Outdoors UK

Chasing Photos of the Blood-Red Supermoon

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 18:23:45 +0000

The frustrations, foibles, and payoffs of shooting in the dark from a mile away.

Prometheus’ Big Mistake

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 17:00:10 +0000

What is it about a good campfire that brings out the best and worst in us?

Plus Size Bikes Gaining Momentum

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 16:00:56 +0000

The newest, biggest trend in mountain biking isn't going away. Here's what you need to know.

Anatomy of a Flash Flood

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 15:00:37 +0000

After a series of deaths in the desert, a writer considers his own close calls in canyons.

Jack Wolfskin - New For Winter 2015

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 13:49:00 +0000

An early look at what's new from the German brand plus some stuff about it you probably didn't know...

Bear Responds to Spray By Eating Kayak

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 13:25:18 +0000

Maybe kayaks taste good. Maybe bears retaliate. Maybe it's just doin' its bear thing.

PrimaLoft Sponsoring Nepal Expedition

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 11:58:00 +0000

Insulation specialist backing

‘A Mountain to Climb': Nepal Earthquake Appeal Fundraising Evening

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 10:51:41 +0000

Sheffield-based charities, PHASE Worldwide and Sherpa Aid UK, have teamed up to present an evening with world-renowned mountaineers and adventurers, which will raise funds to help Himalayan communities in Nepal after the devastating earthquake that hit in April.

The event which will be held on 8th October and hosted by Alan Hinkes, the only Briton to have climbed all 14 8,000m peaks, will feature speakers including: mountaineer and author Andy Cave; global adventurer and author of ‘Just a little run around the world’ Rosie Swale-Pope; mountaineer Adele Pennington; mountaineer Ian Parnell who was the first to ascend of the SE Ridge of Annapurna III; and extreme environment athlete and author of ‘Beyond the Horizon’ Richard Parks. Dr. Parun Sekhri from the charity PHASE Worldwide will also be on site to give an overview of the charity’s current work in Nepal.

Tickets are £20 and can be purchased from Jagged Globe’s online shop.

RELATED LINKS:
www.jagged-globe.co.uk

The post ‘A Mountain to Climb': Nepal Earthquake Appeal Fundraising Evening appeared first on Trek & Mountain.

Rosie Swale-Pope Hits Pateley Bridge

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 10:50:00 +0000

Round-the-world solo running adventurer set to speak in North Yorkshire.

Wildcat Gear Fat Lion Handlebar Harness

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 09:00:00 +0000

Wildcat Gear's Fat Lion harness is aimed at carrying larger dry bags (13-35l) just below your handlebar, with colder expeditions in mind.

The harness features a removable under-panel or tongue that adds adjustability when loading different sized loads. It is also robust enough to offer extra protection from front-wheel spray, which is very welcome considering it’s likely to be your sleeping bag carried in there.

The Fat Lion was conceived for the Rovaniemi 150 Arctic race in Finland, where bulkier winter sleeping bags are understandably mandatory. Because of this, filling the ample space with sleeping bags for milder conditions can prove difficult.

If you aren't looking to pack for such extreme conditions it's worth taking a look at the smaller Mountain Lion (for 8-13l loads), which has all the same features as its larger sibling.

Attaching your Fat Lion for the first time isn't terribly intuitive, so make sure you have the guide to hand. Wildcat Gear has opted for a secure system that threads around the fork crown at the bottom and the handlebars at the top.

When the straps are tightened the roll is suspended between the two points, isolating it from the head tube and making it reassuringly stable with little movement to affect steering. Depending on your cable routing this also means there is room to run cables behind the pack with less interference.

You can read more at BikeRadar.com

Fondriest TF2 1.5

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 07:00:00 +0000

The words “I’ve got bike envy!” were the first thing this tester heard when he stopped for provisions during the 80-mile test ride. Well, it would have been 80, but I was so busy concentrating on the bike and going as fast as I could that I forgot such fripperies as following the large red signs… and so took a couple of lengthy detours.

Never mind – a near-100-mile day in the hills of southwest England, much of it in heavy rain, put this bike well and truly through its paces. It did mean the descents, on unfamiliar greasy, gritty and gravelly roads, were taken more gingerly than usual, saving higher-speed descending for another day. This at least proved that the Shimano 105 brake and Ambrosio rim pairing works in all conditions.

Highs: Super-stylish looks, good quality kit and decent levels of long-distance comfort
Lows: The weight is a little heavier than we’d have liked and the wheels are quite modest
Buy if: You want a bike with panache that stands out from the crowd

You can’t miss this Fondriest, which is just about the brightest red we’ve ever seen. It’s a well-thought-out road bike with an aero look to it, though we should point out that Fondriest makes no aerodynamic claims about its wind-cheating prowess, in spite of a blunt teardrop-shaped seatpost and cutaway for the rear wheel.

Big is beautiful when it comes to the Fondriest’s tubing

The huge ‘Monolithic’ bottom bracket shell at the base of the squared-off down tube is also slightly misleading, as it houses a standard Shimano Hollowtech cartridge bottom bracket. But there’s no sensation of softness through the TF2’s somewhat aggressive, racy frame. The chainstays, wheelbase and head tube are short, the frame angles are on the steep side, and it comes with the UCI seal of approval.

You can read more at BikeRadar.com

Throwback Thursday: 1992 Slingshot Team Issue

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000

By any definition of bicycle design, Slingshot’s ‘Sling Power Technology’ frame design is unusual, to say the least. By completely replacing the down tube with a spring-loaded braided steel cable, Slingshot claimed that the bikes would not only be faster but more comfortable, too. That such an idea was able to take hold in the Wild West early days of mountain biking is no surprise, but the fact it’s still available today might be.

