Pen Paper Steel

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Oscar Jenkinson

I first met Oscar at The Woods Cyclery Grand Rando earlier this year. A spritely 19-year-old with the World at his feet. As we talked it soon became clear that Oscar was soon to be on the adventure of a lifetime.

“If all works out, I’ll be linking the Great Divide mountain bike route and Arizona trail to make a 3500-mile off-road solo adventure, beginning in Calgary, Canada and heading out to Phoenix, Arizona”. 

For those that don’t know, The Great Divide is the longest mapped off-road route in the world, known as the birthplace of bikepacking. 

“I’ve been itching to go for it since doing my first self-supported trip a year ago. It will take me along the spine of the Rockies mountains, from Banff National park to the Mexican border via Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. It’ll then be followed by a few days ride to reach the start of the Arizona Trail, a much more technical trail that runs from the AZ/Mexico border to the AZ/Utah border past the Grand Canyon and a ton of terrifying insects”.

As Oscar puts it “The vessel for this journey, the bike in question is a serious sight to behold and an incredible testament to Sven Cycles. The perfect bikepacker with enough mounts to carry everything he needs. Tig welded to make sure it is strong enough to withstand the test of time and clearance for 29x2.8 tyres. Add all that to a Rohloff 14 speed hub, Hope hydraulic brakes and you have one sweet machine.

“It‘ll clean any climb you put in front of it and descend with insane stability. The ride quality in the frame is utterly dialled- even with the tyres super hard it feels as though it has a flat! This not only makes it happy to plug endless miles of rugged jeep tracks but also super lively and springy in the fun rough stuff. I chose the 29+ platform as I love the feeling of thundering over ruts, being able to make poor line choices down a trail and the surprising road efficiency that you can get on such a wide tyre. The thought of needing spare tyres for trips outside of the US/Europe is a slight worry, for now, but we shall see if this is an issue. Overall, the fusion of fast geometry, a very comfortable pedalling position, a maintenance-free drivetrain and vast wheels make for a dream machine”.

“And the paint job? Even that's perfect! Tough as nails, easy to touch up and makes the bike look nice and un-stealable when scuffed. It was a tone taken from an 80s Jeep, which I think completes the workhorse personality”. The subtle Sven Cycle’s graphic are the only sign that this has been custom made for Oscar’s huge adventure.

For those that want to keep track of Oscar’s exploits, you can follow his post updates, poems and photographs on Instagram (@oscarjenkinson) and his blog joscarj.wordpress.com.

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Detour

Fancy the chance to ride 2600km in Japan, well now is your chance.

DETOUR

“The Art Of Riding

Bikepacking trips, if you ask us, persuade you to start looking at the world as a piece of art. As the hours pass in the saddle, something strange starts happening in a rider’s head: interesting views are seen as if they’re frescos, signposts are suddenly sculptures, and every utterance about the ride sounds like a line from a poem. And out of all the bikepacking rides we know, The Japanese Odyssey is the one that makes us feel this way the most.

The Japanese Odyssey

The Japanese Odyssey is an unsupported bicycle journey across Japan through 12 checkpoints. Starting from Tokyo on October 31st, 2018, this fourth edition allows riders to choose their own path, deep into dense forests and through neon cities, returning to Tokyo in their own time. As an endurance cycling event with no stopwatch, the emphasis is on exploration and appreciation rather than speed, and riders have 10 days to complete the 2,600km route.

What we’re Looking For

Detour is a mission to find riders, adventurers, and creators who document their experiences of bicycle travel through art. We want to see paintings, photographs, illustrations, poems, films, songs, and more. The medium doesn’t matter, as long as the spirit of exploration and adventure is clear.

The chosen winner will receive flights to and from the Japanese Odyssey, courtesy of 7mesh, Ritchey and Apidura. The winner will also receive a loan bike for the event, as well as a selection of clothing and bikepacking packs to take home”.

For more information click here https://www.detour-odyssey.com/

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Woods Cyclery; The Grand Rando

Well as many of you know we had a great time at the Woods Cyclery Grand Rando earlier this year. So much so you can see my happy face chatting away.

