Cycling North After Winter

[Bucketeer]

I've banged on about it before but in my 'previous life' I had only ever been abroad once, and that was a lad's holiday to Spain on my 18th birthday. I worked solid without a holiday until I was 36 at which point I decided that instead of watching documentaries and reading books about cool places I should just go and actually see and experience them. That lead to six fabulous (and sometimes miserable) years of traveling, mostly on foot, including a couple of years living in Bulgaria and the best part of a year traveling through France on £300. I was a complete novice/idiot when I set off (and still am in many ways) but I managed to deal with everything that arose and wouldn't change that time for anything. I'm now 43 years old and unfit and unprepared (just the way I like it) and if I can do this shit then anyone can.

[Junkman]

Doing this kind of shit is not the problem. Wanting to do it is.

[dollywobbler]

Do you still own a small bit of Bulgaria?

[lesapandre]

?

[lesapandre]

Tbh poundland sell packs of lighters, far less messing in a get warm or freeze situation.

The Lidl ones are better quality. I think £1 for 3.

[Bucketeer]

Do you still own a small bit of Bulgaria?

Yes I do.

This was spring 2017 and the last time I saw my 'house'.

 

 

Edit - That picture may just look like two walls and nothing else. That's because it is two walls and nothing else. To get an idea of layout, the chainsaw is in the middle of the kitchen floor and the photo was taken whilst stood in the guest suite.

[The Moog]

Sf20?

[Bucketeer]

^^^^ Sounds good to me. Everyone bring building materials, tools and dirt bikes/ropes and crampons to get up the mountain.

[Bucketeer]

A bit more tent reminiscing.

I bloody love my tent. We've been through a lot together. It was strange going from owning loads of crap I'll never use to only having what would fit in my rucksack. It was massively liberating, but also meant I became very attached to the few things I had. The tent is a bit faded now and has a couple of little holes in the floor but is otherwise still perfect and will hopefully continue to keep me dry for many years to come.

 

It's had some use in the UK as well as abroad.

 

 

 

[richardmorris]

^^i see sir recycles.

 

Any grid reference for the pad in bulgaria? We could see it from space.

[Mally]

Why not just stick the tent on your house* in Bulgaria.

They couldn't evict you.

[Bucketeer]

Any grid reference for the pad in bulgaria? We could see it from space.

It's dug into a slope on the side of a heavily wooded mountain in the Bulgarka National Park and you really struggle to see it from 20feet away never mind from a flying space robot 2 miles up.

 

Why not just stick the tent on your house* in Bulgaria.

They couldn't evict you.

Because -25C winters and 3 months of chest high snow.

[SiC]

Because -25C winters and 3 months of chest high snow.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcSqeGs3Z4p3HaWfmGvuSKKN8PzngJ_V2zZgbCPlaVRuREoB7L9Y

[richardmorris]

See what you mean.

[Bucketeer]

I received a package from Stanky Claus the other day, which means I've got everything.

 

 

They're tyres for the trailer if you hadn't guessed from the funky freeform shapes being kicked out by the packaging.

 

I guess I'm still a bit up in the air over panniers. I don't have any yet, ChinaTom kindly offered some but he might not be back in the country in time. I like the idea of saddle bags. I would much prefer to have some bike storage, even if I don't use it all, just in case something happens to the trailer and I need to go all Buckeroo on the bike's ass. I think I'll just ignore panniers for now, see where that gets me. Worst comes to the worst, I'll have a basket cable tied to the top of the rack at the back, but that is meant to be for the cat (the cat holds my sunglasses when I'm not wearing them) and the dog (the dog guards the cat).

 

One of the things that I enjoy about traveling is the freedom to do pretty much whatever you want. You don't have to conform to anything so if, for example, my hair was dyed the other day (mildly against my will) and I now look like a Toucan, it doesn't matter.

 

 

[richardmorris]

I received a package from Stanky Claus the other day, which means I've got everything.

IMG_20181120_160823071.jpg

They're tyres for the trailer if you hadn't guessed from the funky freeform shapes being kicked out by the packaging.

I guess I'm still a bit up in the air over panniers. I don't have any yet, ChinaTom kindly offered some but he might not be back in the country in time. I like the idea of saddle bags. I would much prefer to have some bike storage, even if I don't use it all, just in case something happens to the trailer and I need to go all Buckeroo on the bike's ass. I think I'll just ignore panniers for now, see where that gets me. Worst comes to the worst, I'll have a basket cable tied to the top of the rack at the back, but that is meant to be for the cat (the cat holds my sunglasses when I'm not wearing them) and the dog (the dog guards the cat).