Slingshot’s SPT design flew in the face of every piece of conventional thought when it came to frame and suspension design. There are no conventional mechanical pivots, there are no claims of ‘travel’, and no separate shock. In fact, there’s essentially zero vertical movement built into the chassis at all.

What the...

Instead, a ‘flex plate’ built into the top tube (just ahead of the seat tube) works in conjunction with the spring-loaded steel cable to let the bike’s overall length increase slightly with load. Think of how an inchworm crawls along a leaf and you sort of get the idea.

The idea was that such movement would allow the frame to better conform to the terrain than a fully rigid frame, yielding improved traction and rider comfort. In effect, what Slingshot created was a Unified Rear Triangle design with an exceptionally high pivot (and just a simple undamped coil spring for the shock).

Frame: 1992 Slingshot Team Issue
Fork: Chromoly steel unicrown
Headset: Chris King threaded, 1in
Stem: Syncros
Handlebars: Syncros titanium, 570mm
Grips: Foam
Front brake: SunTour XC Pro
Rear brake: SunTour XC Pro
Brake levers: SunTour XC Pro
Front derailleur: SunTour XC Pro
Rear derailleur: SunTour XC Pro
Shift lever: SunTour XC Pro
Cassette: SunTour PowerFlo 8-speed, 11-28
Chain: SRAM PC-850
Crankset: Syncros Revolution, 175mm, 26/36/46T
Bottom bracket: Syncros Titanium
Rims: Sun Chinook, 32-hole
Hubs: SunTour XC Pro Grease Guard
Front tire: Continental Comp Pro 1, 26x2.125in
Rear tire: Continental Comp Pro 1, 26x2.125in
Saddle: Avocet O2 Air 40R
Seatpost: Syncros
Pedals: n/a
Weight: 11.30kg (24.91lb, without pedals)

You can read more at BikeRadar.com

Cool Kicks Off New Look Buxton Adventure Festival

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 16:55:00 +0000

Peak-based festival embraces new format with ten evening mini-fests replacing weekend event

Niner refreshes its thinking with RKT 9 XC ripper

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 16:00:00 +0000

Niner has just introduced a new flagship cross-country racer. The RKT 9 brings new frame features and a striking new frame design to Niner’s short-travel line-up.

90mm rear suspension travel
Designed around 100mm suspension forks
148x12mm rear thru-axle
439mm / 17.3in chainstays
1-2x compatible
Complete bikes range from $4,500 - $9,500 / £4,199 -£8,799(AUS pricing TBA)
Frame with shock retails for $3,000 / £2,899
Shipping now

We first caught wind of the RKT 9 in mid-August when Niner-sponsored athlete Rebecca Rusch was teasing the new bike on her Instagram feed. Rusch tackled the Leadville 100 aboard the new bike. Many other Niner-sponsored racers such as Chloe Woodruff as well as the Clif Bar squad have also been putting the new bike through its paces this summer.

The RKT 9 ushers in a host of new frame details that may signal a change in direction for the Fort Collins, Colorado-based company. The RKT 9 is the first Niner to feature a 148x12mm thru-axle rear end. The RKT 9 uses a more compact version of Niner’s CVA suspension design, allowing Niner to tuck the rear wheel in, reducing the chainstay length to 439mm / 17.3in. Compare that with the rangy 455mm/ 17.9in chainstays of the Jet 9 RDO. In addition to shrinking chainstays, rear suspension travel is reduced from 100 to 90mm on the RKT 9.

The RKT 9 may be the first Niner to sport 148x12 rear axle spacing, but it certainly won't be the last

You can read more at BikeRadar.com

Silca shoots shrink ray to create new Pocket Impero

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:30:00 +0000

Silca recently debuted the modern reinterpretation of the classic Impero full-sized frame pump. As usual, there was the company’s typically obsessive attention to detail and design with features like a slick alloy body, simple-yet-ergonomic push-on head, intricately machined fittings, and a leather plunger that self-adjusts as the pump gets hot. Now, Silca is following up with the Pocket Impero, a miniature version with the same technical attributes but in a much more compact package.

Don’t call it a ‘mini-pump’

Company owner Josh Poertner is key to point out that the Pocket Impero isn’t like other mini-pumps. In fact, he insists that it isn’t categorized as one since, in his opinion, the segment is rife with inadequacies. As we’ve now come to expect from Silca, the Pocket Impero goes well above and beyond what’s normally expected of such a pedestrian item – and similarly, that’s what makes it special.

The CNC-machined head is the same one Silca uses on the full-sized Impero frame pump

For example, the CNC-machined alloy head features a machined brass check valve that almost no one will ever notice. In true Silca tradition, the plunger is a real leather U-shaped cup that Poertner says maintains a much better seal than cheaper rubber o-rings as the pump body heats up. Opposite the pump head resides a Teflon-impregnated Delrin guide bushing held in place with a separate stainless steel C-clip instead of the usual, cheap plastic bit that’s screwed into the body. According to Poerter, this allows for a longer effective stroke length in a shorter overall package.

A premium compact saddle pack, too

You can read more at BikeRadar.com

‘Desert Pothole Are Not Wishing Wells’

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 14:03:47 +0000

In Arches National Park, visitors are throwing coins potholes. Really.

The best mountain bikes under £1000

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 14:00:00 +0000

BikeRadar's sister magazine What Mountain Bike has been hammering a series of budget mountain bikes to separate the wheat from the chaff. Here we take a look at five steeds at or just below the crucial £1,000 price point – the Marin Nail Trail 9.6, Claud Butler Alpina 2.8, 13 Incline Gamma, Specialized Rockhopper Expert and Calibre Bossnut.

At this level we found a lot of similarities – cross country-oriented spec, 1x or 2x cranksets and air sprung forks are the order of the day. You definitely don't want to see crude coil-sprung forks when shelling out this sort of cash, and you're also ideally looking for 10-speed drivetrains with clutch derailleurs, brakes from SRAM or Shimano and 15mm thru-axles.