If you are thinking of going to the event next year, make sure you sign up to their emails.

https://www.thewoodscyclery.co.uk/

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Teravail Cannonball 42c

“There are routes covered with razor-sharp flint rock, where the wind is unforgiving, and the destination is far beyond the horizon. For the toughest days of gravel, when winning looks like finishing, we created the Cannonball.”

With the number of Gravel tyres now coming to the market the sales pitch is becoming all too familiar. It seems every gravel tyre out there is the one to have. So when we received the long-awaited Teravail Cannonball we thought we were just going to get yet another half decent tyre. 

From out of the box the tyre has a slightly tacky feeling which might be down to their 60TPI. As we had a new set of Hunt Gravel Wheels to try out they made the perfect tyre to complete the finished look. Set up with Hunt’s own rim tape the tyres slipped on easily. That being said when we tried to get the last quarter on to seal the tyre we did need a little help with the use of a tyre lever. But once they were pumped up the seal soon snapped into place and since have lost very little air. 

The Ride

Since we have had little rain this summer more of the routes we normally test bikes and parts on have become dust bowls. This is probably where the Cannonball comes into its own.

With an approximate width of 42mm depending on which rims you ride, there is enough grip to see you securely hit the corners at speed. The side nobbles have just enough grip to dig in and keep you rolling upright.

On the road and with a couple of extra PSI they didn’t seem to be too sluggish. In the UK most of the gravel rides cover at least three or four sections of tarmac. If you are looking for speed or to race then this is clearly where you make up some time. If you are looking for an adventure or bikepacking tyre then again you could do a lot worse.

All-in-all we have to say that the Teravail Cannonball 42c does exactly what you would expect. It covers all the bases and that is probably what you want in a tyre. Sometimes knowing you have some rubber on that you can forget about and enjoy the ride is exactly what you want. Just go out there and enjoy yourself.

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Brick Lane Bikes

Two weeks ago we were in London to pick up the BLB Hitchhiker (more on that to follow). While we were there we couldn’t help ourselves but have a good nose around one of London's premier bike shops for all things vintage, fixed, track and a whole lot more.

Brick Lane Bikes has been running for over 10 years and is the brainchild of  Feya Buchwald and Jan Milewski. Having seen the changing bike scene in London they ploughed all their cash into the business which has gone from strength to strength. So well in fact that they now sell in 40 countries and have over 1,600 dealers stocking BLB products.

“We moved into the area before Shoreditch became such a hub of youth culture and creativity; we were probably one of the first shops to cater to that crowd”. 

As we poked our noses into cabinets, boxes and other spaces everywhere you look is a treasure trove of goodies. If you like your vintage and classic track and road bikes you would have a field day. 

From those humble beginnings, BLB now has their own range of bikes. From track or fixed gear to city style commuters, this is where the Hitchhiker comes in. They could clearly see that there is a growing market for adventure bikes, bikepacking and so forth. Not being one to miss out they came up with their own bike to suit customers needs. But like we said, more on that to follow.

“We knew from the beginning that location was going to be key, and we knew Shoreditch area because that’s where we used to hang out. We actually had a stall in the market selling bike parts. From day one there was a demand in this area for a shop. People took to the idea almost immediately, it really wasn’t a struggle to get people through the door”. 

Even though BLB stocks a vast range of vintage and hard to find parts they clearly understand that not everyone has the budget. Over the years they have invested in their own branded parts which cater for those wanting something more practical. From tools to racks you can find almost anything you need under the BLB range.

Brick Lane Bikes clearly have their finger on the pulse. Whether a classic road or track bike, to something that will get you from A to B, they simply have you covered. If you are in the Brick Lane area it is well worth stopping by even if it is just to have a look at their amazing range of nic-nacs, the huge array of frames or to try out one of their bikes.

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Lusso

The other week we had the chance to pop along to Lusso in Manchester to see what they were up to and had in the pipeline for the coming seasons.

