ShaneCycles.com

8 Comments

After the extreme trips in recent years where I’ve lived adventure to the bone and cycled/camped in all weather from -45 to +45, touring over 30,000km on 4 continents. Its time to take a step back towards “normal” life. For the coming years I plan to work on my career, new business and all those other boring things we’re supposed to do in life.

Hopefully with some short holidays in Europe (Brompton or Bikepacking), weekend escapes and 5,000km of cycle commuting per year I can still keep my sanity….

Feel free to have a sniff around my site at what I’ve been up to in recent years.
Or burn your modem with this photo journey >>>>CLICK<<<<

In memory of Johann Rissik. A rogue, ...

A few hours mountain climbing turns a rogue and a saint into two roughly equal creatures. Weariness is the shortest path to equality and fraternity—and liberty is finally added by sleep. —Nietzsche As a literary barbarian I first read these words in 2011. They are the intro to Johann’s blog which I checked out just before meeting [...]

Bikepacking Trans Germany (BTG): Pt 1

The pre race BBQ and briefing was a low key affair at a swimming pool just outside Basel. Riders dribbled in from around Europe and further afield. Trackers and race numbers were handed out and there was a short and simple briefing by Achim, he didn’t seem too comfortable talking to a crowd, but that is logical as the BTG has gone in 3 [...]

Digging up old memories

Warning: This post is not about cycling or travel, but was wrote as an introduction to an old boys club earlier this week and meant as an ironic recap of my short nine years in the British Army. Its heavy on words, and light on photo’s but, just maybe some of my regular readers will like it . This is a part of my life I’ve kept in [...]

2018 plans : From slowly slowly to le...

With Spring almost here its time to crawl back from under my blog free rock and share my plans for 2018. Well, the short version of my plans is simple. Don’t finish last in the Bikepacking Trans Germany this July. The long version: The Bikepacking Trans Germany (BTG) is a self supported race across Germany. From Basel to Cape Arkona (R [...]

Freedom Challenge-pt III

Day 4 : Masaka – Malegolonyane ————————————————- “Whilst you are on the spur look westwards towards the mountains. Below you you will see a floodplain. In the distance, on the far side of the flood plain (if your eyesight is good) you w [...]

Freedom Challenge-pt II

Day 2+3: Allendale-Ntsikeni-Masakala —————————————————————– At 4am we were gently woken by Xavier Rudd singing from my phone: This song would wake me daily and remind me that my mission was to chase the sun. Each [...]

My Freedom Challenge. A story about a...

The Race Across South Africa takes place in June/July each year. It is a 2300 km ( with a total cumulative ascent is over 37000 metres), non-stop, self-navigated mountain bike race starting in Pietermaritzburg KwaZulu-Natal and ending in Wellington near Cape Town. Riders are allowed a maximum of 26 days to complete the ride. Blistered sore f [...]

Going long on Low Carb

Almost a year since letting the cat out the bag about my fancy pants Low Carb Healthy Fat diet (>Maybe read this first<) and with gradually more readers, friends and family asking questions I thought it time to do an update with more info and tips. Once again if low carb doesn’t fit your belief system (nutrition is very close to r [...]

Drenthe 200 : Chasing 16.7

A shot fired at 6am and the first wave of the Drenthe 200 was off. I stood shivering gently for another 20 minutes waiting for wave three to start. My guts churning, toes cold and anticipation rising. I had no idea this racing thing could be so nerve racking, I was apprehesive of my ability to finish this now infamous 200km off road ride with [...]

Shane Cycles the Freedom Challenge?

Pt 2 :Bikepacking the GR 5,Trans Arde...

(Pt.1 of the story can be found >>here<<) I’d heard hikers arrive late in the night so thought I’d make their day by leaving my spare 4 eggs and extra coffee just outside their tent. I know how much it can suck to wake up hungry and still need to find an open shop, even more so when hiking than cycling. My half day res [...]

Pt 1: Bikepacking the GR 5,Trans Arde...

Inspired by the write up on Bikepacking.com I’d considered having a crack at the GR5 (hiking route) for a while. The last line of the blog “Continue on the GR5 in either direction to lengthen the adventure” intrigued me. When my current contract abruptly ended and knowing I’d be starting a new permanent job less than 2 [...]