All the bikes on test here are hardtails, with the exception of the Bossnut, a debut full-sus machine from the unlikely source of UK mega-retailer GO Outdoors. It's already garnered a strong review on BikeRadar, but how does it compare to its price point peers?

We'll be rolling out full reviews of the cream of the budget MTB crop – stay tuned over the coming weeks…

You can read more at BikeRadar.com

Kendal Mountain Festival 2015 - Speaker News

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 13:37:00 +0000

Top mountaineers and climbers head the line-up at this year's Kendal Mountain Festival.

Asolo's New Freney XT GV Boot

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 12:21:00 +0000

Synthetic uppers and lightweight construction make for an alpine boot with hiking-type weight.

Trendsetter: Stages drives left-side power meters, lower prices

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Three years ago Stages Cycling launched a new genre of power meters, offering a tiny power meter built onto a standard alloy left crank. Some riders were excited about the weight (sub 20g) and the price (sub $/£1,000), and some questioned the accuracy of such a small and single-sided meter.

Fast forward to the end of 2015, and now four other companies have followed Stages' lead. The end result for riders is greater choice in power meters and better pricing across the brands. Now a Stages Dura-Ace meter, for example, is just $649 / £699, while 4iiii offers its Precision meter for $399.

At Interbike, we talked to representatives from Stages, Pioneer, Rotor and 4iiii about their latest watt-measuring tools.

Stages has been enjoying healthy sales of its meter in 30+ countries, and the fact that a few other companies are now offering one-sided power meters isn't lost on the Colorado company. "When we first started out, a lot of people said you couldn't do it," Stages marketing manager Matt Pacocha said. "We had one of the main guys from a competing company at our Interbike booth the first year telling us it couldn't be done. But the most satisfying thing for me is just helping people who race for a living and those who ride bikes for fun to improve."

Stages adds carbon cranks, lowers price

The news from the Boulder, Colorado company is twofold: carbon crank options and lower prices.

After launching with alloy-crank meters, Stages now has carbon-crank compatibility for Campagnolo Super Record, Record and Chorus as well as FSA SL-K Light and SRAM – the latter via Stages’ first own-brand $630 crankarm.

Pioneer

Rotor

4iiii Precision

Garmin

Stages' Pat Warner: "It's not just about price"

You can read more at BikeRadar.com

Polaris Vela Race Jersey

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 11:00:00 +0000

British brand Polaris's range may not be that extensive, but the items themselves are well thought out and look the part, particularly considering the accessible pricing – and the Polaris Vela Race jersey is no exception.

It seems likely this in part down to the brand having a female product designer who has striven to ensure its products fit well and look good.

The Vela Race jersey uses a selection of different fabrics in a panelled construction that gives a combination of great fit and performance. The main body of the jersey is constructed from a quality Lycra that sits close to the body and holds its shape without bagging or pulling. At the sides and underarms, mesh fabric allows for increased breathability and wicking, which helps regulate temperature in warm weather.

Size-wise, the Polaris range adheres to UK high street dress sizing. We tested the UK 12 (US 8), which we felt came up true to size. The length was excellent, coming comfortably to hip-height on our 5ft 8in product tester. That said, if you are particular curvy in the chest department or would like a looser fit, you may want to go up a size. The jersey is available in sizes 8 to 16, and as the name suggests is designed to sit close to the skin in a more aerodynamic race fit

The raglan cut to the sleeves is comfortable and aesthetically pleasing, and the lack of seam on the shoulder top is good if you wear rucksacks as there is less chafing under the shoulder straps.

Full length zips are particularly handy for transitional seasons, allowing easy temperature regulation when wearing base layers. The zip on the Vela Race jersey is a quality YKK item, which locks in place allowing the jersey to be worn partly unzipped if so desired without opening further.

You can read more at BikeRadar.com

Bont Vaypor Sprint

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 09:00:00 +0000

It’s impossible to describe the Vaypor S as a ‘normal’ race shoe. The construction is just so different to the standard upper bonded to a sole that pretty much all of the competition uses.

Highs: Incredibly stiff, secure fit
Lows: Easy to mark carbon sole, expensive

Bont takes high-grade Toray carbon fibre and moulds it into a bathtub shape that encompasses both the sole and plenty of the upper, from an inch deep at the mid-foot to almost the full height of the heel cup. A Durolite ‘leather’ skin is bonded onto this, over a proprietary base material. It’s then padded with closed-cell memory foam, with a soft brushed covering and heat-formable EVA insole finishing things off.

The carbon ‘chassis’ (it’s more than a sole) is heat-mouldable to provide the best fit. You just place the shoes into a pre-heated oven at 70°C/160°F for 20 minutes, let them cool a little then place your feet in and tighten the dials. Allow the shoes to cool and they’ll set in the shape of your foot. If you have any lumps or bunions use the round end of a screwdriver handle or similar to press out any rub points. If you don’t get it right, you can re-mould as many times as you like.

Pushing your foot into the bathtub shape means you get an incredibly secure fit, with your foot in a fixed position and no slop or play. They feel so secure you’d almost believe you could do away with the IP1 Boa adjusters. We love the placement of the Boas. The highest is angled to pull the upper in evenly, with the lower pulling horizontally.

When riding, they’re totally free of flex, which is highly impressive in itself, and this is complemented by a very low stack height – the distance between your foot and the cleat – of just 3.6mm. A downside is that the shapely carbon chassis is easily marked even with the larger toe bumper and replaceable heel bumper.

Some finish details show the Vaypor’s handmade nature, with the occasional glue spot and imperfectly finished edge to the upper material. These are all minor points and easily forgiven because you won’t find a stiffer and more secure, lightweight (502g a pair, size 45) race shoe anywhere. They’re available in standard, narrow or wide fits, and, if money really is no object, fully custom fit too.

