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Bikepacking Kyrgyzstan in Winter the film!

Finally it is here, our edit from cycling across Kyrgyzstan in winter;

For more about the trip please read our blogs here;

Blog Part 1

http://welovemountains.net/bikepacking-across-kyrgyzstan-in-winter-part-1/

Blog Part 2

http://welovemountains.net/winter-bikepacking-in-kyrgyzstan-pt-2/

5 Tips for kit to keep us riding all winter

Sometimes we need it to be as easy and motivating as possible to get out winter riding; be it road, MTB or commuting. These 5 tips help keep us cycling more over winter. Night riding is so cool when he stars are out and the moon shining, and a light frost on the ground. Even in the lashing wind and rain you never regret getting out there and hopefully these ideas will help!

  1. A maintenance free Lauf Fork. I got this fork and my immediate thoughts were; it can’t do that much. Then I rode one of my regular long rough gravel descents and not only did it take the edge of it but my arms felt good and way less fatigued than normal. If you expect suspension it isn’t that, it just helps keep you riding longer with less impact on the upper body BUT without the weight and maintenance downsides from standard suspension forks. For winter the big pro is it offers a degree of suspension with no moving wear parts involved = no maintenance cost all winter. It is entirely carbon so no Aluminum corrosion or rust too!
  2. Winter boots. I was a late joiner into the winter boots market because they cost so much. However I’ve not looked back and just can’t be bothered with the whole overshoe hassle. The full winter goretex boots might not be as waterproof as you hope but they keep your feet warn without the hassle of overshoes. I use Northwave Raptor GTX and like them a lot, in fact I used them in the crazy cold of this trip but to be honest they were the best I’ve used but I haven’t tested them against anything else. Click here for reduced. 

    The snow started
  3. Easy to use and charge lights. Forget battery pack faff and charging stress of unreliable cheap Chinese lights because flat or broken lights are the number one reason people put off night rides. You want something that easily clips on and off in seconds and ideally charges by USB quick too (we have dedicated USB wall sockets for charging lights/GPS etc. in the house that I’d recommend getting).Look for no adapters, faffing connections and shoddy velcro attachments that slide about. I use the Lezyne lights because they are clean, robust all in one units that clip on in seconds and charge super quick using standard micro USB. I also particularly love their Macro Duo light, this item always gets people asking me what it is and where they can get one. It has a strong 700 lumen front light and a daylight bright rear light that both flash all ride on winter day rides, or can be used for full night riding. A super handy unit to quickly grab for that stolen winter ride. Click here for the Duo Light
  4. Waterproof shorts. These just make winter riding feel more inviting and achievable. Full length trousers for riding just bug me and never feel comfy, then I find bib tights aren’t enough on their own in the worst weather, even the storm proof ones that claim to be water ‘resistant’. For off road riding your comfy shorts just get baggier, heavier and generally less pleasant as the ride goes on. We’ve used Madison waterproof shorts that don’t breath much at all and fell apart pretty quickly and we’re currently using GOREWear Gore-tex ones that seem to be holding up better but defintely the most breathable we’ve tried , although the new Endura MT500 shorts seem like they might be better after only our brief tests. Click here for options
  5.  100% waterproof backpack. This is for winter commuting or carrying camera equipment on other rides. Actually the one I use and love was the Ortlieb Velocity bag that was prize from finishing in the top 10 at the Dirty Reiver gravel ride (#smug and awkward photo below) but it’s something I now use almost everyday in the winter to keep laptops and/or camera kit dry on rides. It is robust quite light and always waterproof, while the rigid back isn’t the most comfortable it actually isn’t bad for longer rides. Despite Dirty Reiver custom graphics this is the same Ortlieb design bag that I use and have done for two years without issue CLICK HERE

10 Christmas gift ideas for cyclists and bikepackers

Here’s a few ideas of inspiration for perfect presents for other bikepacking lovers, cyclists, cycle tourers etc. It’s all based on what we’ve enjoyed using over the last few years;

