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ketsbaia

Anyone thinking of flogging an unwanted/cheap lightweight tent in the near future? I'm potentially in the market for one after a mate suggested cycling to a pub in the middle of nowhere that has a campsite next to it. See also: lightweight sleeping mat.

for that application you shouldn't need particularly lightweight. In fact maybe better if not - wouldn't do to trip over a lightweight wonder on the way back from the pub.

C4r1s in reply to @loadedcyclist
Yeah, a couple of elastic shock cords is the best way of keeping them together! I used some old tent pole elastic from broken poles as a makeshift tie. Or a luggage strap round them if that’s what you have to hand, just not too tight!

top tip, thanks - i have a fair bit of bungee cord around

Aim to limit convention as well as conduction with the ground, so put your best reflective layer on top of your inflatable mat, not underneath to stop heat escaping through the mat in the first place.

thanks - that makes sense to me, though I swear some bloke in an outdoor shop told me that the silver layer should go on the bottom - made no sense to me. My only problem with having it on top would be that as a "solid" layer, however thin, it would be difficult to keep it sitting on top of the inflatable mat during the night.

I'm on an Synmat UL7, but we upgraded my partner's mat at Xmas to a Sea to Summit Etherlite Extreme insulated. She's a side sleeper and didn't get on with the Synmat that well.

thanks for reply. This is for cyclecamping?
(i ask as weight seems to me to be less of an issue if not carrying on your back)

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/extinction-rebellion-stage-anti-shell-protest-at-british-track-champs
British Cycling's response. "no comment".

Kurai

We have insulated mats for winter camping, but they are considerably more expensive.

Maybe combine a foam mat like a thermarest sol ?

Many thanks for reply.

Good suggestion.

I WAS doing a test camp the other night in what was supposed to be minus 2.

With a zig-zag karrimor foam mat and a standard (old style) thermarest on top of it, but this combo didn't seem to be quite up to it.

I know that decathlon do a zig-zag foam thing with a silver coated layer -maybe that's better?

I take your valid point about dedicated winter mats being more pricey - a specialist need/market for sure - can I ask what yours is?

I stress that I am not aiming to camp in truly low low conditions - I am after all a cyclist/cycle camper and won't be dragging my bike and ton of junk up a trackless mountain, nor like riding across ice, but just want to sleep easy on a night that MAY dip to minus 2 or 3, then after a good sleep and biding my time in the tent in the morning, fortified by espresso and snacks, venturing out for a cycle/onwards journey in temps at least plus zero.

If it's not boarded then there isn't much point in going up. Particularly if there's no loft ladder it can be pretty awkward to climb in and out.

maybe but I'd still make sure I checked it out in the way I said.
and is the seller saying they didn't check it out when buying?

it's not unknown for sellers to play the innocent/ignorant.
I well remember asking some sweet old lady whether the nearby sewage farm was an issue.
she'd lived there for decades but still said "what sewage farm?".

(A pal of mine who had lived nearby alerted me)

Another warning sign re the seller who couldn't tell their arse from their elbow; they don't have a ladder to go up to the loft and they have not been up. No worries, we are bringing ours, I will make sure the surveyor knows that. I will bring them a ladder if I must.

The seller's line on the loft sounds somewhat odd to me - never been in loft when owned house? I would get the roof checked, preferably by a builder/roofer. Re surveys and box ticking when I last employed a surveyor I stressed that I wanted the roof checked before engaging him. He agreed. But then did box ticking referred to by a wise poster upthread - said there was an access issue to corners - not true - and that couldn't see properly/reserved judgement. Bloody useless. Roof turned out to have two leaks and signs of these two areas being deliberately obscured were very clear to anyone with a bit of nous/due diligence. I would get up in the loft with anyone doing the survey and take a powerful torch. Many bike lights suitable of course. Good luck.
My opinion of surveyors is very low after my experience and that of a neighbour - he found multiple roof leaks on moving in - none had been spotted by his surveyor.

hanford

Alpkit Numo would do the job

have you used it in winter?
I very much doubt that it would do the job - it's just full of air - very little thermal insulation indeed.
I have one, nice mat, but I wouldn't dream of using it in winter.
If i wanted to sleep and dream

Squaredisk
It's a good topic winter camping. I reckon you have to get fully off the ground, so probably a Thermarest inflatable type of thing. Seen others use bivvy too, to help with bag dampness. I have done a little cold weather camping, but tend to just suffer a bit and see it as part of the deal. Good bag is key for any weather camping, then you can layer up if needed, but it gives you confidence to be toasty.

