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I’m doing this with some Exposure Flare lights, they fit well. They are wired in to an Exposure Strada up front.

That's a nice arrangement.

650c Steamroller

Not very functional mudguards. Is the restriction the tyre size? Other Steamrollers seem to be able to fit full-length mudguards.

Does anyone make lights that go in the rack ends?

Perhaps you could fit some bar-end lights to go in the Omnium's rack tubes, using a shim of some kind if needed. For example, the Cateye Orb (code SL-LD160-R-BE) is rated for 50 hours constant and 100 flashing light with readily available CR2032 batteries.

the saddle bag straps are dangling on the tyre.

Once the length is adjusted to the volume of the Super C/Audax saddlebag contents, the ends of the straps easily tuck back round into their buckles allowing the bag to be opened with just the quick releases.

What are those tyres and their size, also will it take mudguards with them fitted?

Admittedly it's actually quite a clean fox...

Nice one.

Away we go

That Rohloff equipped Riese & Müller Load 75 e-cargo bike is something else -- superb. It looks like the total replacement for a car with local journeys.

I read a lovely article of a guy taking his 85-year-old mother with Alzheimer's on a tour round the south of France with one on their website:
https://www.r-m.de/en-gb/magazine/mouki-always-ready-next-trip

It would be nice if they also offered some bright colours, only coal grey or white are rather understated, e.g., a nice bright red like their Delite or the yellow of the Supercharger e-bikes.

I'm aiming to do a short section next year. So much to choose from. I'm interested to hear recommendations of where to go.

I can highly recommend the section of the Wales Coastal Path which is also the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. For example, St. David's Head to St. Non's Bay makes a spectacular day walk with views of Ramesey Island with seals, dolphins and porpoises seen and tasty seafood to eat in the nearby town of St. David's. Also the earlier section Stackpole Quay to Freshwater West makes another good day walk. Both could be combined over several days.

I assume it's 52cm because of the poles? If you separate them, which is what I do, then how big is just the tent?

Yes, without poles and pegs, the two-person version of the Nammatj tent in its bag compresses to about 35cm in length.

3x the price of my current tent though and 3x the weight. I guess no one gives a fuck about how heavy it is when it's pissing down in 60mph winds :)

Much as I think the Nammatj 3 is brilliant winter tent, bare in mind the bulk of the thing packed away. I just measured my Nammatj 2 in its supplied stuff sack and it is 52cm long x 22cm diameter. So would the three-person version fit on your bike?

Maybe it's the pole in the middle, maybe the tall look, I dunno, but I'm not as keen on the pyramid ones for some reason. Maybe they remind me of the shitty tents we used as kids too much :)

For extended trips, my spouse refuses to use a tent where each person does not have their own space to sit up in, so many single-pole tents would not work for us either. It is why we have a horizontal tunnel Nammatj, but it is bulky packed away. The Supermid might have enough headroom, though, as it is pretty big-- I would like to try one.

I have a Terra Nova Quasar, its approximately 18 years old, and I've re-taped the seams once.
They are fantastic tents, Ive used it in all sorts of amazing weather and its not budged an inch.

Yes, it's a great tent. Heavy by today's standards, but there is something reassuring in a storm about the tight inner pitch and multiple crossing poles.

Yeah, I'm not expecting to be out in -20C shit but me and weather have an interesting relationship so unexpected stuff is basically what I expect now :).

You get these temperature inversions as the cold air streams down and collects in the valleys, which is very picturesque from above as you look down on a cloud, but it is freezing down below.

Maybe the lighter 4-season pyramid tents I mentioned earlier are worth a look, some are pretty large inside. Their edges can be dug into snow for warmth and they are versatile enough for use in summer by omitting the inner.

