Bikepacking on a Brompton - England to Sweden
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- Опубліковано 25 сер 2024
- When the UK lockdown began in March, my husband was in Sweden and I was in London. Finally the restrictions eased and we could travel, but planes and long-distance trains still felt risky. So in August I took my tent and my Brompton, and I cycled through the Netherlands and Germany, and then sailed over the Baltic to Sweden. Before leaving London, I dehydrated enough meals for the whole journey, so that I could largely avoid going into shops along the way, apart from a couple of lovely bakeries, a brilliant sausage stall, and (quite a few) outdoor cafes serving apple cake.
Before I set out, I knew little about the region. I found it super interesting. There's lots of history, good and bad - glorious old trade-route towns, as well as poignant reminders of the Nazi era. I found out that n the Dutch woodlands where I pitched my tent there'd been a labour camp from which people were sent to Auschwitz, and only a few miles south of my route in Lower Saxony was the site of Bergen-Belsen. The ride was beautiful, and really thought-provoking. Hope you enjoy the film.
I love your ambition, and you are truly a traveling, minimalist cyclist…
I just acquired a new folding bike and love it very much and use it to pull my inflatable kayak. Then I go down the river with the bike loaded on the kayak and then go back home on the bike… Absolutely love it.
Hi Paul! Yeh I love the whole minimal thing, minimal but really *comfortable* too haha, that's my aim... Oh that sounds great, wow, good for you, canoe and bike. Makes me think of the film by Alaistair Humphreys about his adventure with a Brompton and a canoe, in Scotland somewhere it was, forgot where it was but it was lovely. Anyway, for writing!
Thank you for posting this. A lovely account of the simple life on the road cycle camping. This s my idea of bliss. You made the Netherlands and Northern Germany look very attractive.
Hi Velorog! Hope you are well! Thank you for the nice comment 😊Yes, it is my idea of bliss too! I feel very lucky to have been able to do the ride - and to have good gear, so that even when it rains etc I am OK 🏕
Fantastic!: this has inspired me to go out and have some cycle touring adventures on my Brompton
Oh that is great! hope you enjoy it.... keep us posted! Thanks for the lovely comment!
I've only recently started watching your videos of your tours. They look fantastic and I think you have such strength to do it all alone. Masive respect!.
Hi Mark baa! Thanks for the nice comment! Yeh it is a lovely thing to do, I think, riding around on a bike, free and easy, with a tent. Not strong actually though, haha, well not really. I just pootle along and take things easy, at my own pace. Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoy the films 😁
Thank you for sharing your trip in this UA-cam broadcast! It’s so nice to see how the journey was like. Beautiful countryside. You are so strong facing all weathers!
Hello lovely you! Thank you for the nice comment. Yes it was beautiful! Pure pleasure to pedal around freely. I feel so lucky. The weather is not difficult to face xxxx xxxx
what a tough woman :) going solo bike touring!! your my idol from now on! very inspiring videos
Hi Christopher! thanks for watching!
Loved the clarity of the sound on this video. Yay! It’s awesome enjoying the virtual ride along with you through countries I will never visit. Just beautiful. I’m not able to get the vaccine so my days of European travel are no more. You have inspired me to rethink my world and to plan short overnight stays within National Parks close to my home...all so doable. Your kind, informative replies to questions are so lovely, I enjoy reading them as much as the video. Thank you from new subscriber in Australia.
Hi Carolyn! Thank you for watching! and for writing such a nice comment. So glad you enjoyed the film, and glad you enjoy reading bits and bobs on my channel too. About travel, aw, sorry to hear that you're not able to get the vaccine, so that European travel isn't on the cards, BUT your plans for trips closer to home sound brilliant. Good for you! Keep us posted! Hope you're having loads of good days. I had a scare over Xmas but just got an OK scan again. Hurrah. Thank you for subscribing too! Best wishes!
I am also uploading a folding bike cycling video, so I was looking for a helpful video and came across this video of yours. Great video! I can't believe you traveled from England to Sweden by bike and tent! I can't even imagine. Please keep uploading videos of wonderful scenery.
Hi Seiji Sato! Aw thanks for writing! Glad you liked the video. I just dropped in at your channel - so lovely to see your rides in Japan, and I love what you say, about how cycling makes you feel great. I was really impressed by how you polish your bike as well. Haha. I am going to that too now, just came back from a trip and my bike needs a bit of cleaning and polishing too. Thanks for watching! Keep making films you too, and showing the wonderful scenery there!