Well yep off the ground a must of course. A normal thermarest (self inflatable rather than just air) won't cut it at 0 or below. A bivvy won't provide any insulation either. "suffering a bit" not really what am looking for - unlikely to freeze to death but I like to sleep so that I can face the next day for some good cycling.
so looking for tips on mats and systems.

Yeah the one issue I had recently with them was visiting the Avanti ticket desk in person and they simply said that online refunds had to be done online and they couldn't do anything to help 🙃

My last tickets were bought at the ticket desk at euston due to my doubts about the bike booking system (see other thread) but I paid with a credit card and got the refund sorted online to my bank. Meant that my journey plus loaded bike London to the north cost me just a tenner. In truth I don't mind much if my trips with them are a bit delayed - 50 per cent or 100 per cent back is a result. I don't do trips where their screw-up could cause issues with a connecting train from another company as on an economy ticket I could totally lose that second ticket. I cycle to my destination at the other end.

Any fans of winter camping here?
It is pretty much accepted I think that even with a good sleeping bag a lot of body heat is lost to the cold ground and that therefore you need a better mat.
So what do any winter cyclecampers on here use?

Chak

What's the word these days on a two person light-ish tent of decent quality? MSR still the go to?

Can recommend the Robens Lodge2 - great tent.
Not superlight but easily light enough for cycle touring.
I use mine as a solo tent as of course some folk advise going up one, but 2 could use it - it has two porches/separate entrances.
Inner first erection though I have never found that a problem.
have used on campsites and furtive free camps.

On MSR, I know many like them but I have the idea that they can be somewhat delicate. Also use some odd bits. I like simplicity for simple running repairs on tour.

Squaredisk in reply to @damitamit

Maybe use the Avanti app, it has cycle reservation option, I use it for other companies not just their network. Might make refund tricky, but they all do their best to screw you on that anyway.

Avanti to their credit are very good on refunds these days - at least via web page.
All very easy - over Christmas I got half a fare back because of a +30 mins delay, and not too long before that 100 per cent back as over an hour. The process is very easy and they give you a quick decision and then pay to BACS if that is what you want - none of that old "rail voucher" nonsense. I would always pay for tickets with them using a credit card, plus take digital pics of tickets pre travel so you definitely have them. They need pics of them.

dbr

FYI, bike reservation tickets can be collected from TfL machines

pretty sure I have had experiences where that didn't work - a hell of a job to sort.
Outside London also recently had a failure to print out the reserved bike tickets.
Both instances were with West Coast - first time Virgin, second Avanti.
These days I tend to book the whole thing at a station ticket office so I have everything in my mitts and last thing I knew this couldn't be a TFL station.
Once through the hoops, West Coast and a bike are a great way to travel though.

you disappoint me.
you have no plans to take over London Clarion with some sort of shadow organisation?
Afraid they would tell you to naff off?
In a good northern way - Clarion has northern roots of course.
Northerners tend to see straight through bullshit.

well I rather think you do know about the rest of us.

Shell should be given our full support.

er why exactly?

is there any point at which your bizarre support for shell would be questioned?

Good call.
Shell themselves, who run a very, er, sophisticated PR operation are themselves experts at saying, "let's sit down and talk things through", all apparently sweet polite reason.
Meanwhile ....
doubtless they will be training BC in this bullshit flannel as well.

agree with "this and that" recco - wouldn't describe it as a restaurant exactly but it is great - wandered in there on a recent rainy day in manchester. Apart from filling me up for the day inspired me to become more veggie in my diet.

Mainly practical/recreational/tourist cyclist. Smell the grass.