    1. Custom Sunglasses from Sungod – Renegades – It might not be the weather for them yet but great to wear for Christmas lunch.  If like me you break sunglasses regularly these are super strong and flexy and they have a lifetime guarantee, all at a decent price. If you can’t decide on a particular design for someone then these are great option for a Christmas gift as you can custom design for someone. Not a bad deal at all for the style and spec and mine have been a great fit and super pleased with the polarised lenses too making a big difference.  Click here to see more about designing a pair with Sungod
    2. AquaPure Filter Water Bottle – A way to drink from anywhere while out on adventures. We’ve used these bottles a bit. Not too cheap but they have proved to be effective at paying for themselves many times. A great way to reduce plastic bottles too as you don’t need to rely on bottled water in unreliable country’s tap water. We meet so many people just buying bottled water while touring. We are guilty of doing it too sometimes but these bottles help a lot to reduce that anywhere.
    3. Duo 700 lumen light from Lezyne – Front and rear light in one unit that clips on your helmet. I absolutely love this light because it’s so simply to fit, charge with micro USB and 100% bullet proof in wet conditions. I use it in daylight on winter road rides because the flash is super bright and a great safety feature. It is always thrown into my bikepacking bags for adventures too as a back up emergency option. At night the front light is bright enough to use off road too, although the rear flash and on a full power leaves you with only about an hour so use it carefully on full whack. Only low or flashing it lasts for hours and hours. Great present for a rider.  Click here to get at a good discounted price.
    4. Whisky Membership – A lot of our Scottish trips feature a bit of whisky at the end of a ride. The best place to get the best whisky surprisingly isn’t Tesco it’s the Scotch Whisky Society. These guys have range of memberships and products. Basically their whisky is a select cask that they then bottle under their own naming system. The whisky is from a famous distiller and a great chance to ensure you get the very best bottle from the experts. Click here for more info on their website



5. Apidura Food pouch – this is just a handy bag for snacks while you ride. A great size and useful extra space for bikepacking trips but mostly a great Haribo storage solution. Can still fit a spare tube under your haribo too.

Click here to see more info

6. Gore Windproof baggy Shorts – These have been a surprise hit for me. Full waterproof shorts can be sweaty and weird to wear all day due to fabric. These windproof shorts are great on a cold winter day, when it’s not constant rain, while not exact model these look good lightweight option for bikepackers. Click here for more info.

 

 

7. Moverlo Thermo Stormshield Bibshorts – I love these for winter riding. Even in rain they keep you warm and comfy. Eventually they get wet but do repel light rain. Most of all I can live in these for days (and i have) they are so well cut and fitted. The classic Morvelo funky designs help too! Get them here online

8. Lezyne GPS and light stem clamp. I like clever stuff and this is certainly smart design. Obviously only works if you use Lezyne stuff. I have the new GPS and their lights too.This just stays on the bike and totally declutters the handlebars. It also works to stop the bar bag flapping around at all. I’m pretty sure it is compatible with a Go Pro too on the mount so can be used for variety of things in various variations too.

If you don’t yet have a GPS device then get the new Lezyne Mega XL or Mega C. Both have crazy long battery life – the XL works for 48hrs and the new mapping feature is a huge leap forward for Lezyne GPS too. Just download an area of opensource maps and drag it onto the device and you’ve got paths, maps etc. ready to follow. Then with added sensors like cadence and heart rate and the phone link up too, which says who’s calling or texted so  you can just ignore them and keep riding! We will do a full review on these units soon as have tested them for a couple of months now but click here to see more info as a great xmas presents!

9. Findra Merino Neck Warmer – Marion’s suggestion and a favourite of hers for all trips. On offer too at Wiggle it seems…. Click here

10. Snow Peak Titanium Pans – The best investment we’ve made in term of usage. These pans have been with use to probably about 40 countries and still going storng. Strong than aluminium ones that bend and break in your bags these keep going. Also on teh link below the whole Snow peak range looks awesome. We also have Titanium sporks that have served use well over the years have a look here click here

Tilt – A simple device that might save your life or will it?

Tilt is simply put a safety crash detection system and auto alert device for riders like us who venture out alone and often into remote places. It is a device that fits onto your front hub and uses bluetooth to connect with your phone. It monitors your riding via clever algorithms to detect impacts and behaviour consistent with a crash. It then sends a text with location details to the designated number you entered when it suspects a crash. It gets even more clever as it uses the Singletracker community to send messages to anyone in the immediate area so bikers can help other bikers out in trouble quickly. It is a small sleek unit that fits easy and stays on. Battery life seems good too. Altogether pretty hassle free to install and connect to the app. I cover a lot of miles on my own so this sounds like a good idea right?

However I have been using it a bit and I have a few issues with it……

Firstly it relies on phone signal to send a text when you’re not able to due to a debilitating crash. I ride in areas with no phone signal much of the time and that is probably when I’d need help the most, not a deal breaker for everyone but food for thought.

The singletracker community is apparently growing and is popular, especially in Denmark so the community feature works well there, but in Scotland not so much.

Personally I always use a separate GPS device to record my ride (and now navigate on Lezyne Mega XL GPS) because I don’t want to be running my phone battery down using bluetooth and GPS tracking. I want my phone to be fully charged in case I need to call for help. This device uses bluetooth which will mean my phone auto connects to all my devices and add drain to the phone battery – is this counter productive when I can’t send that text after a crash on a full day of riding?

Finally I have tried my hardest to fake very convincing crashes a number of times and it just never sent a text or did anything. Is it so clever it can analysis my fake crash attempts or is it simply not working? I have no idea and with no feedback, I can’t feel happy to rely on it. The app interface tells you the device is connected and shows the movement associated with the device. However it tells you nothing else. Is it actually working, how does it work, I don’t know, what is it doing if there’s no info?