Fantastic trip on a Brompton and nice to see someone else who uses the P bars. Chapeau!!
Hi Tom! Yes I love the P bars. Thank you for the nice comment! 😊
Really!!! The P bar is heavy and unuseful. Batter an S bar with handgrip extended, in case of long journey.
@@walterrinaldi13apr66 you’re entitled to your opinion. The point is the OP is using them, I use and enjoy them. Glad you enjoy using what you prefer 😁
@@tommcmurdo6181 likewise P bars are GREAT, I have them too, two handlebar heights are great for touring and every day use, if your back starts to ache simply change to the other height, just like my old drop handlebars.
P-bar lover here! We've got the Swiss knife of Brompton handlebars!
Look forward to your next adventure, we really enjoy your them. P&D
Hello you two! Thanks for watching, and for the lovely comment! Next film coming soon actually haha, happy days! Best wishes meanwhile!
Thank you Susanna for sharing your fantastic journey (me fellow Brommie) really did make my day.
Hello! Thank you for watching and for the nice comment! 😁
Awesome trip!! You are amazing & brave!! 🙋🏽♀️
Hi Chris! Thanks for watching! I just felt so glad on that trip, to be free to be out and to travel again, after the first UK lockdown. It was a lovely trip, lots of coffee stops and apple cakes 😋🍰🚲
This is wonderfully bonkers!
Thank you enjoyed your video. Glad you got there safely. I’ve only camped twice with my Brompton & the weather can be tricky. I was fortunate it rained after my trip. Best wishes to you and your viewers ☺️🌈👌
Hi Trish Shanti! Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed the film! Thanks for writing. Yes the weather can do all sorts! Best wishes!
I’m just in awe of your trip! Getting the Brompton over such a long distance is brilliant. Such a beautiful journey. You must have great navigation skills. Really great video. Thanks for sharing your trip🙏🏻
Thanks for watching Jamie! about navigation well I love looking at maps, but actually have a terrible sense of direction - I get muddled up about which way to go when I come out of a shop and things like that. Haha
Hello Susanna,
Since the television program is really bad again, I had the idea to watch one or the other video of you.
Via Holland and Germany to Sweden. This is a great bike ride.
Nice that I was allowed to "ride" via video.
Great video, great tour!
Kind regards, Kurt
And whenever possible, an apple pie and coffee or tea! I love that, teatime!
Hi Kurt! Glad you enjoyed the film! I loved that ride, hot summer days. The whole region was new to me. Loved it. Great apple pies too haha. German kaffe und kuchen is such a good thing. And English teatime too. Thanks for writing!
@@susannathornton Hello Susanna,
I liked to write. You already have my subscription. Have seen many other great tours with you that I will go on.
Greetings and stay healthy,
Kurt
Wow, So amazing trip! I am really like your content! Hopely You can make more and more video with your nice Brompton!!
What a super adventure over such a lovely route. Really enjoyed the trip. Thanks
Hi Brian! Thank you for the lovely comment! Yes it was lovely to discover these places. Actually I had no idea really what the landscape and towns would be like, as I didn't know much about the Netherlands or north Germany. I pretty much just drew a line on the map between London and Malmö and set off. I quite like doing that, just to see what is there. There are always interesting things. Thank you for watching! 😊
I stumbled upon this as I was thinking about upgrading to a Brompton and doing researches. Beautiful journey, great video and great personality. One day (hopefully soon) I will follow your wheels!
Hi! Thanks for writing... Glad you enjoyed the film. Hope you will be able to get a Brompton and go off on a journey too. Btw, if you haven't already done so, have look at www.bromptontraveler.com/ as he has lots of great info there for your researches. Happy cycling! Best wishes!
Hey lovely. I just picked up my Brompton! OVER THE MOON!
GREAT!! Happy cycling Reli!! Wooo! 😎🚲⛺🌞🌷🌄
Thank you for showing your trip. We usually cycle around Belgium and Holland but have been missing it with Covid restrictions. You have kept me sane!
Lovely. Thank you for sharing. It brings back many memories for me.
Hi Ray! Thank you for watching! Happy to know that you enjoyed it 😃
That looked like a lovely trip. To be honest, I was expecting some bikepacking tips and tricks, but instead watched a thoroughly interesting travelogue. Either way, it is inspirational for me.