For those that have never heard of Lusso, they are probably (We looked and couldn’t find anyone else) the only U.K. manufacturer of cycle clothing that still make all their apparel in-house.

Based on a small back street in Manchester they have been running since 1982 when John and Dorothy Harrison started the company.

“Prior to forming Lusso, John rode International Cycling Events in both Europe and USA. He was very disappointed with the lack of comfort of all cycle wear at that time. The Jerseys seemed to get hotter and hotter as the race wore on and then began to sag and turned into very ill-fitting items by the end of a race. The baggy wool acrylic shorts featured a chamois leather that wasn’t at all comfortable, which also had a negative effect when riding regularly.

Between training and working part-time, John attended night school studying Fabric Technology and Design. It was at this point he started experimenting with fabrics and design to address the issues he believed contemporary cycle wear suffered at the time.

You could say that John and Dorothy's meeting was synchronistic, as Dorothy was a member of an elite Marks and Spencer's test team. M&S at this time only worked with quality materials and designs which lead to high customer satisfaction and very low returns. Dorothy worked in the team as a sample machinist on stretch fabrics, including swimwear and underwear. Her understanding of the importance of each garment stretch and correct stitch length to the inch, the thread for different applications and considering comfort and range of movement with close fitting garments really lent itself to this new joint venture.

Since 1982 we have been developing our product year on year to be better and better, incorporating new designs and fabrics to provide the latest contemporary designs that perform at the very highest level. We are famed for our superb fitting shorts in particular and we have a large loyal following from those in the know”.

For such a small company they have are clearly on top of their game. Having designed the Aqua Repel Jacket some years before Castelli came out with the Gabba. Both jackets are made from the same Italian material and it doesn’t stop there. Due to the size of the company they are always happy to help. Often we have had that personal touch when we have wanted something shortened. Although this is not something they advertise, they have been more than happy to accommodate. Lusso has helped several people in the past who have had to overcome issues with standard off the peg clothing. Clearly, a service that larger brands would never be able to perform.

If you are in need of a new jersey or a set of bib shorts then we recommend taking a look at Lusso. Their Carbon Bib Shorts are a favourite of ours and perform fantastically on long rides (just look at the reviews online). Plus we think it is important to support businesses that just go that extra mile (excuse the pun) to help out their customers. 

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Isambard's Cycles

One thing I love to do when popping to London is visit some of the fine bike shops that stock the rare and unusual. On a recent trip, it was great to pop into Isambard’s Cycles on Brick Lane and catch up with Tim and Sarah. I have to say that hearing they are about to close and move onto online sales I feel sorry for those that struggle to build on their passions.

“A bicycle is many things to many people. It appeals to the pragmatist as well as to the dreamer and serves as both tool and companion. A bicycle should make you feel good when you ride it – every kid knows that”!

The bicycle industry is a fickle thing at times. Fashions come and go and with rents as high as they are in London it can be hard at the best of times. 

“Although we sell bikes and frames from all over the world, we are specialists in British marques, dating from the 1930s to the 1990s.  The bicycles we sell are built up from the frame in our workshop, each to an individual specification. No two bikes we sell are alike and they all leave our shop in mechanically new condition, guaranteed against fault or failure for six months”.

They will be having a sale as they start to take the next step, so if you are in London then pop your head in, take a look and treat yourself, even if it is only a coffee. Tim and Sarah will be at the shop until the end of August before they fly off to Rome as they embark on a mini adventure.

Monday: Closed Tuesday: 8am – 8pm Wednesday: 8am – 8pm Thursday: 8am – 8pm Friday: 8am – 6.30pm Saturday: 10am – 5:30pm Sunday: Closed

Phone: [phone] // 020 7729 2469 Email: [email protected]

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Lyne Components 38/24 Direct Mount Chainring

For some time now we have wanted to play around with gearing, especially as we have a six-week bikepacking trip around Europe planned.

With that in mind, it was great to stumble across the Lyne Components double chainring.

For those that have never heard of Lyne Components, I’m not surprised. A South African company that produces mountain bike parts.

Over the next couple of months, we will be testing this as we finalise our rigs for our little honeymoon/adventure.

