A late update; in answer to the question how did the ride go?

Once again a long hard slap of reality in the face. I’m woefully unfit, which I knew, but small uphills proved very, very tough (friends on regular bikes walked alongside me). Even match fit you’ll never progress uphill beyond walking pace. So rather demoralising – though the down hill bits proved fun. Also the bike I had (Sport-on XCR) was frickin massive. It took three people to get it into my house and when placed into an estate car the rear wheels were touching the tailgate and the front wheel (deflated) was on the dashboard. So nowhere to store it and without a van or trailer no way to transport it (apart from removing all the wheels & it had no quick release). So though it was great to be out with mates on the trails again, it was all rather depressing.

I mentioned to one of the other riders about a company in Southern Germany that makes a handbike that breaks down (proaktiv-gmbh). Hey presto said friend (who also happens to be German) called the firm and last week a rep from Germany turned up at my home in SE London with an offroad demo-handbike. I tried it and after some soul searching I put down a deposit (what you should do versus what you want to do). Once built to my measurements it’ll arrive in about 10 weeks.

I’m in the lucky position that I can afford to buy such a bespoke and horribly expensive piece of equipment (even without VAT); imagine an Orange 5 RS kitted out to the nines and you’d still have change for an Orange Clockwork.

I went for this bike as it also comes with German built Neo-Drive (regenerative electric assist). I realised that if I’m riding with the non-crippled (friends & family) then its not tenable for them to spend most of the time walking alongside me. I was always diametrically opposed to e-bikes on the trails, but once again I find reality proved what I can and can’t do. It also makes me think that e-bikes have a place for the ever ageing MTBer (all of you reading this in 10,20 or 30 years).

I will try to post updates, mainly for other spinal injury cyclists to refer to.

franksinatra – Member

If finance is one of the barriers to you getting rolling again I’d like to donate. Dont be shy.

That’s a very kind offer to a stranger. Nope, money is not the issue here (Though prices across the board for disabled stuff is crazy – my wheelchair cushion costs £425 and is only good for about 3 years).

At the moment the demo hand-cycle is taking up space in my living room (only place it’ll fit in the house). If I do get one I’ll have to think about building secure storage outside and building a gate in the garden fence wide enough to get it through. Also I’d probably need to have a bespoke roof rack made or get a trailer if I want to go further afield. But anyway I’m getting ahead of myself…..a 7 am ride tomorrow on local trails will be a brutal reality check.

My brother has just come out of Stoke Mandeville, whilst it is a first class facility, it in no way prepares you for the real world in a wheelchair!

Yup. Stoke Mandeville is great, we’re very lucky to have it. But its easy in there (not that the physios don’t push you). Once outside its tough. My consultant at SM said on the first day (when you’re usually still in bits); “wait until you get out there, thats when you’ll meet the vultures.” He didn’t believe in sugar coating it.

I hope your brother manages to find a coping mechanism that works for him and gets good support.

I’m going to keep adding to this thread in the hope it may be of help to others.

I picked up an On-Sport XCR recumbent hand bike from Draft Wheelchairs near Cambridge. I’ve got it for the weekend to demo. By God its long. It fitted (just) into a Toyota Auris Estate, with the front passenger seat folded flat and front tyre deflated. Its about 220 cm long. I’ve got a ride planned on Sunday; local bridleways etc. A friend rang me last night. He was out walking the trails and wanted some measurements of the handbike as he was working out where we could go. Humbling.

Thanks for all the positive feedback & links. Its taken me two years to start thinking about this stuff again. I spent time in rehab at Stoke Mandeville and had a go on some road hand bikes and was surprised at the speed you could get up to (until my arms nearly fell off). Rehab at somewhere like Stoke is easy; its once you get back to the real world that things seem daunting. I haven’t kept up my exercise regime (which is extremely tedious) so hand cycling is hopefully going to kill two birds with one stone; get me back in to the great outdoors and get me fitter (which is exactly what mountain biking used to do for me).

So I love the look of the Sport-On Explorer:
Explorer

Set up with electrical assist this could be the perfect gravity bike. I’d love to go back to the Alps on one of those. But I’d need a garage, a van and a slightly bigger wallet. I saw the fat bike version last week. Its as big as a quad bike (& probably more expensive).