Hi Gregory! Thanks for watching! And for the nice comment! Actually, about tips and tricks, I am making a film about the gear that I use when camping on my Brompton, and how I prepare for the trips that I do. I will put the film up soon. Hope you will enjoy it too. Best wishes!
I enjoy your video’s and like your filosofy of slow travelling by bike!
Luk, Belgium
Hi Luk! Thank you for watching! and for the lovely comment. Best wishes to you in Belgium, and happy cycling!
What a great video. I did that trip with my friend and we loved it just as you appear to. This has brought back so many great memories.
Hi John! Thank you for watching. Glad that it brought back happy memories for you!
Great video!! Thanks for sharing. Really enjoyed it.
Hi Jason! Thanks! glad you enjoyed it!
That was a great video, I only just found your channel, started with the one cycling with your Dad, great stuff ...... I am in Australia and we don't really have a cycling infostructure like in Europe ... myself, my wife & granddaughter were in Europe mid this year and we did a fair bit of cycling ( the motorhome we rented came with 3 bikes ) we were in the UK, Ireland, France & Germany and I recognised your few shots in Lubeck .... you have a great setup, I have a few bikes & am contemplating a Brompton soon ..... keep it up, fantastic to see you cycling & enjoying the countryside of your region & elsewhere ....... cheers from Hunter Valley, Australia ... Rod
Thanks for the lovely comment Rod! Souds like you have been doing some nice journeys. Best wishes!
Thanks for sharing this fantastic bike packing video! I used to live in both the Netherlands and Germany (I studied in the Netherlands and spent a sabbatical and various research trips there, and in Germany over many years). I always took my Brompton M3L with me. I also did a lot of cycling and sightseeing - but sadly never camped. I am always amazed at how safe it is for persons to cycle and camp in Europe. That is how it should be! By the way, I once spent a sabbatical in Gothenburg in Sweden and also had my Brompton with me! Sweden is so beautiful as well! Thanks for your lovely video.
Hi Dion! Thanks for writing! Those stays in the Netherlands and Germany sound great, and Sweden too. A bike makes it so much easier to explore, and meet people too doesn't it. And yeh, about safety for cycling and camping, Europe is about as safe as anywhere in the world, I guess. That's a huge thing. Grateful. Just need to get this covid thing sorted now - everywhere..!!! Stay safe! Thanks for watching!
Thank you for sharing this - as velorog says below, it is a beautiful account of being on the road with your bike and a tent. Just watching this is film makes the claustrophobia of our current times go away for a little while. Heaven.
Aw what a lovely thing to say 😊 Thank you! Hope you are having a good day x Susanna
excellent trip, good for you - well done...
Aw thanks Paul! Thanks for writing. Glad you liked the film!
Another lovely biking journey, just like Gianni's one. Really enjoyed ..
Hi Clementi! Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it 😁
This was great. Thanks for sharing the trip with us.
Thanks for the lovely comment! and for watching 😎
Thanks for sharing...
Thanks for watching Brian!
Really enjoyed that, thanks!
Thanks for the lovely comment! Great name for your channel by the way! thank you for writing!
Very brave, very adventurous. I enjoyed the journey. If you don't mind my saying , your stronger than you look. Cool chic.
Hi Mark! Haha I don't feel very adventurous tbh! Not roughing it really - cosy tent, easy distances, lots of coffee and cake stops 🍰☕😊🚲 But thanks so much for writing with the very nice compliment! And thank you for watching!
Lovely - and inspiring - thank you.
Hi Fraser! Glad you enjoyed it! thank you for watching
Great vid, I love the well used Trangia :)
Hi Jim o, thanks for watching! haha yes not totally sure how it got so badly dinted, but I have had it since I was like 14, about 40 years ago now, omg
im so jelous :) what a wonderful journey! i hope i can do what u did
Hi Christopher! Thanks for watching and for the nice comment 😎Hope you can go on a journey soon x
Most enjoyable trip. Thanks for letting us tag along
Hi Kenneth! Thank *you* for watching! Best wishes!
Glad I found your channel
Hi Robert! Welcome! glad to have you, thank you for watching!
Great to see this trip on a Bromie. I had planed a similar trip on my Gravel bike from Brussels to my in-laws house in Bohuslan on the Swedish west coast using the same ferry crossing. My planned route took me basically all across the coast of the Netherlands then across Germany so I too rode those delightful bike paths through the dune and dune slacks you took to then Hague (they carry on much further north too). But all these plans and ferry bookings got kyboshed by COVID, so I ended up just riding to the Dutch-German boarder along the cost and then returned to Brussels. I still plan to do the trip by bike to the Swedish sommarstuga next year though...