In the meantime here is a little more information about the chainring.

“Sram Direct mount fit chainring is machined from one solid piece of aluminium. The chainring converts any Sram Direct Mount crank from 1x to 2x by adding a double direct mount chainring spider”.

Specifications:

Teeth: 38/24

Material: 7075 T6 Alloy

Weight: 120g

Finish: CNC anodised black

For more information check out Lyne Components.

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Genetic Finishing Kit

There is one thing that really finishes a bike off and that is a good looking set of handlebars, stem, seat post, saddle and handlebar tape.

We were lucky enough to be given those items to finish off the Fearless Vulture (see previous posts) from Genetic distributed by Ison.

Straight out of the box you can see these items are good quality and although some people would say they are much the same as everyone else makes, most of those are greater in price. Looking online you can pick these all up for under £120 if you are savvy enough.

One thing we really liked was the rubber feel silicone bar tape. This gave us enough squidge to feel comfortable over the rough stuff and if you feel like it is too much it is simply a case of pull it tighter as you wrap your bars.....easy.

The seat post comes in a variety of sizes as you would expect, so there should be one to fit your bike, as does the stem. 

With regards to the handlebars, there are the usual widths available. One thing we had to get used to was the flare coming from riding a carbon road handlebar for a while. It was simply a matter of adjustment of the hoods and getting everything in the right place. 

Now that there are more and more adventure style bikes out in the world the AQ stem is a great idea. With the extra added height this allows you to adjust your riding position without having to change the forks if they have already been cut down. If you feel like you need to be more upright on your bike this is a simple way to go about it.

All-in-all you could choose far worse than to finish your bike off with the Genetic finishing kit. Just make sure you pick the correct length and sizes and you’ll be enjoying your bike even more. 

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Surly Space Horse

One of the bikes we have had on a long-term test is the Surly Space Horse Disc.

The All-City Space Horse is sold as one of those ‘do it all’ bikes. But I’m still left undecided as to whether it can indeed do it all, but only when it is straight out of the box. With just one spec level from Ison Distribution, your options truly are limited, that said the gear on offer is not to be sniffed at.

A classic steel frame and forks, Electrophoretic Deposition (ED) coated for durability & rust prevention, full Shimano 105 groupset with a 50/34 crankset and an 11-28T cassette, Halo wheels with quick release axles front and rear, plus Surly Knard 41c tyres. The frame and forks can easily take mud-guards, racks etc which allows for a good touring bike set-up.

Recently it had a good thrashing around the New Forest where its ‘do it all’ capability was truly tested. While the bike performed very well overall, there were a couple of issues we had. Firstly the short head tube doesn’t leave much room for a front bag when bike packing, and teamed with the relatively short Genetic Flare bars with a 130mm drop means getting onto the drops is a rather long way down and leaves a lot of weight on the front when descending, not ideal if the bag is rubbing on the front wheel. The feeling is disconcerting and also means reaching for the brakes is a stretched too far. 

One thing that Ison could do to make the bike even better is to change the 11-28T cassette. The range really does not provide enough gears for some all-road steep sections.

All that being said the bike did make for a comfortable ride, and with a few changes made on the set up helped with those hills. The 41c Knard made the bike roll, ensuring many of the potholes and vibrations encountered on any road or gravel ride are rolled over with ease and maximum comfort.

Being one of All-City’s best selling bikes you can easily see why this is a popular option. A steady classic which will last years even if you need to make a couple of tweaks just to make it a “Do-it-all” bike. For smaller riders, there is also the ability of a better fit by utilizing 650b wheels on the 43cm and 46cm versions, something many bike manufacturers are missing out on.

“The geometry is a mix of traditional road and randonneur, with a relatively short rear end and a bottom bracket that’s slightly lower than a standard road bike. This gives it both agile handling for riding unbridled and increased stability when loaded. This blend of geometry and our 612 Select tubing creates a bike that is capable of quick road centuries, gravel racing, commuting, and of course loaded touring”.

For more information visit ISON.