You can read more at BikeRadar.com

5 safety tips for winter walking

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 07:00:42 +0000

We hate to mention the ‘w’ word, but October kicks in tomorrow and winter really is fast-approaching. We don’t think that winter should put you off a walk though and it’s great to #GetOutside in all weather and at all times of the year. Our #GetOutside champion Bonita Norris thinks that winter is the best...

The post 5 safety tips for winter walking appeared first on Ordnance Survey Blog.

Kona Honzo AL/DL

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 07:00:00 +0000

While most aspire to shred trails on full-suspension bikes, Kona is adamant that the hardtail is far from dead – and has set out to prove it with the Honzo 29er.

Highs: Lighter alloy frame, confident handling, stiff and responsive
Lows: No dropper post specced, slightly narrow gear range, punishing ride
Buy if: You want a hardtail that can handle big descents and don't mind cruising for a bruising

Last year’s Honzo was steel, but both bikes in the 2016 range are alloy (with a titanium frame also available). This, says Kona, has cut up to 40 percent from the frame weight – good news, because the 2015 Honzo wasn’t exactly svelte. The frame has been lengthened too, with a reach of 485mm on the XL size tested, while a PF92 BB, big weld areas and 148x12mm rear axle assure stiffness.

Limited clearance out back means you can’t upgrade to the latest 650b+ wheels

Fox’s latest 34 Float fork is plugged in up front. The 120mm (4.7in) of travel is far better controlled with the new FIT4 damper than on previous models, and the new chassis is stiffer too, offering real point-and-shoot performance on a wide range of trails. The Shimano Deore based 1x10 transmission is dependable and comes with a clutch-equipped rear derailleur, and the matching Deore brakes are good too.

Although the seat tube is wide enough there’s no dropper post, which is a real shame – but at least the frame can take a stealth-routed upgrade. WTB’s tubeless i29 rims give a really good profile to the Maxxis Minion DHF and CrossMark tread, both of which benefit from tough EXO sidewalls and tubeless compatibility. The level of grip on offer makes them ripe for alpine adventures. Up front, the short stem/wide bar combo is a winner, allowing you to wrestle the bike through sections while maintaining relatively snappy handling.

You can read more at BikeRadar.com

17 brands recall 1.5 million bikes for quick-release issue

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 22:55:00 +0000

Some 13 companies representing 17 brands are collectively recalling disc-brake bikes that have quick-release levers that open more than 180 degrees and can thus contact the rotor. Although a bike should never be ridden with an open QR release, these companies are erring on the side of caution with the voluntary recall of some 1.5 million bikes in North America.

Involving the identical component, this recall follows a very similar recall by Trek, which affected some 1.7 million bikes, as it included most entry- and mid-level mountain bikes sold since 1999.

This recall involves disc bikes with a black or silver QR lever on the front hub. When the front QR is fully opened, if there is less than 6mm -- or the width of a #2 pencil -- between the QR and disk brake rotor on the wheel, the bicycle is included in this recall. A video showing how to determine if a bike is included in this recall is available at www.quickreleaserecall.com.

Here are the brands affected, plus United States contact information for each. Currently the recall only affects those within the US, although we suspect we'll see the recall in other countries soon.

You can read more at BikeRadar.com

7 Secrets for Family Bike Camping Happiness

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 17:00:37 +0000

Yes, you can survive — even thrive — an extended backcountry trip with kids. Here's how.

Digging into the Dirt on E-Bikes

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 16:00:00 +0000

Are they mountain bikes? Motorcycles? The sport's biggest advocacy group dives into shark-filled waters.

A Moving Tribute to JP Auclair

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 15:00:11 +0000

A year after losing three of skiing's brightest lights, family and friends remember in their own ways.

The best mountain bikes under £750

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 14:20:00 +0000

Looking for an MTB that won't break the bank? These budget mountain bikes don't skimp on performance, and in some cases have componentry that we would expect to see on more expensive models. So which of them takes the Budget Bike Test crown?

The BikeRadar Budget Bike Test includes the Ghost Kato 3, Genesis Core 10, VooDoo Bizango, Canyon Grand Canyon AL 5.9, Trek X-Caliber 8 and Saracen Mantra Pro in the sub-£750 category.

All the bikes featured are hardtail MTBs, some with trail-focused angles and others with more XC race geometry. Despite similarity in price, the quality of parts the bikes are specced with does vary significantly, with the outright winners combining exceptional parts for the price and a great ride feel.

Look out for full reviews of the top-scoring rides from this grouptest on BikeRadar over the coming weeks.

You can read more at BikeRadar.com

Why Can’t Owls Move Their Eyes Side to Side?

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 14:00:39 +0000

Their heads, yes, but what's behind the creepy-cool (and mesmerizing) orbs?

Black Diamond TV Launches - Video

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 13:54:00 +0000

Black Diamond's new video series focuses initially on backcountry skiing but will move on to climbing.

AlpShaken, Not Stirred...

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 13:07:00 +0000

Alpkit's Big Shakeout festival returned for 2015 and it was as brilliant as ever.

Specialized Women’s Mountain Liner vest and shorts with SWAT

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 09:00:00 +0000

Specialized is a company that's constantly thinking up new ways of enabling riders to enjoy the sport. The SWAT concept, which stands for Storage, Water, Air, Tools is about freeing your body and bike from extra clutter.

Basic tools and storage spaces are integrated into the giant firm's mountain bikes, such as the SWAT door found on the new carbon Rhyme, Camber and Stumpjumper bikes. Additionally, the SWAT clothing is designed so you can hit the trails without a pack.

We tested the Women’s Mountain Liner shorts and vest. These are essentially meshy, pocket-filled undergarments designed for wearing under whatever trail threads take your fancy.