A recumbandt off roader seems to be more flexible and more comfortable for longer trails.Again its all the practical issues; storage, transport and cost. So I’ll probably demo one, tag along with the old gang for a ride and see how it all falls out (or rather how I fall out).

Wow some pretty impressive info there.

As I’m a T4 complete which means no muscle control below my chest, so I think I need something with support. So I’ve been looking at recumbent off road hand cycles with electric support.

Hand bike test

I bought my son a XS Kona FS frame from Winstanley; 120mm travel. Took the 24″ wheels off his Kona hard tail plus short cranks drive train etc. It worked fine for him (up to age 13) I put 26 inch wheels on this year and a 120mm fork and it seems to be a good fit now. He was on a 24 inch Kona hard tail until he was about 10 yrs old. I think at 8 I’d be looking at a second hand 24 inch HT frame/bike.

Like this ? Kona 24 inch

I’ve ridden at Val d’Allos; trails were dry & dusty. there was a bit of rain but nothing compared to my 5 day wash out last July at Beaufortain (we even had snow) with TA. Cold, muddy & miserable. I’m off to Pra Loup / Barcelonnette and then north to Les Arcs this summer.

Here’s a vid I made from Val d’Allos

There’s only 1 or 2 days riding max at the park at Val D’Allos, and its all bit French ski resort DH if you know what I mean. But if you explore the VTT trails then there’s a lot more; I rode a couple of trails futrther down the valley as marked on the tourist office VTT maps and they were good. But they’re basically footpaths, and though they’re way marked you’ll need a map and sometimes they’re a bit sketchy:

hmm surprised that I’m common as muck, but I think thats just the blanket term for being a Northerner.

DrP – Member
Just buy the bonty flash charger and be done with it!
It’s £85 with online discounts, and will put an end to all these threads!!!

DrP

I whole heartedly agree with this. But in the meantime……..guess what I’ll be doing tonight

The most dangerous thing about this is trying to drink 3lt of coke.

I seated one bead of tyre with a tube, removed tube, replaced valve and pumped up. Success. 6 am this morning, flat tyre. Took skinny tyred bike out for free ride duties. Doh.

mikewsmith – Member
Tubeless ready tyre on tubeless rim?

tubeless tyres (UST) on tubeless rims (Hope enduros). the tyre has been on a mavic UST wheel before. sigh. some combos are just a pain. maxis on UST rims are a breeze. straight up no bother. bonty TLRs on bonty TLR rims again easy. But I find conti tyres are a pain

yes i should make up a ghetto compressor; but thought I’d wait for the airshot.

Pra Loup. Lots of trails in Ubaye Valley and the lifts at Pra Loup (open late June?).

Hans Rey & DA in Ubaye Valley

mmmm maybe they messed up? I picked up the premium strap HRM in store and checked their online price, clicked collect and took to till with my order number. Its got the soft grey strap.

Handtec are doing it at that price. I just needed a new one this weekend and was surprised I could get it at that price in store (in a roundabout way).

iainc – Member
Some people die of cancer, some people die with cancer. If I remember prostate cancer rarely kills people but is quite common.
as a 49 yr old who has recently had treatment for Prostate Cancer this is spot on. The surgeon explained to me that something like 90% of us blokes will die with prostate cancer, but only 10% will die of it. I sure hope I’m not in the latter group Many more cancers are being picked up at early stages than they were historically and this is pushing up the stats behind this 50% headline.

As a fellow rider keeps pointing out, the likelihood of developing prostate cancer in men over 50 is 55%; he’s over 50 and every time he stops for a pee, we comment on the state of his prostate, hence his reply that once we hit 50 we’re more likely to get prostate cancer than not. But as above when my grandfather died he had prostate cancer, but it was the emphysema that killed him. oh happy days.

Mmmmmm. I ordered large duff bag nearly 7 weeks ago. No reply to enquiry via website. I think another query is in order. It’s good these duff bag threads keep emerging, otherwise i’d forget I’d ever ordered a duff bag.

For me the issue is the attitude of ‘which party is going to make me better off’?

Our taxes help provide for a better & fairer society. If we, the better paid and well off pay more tax to help the poorer part of the population, irrespective of their ‘deservedness’, we help support a well funded universal National Health Service then we all benefit from a more equitable society. Otherwise we slowly slide towards an Americanised state of affairs. Eventually the haves (people with jobs, houses and healthcare) living behind gates keeping the poor at bay.