There's a Nammatji 3 on FB marketplace

This is a winter tent for Scotland.

re: the X-Tex stuff

The X-tex fabric will result in frozen condensation on the inside on cold winter nights, at least with a double skin tent this will usually be on the tent outer: "There is one set of circumstances where no fabric will work, X-tex included, and this is in very cold conditions where the temperatures are so low that the water molecules not only condense, but freeze on the inside of the tent as well."
Source: https://www.crux.uk.com/about-x-tex-fabric

This does look kinda neat

The Hilleberg Helags is one of their yellow label tents which are not designed for winter conditions. The lower part of the outer tent is scalloped to allow more air to circulate and the inner has large panels of mesh. For Scottish winter conditions I would be looking at one of their red-label tents, e.g., the Nallo2 or Nallo 2 GT, or the black -label Nammatj 2 (which I use when winter camping with 2 people), though the latter two tents may be too heavy for your requirements.

I would not underestimate the potential severity of conditions in the Scottish valleys or even by the sea in Winter. I once spent New Year in a campsite near Portree on the Isle of Skye -- the wind picked up, it dumped snow and the temperature fell to -20C . The tent we used was a Terra Nova 4-pole geodesic and at least we felt secure. These days I would be tempted to stay in a Bothy and light a fire.

If we wanted a warmer tent, like a 4-season thing that isn't stupid heavy where would you look?

I used Terra Novas in N. Wales and Scotland during the 1980s and 1990s, including winter. Their Voyager might suit your needs. These days I use Hillebergs as they are faster to pitch and lighter, but I do miss the quiet of the taught inner-pitching-first designs of the Terra Novas.

MLD make larger pyramid designs that are rated as 4-season; their Supermid with inner is light and would have reasonable space for 2 people. It could also be used in warmer months with just the outer and a Tyvek floor. There is also the Nigor Wickiup 3.

Forget single-skin designs for winter, it is too damp in the UK for these designs to function without dreadful condensation. Plus they are colder as they lack the layer of air trapped between the inner and outer tents. I have a Hilleberg Rajd and I would only use it in dryer climates/periods of the years. Some folks have been experimenting with Lightwave Sigma single-skin tents and their 'breathable' X-tex fabric. This material uses activated carbon in the coating to reduce the formation of droplets and improve breathability, but under certain conditions it is reported to get very damp and take a long time to dry out.

The metallic pink of your Countryman sounds like a striking colour.

I was very happy to find the bottom bracket dynamo new. It is a Soubitez unit and works well.

Got a bike. It's great.

That is very nice and, with mudguards fitted, set up for winter.

I'm impressed that among those various sets of cantilever brakes there were two which work with the smaller 700c rim. It's great that there is no need to braze on new brake bosses.

The Bob Yak is one of the things for me with the highest want and lowest need combination...

Yes, I thought this might hit the spot for transporting bulkier items, whereas I would have trouble justifying a separate cargo bike. Plus, I like the aesthetics.

Don't know what it was in the original post but check out https://bikeinsights.com

Thanks, the Bike-on-Bike Compare feature of Bike Insights looks like it implements the same functionality.

Today I first rode the bike by itself, with the BOB qr skewer fitted, for a test ride up the steepest hills near me through the small streets that ascend towards Crookes quarry, Sheffield. There were no problems and the rear wheel was stable in the dropouts.

Later, I attached the trailer and took it for its maiden voyage up the same steep route. Once I turned out through our driveway up the initial ascent, the handling immediately felt intuitive. On the steepest hills I could now feel the trailer weight and some additional drag from the extra rear wheel. The handling was great and it felt like a normal bike leaning round bends and weaving in and out of parked cars, just with a "dragon's tail" following. The flag was useful when I checked over my shoulder going through junctions, as it reminded me to allow time for the extra length of the trailer. Next trip I'll load the trailer up with some weight.

Dredging up an old post -- what software was used to compare the frames? It looks like it could be useful for visualising different bikes.

Have been messaging with FC about a Rohloff HS one they have in stock, but can't get excited about it. What am I missing?

Low and maintenance and running costs of a hub gear without sacrificing much, if anything, in the way of efficiency.

I fitted the fork to the front of the trailer's frame and it is now ready for a proper test ride.