Hi Frazer! Thanks for watching! and for writing about your trip too. Sounded brilliant. What a pity that the last bit got kyboshed, but great you managed to squeeze in the rest from Brussels up to the German border. Hope you get to do the whole thing soon, and then chill out and have a lovely time at the sommarstuga! x Susanna
@@susannathornton Update as this video came back up in my feed and I rewatched it 🙂. Just as good the second time!
In 2021 I made it all the way to Sweden using the route I outlined above - absolutely superb trip. But on the first day back as I entered Gothenburg my front wheel bearing collapsed and seized (over weighted bike - ooops!). Made the ferry and then took a series of local trains all the way back to Brussels from Kiel (over-night in Cologne and the last bit was difficult due to a German rail strike and the damage from floods to infrastructure that year that meant most trains had replacement bus services so wouldn't take my bike).
But last year I made it all the way there (along the coast and including around Jutland to the Fredrikshavn - Gothenburg ferry) and all the way back via Helsingør - Copenhagen - the Islands - Fehmarn belt - Hamburg - Bremen - Munster - Venlo and home).
2850Km round trip with 20 days on the bike and a week on the island of Skatfä! Absolutely BRILLIANT experience.
Hi. S . I'm 75 having cycle camped for a...long long time... For those who say you must be mad, well thats because they ain't doing it. Love your journeys. I Have a MEZZO the other great British folder, but a BROMPTON... pretty damn good no doubts about that. My regards.
Hi Paul Jones! Thank you for watching, and for writing. And wow, bravo you at 75! How wonderful! Chapeau! Happy cycling! And very best regards to you too.
I like your adventures and I am deeply impressed about your bike. We also used a folding bike (Dahon) and our longest ride was about 22km in the Netherlands. After that I never wanted to get back on the settle again. Channel subscription done, thx for sharing.
Hi Martina! thanks for writing! And for subscribing too. More films coming soon - I am making one now. I hope your 22k ride didn't put you off for ever! Best wishes!
Just discovered your channel when researching Bromptons with a view to buying one - loved the vlog of your epic trip to Sweden. Have done much travelling and camping around europe on 2 wheels in bygone years but assisted by an engine between said wheels - sure was handy for the hilly bits in Switzerland and down in the Pyrenees !Your video brought back happy memories of the real countryside off the touristy track. Beautiful scenery and much fresh air......the simplest things in life are usually the best. Have subbed to your channel and look forward to following your adventures. ATVB from a Brit expat now settled and living in Malaysia. Stay safe 😎😷🇲🇾
Hi Razif Mahathir! Thank you for watching! and for writing such a long nice comment. Sounds like you have travelled all sorts of places on two wheels. Yes I think you put it really well - the simplest things in life are usually the best. Just riding through the countryside is nice, going slowly from one place to another, and seeing what there is along the way. Happy cycling - and motorcycling..! 😊
Thank you.
Wow, you go fast on those small wheels! On my bicycle-camping-trips I can ride through the Netherlands for weeks and hardly cross any border (sometimes I was in Germany for a little while). But you went through the whole country in only three days ...
Haha not really, I just keep tootling along, fuelling up on apple cakes and coffee every so often haha. Cycle camping for weeks around the Netherlands sounds very nice to me
Very inspirational ! Thank you for sharing … stay safe 👍💪🏼
Hi Hands On B! Thanks for watching! yeh that was such a lovely trip actually. Enjoyed it so much. So nice and so simple, tootling quietly across north Europe
very nice to see so many familar things whilst tethered in lockdown. I cycled Stafford- Harwich- Hooke- Amsterdam- Lubeck-Copenhagen - Berlin a few years ago and can recall the North German Glacial Delta Plain being a surreal experience of isotropic landscape, a rural 1984, and just the infrequent incidental human, almost like seeing the rare fleetingly deer cross your path. If you ever do it again the coast north through Netherlands is a treat, dunescapes as far as Texel.
Hi K C! thank you for watching! and for the lovely comment. What a super trip that must have been. From Lubeck, did you ride all the way up Schleswig-Holstein and through to Denmark, I wonder? I like your description of the North German Plain. I had to look up isotropic - uniformity in all orientations! yes, exactly! And it did sometimes feel surreal and lonely to me as well, riding across there. Very interesting to see the landscape unfold as you go, things changing (eventually!). Thanks so much for watching, and for writing.