Sadly these products aren't currently available in the UK. The SWAT women's mountain liner shorts will be available in the UK from Spring 2016, and Specialized has said that the vest may also become available, depending on how the range is received globally.

Highs: Unique and innovative product, solid construction and soft materials
Lows: Over-shirts rise up beyond vest pockets and you'll likely need to stop riding to access your stuff.... like with a pack
Buy if: You like traditional cycling jerseys' functionality but not appearance; or you prefer to stash your goods in something a little tighter with deeper pockets

Specialized Women’s Mountain Liner vest

The vest ($60 / AU$90) is new for 2016. It’s made of a light, breathable mesh, called VaporRise and has three deep storage pockets at the back, one of which includes extra elastic to secure your pump. It comes with a basic black crop top, which attaches to the shoulders of the vest with two small clips.

Specialized Women’s Mountain Liner Shorts

You can read more at BikeRadar.com

Merckx EMX 525

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 07:00:00 +0000

Eddy Merckx is a Belgian two-time three-cushion billiards world champion. (Oops, wrong one.) Nope, cycling’s Monsieur Merckx is one of the best sportsmen ever. And though a much overused word, Eddy deserves the ‘legend’ designation.

The 525 represents the number of his wins, and if you want to know about bike envy, you should try riding this fella – in our experience, even bike shop employees may swoon just a little.

Highs: Swoon-inducing looks, a superbly balanced ride and Shimano Ultegra Di2
Lows: The 8kg weight and mid-range Fulcrum wheels
Buy if: You want one of the most composed rides around and are prepared to pay for the experience

It’s not a bike you can miss. Even by today’s standards, its down tube and BB86 bottom bracket shell are monsters. Throw in deep, asymmetric chainstays, zigzag seatstays and forkblades that kick forward at the dropouts and you have one distinctive machine.

One of the stiffest head tubes around, it's claimed

Unusually in our age of ultra-light bikes, Merckx espouses ‘speed, stiffness, stability and safety’ first, which is reflected in a weight that isn’t that light and in the 525’s geometry. The head tube is as short as you’d expect on a road bike, but compared with the Specialized Tarmac and Trek Madone, for example, frame angles are a degree or so shallower and the wheelbase longer, which certainly aids stability.

You can read more at BikeRadar.com

AngryAsian: Quit cutting corners

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 06:00:00 +0000

Going downhill fast is fun. But if the only way you can manage to shred the descents is to literally cut corners, that doesn’t make you a monster on Strava or a winner by any stretch. It makes you a douchebag.

The rising popularity of enduro is the best thing to happen to mountain biking in ages. The bikes are incredibly capable and forgiving when pointed downhill yet still remarkably spry when it comes time to pedal. More importantly, there’s less emphasis on reducing weight and more focus on having fun, and rider skill levels everywhere are increasing exponentially.

Naturally, better bikes lead to faster riding and there’s no shortage of YouTube videos to show off the talents of the properly skilled. As has always been the case with big leaps in bike technology, though, such baked-in proficiency can also make up for a lack of skill if you’re feeling lazy. Whereas once you descended like a bag of anvils, now you can descend like a bag of anvils cozily strapped down in the bed of a monster truck and just hang on.

The easy way, and the best way

There are lots of ways to get down a mountain quickly, particularly when there are lots of twists and turns to contend with. The best way – and arguably, the most impressive – is to figure out how to navigate the trail with a combination of speed and finesse without straying off the beaten path. The easy way is to ignore the various twists and turns that lay before you and just straight-line everything.

Much as I love the effect that enduro has had on bikes, it unfortunately also seems to be inadvertently cultivating poor behavior on the trail. Unlike traditional downhill or cross-country events, enduro courses are almost impossible to complete tape off; they just cover too much ground in too short a time to make comprehensive marking practical. As a result, some riders are taking increasingly liberal line choices to save time and with placings, prizes and sometimes money on the line, it’s all too easy to follow in someone else’s footsteps.

Left behind afterward is plenty of trail damage and the bruised spirits of riders who maybe didn’t do as well on paper but mostly stuck to the straight-and-narrow.

Skirting the rules

You can read more at BikeRadar.com

Walk of the week: Lynton and Lynmouth, Exmoor

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 07:00:08 +0000

Length of route: 6.5 km Starting point: Lynbridge, grid reference SS719485 Suitable for: Walking Maps: OL9 – Exmoor OS Maps This guest walk is from Tim who runs Car Free Walks, a website of walks around the UK that can be reached by public transport. See more details on the route here: http://www.carfreewalks.org/walks/1160/lynton_amp_lynmouth Exmoor has a special place among my walking memory bank. It...

The post Walk of the week: Lynton and Lynmouth, Exmoor appeared first on Ordnance Survey Blog.

Everest: The Hard Way Fortieth Anniversary Lecture - Tickets Selling Fast

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 16:52:00 +0000

Forty years ago this autumn, British mountaineers Dougal Haston and Doug Scott stepped onto the summit of Everest, having, for the first time, climbed the world’s highest mountain by its massive South West Face. They were the first to ascend...

Best Outdoor Gear For Autumn/Winter 2015/16

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 15:30:00 +0000

Selection of the top outdoor gear for autumn/winter 2015/16 chosen by the brands themselves.

The North Face's Summit Series 'Reimagined' For Winter 2015

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 12:11:00 +0000

TNF has completely redesigned its iconic top-end technical Summit Series range for this winter, behold...

Win a limited edition OS print

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 07:00:31 +0000

We’ve talked about our history a number of times in 2015. Earlier this month, the history of OS was covered in BBC4’s fantastic Timeshift programme. And back in February we launched the OS brand refresh and looked back at what we’ve achieved in our 224 years as Britain’s mapping agency. To mark the brand refresh, artist...

