinxed myself). Think it was the stress of the job that caused mine. I’m much happier in my new job and it is less stressful.

Tap or thread restoring tool depending on how damaged the threads are.

boblo, we originally planned to get train to Dumfries and then ride back to the north east, via the borders and kielder forest with a couple of wild camps.

But if it’s just me then probably head over to south lakes, up the coast then back via hadrian cycle route. Then save the Dumfries trip for another time when my mate can make it.

boblo, that is one nice tourer. Looks really good with the silver bars stem and seatpost.

The route you did from cambs to hull might not take sound exciting, but having toured that area a few times, I found it really enjoyable and lots of nice quiet roads just to cruise along, would happily have another trip round that way.

I’ve also a mate who is a serial planner, unfortunately that’s usually as far as it gets, as life gets in the way and most trips with him never happen, but the ones we’ve done have been good. We should have been away this month, but hopefully when covid settles down we are hoping for a trip in September or October.

Haven’t had my mtb out as local trails aren’t that good for it and prefer cx bike for them. But the local trails are busier than ever with walkers, runners and cyclists, which is really good to see.

The road riding is great at the moment.
Main roads and roads in the towns are the quietest I’ve ever seen them, but for me I would say that the country roads were quieter during foot and mouth crisis than they are now.

But I am not complaining at all. Enjoying the riding while it is like this.

That is some work, looks interesting. Must have taken a long time to do that.

With all them holes in it I would imagine it would whistle when going fast. I wouldn’t like to put my life into brake that had been drilled out

Know anyone with a 1/2 drive impact driver you could borrow? Sounds brutal but works a treat.

For any bottom brackets with the internal splined tools, I gave up trying to use a spanner to turn it out as the bottom bracket tool keeps jumping out of the splines.

So now I will only use my dewalt impact driver to change bottom brackets. Not even 10 seconds and it’s out. Tool doesn’t jump out of the splines either.

The latest Charlie’s Angels. Wife wanted to watch it. What a load of rubbish!