FINDRA Relaxed Fit MTB shorts – review

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FINDRA Relaxed Fit MTB shorts – review
FINDRA’s Relaxed Fit mountain bike shorts are the ultimate all-round women’s outdoor shorts. I got my first pair of these shorts two years ago, and have essentially worn them for anything and everything since then.
They’re made of a thin softshell fabric, which makes them comfy to wear as they are soft and slightly stretchy. Although slightly warmer than a regular short fabric, there have been fine to wear in warm weather as well as cool. It also means they don’t absorb much water and are nicely quick-drying. This makes them great for all sorts of adventures from mountain biking and cycle touring to hiking and even swimming in lakes on the way! (They’re also super comfy around the house…).
They have been perfect for our cycle touring expeditions – I have worn them across Tibet and Mongolia amongst other places – as they can be worn on and off the bike. I like wearing baggies when I tour as often lycra is looked on a bit strangely in countries where it is not the norm! Their quick-drying properties also come into their own whilst touring as they can be easily rinsed out in the evening and would dry overnight so no need to pack another pair.
The shorts are cut knee-length which I really like in terms of the look and styling. There are two deep side pockets and a zippy one for valuables which is really useful. The waist-fastening (previously a button, now two poppers) lies flat so the waistband isn’t lumpy under a lycra top, which is a huge improvement on other baggies that I own.
In terms of durability, well the two-year old pair are still going strong, although they are showing signs of being much loved and used: a bit of fading, the stitching round the rear pockets wearing through. But they have been worn very regularly for mountain biking at home, commuting, several long bike tours, plenty of hiking and also a lot just at home (when I was pregnant and with a new baby they were so comfy I wore them constantly!). So I think that’s pretty impressive.
FINDRA have just launched a new edition of the shorts with a few slight updates, in French Navy and Nine Iron grey colourways:
Although they’re not the cheapest short out there, you will definitely get your money’s worth out of them – you get what you pay for in terms of quality and functionality. In summary they are highly recommended!

Bikepacking the Southern Uplands from the door.

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Bikepacking the Southern Uplands from the door.

With Saturday afternoon fast disappearing before me, I strapped my Apidura saddle and bar bags onto the bike, found my lights and headed out of the front door. I didn’t take a map as I know the area well, despite having it in my mind to explore a new variation. I was headed to a Bothy on a route that was. like the best adventures, subject to change but would take in some of the best views and gravel riding around.

 

From Peebles I was up to the Southern Upland Way and east to the Three Brethen – three towers that make the boundaries of three ancient sounding ‘shires. The ribbons were still blowing in the wind from the last common riding (horses) along the boundaries of one of these Shires that takes place every summer.

From here I headed to the town of Selkirk a traditional Borders market town that was closing down for the day.

A spin along the river took me to Bowhill Estate and onto gravel tracks up into the woodlands. From here I headed further east, when full on twilight was fast approaching and I’d stupidly left a rear light only loosely clipped to my Apidura saddle pack. On the rough gravel descent I’d lost it, it was my favourite crazy bright Lezyne Zecto one too (I’m still annoyed with myself!). I now wanted to keep off the busier roads ASAP with no rear light so I detoured to the reservoirs of Meggett at sunset;

As I got higher I reached the view over Talla’s shimmering surface with night lights on full.

This route was part of my planning for a rather epic challenge for 2019. A route that takes in 12 of the area’s biggest summits. I will post my 5 best local gravel routes on the blog soon as they are about done and I need just one more ride to reveal what ‘The 12 Peaks’ what I think could be a new classic challenge for the area!

Having a baby means we’ve stayed home a lot more and it also means I have been out from my door and explored pretty much every single track, forest and valley in the local area. Sometimes I find awesome link ups and others dead ends, but I love the exploring part. To ride the same route twice is simply boring and with so many options I literally haven’t taken my Tripster ATR the same way twice in 2018 and that’s something I hope to keep up for the rest of the year.

To plot and plan these rides I have been using GPS files onto the new Mega XL Lezyne GPS. It has a new mapping function using Open source maps to aid navigation that is super useful for sharing routes, combined with 48hr battery life it’s a great little device. From here it was off road again towards my night’s accommodation.

