Article here: http://www.bikepacking.com/gear/flat-pedals-for-touring-bikepacking/

DMR V12 wore out quite quickly as I recall.

I’ve got the Whyte Gisburn which has the same F&F as the Friston. I use it for exactly the riding you describe and like mine a lot :-)

A full frame bag would carry your luggage and laptop (your most challenging item to carry IMO) if you get the right one. You could then mount a couple of bottles on cages from your saddle triathlon style.

I’ve no idea on the effect of the full frame bag on your aerodynamics but it must be better than a rack and pannier.

Thanks chaps, with a bit of fettling and an extra dose of patience I’ve got it all working.

I wasn’t sure that the 10Spd shifters would work with the 10Spd XT front mech and it may be that it shouldn’t but it is :-) :-)

I got this one and am very happy with it :-)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00JEDOXN4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I’m just back from my first ride (average speed 12.4Mph, max speed 26.3Mph) on my Whyte Gisburn with 1X11, 38T front with 10/42 cassette. I found it really good and would recommend it.

I have a Swift in XL that might ease your pain?!
Thanks for the offer, I had a large but didn’t feel the love :-(

A friend of the wife was presented with a Happy Anniversary card instead of a Valentines card by her husband.

Suffice to say it wasn’t their anniversary and she was not impressed!

Thanks for the responses so far, keep them coming.

I’ve been told the value of the scheme for PD 11 tax purposes is approx. £2400 for the family and it was explained to me I’d pay 40% (my tax rate) on this, hence £960 PA, or £80/month.

There’s lot’s of good advice available via the ACAS website as recommended as above, there was even a Freephone number where you could speak to an advisor.

IME, (within the organisation I work for) prior to a disciplinary hearing there must be an investigation to establish the facts.
You should then be advised in writing, not less than 48 hours in advance of the hearing, with copies of any written evidence to be used in the hearing supplied to you.
The hearing will then be carried out by a person not involved with the investigation.

Failure to follow the above is breaking the employment laws as I understand it.

Good luck

SS Great Britain in Bristol?

Specialized Awol/Sequoia?

I like Opticron,8X42 is ideal, if a little big, this is no problem if you’re carrying a bag of some type.
I’d say spend as much as you can afford. I had a £160 pair which I replaced with a £400pair and the difference is very noticeable :-)
Collins Bird Guide is ideal to keep at home to reference, It’s too heavy to take out on the bike IMO.

Genesis Fortitude Adventure-Hack and Commuter, ridden everywhere :-)
Thorn Raven-Utility trailer puller
Specialized Diverge DSW-Bought for Gravel and Road but not feeling the love…
Genesis High Latitude, built up rigid for bike packing and didn’t do any…

OP-I’m the same height as you and would be looking at XL in the Genesis Vagabond and the Specialized AWOl.

Thanks and bump for the weekend crowd.

10 speed road shifters will work with a 9 speed mountain rear mech on a 10 speed mountain cassette.

Salsa Firestarter here in steel as I wanted the additional bosses for waterbottles/anything cages.

I’m running an eight speed hub that was chosen over eleven speed for its reliability for the sort of stuff you describe.

It’s been bombproof so far and has had nothing done to it. You just need to ensure that the yellow dots on the hub are aligned to prevent any miss indexing.

Another vote for Shimano Saints from me. I’d buy another pair tomorrow :-)

I’ve had a couple of pairs of 324’s and far prefer the spiky steel frame. I had a pair of XT SPD/Platforms with a cast alloy platform, like those you are considering and found them to be very slippery when wet, so much so I thought they were dangerous and got rid of them.

It will depend on what shoes you wear. I was inevitably wearing Merrel approach type shoes, rather than proper shoes.

Google Pro-bolt. I’ve used them in the past :-)

No-one recommending a Specialized Diverge?

No-one recommending a Specialized Diverge?

Nice work, very practical and with some nice shiny bits :-)

:-)

Jmatlock,

I’m interested why you would choose the Slate over the Diverge as I’m currently deciding on a similar purchase.

Other than the SCS rear wheel standard which is specific/peculiar (dependant on your viewpoint) to Specialized and they are expensive (IMO) compared to everything else I’ve looked at, it’s a job to find anything negative about them.

Cheers,
Steve

Thanks guys.

Scotroutes, why the 9speed MTB mech with the road shifters?

I have and can recommend the Wildcat Harness and Partial Framebags and a Revelate Seatpack.

In my experience, I wouldn’t recommend it.

I have one on my Thorn Raven Commuter/Utility bike but as long as its dry I’d generally ride something else, for commuting usually my Genesis Fortitude with an eight speed Alfine hub.
The Rholoff hub itself is well worn in, having been in 3 different frames. I find it is noisy and draggy in some gears. They are also expensive as an initial outlay, but you would probably recoup this in the long run. Mine has had regular oil changes and a new sprocket and is on its second rim.

The major advantages for me are minimal maintenance and the ability to change gear whilst stationary, the ability to change through multiple gears with a simple twist of the shifter and the shear rugged dependability of the hub unit itself.

There is lots of information on the hub on the SJSC site.

I’m in much the same position myself but it must be disc brakes for me. The current favourite is a Giant TCX SLR on bike to work.

I’ve partaken of a couple of Baileys laden Latte’s this afternoon as a starter.

Cheers guys, I’ve got a Fortitude with a 8 speed Alfine, but I need a bigger spread of gears.

2015 Longitudes were sold out in the spring and I’m not all that struck on the 2016 version, come to that I done think I want +tyres.

And some 2015 bikes have been out of stock for several months IME.

I was told a month ago the 20.5″ Longitude frames had sold out and it would be a case of waiting for 2016 models to filter through.

Specialized AWOL can take tyres that size, but I’m not sure if it will take guards as well?

Anywhere got any stock of 20.5″ frames?

I’ve a Rholoff on my Thorn Raven Tour, though I have other bikes with derailleurs and another with an Alfine Hub set up.

The Rholoff offers very easy maintenance, the ability to shift gears when stationary, the ability to ride through any trail conditions and keep going.

The downsides, some people don’t like the grip shifter and all the transmission weight is at the centre of the rear wheel, this isn’t an issue for me as my wheels seldom leave the trail.