General Chat - Falmouth Wheelers Forum

Discussion re Bikepacking/Bike Touring

SimonH — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 06:22:00 +0000

I've been getting more and more interested in Bikepacking recently. I love the idea of taking all you need for multi-day bike rides with you.

Bike Packing and Bike Touring seem to be very similar, tho BP seems to be typically done on an MTB or Gravel bike and is more off road, rugged riding in the countryside where BT seems to be more road bike and visiting towns and cities etc. I think that's the basic difference, I'm still learning so correct me if I'm wrong.

Personally I'm not quite sure where I fall between these two, I suspect bang in the middle 😊

One thing I am convinced of is my need for wild (by the trackside) or tame (campsite) camping, ie tarps, bivvy bags, tents etc rather than staying in B&Bs or hotels though after a couple of nights in the cold and wet I may change my mind.

So I guess this post is just to gauge if there is similar interest by others in the club. Maybe have a chat about our experiences etc with a possible view to maybe a club talk by experienced members and possibly a taster ride of a night or two.

We are lucky we have the West Kernow Way backpack ride on our doorstep. That's 150 miles so 3-4 day ride? Maybe that's the challenge, after that who knows, maybe a Bikepack Pathfinder?

I do know that wild camping here in England is illegal unless with the landowners permission. How do people get around that?

Thoughts?

Simon

Should we cyclists be submitting camera footage to Operation Snap?

Robin — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 19:53:19 +0000

It’s my belief that the roads are gradually becoming safer for cyclists - we are given more space and drivers are generally more considerate. You may feel that this is due simply to a change in the Highway Code - well, I don’t think it is. I think it’s due to the poor, and often dangerous, driving being reported to the police and the offenders being cautioned or prosecuted. You may feel it’s too much like “Big Brother”, your every move being monitored. You may feel differently though if it becomes the indisputable evidence that convicts the driver that knocks you off your bike!

Are big sponsors polluting the clean image of cycling?

Robin — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 10:05:48 +0000

“It profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world”. Team Sky, however, see it differently. Gone are the evangelistic slogans to help kerb our use of plastics (www.skyoceanrescue.com) now welcome the new saviour of Team Sky, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, head of the petrochemical giant Ineos, one of the worlds largest producers of plastics!
The opening quote is from Robert Bolt’s “ A Man for all Seasons” and finishes with ....“but for Wales?” Someone tell Geraint Thomas that his position as the most liked and well respected Tour de France winner in recent times might not hold for much longer.

Is it time to control the funds available to professional cycling teams in order to make for a fairer sport?

Suggestions For Forthcoming Years Supported Charities

Chris H — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 20:20:23 +0000

Please post any suggestions for this years supported charities here for discussion at the next meeting

New Improved Forum!

Chris H — Sat, 02 Feb 2019 16:08:01 +0000

Here is a new and improved forum. Now you only need ONE login to the website! Horray i hear you all say..... Hello?

Anyway I have copied all the currently relevant information over from the old forum to this one. Anything that was out of date I have left to be deleted in due course.

The old forum is still available for now at http://forum.falmouthwheelers.co.uk/ I will probably delete the old forum within the next month or two, but as I said all relevant information has been copied over to here!

So now as long as you are logged into Wordpress you can view the members only pages, and post in any forum. If you are not logged in you can only view the public forum. I have also set up the ability to log in to the forum with your Facebook login. This can only be done if you are on the https version of the website. I will be changing the site to be always on https soon, but need to perform a full backup before I do this as there is a possibility it will kill everything!

Cheers now.

Helmets or no.

Chris H — Sat, 02 Feb 2019 15:54:56 +0000

Post by Robin » Fri Jun 01, 2018 5:29 pm

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... SApp_Other

The attached video gives an insight into the “real” and also “perceived” dangers of not wearing a cycle helmet. It is an important subject and one that some people have a very strong opinion on. Personally, I think the decision to wear one should be down to the individual and whether they think it makes riding a bicycle safer for them. For myself, there are some occasions when I simply wouldn't bother wearing one but, equally, times when I wouldn't consider riding without one. I wear my hard builders hat when I think there is a danger of being hit on the head by a falling object but not when I'm putting up a shelf!
I think it is fine if the organisers of mass participation events insist that all riders wear a helmet. It's your choice whether you ride the event or not. However, Audax UK don't insist riders have to wear a helmet and I suspect that is to some extent based on the assumption that most audax riders are experienced cyclists. And this is an important point - why should cyclists often with ten, twenty, thirty or forty years experience be dictated to by less experienced riders, who have only a perceived idea about the dangers of cycling? Robin

Insurance

Chris H — Sat, 02 Feb 2019 15:53:55 +0000

Post by Dean » Thu Nov 15, 2018 10:59 pm

What are the pros and cons of insuring your bikes, either through your house insurance or separately? Any recommendations and any potholes to avoid?
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Adrian
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2018 10:47 pm
Contact: Contact Adrian
Re: Insurance
Post by Adrian » Fri Nov 16, 2018 3:31 pm

The main thing is you have to use "Approved locks", do you know if the locks you have are approved? It means carrying the heaviest lock you can around with you.
On the back of our van I put a cover over them with rope lashed around them, not up to standard but just makes it awkward for casual thieves.
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Dean
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2018 3:05 pm
Contact: Contact Dean
Re: Insurance
Post by Dean » Thu Dec 06, 2018 5:14 pm

Completely impracticable then, Adrian. Haven’t seen many Wheelers out on Sunday, or Wednesday, with half a ton of ironwork hanging from the seat post. My protection has always to be to make sure that there is a more attractive looking bike on top of mine at the cafe stop, but I do use a simple cable lock to deter, a bit.