The track to the bothy was actually rideable the whole way up to my surprise. Then as I approached the place I saw the river crossing. After a pretty flat out and tiring late afternoon ride I wasn’t super excited about an icy ankle experience, but I had no choice. Shoes off and socks too and a stumble across the river in the darkness. It is also a place to watch it doesn’t rain too much overnight!

The clear sky was perfect for some bothy based night photography;

Given that I was after a good nights sleep I was relieved to find the place to myself. While it’s great to meet people I was not in the mood for a snorer in a bothy on this occasion! It’s getting less and less common to not have company these days as bothy bagging gains momentum and finding your way to  bothys is so easy.

A good selection of reading material in a well kept bothy is good combination;

I forgot a spork so it was eating with a well washed tyre lever for breakfast porridge! The night had seen the first proper frost of the new winter approaching and the weather continued to be pretty much perfect for the ride out.

Past Talla reservoir and it’s awesome reflections and it was a combination of roads and tracks again for day 2.

The light was perfect in the autumn colours;

I wasn’t riding too far on Sunday as I had a flight to catch at 5pm that evening from Edinburgh airport. I was off to ride bikes in Denmark for work on Monday.

As I got home, it was all go to unpack, repack and catch a bus to the airport. That night I arrived on the west coast of Denmark and fell asleep listening to the waves crash beyond the sand dunes. It was then onto mountain bikes to explore the Slettesstrand trails with Kristian and Esben

WTB Resolute – The holy Gravel of tyres?

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WTB Resolute – The holy Gravel of tyres?

I have been using the WTB WTB Resolute tyre in a 650bx42mm over the summer with the new Reynolds ATR2 wheels. When I was sent the WTB Resolutes to review and test I’ll be honest my expectations were low because my last foray into WTB tyres was the Nano’s and I just kept cutting and puncturing them on rougher gravel tracks.

The WTB Resolutes to test came in the tan side wall version that looks, I think, awesome especially with the deeper section Reynolds ATR wheels.

A combination of the reliable tolerances you’d expect from WTB and my Reynolds wheels meant they popped up tubeless with a track pump and I used about 60ml of Stans sealant.

To test them properly I first took them to my favourite loop of rough, rocky gravel tracks and absolutely hammered them! This was the failing ground for the Nanos however I was soon hitting almost 70kph on the spicy loose descent. It became apparent after a few KOMs  and no punctures these tyres are crazy good.

They’re super light and roll incredibly fast on road. I was sitting at 20mph with these at 45psi and feeling good. If you look at a dusty tyre after a road section the clean black contact patch on these is the central ridge and about 25mm wide -which explains why it rolls so well. Off road traction is similar but felt slightly lower than on the Nanos and the Vee Tire Rails I think (the last two tyres I have used extensively). However in reality it is comparable because I think they also feel best at higher pressure where the traction will be reduced anyway.

Another factor in the pure smile response comes from the 650b wheels. While on long road rides they will be a bit more work the extra acceleration for hammering about on rough gravel was immediately obvious and addictive. In a 650bx42mm the width is similar to the 700×42 I have normally been running.

With two months use I have had to pump a bit more air in the rear once. Not bad for what must be approaching 1000km usage. Talking of which they show little sign of wearing down either.

On my morning ride I can choose from my Kinesis Tripster V1 for a road ride, this 650b Tripster ATR V2 for a gravel loop, my hardtail race bike for an XC trail centre loop or my Santa Cruz High Tower for some enduro trails. I was choosing the High Tower a lot recently but these tyres changed that and now I am grabbing the 650b gravel bike everyday!

Altogether my favourite gravel tyre I have used. However I said all this to the guys at WTB and it was a bit like telling a parent that their less favoured child is brilliant, their response was; “but everyone loves the Nano why did you get so many punctures, we’ve never heard of that before” They thought I must have had an older version and a bad batch. So I have a set of Nano’s to test again this autumn and I will report back if I was wrong about them if not you’ll know why. However it is going to take a lot of motivation to take this 650b combination of Resolute and Reynolds ATR off my bike and go back to anything else…..