Sometimes we have to ‘take one for the team’. Our household no longer receives child benefit. If that helps secure funding further down the ladder all the better, if it funds tax cuts for the likes of me, then that’s as bad as it gets.

5thElefant – Member
Tax? You’ve stopped taking a handout. Bask in your moral superiority.

+1

that’s one of the reasons the state of the country’s finances are buggered; people going into the ballet box thinking how can I stuff my wallet?

I work for a small company; I bought the bike with my CC. I had bike shop generate a VAT invoice made out to my company for £1,000 who then repaid me the £1000. I then repaid the £1,000 to my company minus VAT, monthly, taken directly at PAYE. At the end of the 12 annual repayments the company invoiced me for the bike at a market value and ownership passed to me. At the time £1000 was the max allowed without the CCL. If I do it again, I’ll put more than £1k on the C2W scheme.

I wouldn’t recommend Morzine for family MTB holiday, too many big boys on big bikes hooning down the trails (guilty)

I’ve taken kids on mtbs to Verbier, Les Arcs, La Clusaz, Val D’Allos (this year Les Arcs & Pra Loup)

La Clusaz is good: quiet trails, good lifts & child friendly

Les Arcs have great lift system, nice blue & green trails & fire roads that you can enjoy riding from mountain top to valley. Kids rode here at 7 & 9 yrs old

We camp but there are cheap chalets & log cabins (esp at Les Arcs)

There’s some nice stuff on Redlands; I think a trail like Turning Japanese should be safe as its quite discrete and there’s no built features. C’est la vie.

scotroutes – Member
They were on a Dakota, now in an Oregon. Both work well but I do prefer the larger screen on the latter.

POSTED 37 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

They’re both touch screen? How do you find using in wet/mud? How have the screens fared? Battery life?

Sorry for all the q’s

scotroutes – Member
Here’s Basecamp showing OS 1:50K

What Garmin device do you have those maps on? I’ve heard they don’t display well on the new ETREX devices (but may work well on the Dakota, Montana etc devices?) I’m thinking it may time to update my 8 yr old garmin & the maps.

Yes but my car has a decent stereo and heated seats for 8 hours of driving over two days

Just thought it may be a myth about 4x4s being poop in the snow on summers.
Pretty certain they’re summers on the mitsubishi and I’ll check the depth on the winters. Ta”

Friend in rear wheel drive Merc overtook Ranger Rover sat spinning in snow in the alps. Guess which car had the winter tyres.

scotroutes – Member
Torihada – that must be the oldest version of Basecamp I’ve ever seen. Have you not considered installing a newer version?

Brand new version of basecamp; I think you’ll find its the old Garmin TOPO maps (bought on CD not bundled on a device) The ETREX’s aren’t compatible with new maps; but I now realise the OPs newer device will get better mapping if bundled or at a price. So as usual it appears I’ve been talking outdated b*ll*cks. But I still hold to memory-map being a great piece of software.

OK, for me I only bought the Garmin maps so that I had maps on the device (it came bare).

I bought memory-,map for plotting. I also bought the memory maps on disc. I bought 1:50k a region at a time. Its about £50 for North of England. I have now put those maps from the CDs on 2 laptops and one desktop (the two laptops are still running).

here’s a good deal. memory Map outlet shop on eBay selling whole of UK @ 1:50k for £50

[/url]basecamp by iancparker[/url], on Flickr[/img]

[/url]route buddy by iancparker[/url], on Flickr[/img]

craig5 – Member
So if I’m reading this right, I can buy mapping software on an SD card (looking at the eBay £30 option) Which I can then view on a PC to plan routes & mark up a route on the map. Then stick the SD card in the Garmin and go play? But if I buy memory map I can only view and plot a route which can be saved onto the Garmin ( via cable I suppose), but then need mapping software on the Garmin in as well ( such as Garmin maps). And all these maps, except OSM are based on OS maps? I would like to point out my Garmin is still in the post.