@@susannathornton over onto Fehmarn, then the ferry to Lolland and up through Vordingborg to Copenhagen, camped at Charlottenlund ( a napolonic type island fort) then back down to Gedser and the ferry to Rostock.....it's so nice to get on a ferry once in a while when cycling, even those ickle ones in the Netherland or over the larger river deltas in France etc. It's funny that I didn't take a map with me, nor consulted one prior to leaving ( no compas and no phone or electricals) and I got to Groningen and thought I must be quite near to Copenhagen, so went into the bookshop in the town and got a bit of a shock !!! lol
Hope to follow yr routes oneday when we tour UK on bike, inspiring adventures , cheers 👌
Hello Winson! Thanks for watching! Hope you can also have lots of nice bike rides where you are based too!
Nice I love that
Obrigado Susanna, pelas imagens maravilhosas! Um dia vou fazer esse roteiro esplendido com minha Biga ou com a bike!
Hello! Thanks for the nice comment! this route was basically just the shortest road between me and my husband haha! It was a lovely journey. Thanks for watching!
Pretty great. One day, maybe, I'll try something like this. 🙂👍🚴♂️🏕️
Great videos
Thanks Peter!
I've done a lot of hiking (tramping) over the years but new to riding a Brompton and am finding your bikepacking videos inspiring. I'm keen to know more about how you pack/balance your gear on the bike. Also other logistics - do you lock your bike overnight when you're camping? So lovely to see a familiar Trangia and to hear that you dehydrate your meals. Very jealous of the cycle paths which we don't have in New Zealand.
Hi Mathea! thank you for watching! Glad you like the films. Haha yes my old Trangia... I love it. About dehydrating meals, and fruit as well, yes, I have tried doing that recently, like over the last couple of years, and I really like it. About locking my bike overnight, my Brompton is almost always folded up in my tent porch overnight, so I don't lock it. About my gear, and how I pack it etc, I did a film about my gear, which is on the channel here ua-cam.com/video/5KLs7aK18GY/v-deo.html Hope that helps! Thank you for writing!
Brilliant
wow! 😮wow! 😮lovely and very very nice place to ride, feel like I'm in there.
Hello Ali! Thank you for the super comment! Glad you enjoyed watching the film! Best wishes 😎🚲
@@susannathornton ❤️❤️❤️ you brought me to the place where I can see only in dreams😍💓
How beautiful thanks
Hi L J! Thank you for watching, and making such a nice comment x
Ha, how funny! We met somewhere in Essex, on the way to the Harwich ferry and rode side by side for a few km. And today I randomly stumbled across your UA-cam channel :)
Hi! Oh how amazing! Hello again!! Hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip, and had a lovely stay with your family! It was so nice to meet someone else doing a similar sort of thing that day, heading by bike for the ferry. Best wishes!!
I really enjoy watching your journey. If you wouldn't mind making a review of your stuff. Hope to see that in your next video. Keep us posted.
Hi Budi Official! Thanks for watching. Looks like you are doing some great trips there in Malaysia, really cool. About my stuff, I am basically using a Brompton (obviously), a couple of Ortlieb panniers, and a Hilleberg Akto tent. The rest of my kit is mainly things I have had for donkey's years - a Trangia I got when I was a girl, and a Mountain Equipment sleeping bag I've had since I was a student. I feel like I've not got much to say about kit really! But a few people have asked about it, so I'll do a film about my kit soon. Thanks again for watching! Keep posting films about your adventures cycling and camping too! Susanna
Amazing. You are great.
Hi Ascot 104! Thank you for watching! And for your nice comments! 😀
That was a truly inspirational video. I love cycling and have yet to venture abroad with my bike, but love the idea. I’ve never been one for camping, let alone whilst cycling, but you have converted me. I loved your tent, how compact it was and how you visited places even during Covid. Your journey and touring details was brilliant, great commentary, great video footage with amazing scenery.
One question - What did you use for a sleeping bag? I rarely subscribe to UA-cam channels, but I am now one of your subscribers.
Well done and hats off to your Dad too - Amazing.