Chck out the Teravail Rutland tyre review HERE

Granite Design Rock Band Strap

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Granite Design Rock Band Strap

Bikepacking is about clever ways of getting kit on our bike. I am a big fan of carrying the rubber stretchy Voile straps that can be used for variety of uses and always looking for new ideas and ways to change things.

However when I saw the Granite Rock band strap it seemed a simple, clever design and a useful addition to my bikepacking setup. As it turns out I have used it far more for mountain biking which to be fair is what it was designed for ! think! It basically has an inner strap that holds a tube, pump etc. securely then an outer strap that is rubberised and attaches around your frame/seatpost/bars etc. It just keeps space in your bags for other kit when bikepacking and it means I don’t need a backpack for my short rides on the mountain bike.

It ain’t rocket science but thought I’d share what is an effective, simple idea that I’m sure everyone would find useful! Have a look here!

Vaude TVL Pavei SPD shoes reviewed for bikepacking

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Vaude TVL Pavei SPD shoes reviewed for bikepacking

Shoes, so often forgotten yet they can make or break a long bikepacking ride. On most tours we opt for comfy lightweight trekking focused SPD shoes but occasionally we’ve gone with flats if there is likely to be a lot of time hiking off the bike. 

Lightweight bike travel shoes need to strike a careful balance between weight, off bike comfort, stiffness, longevity and breathability. It is hard to get it right and compromises must be in the right area but certainly not comfort, I’ve been known to take a knife to shoes mid trip to ease pressure points and dubious designs before. To give context – I have pretty average width feet and shoes generally fit me well but in the search for the perfect shoes I’ve previously used options from Shimano, Specialized, Giro and Bontrager too with mixed success.

I saw the new range of Vaude shoes at Eurobike in 2018 year and have been testing out the Vaude TVL Pavei shoe in the rather fantastic bright blue colour called glacial stream (also available in black for dull people!) ever since.I’ve used them purely with SPD’s  but they can be used with the cover on for flat pedals and they have decent tread traction to ensure a good off bike shoe too.

Firstly the shoe is very comfy from the box, the mid shoe feels secure with good arch support with the supplied Ortholite inner sole. The toe box is roomy and there’s no pressure points for me. There’s certainly no need to take a knife to these to make room for odd shaped toes, but nor do they slip around.

The construction is lightweight (780gm a pair) and really breathable too, there is also a windproof waterproof option if that’s what you’re into. However being mesh/breathable these dry impressively quick if they get wet and they don’t soak up lots of water, something that can add huge weight and mean wet feet for days with some shoes.

For remote trips my shoes have to have laces and a velcro strap like these for reliability and ease of repair. Maybe obvious to most of you already but the strap is vital to keep laces from straying into the chain or around the crank. Laces are easy to replace and simple to find anywhere; ratchets, boas or even ripped off velcro straps are harder to fix.

Something we are keen to support more and more on this blog are companys making an effort to source sustainable materials and Vaude are doing that. The rubber sole contains 20% recycled rubber, it doesn’t sound much but it’s 20% better than any other shoe I am aware of.

 

How did they fair long term?

I’ll be honest I did wonder how well these shoes would hold up after a bit of the fabric over the toe started to come unglued quite soon. However after a year this has remained about the same which was a pleasant surprise. The laces frayed and needed replacing after a year but otherwise they are still much the same. The inner sole has compacted and the stiffness has reduced in the outer too. The rubber sole has worn but not too much for the amount of off bike usage they have had.  Overall I have been very impressed by these shoes from Vaude.

Altogether a good looking and practical option for warmer weather bikepacking and they are the comfiest trekking shoes I’ve tried before. In Scotland I would opt for the waterproof version but these are perfect our summer or overseas trips. The RRP is £110 but looking online there a few places selling them for less than that.