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Doug Scott memoirs released on 40th anniversary of Everest Southwest face triumph

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 14:43:21 +0000

It was 40 years ago today that Doug Scott and Dougal Haston became the first Britons to reach the summit of Everest as lead climbers on Chris Bonington’s epic expedition to the mountain’s immense southwest face. And the long-awaited first book of Scott’s memoirs are released today in limited-edition format to mark this epic episode in the history of British mountaineering.

The extraordinary events of that day on Everest remain the stuff of legend; how, after summiting, Scott and Haston scraped a small cave in the snow 100 metres below the summit and survived the highest bivouac ever – without bottled oxygen, sleeping bags and, as it turned out, frostbite. For Doug Scott, it was the fulfilment of a fortune-teller’s prophecy given to his mother: that her eldest son would be in danger in a high place with the whole world watching.

Scott and Haston returned home national heroes with their image splashed across the front pages. Scott went on to become one of Britain’s greatest ever mountaineers, pioneering new climbs in the remotest corners of the globe. His career spans the golden age of British climbing from the 1960s boom in outdoor adventure to the new wave of lightweight alpinism throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

In ‘Up and About’, the first volume of his autobiography published by V-Publishing, Scott tells his story from his birth in Nottingham during the darkest days of war to the summit of the world. Surviving the unplanned bivouac without oxygen near the summit of Everest widened the range of what and how he would climb in the future. In fact, Scott established more climbs on the high mountains of the world after his ascent of Everest than before. Those climbs will be covered in the second volume of his life and times.

From 24 September 2015 – the 40th anniversary of Doug and Dougal’s summit of Everest – V-Publishing will be offering 300 limited edition copies of Up and About for sale through their website. These will be numbered and feature a tip-in page signed by Doug, a limited-edition jacket, and they will be bound in real cloth and feature head and tail bands. They are available on a first-come-first-served basis. Publication is scheduled for mid November.

MORE INFO:
www.v-publishing.co.uk

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Everest expedition leader takes on the challenge of his life

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 10:14:00 +0000

Tim Mosedale, 49, an expedition leader from Keswick who was on Mount Everest when the earthquake struck Nepal in April has devised and completed what could possibly be Britain’s most gruelling outdoors challenge. At 6pm on Friday 24th of July...

Talking GI at UN-GGIM

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 07:00:39 +0000

Guest blog by James Norris from the OS Policy team If you haven’t come across it before, UN-GGIM (United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management) is a formal part of the United Nations (UN). UN‑GGIM provides a forum for strategic discussions on geospatial industry topics, such as legal and policy frameworks, international...

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Mapping Together

Wed, 23 Sep 2015 07:00:08 +0000

This month saw the British Cartographic Society (BCS) and the Society of Cartographers (SoC) join forces in York to host Mapping Together, the first joint conference since 2003. This event contained an inspirational collection of presentations and workshops, the annual BCS awards ceremony and a corporate members exhibition. OS were Platinum sponsors once again – hosted workshops,...

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‘The Citadel’ – trailer of Al Lee’s new 4k film

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 14:05:31 +0000

‘The Citadel’ promises to be one of 2015’s most visually stunning mountain films. Filmed by multi-award winner Alastair Lee and the Posing Productions crew, the film follows hardcore UK alpinists Matt Helliker and Jon Bracey as they attempt the stunning NW ridge of the remote peak ‘The Citadel’ deep in the Neacola range, Alaska. Touted as the “world’s first mountain film shot entirely in 4k”, ‘The Citadel’ looks set to show extreme alpine climbing like never before.

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#OSPhotofit junior winners announced

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 07:00:29 +0000

We teamed up with Steve Backshall to choose the winning entries for the junior element of our #OSPhotofit competition. The winners will see their photos gracing the covers of our OS Tour maps from early next year. We were thrilled to see the talents of so many young photographers being showcased and joining the 13,000...

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Latest version of OS VectorMap District available

Mon, 21 Sep 2015 10:00:42 +0000

We’ve just released the September 2015 update of OS VectorMap District. This free open data product is a versatile, customisable backdrop map for you to pinpoint particular locations, show boundaries and shaded-in areas. Our latest release offers enhanced functionality and greater consistency with our other OS OpenData products, including OS Open Map – Local (released...

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3D laser maps reveal the New Forest’s hidden landscapes at new exhibition

Fri, 18 Sep 2015 07:00:55 +0000

Guest post by Heritage Mapping Officer Lawrence Shaw from the New Forest National Park Authority The New Forest has a deceptive name as it’s not new. Humans have been shaping its landscapes since the Stone Age, long before it was claimed by William the Conqueror as a royal hunting ground in 1079. But much of...

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Win a place on the Aviva Tour Ride on 4 October

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 13:10:21 +0000

The Aviva Tour Ride, the official sportive of the Aviva Tour of Britain, takes place in Worcestershire on Sunday 4 October. And we’re offering you the chance to win a place in the sportive. There’s a choice of three routes starting and finishing from the Worcester Arena and Racecourse on the banks of the River Severn....

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Vote for adventure with KEEN European Made!

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 12:02:00 +0000

To celebrate the launch of KEEN’s inaugural European Made collection, the innovative footwear brand are delighted to announce the launch of an exciting competition offering fans the chance to win an exclusive trip for them and a friend to lace...

Sneak preview: The trek at the end of the world

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 10:29:00 +0000

Patagonia should be on every hiker’s bucket list. Or at least that’s what Rachel Broomhead reckons in this month’s Country Walking magazine. Here’s a taste of her adventure among jagged peaks, rampaging winds and thundering glaciers... "There is nothing ordinary...

Reel Rock Tour set to kick off across UK

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 10:11:41 +0000

This year’s Reel Rock Tour is about to kick off with 14 screenings across the UK and Ireland.