Hello and thank you for your lovely comments 😁 Yeh the tent is so cute and cosy. I love it. About the sleeping bag, it is a red Mountain Equipment Dreamcatcher down 3-season bag. I think I bought it when I was a student, which means it is very ancient. Inside it, I use a silk sleeping bag liner, which is also fairly ancient and getting very weak and tatty and rips easily. I have to sew up the rips after every trip. Should get a new one really, but it is still usable for now. On the way to Sweden in August, I hardly used the down sleeping bag actually, the weather was so hot. For cold weather, around zero and below, I recently bought an additional liner, a sort of furry one, for extra insulation. It was quite cheap, and means I can use the 3-season bag all year round. Thank you again for your really nice comment. Hope you have the chance to get out and about on the bike a lot these days. Best wishes, Susanna 🚲😊
@@susannathornton Thank you for your helpful and prompt reply. Take care. Mike
Watching your video is so relaxing and I look forward more of your video. I'm from singapore😊
Hi Vincent! Thanks for watching! It is lovely to get comments from people in different places across the world. Best wishes! 😁
Small wheels for amazing journey. Good road, good life
Hi Maurizio! Thanks for writing. I like your comment! Happy cycling!
This is extremely inspiring...I would love to do this
Hi Morealz! Thanks for watching! and for writing! I love doing trips like this. I loved it when I was young. And now that I'm older than pretty much everyone else haha I am lucky to be still going, and still love it. People think trips like this must be difficult and dangerous etc, but it isn't really difficult and of course things can happen, but mostly they don't. Thanks for writing! Hope you can get out on a ride too soon! 😎🚲
What an inspiring trip. After a year of Covid and many many trips on my bike instead of the usual public transit, I have been thinking of going a step or several above my current experience to plan a bikepacking trip with my nephew down the Danube or something like that, eg. a relatively flat course, passing through both beautiful nature and historically/culturally metropolitan places that can appeal to both of us (I am an art and architectural historian in my mid 50s who have lived and travelled in Europe quite a few years in the past and he's a college student for whom this would be the first time in Europe - a graduation present of sorts from me). It's a headache for a neophyte to think about bikes, camping gear, other gear, etc. But your example -- and all in the midst of a pandemic - and on a folding bike no less! - tells me it's doable on many kinds of bikes (almost any kind?). Of course you look amazingly fit but I would love to see more on the prep. Dehydrated meals for water-adding en route?!
Hi Will! Thanks for writing. Oh that sounds great that you've started going all round the place by bike this past year. And it sounds v exciting re your plans for a cycling trip with your nephew. Re accommodation, when you're in cities, it sounds like you might be best off staying in hotels etc rather than camping, so that you can leave the bikes somewhere safe whilst you enjoy looking around... Just a thought. Re camping your way between cities, in Germany I would plan it pretty carefully, so that you know which campsites you are aiming for, and that they do have space for humble little tents. My (limited) experience cycle camping in Germany on the two trips I did last year was that quite a lot of campsites there were more geared towards families with caravans and huge amounts of gear who book in for a week and want a swimming pool, than for a solo person with a minuscule tent who just wants a shower and a bit of tap water. The Netherlands was the opposite - I found loads of fantastic simple campsites there, with not swimming pool in sight, perfect for what I wanted. Just a thought. Re architecture, btw perhaps not your thing, but if you are in small places, the vernacular architecture that you get to see from the saddle of a bike in Europe, just rolling slowly through villages and past old farmhouses etc, is fantastic. Not high art, and maybe just me! but I loved looking at old houses and barns, and churches too, with brilliant old beams and roofs and carvings and inscriptions and whatnot. About cooking on that trip from UK to Sweden, yes I did use dehydrating as a method for having cheap lightweight food, minimising fuel use (and therefore the amoung of weight I had to carry) and avoiding shops (due to covid). The dehydrating was a new thing for me, because of covid. I wanted to have with me everything I needed to avoid going into shops, and dehydrating was a great way of doing it. I am thinking to do a film about food when cycle camping actually... I thought it could be a fun and useful film. Anyway, thanks for watching. I hope whilst we wait for the covid situation to clear up, you enjoy the dreaming and having ideas and planning! And hope you have lots of happy days out of the bike too meanwhile! Best wishes
Love the country...nice to see the cricket players too..
Hi Zach! Thanks for watching! I saw a couple of village matches that evening. Nice.
