Catching the bug

[Kirstie]

Oh gosh! Having toured on an airnimal (24" wheels) with a seatpost mounted rack on 25 mm tyres I can tell you a thing or to about high-mounted luggage!! And that thing is that you can get used to anything after a day riding it and it doesn't make that much of a difference anyway!

Anyway, Arch, it's bloody brilliant isn't it! Excellent that the touring bug has bit you like it did me 3 year ago. My racing form has dived as a result, but nothing beats that sense of freedom, especially when you've got your tent with you. Just excellent!

 

[Arch]

I was looking up Trangias online yesterday...

I've camped before, and toured before, but somehow I felt much more inspired last week, even if it was only one night under canvas, in an arranged field. All part of my mid life crisis I think. Normally I like everything arranged days ahead (preferably arranged by someone else), but I'm actually thinking about being able to head off to foreign parts some day, and winging it... So, that's ad hoc camping, in a foreign language. I think I've had a nerve transplant or something.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Nowt like it Arch. I did a Tour Von North Yorkshire in May and loved it:

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=3Tzut&doc_id=5187&v=3p

I still need to post pics and words for day three, so keep tuned.

 

[Arch]

Wow. Rosedale Chimney! With luggage!

I'd fail to walk up it!

I've never camped on campsites in this country and your remark about them being full on a bank holiday is the sort of thing that worries me, and is perhaps why I'm thinking of France, where I know campsites are perhaps more numerous. But I think I ought to do a few more trips in this country first.

Anyway, that looks like a good trip, even if it has a stupid amount of hills

 

[zacklaws]

Hi Arch

I use the Trangia 27 which is designed for up to two people and find it a lot smaller and compact than the one in the pic which must be the larger 25 model. I picked mine up for about £34 off the net but cannot remember what website it was but it never had the kettle (which I already had anyway). But at the end of the day a kettle is not essential as it is only useful for one purpose (so not worth carrying about unless your in a car), boiling water which you can use a pan for, cook a meal in one pan, and then boil the water for a brew and washing up in the other whilst you eat your meal.

I also use the Swedish army version too which you can pick up for about £10 but they are a lot heavier. There is even a mini Trangia for about £19 and I saw one in a shop in York last month which I would not mind for expeditions, but in reality if you have any of the other versions you only need to make a small windshield to stand the pans on.

 

[snorri]

Josie Dew sums up the touring thing for me in this quote:-
'Just to be moving, spinning along on a simple but useful pile of steel, your home in four bags hanging on all sides, going somewhere, anywhere, free and alone, sends me into the heady heights of exuberance'.

 

[Robert]

you can get racks that fit a lot lower than yours. it keeps your centre of gravity low and helps with steering and stability especially on hills.

I'll see if I can find any links or info

This isn't strictly true as anyone who's ridden a really low recumbent will know, as a bicycle works as an inverse pendulum. The lower the centre of gravity the more wobbly the package becomes. Also, the weight of the luggage, let's say 30lbs, is only a small proportion of the weight of the person riding the bike - any think from say 100lbs to twice that amount or more. Of course luggage will feel different to no luggage, I've toured with a pair of carradice front panniers on the rear rack, they look neat and they're lighter than the large ones, because they have much less stuff in them. As far as I'm concerned it's a no brainer.

 

[Piemaster]

Go Arch! Go!
As Zacklaws points out my Trangia is the larger one. I did end up cooking breakfast for four on it though. The bottle is also 1 litre - the 0.5 litre would probably have been enough but as it was only 1/2 full anyway there was no extra weight.
I passed a family on the way back on the TPT from the weekend; all with a huge amount of stuff on their bikes, could hardly see the parents bikes as their panniers front/back were so big, must have been 30 litres each.

Have you considered Jockland for touring? The sweaty socks now have a 'right to roam' which means you can wildcamp pretty much anywhere. I'm sure the locals on here can give more info on it.

I did have (and still do) a desire to commute home from work. Particularly fancied it when it looked like my boat was going to be working in Den Helder (North Holland). About 110 miles to the rotterdam-Hull ferry terminal on the North sea cycle path. Temptation was to buy a recumbent to do it on. One day.....
Unfortunately ended up in Aberdeen though.

 

[Arch]

Hi Arch

I use the Trangia 27 which is designed for up to two people and find it a lot smaller and compact than the one in the pic which must be the larger 25 model. I picked mine up for about £34 off the net but cannot remember what website it was but it never had the kettle (which I already had anyway). But at the end of the day a kettle is not essential as it is only useful for one purpose (so not worth carrying about unless your in a car), boiling water which you can use a pan for, cook a meal in one pan, and then boil the water for a brew and washing up in the other whilst you eat your meal.

Yes, I looked up trangias and reckoned it was the 27 I need. Well, will need, one day. I'm starting a Christmas list. The trick it to get my Mum to buy me camping kit without realising it means me going off to foreign parts.... She worries, bless her.

I must have a kettle though. Just because they are sweet! No, not entirely, but I like the idea of having one. I'm never going to be an ultra-light type person. I mean in luggage terms, as well as personally...

And I have to have a Piemaster Patent (TM) condiment set too....

(one of those travel toiletries sets, for taking on airlines. three bottles and a spritzer. Spritzer filled with oil, bottles with red sauce, brown sauce and washing up liquid.... Brilliant!)