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Glory Roads 

For those looking to seek adventure in one of the most beautiful parts of Italy and want to combine it with some gravel cycling then look no further than the Glory Roads event.

With two distance to choose from, both 80 and 150 kilometers wind their way through the natural surroundings and medieval villages including the districts of Padua, Vicenza and Treviso   “Glory Roads born from a simple idea: discovering the territory from a privileged point of view; the saddle of the bicycle. Riding the Glory Roads is a unique opportunity to enjoy the historical and artistic spots, beautiful landscape, good food and wine scattered along the two proposed routes, Half-Glory with 80km and Full-Glory with 150 km.

The route comes through some of the most evocative venues: in order of appearance you will find Cittadella, Marostica, Bassano del Grappa, Asolo, Castelfranco Veneto, medieval villages among the most beautiful in Italy and last but not least Piazzola sul Brenta with its majestic Villa Contarini.

These villages will be connected with Brenta river park, hills of cherry and olive trees, vineyards and the Veneto countryside.

Glory Roads does not evoke any spirit of competition. There are no rankings or prizes for those who arrive first; everything was born to be an opportunity to have fun and relax between old and new friends, discovering little-known places and unique tastes, able - and we are pretty sure - to leave you speechless”.

The ride has been put together by Cicli Galetti with sponsorship from ELITE CYCLING. There is no time for an official start. You are free to start from 7.00 to 8.30 from the Elite headquarter, based in Via Fornaci 4 - Fontaniva (PD). An expo area will also be provided.

The registration fee is € 15.00 which includes a hearty breakfast before departure, two feed zone along the way (in each route) and a glorious race pack.

For more information or to register, visit Glory Roads. 

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Fearless Vulture

Over the past month, we have been playing around with the Fearless Vulture. For those that haven’t heard of the Brighton based company, it is well worth checking out.

The Vulture frame and fork comes in a penny under £500 (plus postage) so what do you get for your month?

A Reynolds 725 double butted frame, ED coated followed by powder coat, the ability to run up to a 45c tyre, Mounts to fit racks & mudguards and it can even take a carbon tapered fork should you wish.

On that note, we were lucky that the test model came with a headset already fitted. Normally you would have to buy your own and fit it. Personally, we think Fearless is missing a trick here. If the Vulture were to arrive with one fitted it would make it easier, especially if you were building the bike up yourself and don’t have a huge amount of tools.

Once we had selected the components to compliment the frame & fork we have to say it was a blast. The bike can fit both 650b and 700c tyres, but as we had a set of Hunt 700c Gravel Wheels for review we thought this would be the perfect bike to try them out on.

By having IS mounts on the frame and forks it is a simple set-up and this also allows you to be able to fit what size rotor you wish. The 68mm BB shell again allows you to fit a vast variety of bottom brackets, which in turn allows you to fit a wide range of cranks. This is also reflected in the 9mm QR drop-outs front and rear. If you were thinking of a bike where you could easily get spares then look no further. Simply saying this bike has been designed to fit as many variations of components as you can think of. If we were lucky enough to be going on an epic worldwide tour this is one frame & fork that would be on the top of our list.

Over the time we had the bike built up we have to say it handled extremely well and for your money, you are getting a lot of bike. One of the nice things about buying just a frame & fork is you can choose the components carefully, buying exactly what you want. Too often we have tested bikes where the stems needed changing, cranks are too long etc, etc. Although it might cost you a little more doing it this way, if you are savvy enough you can always get a deal.

Anyway back to the Vulture.....

With the 700x45c tyres fitted it simply rolled over everything and not once did it feel like it couldn’t handle the gravel paths, bridleway and potholes close to where we live. For those that normally ride a carbon tapered fork, there was little or no difference, especially under hard braking. 

This is one bike you can easily throw around, have fun on and never really have to worry about. The geometry and short chainstays make for a quick and snappy kick when you need it. Due to the mixture of Reynolds 725 and 4130 you have the right tubes in the right place.

