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I will get back to you as soon as possible. Apologies if there is a delay, I am most likely planning the next adventure...

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Popular posts from this blog

Review – TRP Spyre SLC Cable Disc Brakes

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Cable actuated disc brakes get a lot of bad press. There is some justification for that — most of the systems lack the modulation and performance of their hydraulic counterparts. There is however one set of cable disc brakes that shines above the rest — the TRP Spyre SLC Disc Brake. This lightweight and sleek cable disc caliper excels in both design and functionality.

My Kona Private Jake arrived in 2016 with a set of TRP's Spyre-C disc brakes fitted as standard. Those brakes worked very well for over 25,000 kilometres of use and abuse; I rode the bike for daily commutes (including a salty daily ferry journey), and I rode the bike fully loaded over the highest cols in the Pyrenees on the #CoastsandCols tour. The Spyre-C took all this abuse in hand, and always produced the stopping power I demanded.

This year, with the Kona Private Jake hitting a 25,000 kilometre anniversary, I decided it was time to upgrade and replace a number of the parts. To be honest, most of the components,…
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12 From 2019 – A Year in Review – One Life. Many Roads.

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This year has been a constant and unrelenting state of 'flow' — jumping between work projects and personal adventures; meeting amazing new people and exploring spectacular places. I started 2019 with very few aims or objectives on the bike; but finished it with more memorable moments than I can count. This blog post is a look back at the last twelve months — 12 photos to commemorate another momentous year in the saddle.


Year End Statistics Numbers are not everything, but they tell a story. Below are my figures for 2019, as well as the split of bike types ridden. 
My personal record broken this year was for elevation gained – 452,269 metres. The equivalent of climbing to the top of Mount Everest from sea level 51 times. Dedication to my #insearchofup motto.
Distance
25,540 kilometres (15,870 miles)

Time
1095 hours 40 minutes

Elevation Gain
452,269 metres (1,483,822 feet)
2019 Bike Distances 18,441 km – Gravel/CX Bikes (3T Exploro / Kona P. Jake) 1665 km – Road Bikes (Neil Pryde Bu…
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Review – Stan's NoTubes Grail S1 Road/Gravel/MTB Wheelset

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The Stan's NoTubes Grail S1 Wheelset is designed to be a go-anywhere, ride-anything set of disc brake wheels. Combining robust mid-depth aluminium rims, laced with a high spoke count onto Stan's NEO hubs; this is a strong and reliable set of wheels for mountain bike, road, and gravel riding.

I have previously tested and extensively used the Stan's NoTubes Crest S1 Wheels — both on MTB and gravel bike. The Crest has a lower profile rim, and a slightly lighter overall weight than the Grail; branded primarily as an MTB and Gravel wheelset.

The Grail S1 is branded as a do-everything wheelset. It uses the brand's slightly narrower (24.1 mm width) deeper section rim (24.5 mm depth), which are more aerodynamic and rated to a higher pressure than the Crest wheels. Consequently, the Grail wheels are deemed more suitable for road cycling as well as off-road adventures.

I set up the Stan's Grail S1 wheels with tubeless 40c tyres. This is always easy on Stan's wheels as …
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Review: Tate Labs Rain Fly Rear Mudguard

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Fed up with a wet back (and crack), and want some protection from road and trail spray? This new Rain Fly guard from Tate Labs could well be the solution...

Many readers will have seen and/or used an Ass Saver mudguard. The neat laser-cut plastic flap slots underneath your saddle, and provides valuable protection for your rear; while adding only minimal weight and aerodynamic drag. It is a KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) approach, to reducing the "mud-slick" effect.

The Ass Saver works well; but it isn't without its faults... The most significant downfall for the Swedish designed product, is that it rather too easily goes askew; exposing your back to your rear wheel. The second, is that it doesn't really provide protection for the back of your legs, or for a saddlebag or rear light housed on your seatpost.

The new Tate Labs Bar Fly Rain Fly promises to follow in the lightweight minimalist footsteps of the Ass Saver, but to overcome the two short-comings.

The guard atta…
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Explore – Le Tour de Wight – Isle of Wight Road Cycling Tour

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Last year I published a post on '7 Essential Ingredients for an Isle of Wight Bike Ride' — they included highlights such as historical landmarks, beaches, café stops, and quiet country lanes. In this post, I have put together the 'Tour de Wight' — a custom made route that links together elements of all these highlights, and creates a road cycling tour that will show you the best of the Isle of Wight.


The route is 100 miles long, starting and finishing at the Wightlink car ferry terminal at Fishbourne. This is a convenient starting point, but you could also begin from East Cowes, Cowes, Yarmouth, or Ryde Esplanade without needing to ride too much extra distance to join the route.

From Fishbourne, the route heads south over the Downs towards Newchurch. Here you turn onto the Sustrans bike path towards Newport and continue through to the crossing at Horringford — a great piece of bike path that demonstrates the efforts made to reuse old railway line routes as bike paths o…
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