This site is a kind of hub in the wheel linking up my various trips, blogs, gear talk and helpful info for other cyclists.
Next trip shortlist : 2014 > Some shorter trips in Europe, 2015 > Shane cycles Africa part III? summer trip in Canada/North America?
December 2013 I took the next step in my winter cycle touring experiment by heading to Canada to attempt to cycle the Trans Labrador highway. The Trans Lab claims to be one of the longest stretches of road in Canada without services.
This winter had the coldest December in more than 10 years, bringing with it extreme winds and temperatures [...]
I’ve always found something strangely romantic about long distance train journeys, slowly meandering across continents in a classic form of mass public transport. Trains bring a touch of class, comfort, space and a social aspect long lost in the modern world of cheap, fast, anti-social cattle transport we call aviation.
I arrived on t [...]
So, with the lessons learned during the trip last winter and almost a year to think about this trip, here’s my new and improved gear list for 10 weeks cycling and camping at between -15 and -40.
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Home made cooking box for efficient snow melting and cooking.
Stove: Optimus nova plus incl spare pump + 2x XL fuel bottles
MSR Titan p [...]
“You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was.”
Abraham Lincoln
At the age of three I’d decided that when a grew up I’d be a soldier.
When the fire brigade came to put out a field fire at our country home when I was four , it was obvious that I should grow up to become a fireman.
By the [...]
“Don’t eat yellow snow.” Is the winter tip we all know. I posted lots of info, tips and trip winter trip reports >HERE<, but here is a summary of my tips on winter cycle touring. These tips are aimed as an introduction for people planning to cycle and camp in the extreme cold. I learned most of my lessons the hard way [...]
At some time during the life of your Brompton you may get some wear on the main folding hinge. Getting this repaired at a bike shop or buying the special Brompton reamer (GBP 200) is an expensive business. Here’s the cheap way to do it .
Disclaimer : If you mess this up you could damage your frame which will cost even more money, and a [...]
Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro 361 spikes of winter cycling fun and safety.
Here are my thoughts and impressions after three weeks cycling in Scandinavia in Winter.
In short : It does what it says on the tin.
Temp range : cycled -5 to -28 degrees C in Sweden, Norway and Finland mid Jan to early Feb.
Road conditions : Everything from clean asfalt to [...]
So everyone thought I was nutz to go cycling in Northern Europe last winter. So now the confession, that was infact just a test ride for bigger things…..
Three weeks in Northern Scandanavia with shops and towns most days and a cycling partner was a nice “safe” way to learn the lessons needed to be learned for extreme winter [...]
For a little more info on winter sleeping systems and sleeping bag ratings see >HERE
While in Africa I wrote several stories with the intention of creating a book of short stories about my trip.
Rather than leave it as an unfinished book, here is part nine which is the last part in a blogging mini series…. “Shane’s shorts.” My blog from Mozambique onwards covers the rest of the journey well enough. If [...]