 

Comparing the best bike trailers for kids

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Comparing the best bike trailers for kids

With the recent mini addition to the WeLoveMountains team, the idea of bike trailers has become a very hot topic for us. We also realised there’s very little out there on the internet discussing and testing these trailers so it’s hard to know which one is best. They aren’t cheap either so you want to get it right. At this year’s Eurobike show we looked at the most rugged designs from;

Hamax, Nordic Cab, Croozer, Thule and Burley

For us we have identified a few key features;
1. Suspension to take the road feedback out
2. Reasonable weight
3. 20 inch wheels with option for wider tyres
4. Jogging wheel kit
5. Waterproof

I wandered around Eurobike discussing these latest models and new developments from the big brands out there.

Nordic Cab – Active 

I was super impressed with the Nordic Cab designs. As the picture shows the seats looked comfy and plush with independent spring suspension on the back wheels adding to a luxurious looking ride.

The seats recline the flattest of any of the trailers mentioned in this blog too. The entire trailer also folds impressively flat;

The weight is about middle for a trailer with brakes, suspension and accepting all accessories including skis. At 14kg for Explorer and 15kg for the Active model. Both in two seat versions. Despite this weight it was one of the less aerodynamic and bulkier looking designs, but we’d have to test it out to see how that impacts the ride.

The adjustable spring suspension design;

 

Hamax Outback One and Two
Another classy looking Norwegian company making kids trailers. Certainly the best looking of all the trailer designs. These are super stylish both outside with the most aerodynamic design and inside looks plush too.
They fold impressively flat for storage collapsing on top of itself smartly. It comes with all the accessories you could need like the jogging kit, baby sling and even converts to cargo/pet bike. The weight actualy felt very good too but the official 18.5kg for two seats puts it on the heavy end. UV clear plastic on the sides and top (so you can look down on child when pushing),  with a front mesh panel unzipped from the plastic rain cover, also at the back was mesh meaning air flow through the trailer so good ventilation and bug proof.

Potential issues could be that there’s no side ventilation for hot weather, the zips are not waterproof and relatively exposed without flaps over them, there is a waterproof cover available to solve this but I didn’t see this. Also I don’t think the seats recline like some others.

Simple spring suspension looks like it would do a good job with a simple effective park brake, apparently the jogger kit puts disc brake on the front wheel too;

Push to release wheels and a simple smooth hitch that flexes with the ride;

A surprisingly large storage boot at the back too makes this a really interesting option and you can see there is decent tyre clearance for fatter tyres;

Croozer Kid Plus for 1 or 2

Another smart design available in one or two seat options. It folds really flat with minimal hassle.

Their Air Cushion suspension looked unique and I was assured highly effective but would like to test it!

Really simple and easy system of clicking between the standard accessories of jogger, stroller and bike. The wheels use the same push to release that all these trailers use.

 

Decent tyre clearance for fatter options, but not the best. The weight was OK at 16.4kg for the two seat version.

Really good storage space at the back, and covered in reflectors or reflective trim too;

Thule Cross and Lite

The classic and probably industry standard has just evolved forward with the Chariot cross and lite range getting better ventilation on the front;

The clear front cover gets new easier clips that also aid ventilation as a feedback for their trailers was that they get too hot. They also are the only one with mesh sides under the waterproof covers.

Simple blue coding for all the movable parts makes usage even easier. They have a more compact fold now and the seats recline better. Adjustable leaf spring suspension has evolved over the years but the same basic principal too of a smooth dampening ride.
Huge rage of accessories for every activity as one of the oldest trailer ranges out there.

Burley – Solo, D’Lite and Cub

These are another set of highly accomplished trailers from the American company. All use spring based suspension that is adjustable. The Cub is built super tough with solid floor to resist damage and debris flying up on off-road routes.

All can fit stroller, jogger, cycling and ski attachments. Unsurprisingly the Burley D’Lite is about the lightest round at 12.9 kg for two seats.

No side mesh nor extra vents could be an issue in hotter parts of the world when compared to the Thule above. But decent looking water resistant zips helps you keep going without resorting to a full over cover to keep the rain out.

Sorry I seem to have lost my photos of the Burley trailers!

