If you are mainly interested in my cycling travels, you can visit the travel category and if you plan on doing your own trip, I've created a comprehensive landing page with information to help. Try some of the following most common tags to explore this site or the sections in the menu at the top: adventure 30 Advice 12 Bike 30 Bikepacking 13 book 24 cycle-touring 39 Cycling 41 Europe 11 gear 18 Georgia 33 India 15 Iran 12 Mountain biking 35 Shoes 11 Tbilisi 16 Touring 13 Travel 71 Uk 11 Weave of the ride 12 Writing 14
Recent
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Run the Jewels - Ooh La La
December 6, 2020
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Top 5 Bicycle Upgrades
November 14, 2020
Disc Brakes Braking is a very important part of cycling. If you can’t stop effectively you are in trouble. Rim brakes are the brakes that have rubber pads that are applied onto the rims of the wheel. These can be quite effective and are lightweight. However, they also wear your rim out and are not as powerful as disc brakes. Disc brakes come in mechanical and hydraulic forms and can be found on all types of bike now- road and off-road.
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My Solar Charging Set Up
January 19, 2019
Charging setup laid out before going hiking in Spain see above. Gopro Hero Black Edition Portapow AA charger Portapow Solar Panel 11W iPhone 5 Life Edge Rugged case Sansa Mp3 player Portapow battery / solar panel I used the solar panel to charge up the back up battery Advantages of the folding solar panel Good portability Rugged, surface doesn’t damage as easily Can be strapped to backpack 2 usb charging ports Advantages of AA charger Can be used to charge batteries Can be used as a battery itself (provide power of 4 AAs to another device via USB) It is good to have a back up energy source
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Review of Tern Folding Bikes for Cycle Touring
January 19, 2019
Folding bikes offer additional flexibility as they can be packed up and put on a kayak or inflatable boat for example. Storage is the main benefit, although there is a philosophical angle behind the benefits of small wheels vs big wheels in terms of rolling resistance and weight. Here is a nice set up I was lucky to come across in Cornwall. Tech Spec Front Spartan™ Rack and rear Tern Cargo Rack™ for hauling a load Andros™ adjustable handlebar stem so you can find the most comfortable riding position during long days in the saddle BioLogic PostPump™ for on-the-road maintenance and repairs BioLogic Joule™ 3 electricity-generating hub and powerful wide-beam Valo™ 2 front light Extreme gear range (22 – 117 gear inches) for loaded hill climbing Frame lock seatstay bosses for convenient security Folds in under 10 seconds to go on trains, planes, buses and boats What Tern Say about the Bike Whether you’re on a long distance trek or your daily commute, the Verge Tour carries you and your load with sure-footed confidence.
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Coming up for a Name for Prepare, Pack, Pedal
January 19, 2019
These were some of my first attempts at names for my self-published book Prepare, Pack, Pedal which is a practical guide to going cycle touring. Coming up with a name is a process. You may have to brainstorm many ideas before you come up with the one you settle on. A ‘how-to’ book Guidebook to cycle touring How to go cycle touring How to go adventure cycling Execute a cycle tour Prepare and do a tour Adventure cycling how to book Include a subtitle Take off on your bike - the complete guide Escape on your bike- the complete guide to prepare and go on any kind of cycle tour Road to Freedom
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Bug Out Bag, Survival Situation Kit bag
January 18, 2019
In a survival situation what do you need in a “grab-and-go” kitbag. Here are some essentials that you might need. Sleeping If you are leaving your usual residence and facing days on the move you want to ensure the best night sleep you can. Sleeping Bag Down Mat Tarp Clothing No additional clothes other than the ones you are wearing will be included. Poncho Dust Mask Tooling A basic knife is usually suggested enough for a real survival situation.
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Cycling shoes for wide feet
January 6, 2019
Giro HV Giro HV are the wide versions of Giro Shoes. Check out the Privateer. Shimano wide-fit Shimano do wide fitting versions of their shoes/boots. I own the wide version of the RC-7 road shoes. They aren’t that wide though. The RC7 cycling shoe outer scuffs easily Researching I came across a forum thread recommending the Shimano mt41 and the Shimano M089 in wide fit. Sidi Sidi do an ultra-wide fit.
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Solar Storm Bike Light
December 4, 2018
Solar Storm 3 lamp bicycle light is the light I use on my commuter bike and for mountain biking. It is a metal-cased multi-LED light with a rechargable battery. Bought from? I got the light from eBay. Cost £15. How I used it For mountain biking I used the O-ring to attach the light to the handlebars and used a different light for my helmet. This lamp is too bulky to be attached to the helmet.