Touring...or 'bikepacking'?

[mudsticks]

I will get around to laying the whole lot out around the trusty bike and taking pictures.

For the full effect you have to do an ariel view and have yourself lying down by the bike too

Being able to book places that way mid tour is great isn’t it!

It's ace, especially if you're abroad, and your language skills get exhausted quickly, going round looking for suitable places.

I've booked myself last minute online, into perfectly affordable accom , which turned out on arrival, to be pretty swank.

And been given a thoroughly warm welcome, despite dripping all over their highly polished floors.

I think hospitality, to the sodden cyclist is more instinctive in some countries.

Well I have a touring bike with racks for four panniers.
View attachment 567795
But I mostly just use it like this.
View attachment 567796
I've also a Mountain bike.
View attachment 567797
Sometimes I mix up the bags just to be different.
View attachment 567798

But as I'm over sixth I can't be a Bikepacker as I'm no longer a "Real Rad Dude" what ever they are.

Oh you so can..
Or even dudess

Whether you want to be.

That's another matter

This thread should be renamed

"Strap ons....yes or no for you?"

Suspect we may attract a fair bit of Google search traffic that way

Would sir prefer the rack, or the strap- ons??

Or both...

 

[bitsandbobs]

An interesting set of pictures to blur the boundaries...

https://www.instagram.com/rsfarchive/

 

[mudsticks]

An interesting set of pictures to blur the boundaries...

https://www.instagram.com/rsfarchive/

Ace, followed, haven't come across that lot before.

 

[Blue Hills]

Ace, followed, haven't come across that lot before.

interesting pioneers, but I've been warned off their forum.

 

[matticus]

An interesting set of pictures to blur the boundaries...

https://www.instagram.com/rsfarchive/

Is that the site with all the faked photos of cyclists crossing mountain passes 'n stuff, but without frame-bags, indexed gears or disc-brakes?

pffft - you can't fool me!

 

[mudsticks]

Is that the site with all the faked photos of cyclists crossing mountain passes 'n stuff, but without frame-bags, indexed gears or disc-brakes?

pffft - you can't fool me!

They're fooling me

Highly entertaining..

'specially the well pulled up red socks.

I even vaguely remember hikers sporting such things, in a 'non ironic' fashion.

I've got a lovely pair of 'darn tough' flowery knee length socks which do a similar job, of filling the gap.

But in super modern merino 🌺🌸💮🏵️💮🌺🏵️

 

[matticus]

'specially the well pulled up red socks.

I even vaguely remember hikers sporting such things, in a 'non ironic' fashion.

You might be aware that socks in the Pro-peleton were getting rapidly longer recently. UCI had to make a rule to limit them

 

[chriswoody]

The rough stuff fellowship are a really inspiring group, the original off-road pioneers. Here's a fantastic article of a meeting in 2019 recreating an iconic early ride using period bikes and clothing:

https://bikepacking.com/plog/wayfarer-centenary-weekend/

There was also a great article in the Guardian a short while back:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/jun/13/break-the-cycle-britains-oldest-off-road-club

proving that not only is there nothing new in the world of cycling, but you really don't need all the modern technology if you have the attitude these folk had.

 

[mudsticks]

You might be aware that socks in the Pro-peleton were getting rapidly longer recently. UCI had to make a rule to limit them

Spoilsports...

 

[Oldhippy]

That is the greatest thing about a bicycle. Whilst new tech certainly makes things easier you can actually tour on anything. From old shoppers to the four grand carbon thingy.

 

[matticus]

The rough stuff fellowship are a really inspiring group, the original off-road pioneers. Here's a fantastic article of a meeting recreating an iconic early ride:

https://bikepacking.com/plog/wayfarer-centenary-weekend/

I was there!!!

It was organised by Jack Thurston (so I got the chance to meet him too ) - see other threads his bikeshow.net podcasts.

Amazing weekend, best diverse mix of bikes+riders I have ever seen.

 

[mudsticks]

interesting pioneers, but I've been warned off their forum.

Oooh intrigue..

I'm desperate to join now.

Just to find out what the deal is

 

[FaustoCoppi]

Mudsticks, perhaps we should start a ‘where in the world’ thread?
FYI the picture was last February our annual winter week in the sun visiting the Canary Islands with either solos or tandem. This photo is on Fuerteventura, not really ‘sold’ as a cyclist destination, we’ve been twice to fuerteventura and it’s a brilliant place to ride. In fact all the islands are , all with quite different characteristics and topography.
Sadly not this year as sitting on an airplane with 200 other people is right off the agenda.
We might not even be doing our planned ferry to Santander then cycle camp home in May if the situation hasn’t improved, we had to cancel flight to Montpellier cycle back home in May last year... bl**dy virus 🦠 still, at least we can probably say it’s the longest lasting anything that has ever been ‘made in China’ 🇨🇳!

 

[mudsticks]

Mudsticks, perhaps we should start a ‘where in the world’ thread?
FYI the picture was last February our annual winter week in the sun visiting the Canary Islands with either solos or tandem. This photo is on Fuerteventura, not really ‘sold’ as a cyclist destination, we’ve been twice to fuerteventura and it’s a brilliant place to ride. In fact all the islands are , all with quite different characteristics and topography.
Sadly not this year as sitting on an airplane with 200 other people is right off the agenda.
We might not even be doing our planned ferry to Santander then cycle camp home in May if the situation hasn’t improved, we had to cancel flight to Montpellier cycle back home in May last year... bl**dy virus 🦠 still, at least we can probably say it’s the longest lasting anything that has ever been ‘made in China’ 🇨🇳!

Yes maybe we should..

That looks great

Did someone say 'ferry to Santander' 🙄

No need to fly, to get to fabulous touring destinations..

I must write up that trip sometime.

Met so many nice people along the way.

 

[FaustoCoppi]

It’s booked, we had to way earlier last year to ensure a cabin, whether or not we actually do it is now down to vaccine and how the dreaded B word pans out , travel insurance is going to play a big part too. We do have a couple of UK based fall back plans. But it’s France we really love cycling in, planning a route home on a day by day basis using old Michelin maps .