Essentially yes. I bought genuine TOPO maps for Garmin on a CD (I’ve put these maps on 3 PCs now without issue, but so far only tried them on one device). I then transfer the maps to my Garmin GPS. But, and its a big BUT, the Garmin TOPO mapping & map source are useless for planning/plotting routes. The level of detail is not good enough. Its also restricted, so you can only view and print (on the PC) a small detail of the TOPO map due to OS licensing restrictions. Anyone serious about plotting routes will need proper OS mapping software like Memory-Map, Routebuddy, Tracklogs etc.

When you get your Garmin, download Basecamp and see if you can find any open source mapping online;

I downloaded France for Garmin from here

Again good enough for the device, better than City Navigator but not close to French 1:25k IGN

Memory-Map pays for itself as not only can you plot GPS routes/tracks and upload them to your Garmin, you can print off full OS maps. I print small sections (A4) that cover my ride plus space (for escape routes) & stick in a document cover to make it waterproof. It folds in my shorts pocket so its handy. Memory-map do waterproof printing paper.

I agree with the above neg. criticism about Garmin software.

i’ve got Garmin Etrex Legend HCX GPS. I bought Garmin TOPO mapping for it. The mapping lives in garmin mapsource. i select which mapping tiles (ie Lake district) and upload to device. That’s all. There’s no point trying to plot routes or tracks. Mapsource & now basecamp is pretty useless software for plotting routes (I’m being pretty polite about the garmin software considering I paid for the full GB topo mapping). Mapping is too restricted and the its by no means full OS. It gives you an acceptable topo map on the device. I only really use the device to follow the route and if lost get out my paper map (printed from Memory-Map)

I use 1:50k maps in Memory-Map. Very nice piece of software (I share mmo routes with fellow riders). easy to plot routes, look at elevation and 3D fly through is very good.

I’ve just bought route buddy and Lake District 1:25k mapping to use on a desk top mac MM is windows only). Memory Maps is much better; Route Buddy disabled importing gamin routes and plotting routes is not as intuitive as memory map. So much so that I’ve partitioned my mac HD via bootcamp, installed Win7 and installed my memory map software & maps on the mac. Soooo much better.

For France I buy 1:25k IGN maps from memory-map digital shop in 5k parcels. I then activate the areas I want to look at (say a valley at a time). I still have plenty of credit left from my first 5k (Les Deux Alpes, Val d’Allos, Alpe D’Huez). I have then downloaded free open source TOPO map for the garmin.

But wherever I go I always have an analogue backup; a paper map and a compass.

I use this:

tubeless repair kit

Pretty quick once you’re used to it. I’ve plugged hole in various tyres DH minions to XC mud tyres. As long as you’ve got your wheel milk in the tyre and plenty of length on the plug, which is covered in copious amounts of glue you should be fine. They won’t work on a big slash though.

I replenish the sticky plugs a with motorbike variants from eBay. Super sticky & twice as long as the bicycle specie ones.

no sign so far and no reply to recent query via their website………….but its only been 6 weeks.

thegreatape – Member
my Zafira on winter tyres is better in the snow than the Outlander in 4WD on its normal tyres – and it doesn’t get far along tracks the Defender or Hilux just chuckle at, but who does that in their family car. If your car seats fit, it would be a good family car and I would happily have one in those circumstances.

Any car in winter tyres will beat any car in non-winter tyres in the snow; friend in Alps in s class merc with winter tyres left range rover on summer tyres spinning in snow (RR driver was very annoyed/confused). But yes, Outlander is an oversize family estate that happens to have 4WD; useful in winter & in wet driving conditions. Mine spend 95% time in 2wd and when conditions get icey/snowy/muddy the 4wd goes on and full lock when its very steep (Hardknott Pass with 4 bikes on tow bar & fully laden). Better clearance than standard estate and its got me up some steep rough mountain forest tracks with bikes on tow bar, but it aint a landy/L200 etc.

bol – Member
I guess they’ll try and sort out the rubbish nav and a few other quirks when they do that.

I would never see a built in sat nav as a selling point; all the ones I’ve used in car have been crap compared to an off the shelf Garmin/TomTom, especially when you see what car manufacturers charge for them and subsequent map upgrades.

Now when travelling (work) long haul and taking LION (Lithium-ion) powered power tools; bare kit goes in the hold, batteries go in the carry on; i put electrical tape over the connectors. As I understand it, items with built in LION batteries (iPads/laptops/phones) are ok as long as in cabin luggage. I think this stems from LION batteries in the new Dreamliners shorting and starting fires (hence the requirement for electrical tape over the connectors). I assume your 6600 amy battery is not LION, therefore a non issue?