Conclusions

I really just wanted to draw attention to the key brands out there, it is so hard to review from just looking at the trailers at Eurbike, so I have noted the key features as pointed out to myself when visiting the brands. I also hope to get out and test in the field to see whcih really is the best.

 

 

3T Exploro versus the Open U.P. – Carbon gravel super bikes tested

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3T Exploro versus the Open U.P. – Carbon gravel super bikes tested

I was lucky enough to take out the two leading carbon gravel bikes from Open and 3T on an extended overnight test at Eurobike. These bikes alongside the Lauf True Grit I tested last year here are the best known super light carbon gravel bikes out there. Focused at going fast with the least effort they are for racing and fill a niche for speed within the adventure bike market rather than the more all round gravel bikes out there.

3T Exploro XL

Open U.P. MediumSo where to start?

3T Exploro new flat mount bike

Bike tested was built with 3T discus C35 carbon wheels, SRAM force hydro groupset that I am used to and 3T carbon finishing kit including the flared 3T Superghiaia Team Stealth bars which are straight for the lever drop and then flare at the bottom of the drops. Interesting to get a decent test on these bars but personally I still prefer the Ritchey Venture max that flare from the top.

I was on the Ltd frame which weighs a mind boggling 990gms in medium and the full matt black.

Why start with the tech when the looks are probably what most people will be swayed by if considering the 3T. Personally I like it, the chunky aero sections proved efficient in testing and look good, on the other hand when I mentioned the bike to a friend they responded “the super ugly one?” I knew they meant the 3T such is the look of it!

There’s no denying this bike rides fast, it’s probably quicker than an e-bike at accelerating! It is all built for speed, with just enough comfort to ensure you can keep coming back for more. It accelerates like lightning but still asks to be thrashed and drifted down rough gravel descents as the chunkiness of frame gives reassurance and bags of stiffness – more than the 990gm weight might give impression of! At 194cm tall an aero gravel frame is the least of my worries but I guess every little helps and it’s probably the distinctive aero look which will sell this rather than the marginal gains.

The geometry changes through the size range meaning my XL was on the steeper head tube range than I would like at 72.5. It rode well on gravel but on techy sections of singletrack in its 650b fat tyre guise I think it’d reach its limit of control quickly however as discussed below the Open is almost identical geometry. The tyre clearance was actually reduced slightly on the fork as they felt it had too much on the original, it still comfortably fits 700x40mm and 650bx2.1″ The aero seat post took a lot of torque to stop slipping, I was nervous I’d round out the horizontal bolt with my old multi tool and obviously it needs a specific seat post to fit.

New Open U.P.

Set up was DT Swiss XM 1501 alu wheels that are a fraction heavier than the 3T but not slow and maybe a tad more comfortable, the finishing kit and SRAM Force groupset was comparable but the 3T had the flared drop bars. It was ridden by Jessie in size medium so not a true back to back test.

Weight is comparable to the painted 3T Exploro but as tested it was heavier due to the 3T having less paint being used – still 1040gms ain’t heavy – the Open U.P.P.E.R. is even lighter though if needed! The first impression is that it’s the same as the original U.P. but it comes with lighter fork and flat mount brakes on the front fork directly and on the rear too like the updated Exploro.

The frame takes up to 700x40mm and 650b to 2.1″ so ticks all the right boxes for clearance. The geometry is pretty much identical to the degree and mm only the stays are 5mm shorter on the Open! Again in XL it would be good to see a fraction less steep head angle at 72.5, but they are both the same.

Again both bikes have the same bottle cage and luggage bolts on the top tube so no winner there.

The seat post is a traditional and reliable bolt on collar for the Open which is a functional choice that I like.

The Open UP can’t be disliked aesthetically; it has sleek looks, effective cable routing and simple colours. The dropped chain stay being the same notable feature to the 3T.

Conclusion

Both these bikes are fantastic and on the face of it the colour and look is what a decision might come down to. However there is more to it than that. The Exploro is stiff and harsher, it also felt faster to accelerate with its marginally shorter rear stays – which we only found out later so the frames do reflect this too when riding. The Open has a subtle bend on the narrow rear stays for compliance, the Exploro has less shape here and uses a wishbone stay, overall it has more material making it less forgiving but aero and as responsive to power in the pedals as an ebike on boost. 