 

A really clever idea and well slick designed item but unfortunately it’s not for me.

Rab Microlight Alpine Jacket – reviewed for bikepacking

The golden rule for bikepacking kit is the smallest bulk for the most performance, and a lightweight down jacket is essential kit.

It is the first item I pack regardless of climate or where I’m heading, well OK technically it is the last item as it fits best at the back of of the saddle pack bag! From snow to Scottish summer conditions a down jacket is the perfect option for when you’re tired and cold and setting up camp. Now with our babypacking adventures it is even more important as a safety item so I have a down jacket to put over us both when cold. Some people prefer synthetic insulation with the argument that it stays warmer if it gets wet, however given how much I ride in Scotland and how much it rains I’ve never had much issue with a down jacket most importantly down packs smaller for the same warmth. Nature still does insulation better I think.

So I’ve discussed why a down jacket is essential for bikebacking but why this one? I’ll be honest when I first bought one they all looked much the same, but I’ve used 4 over recent years and some have been rubbish. The Rab Microlight jacket is an iconic item, and this jacket celebrates 10 years as a best seller. That in itself suggests this jacket might be OK – if you’ve sold loads over the last 10 years you’re doing something right! Most UK outdoor enthusiasts will have some Rab kit and maybe most iconic is the micro down jacket.

First up it fits a bit longer than other brands which I like, they also do a long version too! Nice range of colours is good too but most importantly the fit is great. So many jackets like this are square shaped which annoys me being tall and skinny and and lets face it this is a serious piece of outdoor kit so the average wearer is likely to be on the slimmer fit side of the scale like us.
The packability is such it fits back in its own bag easily and will go into the smallest Apidura bar bag with my sleeping bag easily enough. I noramlly stash it in the saddle pack at the end to use up space and squeeze stuff together, also as it is light it won’t cause swaying issues with the saddle pack. It is then teh first item to hand if needed when I stop.

However there is still space in it to pull over other riding clothes or even squeeze a small baby underneath!

The Down
This is the big big difference with cheaper jackets where the down is the wrong weight/amount used, fill and the down was probably plucked in some horrible factory in China. Rab use ethically sourced down from the EU, and in 750 fill which is what I look for in a jacket. 750 fill is the best balance between structure and incredible lofting, (put simply the fill means how high the down lofts up). I have a 800 fill Haglofs jacket that is very similar to the Rab with same outer fabric but the down is so soft it compresses easier and doesn’t fill the baffles quite as well.
Hydrophobic down isn’t completely water repellent but it noticeably doesn’t clump together when damp which helps in the wetter conditions that we have in Scotland. The Microlight jacket seems to do pretty well on the drizzly days when I have used it without an outer shell. That says a bit for the Pertex Quantum outer layer too which seems to be the best fabric out there for this kind of application.

Overall it isn’t rocket science to conclude that this classic Rab jacket is light, packs small, is warm, resists the elements and while you can probably get a slightly cheaper jacket it won’t tick all the boxes quite as well. If you’re looking for a down bikepacking jacket then It’s hard to look past this one.

Stats

470gms in weight overall
143gm of Down fill
Pertex Quantum
Full details click here

5 Awesome gravel routes from the Tweed Valley in Scotland

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After years of exploring dead ends and epic climbs in the Tweed Valley, here are five awesome gravel rides in the local area. I’ve shared them via Komoot as I quite like it as a platform and so you can explore and download the GPX if needed.

These routes all explore deeper into the ‘secret’ southern uplands taking you into some remote and wonderful places, where if you see another rider you’ll be pretty taken surprised!

All 5 routes have been done on my Tripster ATR with 40-45mm tyres, but with some sections certainly pusjhing the gravel bike limits and benefiting from the Lauf forks and wider 650b wheels more than others! Some of you may prefer a few of teh routes on an XC bike but either way they’re designed to be ridden fast with a mix of track, road and the odd singletrack section.

These are just some loops that work well as decent day loops in length but there are more options for overnight trips for 100s of kilometres headed further afield in this area. Also don’t forget to look at the elevation profiles  because it’s fair to say a love of type 2 fun is needed when following some of our routes….

Route 1 Drove roads and castles

So route 1 is a mere warm up at 36 miles, maybe do 2 laps or ride down from Edinburgh via the Pentland hills for it!! It starts with the nice little loop through Glentress forest on smooth tracks and then via the infamous ‘hole in the wall’ it leaves the MTB trails behind and heads for the hills down towards the village of Eddleston.

