Retrobike Touring.

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

Update my mess tins for lightweight ones, and as half my Trangia stove kit seems to have gone walkabout I've treated myself to a nice new lightweight gel biofuel stove. Just waiting for my new rear axle and bearings to arrive and I'm off.

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

Chopper1192":r0xr2yxu said:

Update my mess tins for lightweight ones, and as half my Trangia stove kit seems to have gone walkabout I've treated myself to a nice new lightweight gel biofuel stove. Just waiting for my new rear axle and bearings to arrive and I'm off.

Click to expand...

Do you have a picture or a link for the stove.

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

Certainly old boy...

http://www.fuel4.co.uk/products/the-x-series

I got the X2. You can run it on meths or even petrol, but the gel is clean, long-lasting, and not too pricy. £39, less whatever it was my discount card gives me at Camping Shop Direct.

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

I was looking at the Fuel4's in Winfields (Hessle Road, Trebz) they have a display stand. Looked quite nice.

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

In was all set for another Trangia stove, but the Fuel4 kit is very light and mechanically very simple, so it got my vote.

The mess tins are just run of the mill alloy jobs, albeit light ones.

So far I got...

Bike - Saracen Rufftrax fully kitted out for adventure touring, with Shimmy hub dynamo. Just awaiting the parts to convert the rear hub to QR for the trailer fittings.

Single wheel touring trailer - can't remember the make but was cheap, didn't attract many bids.

2 berth tent - nothing exciting, about 6 year old It's done Shetland, Iceland and Dartmoor with me, plus rubber mallet.

Sleeping bags - make is long and lost in the distance past but they pack down quite small and Don t weigh much.

Foam bed rolls.

Cooking gear and stove.

Basic tools and first aid kit.

Spare cable inners.

Plan is to carry as much load as I can so Woman isn't physically stressed too much cos of her MS. I'm accustomed to hauling a lot solo touring or lugging the kiddie trailer, so no great drama. Tent, bags, bed rolls, water carrier in the trailer, cooking gear, tools, 1st aid kit and grub/drinks in my panniers, a minimal change of clothes for woman to carry on her back.

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

I'll be interested to hear your experiences with the Fuel4 - I love the simplicity of my Trangia, but wish it would chuck out a bit more heat and boil stuff quicker, yet also simmer properly. I tend to take my Coleman Peak1, which both heats fast and simmers decently.

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

It boiled a litre of water in decent time playing with it last night.

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

I use a Trangia as I think you will see in my pictures, I can get a rolling boil within four minutes. Works fine for me. I'll admit you cant beat a good lightweight gas stove but they are a little too bulky for my liking when I only have two panniers to use. Remember, this is partially an exercise in weight saving and only carrying what you really need in order to camp out for one or two nights.

For example, I have experimented with a 'Hobo Stove' which can be very easily acquired and gives you the opportunity to do away with the necessity to carry fuel. You can simply scavenge a small amount of wood along the way or at your camp of choice. The 'Hobo Stove' below cost me £2 and is actually an Ikea Utensil Strainer. It worked a treat last weekend during the camping session before the North Yorks National ride. If you can't or don't want to afford the Ikea strainer you can use a catering sized food can. Punch some holes in it and off you go. You'll see my Billy Can in the picture but the cheap £2 - £3 mess tine also fit on it perfectly.

The Ikea Utensil Strainer: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290944960115? ... amp;ff19=0

All set...

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

How does the bike feel with the trailer?

I have a rack and a set of panniers that I use for shopping and it's OK for a short trips, but when fairly heavily loaded it does make the bike handling a little odd and I don't think I'd like to ride for any distance like that.