If speed is all important as you rip between gravel and road then the 3T is for you, if longer days and a fraction less of a kick from acceleration then go for the Open U.P. or failing that if comfort is king but the speed of a carbon super bike still appeals then go for the Lauf True Grit. For all the bikes it is not just the crazy light frames but about the wheels as much as the frame and both builds had high quality wheel-sets that match the individual intentions of the bikes which is good to see.

Round up of Eurobike Bikepacking Brands

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Round up of Eurobike Bikepacking Brands

It’s always good to catch up with all the new and exciting bikepacking kit at Eurobike and also to check that we’re are on the right track with the kit we use and recommend on the website and not missing anything. It’s also great to find new brands and identify kit we’d like to test long term.

There are so many brands making bikepacking kit and it’s fair to say some look good but some looked pretty bad! So here’s my run down of initial thoughts on what I saw at Eurobike.

Pro/Shimano

First up Pro the component brand from Shimano, you know bikepacking is big when the big S gets involved! These probably look good in the pictures and the overall design and structure seemed OK. However one issue was a separate internal liner layer to add waterproofing. I would have concerns over longevity and does this mean the outer absorbs or lets in water as not heat welded? I would be interested to use set in wet Scottish conditions.

The saddle packs use high density foam pads to support the contact on the seat pack similar to Ortlieb’s design. It did seem to be likely to be prone to sideways wobble rather than a rubberised fabric and more shaped design. A velcro strip on the closure is also nice idea that not many brands use. The frame pack looks to be missing a strap as can see below…

 

Vaude bikepacking bags have been around for a year at least now and I like the quality feel of construction. They use a harness system on saddle pack and bar bag, something that I would like to test out because I know certain other brand’s harness systems don’t secure a dry bag that well but these have extra support. I like the fact the frame pack does away with a full length zip which is a weak spot in terms of waterproofing and strength.

Strong rubber straps minimise slippage and maximise reliability, but how do they treat paintwork? I would be interested in field testing these as they are a different design to most.

Roswheel Bikepacking Bags

Interesting set up from the Chinese based brand. Good looking build quality. The same sized rubber straps were used all over making it look cluttered. I think the frame pack was missing a third strap on top. The saddle pack has a valve included which was pretty chunky but sign of good design. The bags come with optional metal frames to sturdy the bags from swinging and swaying, something that I think is probably likely with the saddle interface shape. These exo-frames proportionally speaking add a lot of weight even though they are aluminium. Similar in theory in approach to the new Alpkit metal frame and the Topeak one they recently released although those are based around being dropper post compatible.

Birzman bags 

These bikepacking bags may have been let down by the presentation but the design just didn’t look great. The saddle pack is a bizarre shape that would surely rub, as it hung low on many smaller frame sizes. The straps on the saddle pack and frame bag look like they’d rub paint pretty quick with no soft interfacing. The harness was just a harness with again a poorer looking build quality that those mentioned above with what looked like very little support to stop the dry bag falling out.

Topeak Bikepacking Kit

The big accessory brand Topeak were an obvious brand to get involved in bikepacking. Their dropper compatible seat pack looks clever, the shape sits a bit too high I think but hard to tell unless fully loaded. The bar bag harness seems again to require a compressible full load in the dry bag to ensure snug and secure fit. The high density foam spacer blocks are used again to push the bag out from the bars.

The frame bag straps again give no indications of being kind to frames with harsh fabric used. Build quality looked fine and matches the lower price point I would say. Again these looked  good enough that I would be interested to field test these.

 

Better shot of the dropper compatible seat bag.

Zefal

These looked awful, weird shape, not enough straps, poor interface on seat post and the choice of fabrics for the contact point. I’ll move on.

Ace Pack

The build quality looks OK with waterproofing on these Czech bags, however I just don’t like the designs. The harness seems to lack shape on the rear and the front. The wrap around frame bag seen in the back ground here avoids a zip letting in water but makes no sense over the Vaude design above for example and seems a grit and muck collector! I expected to see more evolution from this brand from last year but I may have missed something as I didn’t get to chat with them.