In its 10th year, Reel Rock 10 will once again bring a variety of adventure films to a worldwide audience, with the event taking place in over 450 locations across all seven continents. This year’s festival will feature films about Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold’s Fitz Roy traverse, Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson’s highly publicised climb of the Dawn Wall, a tribute to Dean Potter, and others.

More than just a film night, the Reel Rock tour acts as a venue for outdoor lovers and climbers to come together, and also gives attendees the chance to win some fabulous kit from the show’s sponsors. Reel Rock Film Tour tickets and information are available online.

RELATED LINKS:
www.reelrock.co.uk

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Shortlist for Boardman Tasker Prize announced

Wed, 16 Sep 2015 12:28:50 +0000

The shortlist for the prestigious Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature has been released, and it looks like 2015 could be a vintage year.

This year’s judges – Robin Campbell, Graham Desroy and Terry Gifford – have chosen the following five books from the 36 entries received:

‘In Some Lost Place’ by Sandy Allen (Vertebrate Publishing)
‘Snowblind: Tales of Alpine Obsession’ by Daniel Arnold (Counterpoint)
‘The Calling: A Life Rocked by Mountains’ by Barry Blanchard (Patagonia)
‘Cold Feet, Stories of a Middling Climber’ by David Pagel (self-published)
‘One Day as a Tiger’ by John Porter (Vertebrate Publishing)

The winner will be announced at a prize giving ceremony on 21st November at the Kendal Mountain Festival. Good luck to all the shortlisted writers!

RELATED LINKS:
www.boardmantasker.com

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Five safety tips for walkers

Wed, 16 Sep 2015 07:00:42 +0000

There have been a number of articles in the press this summer noting an increase in call outs for rescue teams across Britain. The Mail Online reported that Lochaber Mountain Rescue in Scotland are usually called out between 70 and 100 times a year, but by mid-August had already dealt with 103 alerts in 2015. Meanwhile MSN and the Express spoke to...

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European Outdoor Film Tour trailer released

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 10:54:27 +0000

Now in its 15th season, this year’s European Outdoor Film Tour (E.O.F.T) kicks off in the UK on October 31st bringing some of the most spectacular outdoor and adventure sports films of the year to a town near you. The tour kicks off with a special premiere evening in Amsterdam on October 9th before heading to more than 300 venues in 14 countries, including 10 dates in the UK with shows in London, Bristol, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham.

Highlights for Trek & Mountain readers are sure to be ‘Dani Arnold on the Matterhorn’ which follows the Swiss climber as he takes on the Matterhorn speed record after knocking 20 minutes off Ueli Steck’s own amazing time for the Eiger North Face, and ‘A Line Across The Sky: Walking The Line In Patagonia’ which documents Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold’s amazing Fitz Traverse that linked up 7 icey Patagonian pinnacles in one marathon push. There’s plenty more to see as well, of course, and you can find full details of films, venues and ticket availability at www.eoft.eu

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DMM product recall notice

Mon, 14 Sep 2015 01:00:00 +0000

DMM are issuing a product recall, subject to user inspection. The document below details the products that are affected by the recall and contains instructions to identify whether or not an affected product should be returned to DMM. In a...

Get a waterproof rucksack with a subscription to Trail!

Thu, 10 Sep 2015 18:42:00 +0000

Enjoy a year of Trail from £52* PLUS get a Regatta Hydrotech 25L waterproof pack worth £30! "The Regatta Hydrotech 25L boasts a 25 litre capacity, waterproof Hydrafort polyester grid ripstop fabric, taped seams, a rolltop lid with side fastening details...

Youth Hostelling with Alan Hinkes

Tue, 08 Sep 2015 12:17:00 +0000

Alan Hinkes was the first Briton to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000m peaks. He was awarded the OBE in 2006 and is a past recipient of the coveted Yorkshireman of the Year title. Here he chooses his nine...

Everest movie review (certified spoiler-free!)

Tue, 08 Sep 2015 11:53:00 +0000

Director: Baltasar Kormákur Stars: Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal, Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington Mountain movies are a talking point in any place where hillwalkers meet, from the bar of Glen Coe’s Clachaig Inn to the wall shelter on...

Rab introduces new Cirrus insulation

Mon, 07 Sep 2015 21:26:36 +0000

Rab have introduced their new Cirrus insulation in their winter 2015 collection.

Cirrus is synthetic technology that mimics natural down. The synthetic fibres dry quickly and provide the same warmth-to-weight as 600FP duck down.

The winter 2015 collection will include Rab’s new Nebula and Nimbus which will use Cirrus technology, offering the warmth and low weight of natural down jackets, as well as being water resilient and fast-drying.

The Nebula jacket features a Pertex Endurance shell for increased durability and weather protection, while the Nimbus provides a lighter weight alternative, with a Pertex Quantum shell.

The Nebula jacket is available in men’s S-XXL and women’s 8-16, and the Nimbus in men’s S-XXL.

RELATED LINKS:
rab.equipment

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ElliptiGO: Taking running to a new level

Mon, 07 Sep 2015 17:10:00 +0000

When you first stand beside an ElliptiGO it is really quite intimidating: it’s surprisingly large and leads you to wonder how on earth you’re meant to get up on it. Never fear, there is a way and it is remarkably...

Peak Mountaineering’s Blog: Stok Kangri 2015 Expedition in numbers

Fri, 04 Sep 2015 20:12:33 +0000

Whether it was Hannibal and his many elephants crossing the Alps or Ueli Steck’s sub three-hour ascent of the Eiger North Face, all great adventure success stories are really nothing to do with personal toil or breaking down psychological and physical barriers in the face of adversity. They are all, just like the success of the 2015 Trek & Mountain Stok Kangri expedition, really just about generating interesting statistics.