The section of drove road from Eddleston over to Romano Bridge is a wild highlight with a couple of river crossings, but as a caution this track isn’t shown as a track on the opensource map below but is gravel! After the farm and onto the road again there’s a climb up through Ladyurd Forest before a non-highlight which is a 400m pathless hike a bike section where you just head towards a bothy looking building (FYI It’s not a bothy) this isn’t a great part to be fair but shoulder the bike, run and treat it like the 3 Peaks or CX race training and it’s fun. Then it’s a crazy fast gravel blast back to Stobo castle where you could stop for a visit to the fancy spa if you so desire. That actually sounds like a rather nice winter trip, I might do that if they let me in…

In dry summer conditions you can detour via the John Buchan Way to Manor valley but this is usually super muddy and take a map for this one as it can be hard to follow…..
Either way this is a good loop taking in places that no one seems to ever go by bike!

Tweed Valley Gravel Route 2 – Peebles to Innerleithen with extra gravel

This 55 mile route is a bit beefier and is takes in an unusual combinations of tracks close by but suitably different to the classic Tweed Valley wind farm gravel loop in loop 3. It first heads along the river cycle path to the fire roads of Traquair forest and Caberston in Innerleithen before ascending the locally renown brutal Leithen Water climb straight up to near the Glentress Mast. Before the mast is reached this route heads off into the forest to find a vague but rideable path into a hidden valley.

These wild old forest tracks ocassionally involve some fallen trees to navigate and sweeping through an overhead tunnel of trees (that as of 2020 might have been cut down) out to a wonky gate and the vague but just about rideable on drop bars path, this takes you into a superb hidden valley. This bit needs careful navigation as it is hard to follow the path, beware of a muddy stream crossing in the middle. It is uphill through a field and then down past a farm to the main Edinburgh road. The final section avoids the main road to Peebles by using the Meldons back road and the gravel tracks of another section of old Borders drove road in the Meldon hills. An awesome route that avoids the normal Glentress forest tracks and I bet no-one else has ever ridden this combination or direction!



TV Gravel Route 3 – Ed’s go-to classic Tweed Valley Gravel loop

If there was any coherent ordering of these routes this would be number 1 because this is a simply awesome route that turns out about the 100km mark with climbs, descents, views and even drop bar friendly singletrack, oh and a massive kick in the ass climb just as you’re feeling super knackered – perfect type 2 Sunday afternoon fun. You can even see the seaside from the top.

It might be getting dark for this descent;
The route takes in the Glentress direct climb to the mast before detouring to the Bowbeat Windfarm. This is a maze of tracks and very remote so go prepared. Once up there you can see Edinburgh and the sea, that’s how high it goes! There are turbine numbered maps at junctions to help if you get lost as it is confusing and mist can drop in quick.

The track then traverses Leithen Water valley high up with epic views. Now you could just do a loop in Caberston or Traquair forests if feeling tired, if not carry on up and up to the southern upland way and Minch Moor. From here a bumpy but drop bar rideable singletrack descent (I recommend a pair of Lauf forks) that takes you down to the Yarrow valley road.

A glorious road ride along the valley is the precursor to a new and stunning section of forest and moorland track back over to Peebles. The climb here needs food and energy it is relentless, the Gordon Arms pub serves tray bake (and beer) before you leave the road if needed….



Tweed Valley Gravel Route 4 – What’SUP to Bowhill and beyond!

Another great variation on route 3 that takes in the full Innerleithen to 3 Brethren section of the Southern Upland Way.

A rough-ish rocky descent towards Selkirk can be varied on number of tracks. From here it is into Bowhill Estate’s great tracks after a stop at the cafe.
The track along the tops here is one of my favourites with views over the flatter land to the east and great at sunset too.
The road through Ettrick valley is another classic section of riding before gravel goodness from Berry Bush down to St Mary’s Loch. Then back on the epic climb up and over to Manor valley and Peebles. All rideable but hardwork, as you’ll see on the map there are numerous options to shorten the route. Although when I say shorten it’s still a good 70km day out.

Route 5 The warm down loop – Hidden Innerleithen and Cardrona

This short loop takes in some steep climbs and can easily be extended in any direction on the network of forest fire roads it links into at Elibank, Traquair and Cardrona forests but this route uses the more ‘secret’ access and connecting tracks between the forests. If you’re on an XC bike you can add in the Gypsy Glen descent back to Peebles from the top of Cardrona Forest or add the Southern upland way instead of the road if fancy something longer.

Essentially this is a nice flat out blast with a variety of trails and a good section of quiet road too. It has great views and the climb up to Cardrona is a challenge to do without dabbing, in the wet you’ll struggle for traction but it’s good fun! The Elibank switchback climb can be added but this doesn’t appear on open source mapping and finally the descent out of Traquair Forest can be a bit muddy but the track along the valley is pure Paris-Roubaix cobbles!
A great final route to tick off!

Once you ride a few of these you’ll see the combinations for different loops is absolutely endless there’s so much to explore.

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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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?

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

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

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

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.