Retrobike Touring.
- Thread starter Trebz
- Start date
I'm just back from a quick overnight run out onto Dartmoor for a spot of bonding with No.2 son.
We left the car at the free park and ride in Plymouth, then rode up the Plym Valley trail. A short hitch across by road (and some killer hills) took us to Barrator Reservoir and an ice cream.
From there we picked up another railway to King's Tor, well inside the Dartmoor wild camping area. The weather forecast was good, so I skimped on taking a tarp and trusted to the eBay Belgian Army bivi bags bought a few years ago. Dinner was rapidly brewed up on the Jetboil and then we snuggled down into our bivvys.
I woke a couple of times between midnight and 3am, catching a beautiful view of the Perseid meteors with the dark sky and lack of light pollution. In addition there were the the usual naked-eye sights of the Andromeda Galaxy and satellites passing overhead. A splatter of drizzle woke me later, but I rolled the bivi bag over and went back to sleep, after adjusting my son's.
I woke to the trickle of cold water down my neck at 0500...the weather forecast was not exactly right - and it was raining half-heartedly. At 0540 my son suggested we got up as things were not going to improve - at best it would be lying in damp sleeping bags. It was the right call, and we packed quickly and were off 20 minutes later. But the early start saw a lovely ride back to Plymouth with dawn sunshine drying us off. A stop on the Plym trail a few miles out of Plymouth to brew coffee and riding over the three viaducts in the sun cheered us.
Next time I'll bring the tarp regardless of the forecast!!!
We left the car at the free park and ride in Plymouth, then rode up the Plym Valley trail. A short hitch across by road (and some killer hills) took us to Barrator Reservoir and an ice cream.
From there we picked up another railway to King's Tor, well inside the Dartmoor wild camping area. The weather forecast was good, so I skimped on taking a tarp and trusted to the eBay Belgian Army bivi bags bought a few years ago. Dinner was rapidly brewed up on the Jetboil and then we snuggled down into our bivvys.
I woke a couple of times between midnight and 3am, catching a beautiful view of the Perseid meteors with the dark sky and lack of light pollution. In addition there were the the usual naked-eye sights of the Andromeda Galaxy and satellites passing overhead. A splatter of drizzle woke me later, but I rolled the bivi bag over and went back to sleep, after adjusting my son's.
I woke to the trickle of cold water down my neck at 0500...the weather forecast was not exactly right - and it was raining half-heartedly. At 0540 my son suggested we got up as things were not going to improve - at best it would be lying in damp sleeping bags. It was the right call, and we packed quickly and were off 20 minutes later. But the early start saw a lovely ride back to Plymouth with dawn sunshine drying us off. A stop on the Plym trail a few miles out of Plymouth to brew coffee and riding over the three viaducts in the sun cheered us.
Next time I'll bring the tarp regardless of the forecast!!!
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Absolutely fantastic. Something you will both always remember.
2468simon which model marin is that?
I have set up a touring bike for road and gravel, a 700c, flat bar, 2010 kona smoke.
Now i want to build a retro, off road, camping, touring, bike and bivi steed.
Its difficult because i have a 91 saracen sahara elite which is completely original (so it'd be a shame to change bits to suit and to wear out original parts and leave in the rain while camping.
Or i have an early 90s raleigh yukon i can build out of leftover parts but she doesnt have any rack mounts (considered getting some braised or welded on).
Or a pretty bad 94 marin palisades trail with kona forks. The marin is pretty rusty and has had the serial number grinded off at some point.
Either way, i am hoping to get something built up ready for spring.
Ill start by touring and camping on the isle of wight where im based as testers and once ive nailed the kit etc, ill start on mainland Britain.
So far the Army surplus shop has had some great stuff in there and a fiver at a carboot sale gpt me some altura and ortlieb panniers.
Cheers
I have set up a touring bike for road and gravel, a 700c, flat bar, 2010 kona smoke.
Now i want to build a retro, off road, camping, touring, bike and bivi steed.
Its difficult because i have a 91 saracen sahara elite which is completely original (so it'd be a shame to change bits to suit and to wear out original parts and leave in the rain while camping.
Or i have an early 90s raleigh yukon i can build out of leftover parts but she doesnt have any rack mounts (considered getting some braised or welded on).
Or a pretty bad 94 marin palisades trail with kona forks. The marin is pretty rusty and has had the serial number grinded off at some point.
Either way, i am hoping to get something built up ready for spring.
Ill start by touring and camping on the isle of wight where im based as testers and once ive nailed the kit etc, ill start on mainland Britain.
So far the Army surplus shop has had some great stuff in there and a fiver at a carboot sale gpt me some altura and ortlieb panniers.
Cheers
Also, a quick question...
Do you think its better to run old square tapered BBs and cranksets (which are harder to replace these days and take more tools to take on off out in the field) or change to modern, external BBs and either 3 speeds or singles cranks for more availability and less carrying tools?
The same with changing the quill stem to the slide on type by using a quill stem adapter so bars can be taken on and off without stripping them etc?
Cheers
Do you think its better to run old square tapered BBs and cranksets (which are harder to replace these days and take more tools to take on off out in the field) or change to modern, external BBs and either 3 speeds or singles cranks for more availability and less carrying tools?
The same with changing the quill stem to the slide on type by using a quill stem adapter so bars can be taken on and off without stripping them etc?
Cheers
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