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Are 1000 Mile Marfil Road Cycling Socks a Good Choice for Adventure Cycling?
November 20, 2013
This sock was sponsored by a company for Ride Earth. It contains a yarn called Marfil which apparently is very good at wicking away moisture so your feet stay dry. They are also very thin so good if it is hot and there is a chance that your feet will overheat. However, conversely they are also useless by themselves for cold weather. According to the company, “The sock is environmentally friendly to produce and is easily recyclable.
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Are Shimano MT91 Boots A Good Choice for Adventure Riding?
November 15, 2013
I managed to get a pair of these beauties sponsored from Chain Reaction Cycles. They are a hiking-style boot with a solid sole for riding efficiency. They are useful for long distance riding where comfort, water resistance and durability are paramount. Protection: Rubber reinforcements on toe and heel for protection and durability/ Volume+ last for a more accommodating toe box Upper: Natural Nubuck leather paired with waterproof, breathable Gore-Tex Performance Comfort Footwear liner
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Get Your Layering Right - Helly Hansen Base Layer Review
November 14, 2013
A base layer is a really important item of clothing as it sits next to your skin. Having a long sleeve base layer is good in the winter, and can be doubled up with a t-shirt underneath and a micro fleece over the top makes a good winter riding combination. The garment is lightweight. I had a navy blue and a black one with the stripy arm-band which is good for visibility and looks great.
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Vaude Hogan Ultralight Argon Tent Long Term Review
November 14, 2013
Some people don’t like tents and prefer to sleep under a shelter or just in a protective breathable ‘bivvy’ bag. However, there are times when a tent has obvious advantages like if it is really cold, wet or there are a lot of insects. A tent seems like such a simple concept; a sheet over some poles that keeps the weather out, but there is plenty of variation out there. With simplicity comes subtle clever design principles such as advanced material choice.
Tags: CampingKitCycle touring kit2 man tentTentUltralightHogan ULVaudeGreenGearsleeping
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A Three Year Test of the Leatherman Blast Multi-tool for Adventure Cycling
November 14, 2013
A really useful item for travelling overland is a good multi-tool. Gerber and Leatherman are the main brands. The blast is a lightweight, solid-feeling tool which comes (unsurprisingly) in a leather case. Technical specification It has the following tools: Bottle Opener Hard-wire Cutters Large Screwdriver Needlenose Pliers Phillips Screwdriver Regular Pliers Saw Small Bit Driver Small Screwdriver Wire Cutters Wood/Metal File Wire Stripper Spring-action Scissors 420HC Blade Materials High-carbon (HC) form of 420 stainless steel optimized by heat treatment.
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What is a Buff and Why is it The Most Useful Piece of Travel Kit You Will Take?
November 14, 2013
Before I had any experience of travel I had no idea what a Buff was and when we were sponsored by Buff they sent us about 12 of them featuring different varieties for warmth, visibility, wackiness of design. However, a Buff is now the first thing I throw in my bag if I am travelling anywhere. I even wear one in bed. What Buff say More than 20 years ago, BUFF® invented the tubular headwear category with our Original BUFF® product.
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Loz Gazquez
November 10, 2013
I went to visit an art retreat in Southern Spain. Stunning farmhouse conversion in traditional Andalusian style. Agile planning for the organisation. They also do food retreats. Sierra Los Velez National Park, beautiful light and peaceful. I’m going back next year.
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How to Build the Perfect Expedition Bike for a Hassle-free Bike Tour
October 30, 2013
I wrote a series of popular articles about preparing for a short, medium or long term adventure cycling tour; about the equipment I needed, getting sponsorship, building an expedition bike and maintaining the bike on the road. I decided to compile all of these blog posts into a 100 page guide which covers the whole spectrum hoping helping you have an incredible adventure. It covers the philosophy of life on the road and how to make the most of the experience.
Tags: EquipmentTouringExpeditionAdventure cyclingExpedition bikeKitGear
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Why is Bicycle Touring the Best Way to Travel Through Europe?
October 30, 2013
Benefits Cheaper than public transport Getting fit whilst travelling Hugely diverse area, geographically and politically. The geography in Europe is variable from the flat lands of the Netherlands to the mountains of the Alps. You can put in good distance in the former and get really fit and go slow for the latter. Camping is widely available If you speak English then often many people in Europe will speak the language.
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Tips For Preparing a Cycle Tour to Ensure an Amazing Trip
October 28, 2013
PrepareI spent a considerable chunk of time preparing for our bike trip, Ride Earth. We read about previous expeditions on websites such as 'Crazy Guy on a Bike' ( http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/ ), and blogs like Alastair Humphreys' blog ( http://www.alastairhumphreys.com ) and Janne Corax ( http://www3.utsidan.se/corax-e/ ). We started a collaborative 'Wiki' website and started to write down all sorts of stuff on it from the philosophy of why we were going to kit lists, visa information for each country we planned to visit, medical advice, etc.
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Tips for Your Gap Year
October 28, 2013
Hello! You have probably got here searching for that exact question. That’s great, because I have some good information for you to help with your quest to find the ideal gap year. Are you sick of the lack of original ideas for your gap year? Do you wish that you could guarantee yourself a really authentic travel experience? Is the blue branding of STA travel in your university travel agent starting to get kind of sickening?
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Tips for Travelling With Your Bike By Bus in Europe Stress Free
October 28, 2013
I did the overland journey Georgia - England, there and back, two and a half times; about 15000km in total. Overland travel in Europe has it’s ups and downs but is generally efficient and reliable. The trains in Eastern Europe are generally well priced and run on time but some of the the older routes, like the Balkan Express are quite slow. Trains in Western Europe are generally faster, have less character (think curvaceous lumps of grey plastic and retro-futuristic design) and are more expensive.