Bikes & Gear Archive

Loose Ends

A few loose ends, or threads might be more appropriate given the largely bag-making flavour of this post, to tidy up as the end of the year approaches.

Read full article »

Chough Stuff, an Intro

Having been stopped along the trail by interested folk, and gently nagged about making them available, here is an introduction to the Puffin Burrow seatpack, and the Chough Stuff brand. Made in Cornwall and all that ;-)

Read full article »

Surly Cross Check

It’s been in the Surly Catalogue for more than 20 years, what possible relevance could the venerable Cross Check still have in a world of modern adventure and gravel bikes…? That would depend on you, here’s mine.

Read full article »

Project: Big Fat Dummy Fenders

A workshop project to make a set of laminated wooden mudguards for my Surly Big Fat Dummy. Made from a blend of oak and smoked red gum with home-made brass and stainless steel fittings. They look cool and are a more sustainable solution than moulding composites.

Read full article »

N+1 = Big Bro

Mk1 Brother Cycles Big Bro. A well thought-out rigid steel 29er for bikepacking and general trail duties, that supports the kind of old-fashioned standards that I enjoy fiddling with.

Read full article »

Brother Cycles AllDay

In a world obsessed with carbon, 12 speeds, & electronic shifting, the AllDay stands out as a simple, well-executed steel fixed wheel frame. Post now updated with new content after a few years of ownership.

Read full article »

An ECR + Tubus Vega post

** A quick update on this post, a couple of years on, while I remember. I’ve since ‘cold-set’ the Vega rack such it fits over a 3″ Knard on Rabbit Holes without any adapters/risers and with about 1/4″ clearance each side. I cut a block of scrap wood to just a bit wider than the gap between stays at the tyre position. Wedge the wood in place. Bung a quick release through the mounting holes …

Read full article »

Lightweight bike touring gear list..

Over time gear changes (mostly gets lighter), personal philosophy changes, bikes change and as a consequence so does my packing list for a bike trip. The last time I wrote one (in 2011, here) it represented a pretty heavyweight outfitting for a long, partly off-road journey featuring mountains, deserts and the potential for really bad weather and as such is still completely valid to my mind even if these days I would probably leave some …

Read full article »

ECR Fettling

Mk1 Surly ECR. Original thoughts and fettling from 2015, now with a 5-year update following many months on the trail together in the Andes, Himalayas, and other places.

Read full article »

Fiddling…

I’ve been fiddling around with my trusty old Nomad a fair bit this last few days in view of my imminent return to the High Atlas, Djebel Sahro and western fringes of the Sahara. Planning on a very much off-piste trip as much as possible having been twice before but both times on a bit of a mission, this time plan to spend a bit more quality time exploring backroads, tracks and trails. With that …

Read full article »

early August two wheeled stuff

Yesterday was the last event in the Cornish Cup series and also the last Open TT event of my calendar for the year. There are still races in August but for me August is reserved for cafe rides with friends, taking cross bikes up onto the moors and paddling. I’m feeling really tired now too, the sort of tired that doesn’t go away in a week… it’s the fault of the weeks of great weather, …

Read full article »

Darth Kayak rides again…

Dusted off my greenland boat, nicknamed by persons other than myself as Darth Kayak,  at the weekend for the first time in ages.. I’ve been paddling it less and less frequently the last couple of years – it’s ultralight construction means it’s not robust enough for the flavour of paddling that friends and I most frequently get up to, and I never really got deeply into the whole greenland rolling scene, but having said that it …

Read full article »