One of the things that I enjoy about traveling is the freedom to do pretty much whatever you want. You don't have to conform to anything so if, for example, my hair was dyed the other day (mildly against my will) and I now look like a Toucan, it doesn't matter.

IMG_20181118_201230071.jpg

IMG_20181118_201210238.jpg

 

 

 

 

Erm... well! I’m not sure.....did mr and Mrs sixcyl not like the decorating?

[richardmorris]

Planet X has some decent paniers on offer today.

 

 

Plus....https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/BAWAHBFB/wilier-adventure-handle-bar-bag-for-flat-bars

[loserone]

I totally wasn't sold on panniers, but they're lighter, faster and nearly as big as the trailer. I found myself having to drop a front cog with the trailer on.

 

Think it's unlikely to be worth getting any that aren't properly waterproof, ortleib.

[Stanky]

I'd just like to say that in case anyone* is interested* I'm a freelance present wrapper, available for hire at a modest fee.

 

Glad they arrived OK and fulfilled all expectations in that they were both rubber and circular. how long til departune date now?

 

Don't forget colour protect shampoo for the shopping list. It really works!

[Mally]

I reckon the Tucan's jealous.

[Dan_ZTT]

^^^^ Sounds good to me. Everyone bring building materials, tools and dirt bikes/ropes and crampons to get up the mountain.

You may jest, but I would enjoy that a lot more than two weeks on the beach in majorca or something. My wife, on the other hand...

[Bucketeer]

Is there any reason for me not to buy one of these gel seat cover things? Is it likely to keep slipping off, or explode, or give me bum herpes or summat?

 

 

They're about six quid in Asda. I already have a couple of pairs of padded shorts but my thinking is that you can't have too much padding.

[chaseracer]

For six sheets you can buy it, try it and chuck it if it gives you arse scabies.

[richardmorris]

Honestly? Save your money. Too much padding will eventually be uncomfortable- you’re supposed to sit on your sit bones( bottom of your pelvis) not your padded backside . Experiment with moving the seat back or forward to get a comfortable arm reach, and adjust the height of the stay so your leg isn’t quite straight at bottom dead centre. I had a (free) bikefit when I bought the plastic bike, and it basically got to my own trial and error position, but in about 5mins not a few hours.

[Bucketeer]

For six sheets you can buy it, try it and chuck it if it gives you arse scabies.

Hark at the Sultana Prince of Brunel. Six quid is almost a year's wage for me. Think of all the starving children etc.

 

 

Honestly? Save your money. Too much padding will eventually be uncomfortable

That's the kind of answer I was hoping for.

[SiC]

You really, really want cycling bottoms and go commando. Having the padding to your skin is your best bet to not get chaffing. This is why proper road bike seats are pretty hard, because you have all the padding in your clothes.

 

If the padding doesn't have moulded sections into it then don't bother. E.g. sports direct stuff is just a foam section sowed in. Not even worth having. Decathlon supply a lot of decent kit without the cycling scene tax that many places now have. Possibly cheaper or easier to find a Decathlon in France than here.

 

Chaffing in your crotch really isn't a pleasant experience. Especially when it leads to open sores.

[Mally]

Hark at the Sultana Prince of Brunel. Six quid is almost a year's wage for me. Think of all the starving children etc.

 

 

 

 

 

You think of all the starving Polish people you're undercutting.

[richardmorris]

Hark at the Sultana Prince of Brunel. Six quid is almost a year's wage for me. Think of all the starving children etc.

 

That's the kind of answer I was hoping for.

I expect it’s something you can pick up in Decathlon sur le continent if you feel it would help after a few days cycling.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/C-755631-bike-saddles-and-seat-posts

 

 

The big pain things down there are always seams. Avoid sitting on them, or rubbing against them and you should be ok. Oh, and I’d recommend a small tub of sudocrem.

[Dave_Q]

If you want to try the seat cover they sometimes turn up in the £shop.

 

But I agree with the others that shorts would be better.

 

They do have decathlon in .nl if you need to get some on the way.

[willswitchengage]

I am a recent convert to simply using vaseline to line the gooch before a long ride. Helps afterwards too if you do end up with a rash.