 

Ortlieb 

Not much to add to these packs that hasn’t been said elsewhere on the internet, for me the long wedge shape on the saddle pack is my only real concern along with a few extra grams over high end competitors but great build quality. I still prefer Apidura and Revelate designs shape but for rougher MTB tours I can see these rugged Ortlieb bags appealing.

How about this Transformer bike trailer from Sentier….

To finish with it’s something a bit different – an innovative idea of a wheel suitcase that has another larger wheel click into place and becomes a bike trailer. It weighs 8.5kg empty and you need to find a place for the big wheel in teh suit case when travelling still! Fair play though it’s a neat idea!

10 Practical tips for bikepacking in Kyrgyzstan

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10 Practical tips for bikepacking in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan is a country that I love and more and more people are discovering it. From the yurts and alpine pasture to the epic scenery with dry bike friendly roads it’s awesome. Therefore following on from my practical guides for Tibet and the Pamir highway here are my tips for a great adventure to your new favourite country….

  1. Get a local sim card. The 4G coverage is pretty good and data is very cheap. I have used the Beeline service with out issue. Free SIM cards are handed out at the airport or from most shops with a Beeline sign (which is every town). The process is easy; go into a shop present the new SIM card and they will register and activate. The best packages are fixed amounts of data for fixed periods I chose a pack of 5gb data over 7 days which cost £0.90!! I then just bought another pack at the end of the 7 days. Smaller and larger and shorter/longer packs were available and relatively easy to understand on the price flyer.
  2. Take a bike that handles gravel roads. The main roads are quiet-ish but you’ll want to explore the hidden corners and this means leaving tarmac behind. I won’t list where to go because it’s all amazing or look at our trip blogs for inspiration. Be-aware that the road into Bishkek is unpleasantly busy with mini buses and lorries and the road into Osh also gets busy, otherwise traffic is erratic but never that prevalent.
  3. Take plenty of medication and antibiotics. I’ve yet to meet a traveller who has spent more than 2 weeks in the country and not got sick. Re-hydration salts and diarrhoea tablets are not widely available nor is it easy to get much else. People try to avoid getting sick by everything from never eating out to disinfecting everything they touch and they still get ill. When a country has so little sanitary infrastructure bugs get spread quickly by shaking hands or washing in streams. With the altitude don’t underestimate dehydration and when you get sick just rest up and it’ll clear within a couple of says. It’s a long way to hospital if you’re in a really dire situation.
  4. Bring plenty of Dollars and don’t rely on ATMs. Cash is still very much king so lots of local currency and dollars as back up. If stuff goes wrong or you need to get out of a remote area then you’ll be able to hitchhike or get a seat in a mini van but you’ll need to pay your way. You pay for your seat and all the space your bike kit takes up and then maybe a bit more. It can add up so don’t rely on kind hospitality or hitching a free ride.
  5. Kyrgyzstan doesn’t do dietary requirements. The standard food is bread, cheese, milk products and meat. In season there are plentiful tomatoes, onions, peppers and Marion survived “fine” as a vegetarian in summer/autumn (albeit with some probable hidden meat consumption in soups etc.!). If you cook for yourself you’ll find pasta and rice. But rice doesn’t cook well at higher altitudes because it takes so long and turns to stodge. Oats can be found but they are mostly only in bigger stores in towns and cities so take your own or stock up when see them. The dried cheese balls are an acquired taste and a bit of a stomach lottery but you have to try them! Yogurt or fermented horse milk (kumiz) is another common offer and both, maybe, surprisingly are generally safer options although Kumiz is epic, lets just say that.
  6. Dogs hate you. Yes dogs will chase you a lot. They hate cyclists it seems and love to give chase.  Rabies is found here and they will snap at your legs given the chance so I would always recommend the rabies vaccination to buy some time to get that far away medical help. The solution is that they stop if you stop because they realise it’s a person, but if you cycle again they’ll just chase again! They only stop if you shout loud enough or you throw stones in their direction. Unfortunately being hit by stones must be a frequent occurrence for dogs because simply raising your arm and pretending will freak them out. I normally have a collection of small stones on my bar bag ready for passing through villages.
  7. Water will need treating almost everywhere. Livestock graze so much of the country that water is normally not 100% safe. A water filter is needed or treatment tablets – please don’t just buy bottled water all the time there’s enough plastic in the world without us adding to the problem. Boiling takes too long for me and at altitude it’s hard to know what temperature the water is boiling at because it decreases with height. I use a l.5litre plastic bottles to carry dirty water and then drink from a filter bottle.
  8. Get ready for more tea than you’ve ever drunk before. Tea is taken black with or without sugar, most Kyrgyz love a a bit of sugar though! It is great for dipping dry stale bread into. It is also always boiled so safe to accept from anyone you meet! I found only Uzbeks stirred jam or sweets into their tea but it might be something you see around the Fergana area.

