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Saturday Stoke: Fabio Wibmer - Fabiolous Escape 2
May 12, 2018
Some of these bike vids are getting absolutely insane.
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Bikepacking Seat Post Bag Reviews
May 9, 2018
A seatpost bag seems like an excellent way to add luggage space where there is already a fair amount of weight (my backside). But in all seriousness, the bike geometry is designed to accomodate for there being some weight around this area so theoretically handling shoudln’t be affected as much as with panniers for example. However, with bikepacking being a new space and all that. There are quite a few offerings out there, but it is not easy to find the one that makes sense and will do the job reliably.
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Bike hacks - Tips and Tricks to Enhance your Cycling Experience
April 29, 2018
NOTE: This post is a work in progress. Apologies if it is a bit rough around the edges. Weather protection Go for full length enclosed outer gear and brake cables to prevent them clogging up with mud and rust. Frame protection Use gaffer tape to protect chain stay and cable outer rub Use Sugru to stop rubbing / vibrating cable Disc brakes Brasso to decontaminate disc rotor with oil on it.
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Trail running 101 for newbies whose feet have never touched dirt!
March 26, 2018
This is a guest post. John Muir allegedly once famously said, “Of all the paths you take, make sure at least one is dirt.” Runners have the luxury of taking any number of paths on their runs, since we can run on a rubberized, all-weather track; on the sidewalks near our homes; on a cement, indoor track; or on the dirt, through the woods at our favorite forest preserve. Precious few, if any, other sports afford their athletes the same latitude that running gives us.
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The Wander Scale
March 25, 2018
When you go travel from point A to point B you can either go via a direct or indirect route. Travelling over land, geography and route play a part. A large, direct road probably offers the opportunity to travel at at higher speed. A smaller, indirect will probably offer less potential for a fast journey. I did a project on my Goldsmiths Masters project inspired by the “Dérive” - a theory invented in 1956 by Guy Debord which involves walking around the city and paying attention to the psychological affect of the surroundings.
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My Daily Croatia Mountain Bike Guide Itinerary
March 21, 2018
In 2005, for 6 months I worked as a mountain bike guide. Each day I would make the following speech to guests: Welcome, I’m Andy. I am the mountain bike guide here. I will be doing a harder ride in the morning at 7.30 am and an easy ride in the afternoon at 5pm. I will also take a guided ride at 2.30 pm if needed. Please sign up for the rides by putting your name on the boards.
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How to build the perfect expedition bicycle - Part 4
March 21, 2018
This is the last in the four part series. Please check out part 1,2,3 if you haven’t already. This one is about the luggage set up. I find that using a trailer is preferable because it takes weight off the frame and the bike is more manoeuvrable. I would recommend the Extrawheel Voyager trailer.The design is now extremely simple with the panniers attaching onto a lightweight rack-type frame. It is good on rougher terrain (its the best option for mountain biking) and the attachment has been very reliable.
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How to build the perfect expedition bike - Part 3
March 21, 2018
Wheel choice for expedition biking is a personal one. I used Sunn Rhynolyte rims because they lasted well and are still going strong. I’ve recently head about other rims. For example, Emily Chappell is riding Rigida Sputnik 26″ rims. My first set of touring wheels used Mavic XM721 rims, which cracked after a few months. They don’t have a good reputation for touring therefore avoid. On rough ground then the Sunn rims I sued are one of the best options because they are so strong.
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Is there such a thing as a cyclist philosophy?
March 6, 2018
Cycle journeys, mountain biking, city cycling - cycling shapes my life, my mind and my body. Cycling is a varied experience including many different reasons to ride, such as commuting, fitness, or racing. Experience is further shaped by the type of bike and environment. Some people cycle purely for functional purposes but for some there is a real philosophy and culture behind cycling that unites a sub-culture. Even though there’s no uniform bike culture, many individual people have their own philosophy.
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How to Choose a Saddle
March 6, 2018
A saddle can make or break riding a bike The convention view that a big gel saddle is the most comfortable is wrong. There are many different types of saddles in many materials, shapes and sizes. Here are some tips for choosing the right saddle: Its largely down to taste You need to buy the saddle before you can give it a decent test Narrower saddles generally lend themselves to more forward-leaning aggressive riding styles Wider cushier “tractor seats” are better for upright riding Harder saddles are okay if you’ll be wearing cycling shorts or bibs which provide their own padding, but you’ll want a little cushion if you’re riding in jeans Softer saddles for shorter rides, harder ones for longer rides Get your sit bones measured at your bike shop and ask which saddles will suit you.
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How to build the perfect expedition bike Part 2
March 6, 2018
In the first installation of the series I wrote the frame and suspension. In this one I will talk about the drivetrain: Bicycle drivetrain systems are used to transmit power (Wikipedia). If you are choosing components or checking out a bike for touring you need to have a reliably functioning drivetrain because it is what propels the bike. Shimano components are widely available and reliable. The mountain bike component range of Deore, XT and XTR are built to withstand abuse whereas road components may compromise strength to reduce weight.
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How to build the perfect expedition bike part 1
March 5, 2018
So you want to go on an expedition by bike. You might be asking yourself “What kit do I need?” You’ll find plenty of information out there. Cycle touring is something you can do without expensive or complicated kit but it can help to invest in equipment that has been well road tested. For most of the cycle touring I have done, I’ve ridden a mountain bike frame because I wanted something which would take plenty of abuse.