Our only issues are mostly personal, ideally an extra set of bottle cage bosses on the down tube would have been great, the option to have a headset fitted, chrome or black barrel adjusters just to make it look even sexier. Like we say these are only personal opinions and if the Vulture had been a size smaller it wouldn’t have been going back.

All-in-all for £500 you are getting a lot of bike for your buck and if you are in the market for something new and adventurous you really should take a look at Fearless Bikes.

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13 Terrils

For those that know I do love a good gravel ride in Belgium so when Frederic sent me a link to this I was rather excited.

On Sunday 19th August he is putting a 120km gravel ride which is free to enter.

“We will leave from the train station of Angleur's parking place (Highway E25 exit #38 « Grivegnée, Angleur, Belle-île ») for an informal Gravel group ride of 120km and 1800m of D+. It will be GPS based (I recommend using Komoot). A few days before the ride I will send the GPX file or even better the Komoot planned route (So best to register or contact him).  

No fee to pay, no sponsor, no refueling station, just show up with your bike, your GPS and a few Gravel loving buddies, that's it! 

We will meet at 8:00 AM to leave at 8:30 on Sunday 19th”. 

The route takes in many parts of Belgium's urban post-industrial gravel paths and roads. 

For more information click here.

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The Jeroboam Bike Festival 

For those that love gravel and fancy a weekend in Italy, Jeroboam is clearly something you should check out. Offering up multiple course routes including an epic 300km dirt road route. For those that want to try something a little less ambitious, you can take on a 150km, 75km, and 37.5km route. The price is €39.90 for the event and you can see much more at Jeroboam.Bike.

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Hunt: Four Season Gravel Disc

For some time now we have had Hunt wheels come through the workshop but these are the first we have really had time to play with, inspect and review. For those actually ordering a pair, it is great to see a website that is clear, explains axles types and the extras they put in for free.

As these were going to be fitted to the Fearless Vulture (review to follow) we opted for the standard QR front and rear. For those that have thru-axles it is easy to change from QR with the correct adaptors.

Right out of the box it is great to see that they come with spare spokes, nipples, truing key, 6-bolt adaptors, tubeless valves and cassette spacer. Due to the rims already being set up with tubeless rim tape, these were a doddle to set up and fit the Teravail Cannonball 700x42c tyres. Oddly when we tried to fit the same tyre with inner tubes we struggled. This may have been down to tiredness after a long ride or just simply the fact that tubeless is the way to go......who knows?

The Ride

For £299 including shipping, these are a bargain! It is hard to think of another wheelset for that price that delivers that much and includes the little extras should you need them. While we had a few issues with running inner tubes, once these were set up tubeless we had no problems at all.

Since Hunt first started we have had several sets of wheels through the workshop, mainly with spokes needing tensioning after rather lumpy rides or bearings needing replacing due to the thousands of km’s ridden on them. I have to say that is commonplace. Oddly wheels that are double the priced of the Hunt Four Season Gravel Disc have been in far more often.

In the weeks that we have had this set of wheels, we have had no issues. The bearings run smooth and so far even going off-road we haven’t had a problem with them needing truing.

As I often carry a rucksack or bikepacking bag of some sort it is easy to carry the spares just in case. For those thinking of bikepacking or going for longer journeys, Hunt supplies everything you need in an emergency.  

According to Hunt;

THE WHEELSET THAT CAN TAKE YOU ANYWHERE, ANY TIME.

Rims | 6061-T6 Heat treated. Disc specific. Asymmetric for balanced spoke tensions and a highly-durable wheel build. ETRTO 622x20. H-lock bead-seat for easy and secure tubeless installation.

Tubeless-ready for lower weight, rolling resistance and improved puncture resistance. Also work excellently with clincher tyres and tubes.

Hubs | Hunt 4Season Disc durable and adaptable axle hubs. Large double-sealed main bearings, 7075-T6 axle and freehub. Steel spline insert. SRAM XD Driver available. Centre-lock disc mount, 6 bolt disc adaptors included.

Axles | Easily adaptable & we fit them for you. Fit all current axle sizes and are easy to change; Front - QR, Bolt thru 12/15/9mm, Rear - QR, Bolt thru 12x142, 12x135, 10x135.