    Buckets of the Kumiz stuff fermenting
  9. Avoid drunk people. Goes without saying but the only problems we’ve had are from drunk people. Just keep riding and avoid groups of men and women who seem drunk however friendly they might be it normally doesn’t end well. The Kyrgyz do like a drink and a drive after a good dance with the car doors open and playing music on the top of a mountain pass – this is something you’ll see and not only for the frequent big wedding parties. By all means join in with wedding groups if invited but it can be hard to leave without causing offence when joined so beware!!
  10. Don’t go in winter it’s very cold….but beautiful

    The amazing ride out

 

 

Bikepacking over the Summer Solstice

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Bikepacking over the Summer Solstice

It’d be rude not to plan a quick adventure for the longest day of the year. It’s been a fantastic summer in Scotland so far. Therefore a bivy trip was in order to the Southern Uplands on my doorstep.

After work I quickly loaded up just a bivvy bag, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, Soreen malt loaf and a change of clothes into a small Apidura bar bag, medium Apidura saddle pack and onto my Tripster in its 650b setup. I was all set to ride up the highest track I know in the area to get the best sunset possible.

Setting out the light was fantastic with clear skies on the John Buchan way from Peebles up onto the great track across Cademuir Hill (The John Buchan Way is a fantastic short MTB route in the current dry conditions)

Unfortunately the next climb (and playing with a new drone) took longer than expected and the light faded fast. As I passed the last farm house the track climbs steeply. A mountain hare, now in its full summer brown coat darted to my left, above a buzzard circles and the sheep all peer on with bewilderment. This track isn’t on any maps and seeing a cyclist is a rare occurrence up here. The wind got stronger nearer the top of the ridge as I saw the blue post sunset sky merge with the mid summer amber glow on the horizon.

The ridge was drawing me in for a bivy spot with views east and west giving the mid summer vista I was looking for. The wind was now so strong I had to hold onto everything as I unpacked. To avoid it all blowing away I had to get straight in and hope for no pee break in the night and I wondered what would happen if the wind got any stronger! The Terra Nova GoreTex bivy bag is total waterproof but also has space for my kit above my head although I tend to leave my camera bag outside.

The midnight sky was a dull blue with a full moon. With the strong wind and zero shelter up here the wind was compressing one side of the bivy bag so it was a bit chilly to sleep but looking out on the stars on the longest day of the year was amazing.

Finally after a good night sleep I awoke at 8am to the blazing sun – my dream of catching sunrise long gone. I now had to get to work ASAP. Making it in for 9am wasn’t going to happen (it oftern doesn’t these days!)! A flat out 700m gravel descent on the Tripster isn’t a bad way to start the day. Soon after I was powering on my laptop in the office and grabing a quick shower with my loaded bike sitting downstairs!

After work I swapped bikes for my Tripster V1 with 28mm tyres and rode south on road to the Lake district for another adventure – when the sun shines in Scotland we make the most of it!

Sometimes its easy to put off trips like this and you need the excuse of something like midsummer to get out. There’s always adventure from your doorstep and if you reflect have you ever regretted it after leaving the door and heading off into the unknown for a night or more – so why don’t we do it more?

 

 

 

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