So, revealed for the first time and after days of number crunching and analysing gigabytes of crucial data at Peak HQ, is the numerical low down on one of climbing histories most acclaimed ascents and, indeed, the ‘conquest’ of one of mountaineering longest sought after prizes…

2015 Stok Kangri Expedition Statistics

Team distance travelled to and from India in miles – 54,000

Combined age of team members in years – 492

Total number of metres climbed by team in metres – 102,000

Number of times Paul said we need a group photo – 84

Number of Love Bite sweets eaten on summit day – 312

Omelettes consumed by team – 198

Most omelettes eaten in one meal – 17

Number of times a team member vomited in one hour – 6

Total number of team members who vomited – 1

Vehicle punctures – 1

Number of team hours spent in tents – 716

Number of rupees injected into Indian economy – 220,000

Lowe Alpine luggage items used – 20

Number of ‘discussions’ had with airport staff – 42

Number of ‘discussions’ won with airport staff – 0

Distance travelled by team in India – 91,000

Swear words used during Tuk Tuk journeys by team – 79

Number of swear words used during Tuk Tuk journeys by team member Big G – 79

Starbucks visited – 1

Costa Coffees visited – 4

Number of blisters suffered by all the team – 1

Kingfisher beers consumed – 178

Long drop toilets visited – 8

Conversations had about Rab clothing – 129

Glacier crossings – 2

Card games played -141

Photos of smiling team members taken – 821

Photos of none smiling team members taken – 21

Kilos of dal eaten by expedition leader Paul Lewis – 72

Kilos of dal eaten by rest of team – 0.5

Flights used by team – 60

Kilos of luggage – 278

Number of team members to summit – 9

Rab clothing items used – 106

Years taken to build the Taj Mahal – 22

Total of steps climbed by team to Shanti Stupa – 2016

Photographs taken by team – 21,000

Number of cups of bed tea drunk – 79

Number of boiled eggs eaten – 205

Taxi journeys taken – 101

Most ingenious storage device – Janneke’s bra strap wallet!

Best bartering discount achieved for a souvenir – 79%

Record number of days one set of underwear worn during mountain phase – 6

Number of years Shah Jahan was imprisoned in Agra Fort – 8

Record temperature experienced in degrees Celsius – 41

Minimum temperature experienced in degrees Celsius – -12

Number of potholes negotiated enroute from Leh accommodation to centre – 66

Parachute cafes visited during trek – 12

Posts to social media by all the team -194

Posts to social media made by team member Dom -190

Time taken in minutes to ascend and descend Stok Kangri – 882

Number of lassi drinks consumed – 211

Shopping journeys into Leh – 138

Rivers crossed – 8

Mick Fowler eyes another first ascent in west Nepal

Fri, 04 Sep 2015 12:58:57 +0000

That man is at it again! British mountaineer Mick Fowler has revealed plans for another first ascent in the Himalaya. In an expedition sponsored by Berghaus, Fowler will make an attempt on an unclimbed 6,000m peak in far west Nepal. Along with regular climbing partner Paul Ramsden and a support team of Steve Burns and Ian Cartwright, he will leave the UK at the end of the month and expects to complete the climb around the third week of October.

Mick Fowler and Paul Ramsden are planning to attempt a route on the north face of a mountain, from a valley that has never been visited by westerners. Fowler comments: “What we do know is that, when Google Earth is set at the right time of day, the shadow of one of the north faces in this valley is longer than all the others in the area. We take that as a good sign. Surely it can only mean that it is the steepest and biggest around?”

Twice winners of the Piolet d’Or Award, Mick Fowler and Paul Ramsden have achieved many first ascents during their climbing career and they have a reputation for seeking out dramatic objectives in remote parts of the Himalaya. Both climbers have to fit in their adventures around full-time jobs, completing expeditions during their holidays.

Fowler adds: “We will climb pure Alpine style, which means that we will accept the true challenge of the mountain and not use fixed ropes, bolts or siege tactics. The mountain will be left as we find it, with no trace of our passing.”

During their expedition, Fowler and Ramsden will test the latest kit from Berghaus’ Extrem range, including prototypes of new developments scheduled to be launched in autumn/winter 2016. Mick Fowler’s latest blog, anticipating the adventure ahead, can be found here.

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UK Mountain Photo of the Year 2015: choose the winner!

Fri, 04 Sep 2015 01:00:00 +0000

All the entries are in, our judges have scrutinised every image, and the final shortlist has been chopped down to 22 photos. Now it’s over to YOU to pick the winner! The Trail inbox has nearly exploded with photos since...

Win one of four pairs of Keen Liberty Ridge boots!

Wed, 02 Sep 2015 11:07:30 +0000

Keen describe their new Liberty Ridge boot as a “tough, supportive high-performance leather boot for long trips on gnarly trails” and we can wholeheartedly agree with this description after testing it in the Balkan mountains this summer. Now you can get your hands on this superbly comfortable and supportive walking boot in this month’s competition, in which we have FOUR pairs to give away – two men’s and two women’s.

But first, more about the Liberty Ridge. The boot is one of the first to come out of Keen’s new European manufacturing facility, and continues their policy of manufacturing in the territories they sell in. The Liberty Ridge is packed full of features, such as the shock-absorbing direct-attach PU midsole which delivers lasting comfort, and a full-length shank adds stability. The waterproof upper and KEEN.DRY waterproof, breathable membrane combine to keep your feet dry. Designed to handle any trail surface, if you rack up serious backcountry mileage with a full pack, this is your boot.

HOW TO ENTER
Just answer the following question and your name will be entered into the draw – the first four correct answers will receive a brand new pair of Liberty Ridge boots.

Which continent is the Liberty Ridge manufactured in?

a. North America
b. Europe
c. Asia

TO ENTER, CLICK HERE

Entries must be received by the 15th October 2015, and the winners will be announced on the 30th October.

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Gregory Miwok 18 (2015)