Included | Tubeless tape & valves, spare spokes, spoke key, axle adapters (please fill in the simple form after checkout to select your required size), a pair of 6-bolt disc adapters.

1629g

For more information click on Hunt Bike Wheels.

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Rapha Outskirts: Route 66

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Dirty Boar Bikepacking

For those that read our article on the Dirty Boar last year, you know it was one tough event, especially with the weather. So after receiving an email about their bikepacking weekend, I jumped at the chance to be back in Belgium and ride in the Ardenne once again.

Arriving on Friday afternoon they had set up camp in a small town 6km from the start. It was great to test out the bivvy bag I had just purchased on eBay due to my previous one going missing and catch up over a beer with various folks old and new. Some of those that had turned up had never tried bikepacking before, but due to the guys at Dirty Boar being able to supply tents and other equipment allowed them to give it a go. It is great when an event like that helps out so you don’t have to buy equipment before you try. Who knows you might not like it.

Day One

Saturday morning started early, mostly due to being in a bivvy bag and the forest was alive and kicking. I could have done with more than one coffee at this point, but it could have been worse.

We cycled to the start and I can honestly say I have never started a ride from a more idyllic spot. The huge Lion looking over the dam, the sun shining and knowing the next two days were going to be exploring two fantastic routes from Belgium into Germany and back.

Within a couple of KM’s, we were into the forest and climbing. I was soon to learn that most of the two days would be like this. But seeing that the views were spectacular, and even though I was aiming to chill-out more than the race, you couldn’t help but get caught up in all the fun.

Knowing that with around 140km to go, depending on if you managed to get lost, it was going to be a long day in the saddle. Some of the climbs were over 16% and day two was going to be harder, or so I was told at the time. For those that felt they needed to take a more direct route there happened to be a shortcut at around 90km. This couldn’t have been missed as it was after one of those climbs which oddly meandered to where the Third Reich used to party. A huge building with tank tracks, an old abandoned airstrip and a sense of.......(It is hard to say what it has a sense of knowing its history. It is an impressive building and has a stunning view, but like I say knowing the history it doesn’t feel right to give the building kudos).

So far the route had taken us through and around the Rur Dam, the forests of Reinaltzhof and the stunning Nationalpark Eifel. Even though there were some mechanicals and punctures, when I rolled into the campsite everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and talking about how great the ride had been so far.

Day Two

Luckily I had been given a tent to use the night before and seeing that it rained I had been more than happy in the morning knowing I was dry. After a brief breakfast, it seemed that many folks were keen to get underway and make the most of the things to come.

From the off, I knew there was a huge gravel climb, one I was told would be the hardest of the weekend. Other than having to stop to remove my shirt by then we all seemed to be in the grove and finding our own paces. The day was spent overtaking, being overtaken, catching up, splitting up and re-grouping.

Trying to find somewhere to eat and especially a good coffee became harder as we went into the forest. Diverting through various towns, eagle eyes were on the lookout, but nothing seemed to appear. After a short stop at a supermarket, Guido and I were clearly chilling-out far too much, but it wasn’t a race and we were in no real hurry.

We let the others go as we joined the route once again and then the climbing really started. The heat was bouncing off the gravel roads and three days with no real sleep started to catch up with me.

Towards the end, I just didn’t have it in me and having lost my mojo, due to the large rocky/cobbled section, it came as a great relief to be able to stop at the highest point in Belgium called Signal de Botrange in the High Fens. To my surprise, we were only a few minutes behind a couple of other guys, all of whom see to be enjoying a beer and eating pasta. Personally, I can’t remember what I had to eat other than a rather nice tart tatin as I was F**Ked.

The ride back luckily was downhill and Guido and I decided that we would take the shortcut after a rather large lunch. This was still epic and once off the main road, the route around the reservoir was breathtaking. Soon we were at the Lion where we had started, drinking a beer and talking over the weekend's events.

Next year I really hope that the folks from Dirty Boar put on this event again. If they do I’ll be there ready and waiting.