Best check with your carrier to find out their policy (print it out if you can, then if you get some over zealous security official at the airport telling you LION batteries or mega powered torch are prohibited you can show them your airlines policy).

I’ve got a 60 plate GX3 2.2 from new. On the motorway sticking to low 70’s I get 38mpg if I stick on my dog collar & stick to mid 60’s over 40mpg. Brilliant rear passenger foot room. Good sized boot: my bikes go on tow bar; which is remove able to accommodate rear tail gate. I like driving position, good visibility. Can be a little light on the front end. I bought 60 plate as that’s when Mitsubishi put in their own engines (rather than the peugots).

I enjoy driving it for long journeys (most so far 700 miles in a day) drivers position good especially with cruise control. I expect to drive it for the next 7yrs at least.

Installed bootcamp & Win7; make sure you allocate enough space for your bootcamp partition. I increased to 50gb (after I filled 20gb nearly immediately). Running memory map smoothly. All on 4gb memory 2013 MBP 13 inch, non-retina. I forgot how much I dislike windows, but apart from that, a cheap solution to get mapping software (which I already own) on a mac.

Ben Jones

Ridden with him at Les Arcs when he was with TA. Great rider, lot of fun. Bumped into him last year at Beaufort while he was leading his Mont Blanc tour. We did consider signing up this year for his Mont Blanc tour. Looked well organised with trailer back up & gear moved to hotels each day.

Mine are working fine; had to take them to LBS for truing after first ride, but since then they’ve had a week in the Alps, a few trail centres and a visit to BPW along with XC duties. They’re still true. They feel light to me (compared to my previous Mavis EX823s) and tryres sit better on the wider rim compared to my Mavic XM819s. I like them.

My bugbear is mud!!! It was mudmageddon last weekend in the South East. I’ve soaked my kit, then washed it and its still gritty. Zero traction up the hills and coming down is a lottery.

Here in the SE the mud (esp. on the North Downs; clay) is sometimes unrideable. There’s a few areas we ride that in the wet, your bike gets so clogged you have to carry it, and a clay bound bike is heavy. Last week I fitted some mud tyres (Medusa LUSTS) and I got through sections where other riders were spinning out.

The great thing about wet mud rides is they make you a stronger, fitter rider. The ones who sit out the winter are the ones at the back huffing & puffing once the trails dry out. Embrace the gloop, DH is fun in the slime. I’ve never regretted a ride, however foul the conditions.

Ride to work 5 days a week. Its not fun, but its exercise and the train’s a lot less enjoyable. I’d like to say I save lots of cash, but I recently bought new winter cycling coat, gloves & shoes.

Last Sunday’s MTB ride was enjoyable but pretty painful given the excessive mud. So fun & pain can go hand in hand.

Just reading the comments I realise I’ve been cycle commuting (if I count riding to school) for close on 40 yrs. Can’t imagine not riding a bike.

Just bought a pair of new winter gloves, a pair of Endurance Strikes. Only worn to -2 so far and in the rain/mud. They keep my hands warm, not too bulky and keep the water out so far. £28 from CRC. My old Aldi winter gloves (rated to -5) aren’t up to it: cold fingers.

re mounts being sh**e: Yup. I’ve got the Etrex Legend HCX (about 6 years old). I have a lanyard for when it vibrates off its mount and I strap it to the bars (when on bike mount) with something elastic (hair band/elastic cord)to reduce vibration. A furious rocky descent will sometimes cause it to switch off. I wish there was a stem mount.

Apart from that I have used it in the French/Swiss/Italian Alps/Pyrenees/Lakes/Dales/Scotland & even Japan for navigation on and off the bike. You’ll have to buy TOPO maps for the device. For Switzerland & Japan I downloaded some open source maps. I plot or download GPS routes, edit in memory map & upload to the etrex. Its bombproof, waterproof, dustproof. AA Nimh recgargeables do last about 25hrs and if they go flat its easy to buy a couple of batteries. The Garmin bike specific GPS’s don’t have enough navigational tools for me and the internal battery is a big no-no.