Hi Susanna,
New to your channel and of course subscribed. (who could not??). Such a refreshing Vlog. So nice that you are you on the vids (and nice) and not acting as an explorer (although you are) . I'm hooked and am Bromptonrecentlyselfcycledpringtakeaway with a Brompton is that it is spontaneous and carefree - no fuss about not getting to where you need to be in time or what about security when you get there. Too tired?, Weather awful? 25 knot headwind? Stop... fold up bike - put under arm (sorta) - call taxi, get on bus, train, tram etc etc. So much easier, and as I like to tease my wife, a British 'invention' that is unsurpassed. Looking forward to your next adventure. Thanks..
Hi Larry! Thank you for watching! and for your super-nice comment. Yep, I am me in the videos! haha! for better or for worse 😎 Thank you for subscribing! I think you put it really well about a Brompton and being spontaneous and carefree - when I wrote to Gigi, who also wrote a lovely comment here the other day, I was trying to say the same kind of thing. Anyway, more films coming soon. I am editing another one at the mo🐌 Thanks again! Greetings to you and your wife!😊
You must have cycled right past our house in this one 😄 really funny to see you cycling through Amersfoort.
Hi Eric! Oh that is nice to know! haha I shall say hello next time!
I have a similar plan, boiling it for a while :) inspiring to see how you did it!
Hi Vagabond! thanks for watching! When I headed from Sweden back to the UK, a few weeks later, I also did it by bike and camping. I took the North Sea Coast road, ie a different route. The film of that is also on my channel. Hope you get to do your plan too. Happy cycling! 😃🚲
Loved your video! Can you please make video of the gear you took with you? ❤️ It would be so helpful ❤️
Hi Edward! thanks for the comment! Glad you liked the film. About my gear, you could have a look at this film which I made. Hope that helps! ua-cam.com/video/5KLs7aK18GY/v-deo.html
Respect to you great video.
Hi Keith! Thanks for watching and for the nice comment😁
I wish I was brave enough to embark on such an adventure
Hi Phill! Aw it was not such a big deal, pottering on nice roads from one apple crumble to the next haha. Hope you can enjoy some relaxed adventures too. Thanks for watching!
Great travel blog. Lovely views Your gears on your bike sounded knackered. Lol
Hi cosgrove notts! Thanks for the comments! Hope the hub gears not knackered yet! though the chain is definitely worn now, and sort of baggy on the chainring. Poor bike. But they are made to be used aren't they. Will change the chain when it gets really bad. Actually, I record sound just on my gopro camera (not got a separate microphone or anything) and when it is fixed on the bars, it picks up all sorts of bad noise from the bike
Lovely review of your trip!! 🥰
Hi John Br0, thanks for watching and for the nice comment!😁 I enjoy making the films. Kind of makes me think about what I am doing. I also enjoy watching them later and remembering the trips. And it's so lovely when other people say they also enjoy them. In normal daily life I don't meet many people who think the things I do are sane or sensible or likely to be fun! Haha! Happy cycling!
@@susannathornton I make similar videos over on my channel. Life is too short to be sane and sensible all the time :)
well done, you've got more guts than me my friend!
Hi Kenneth! Thanks for watching! Oh that is nice of you to say, but to be honest it did not require much guts! Plenty of coffee stops and apple cakes and whatnot. Quite a cushy tour really 😎🍰
Looks like a wonderful trip.
I've done some cycling touring with a old road bike across Yorkshire, looking at doing one on a Brompton in near future
Hi Stu! Thanks for watching, and for the nice comment! Sounds very nice going across Yorkshire. Take care! Hopefully we can all get out and do things again soon!
@@susannathornton I now live in Manchester but looking forward to getting a Brompton of my own soon
Really enjoyed the video
Hi Denzil! Glad you enjoyed the film. Thank you for writing!😁
Really inspiring! Would it be possible to share your insights about what and how to pack on a Brompton...?
Hi Gabriel! Thanks for the lovely comment! About what I pack etc, I made a film talking about it actually, which is on my channel here ua-cam.com/video/5KLs7aK18GY/v-deo.html Hope that link works. Not sure how to do links actually. Anyway, if you look through my videos, you should find the video. The title of the video is "gear". Thanks for watching!
@@susannathornton Thanks so much, Susanna! The video is really helpful!
@@gabrielr.7576 Glad you think the film is useful Gabriel! Happy cycling!
Amazing trip! Much respect! How long did it take you to get from London to Sweden?
Hi Adrogilla! Thanks for watching! And for the lovely comment. It took 9 days I think. That included a whole day pootling round the Hague having coffee and cakes and things, and seeing my friends there. I don't go very fast!
marvelous almost a haiku on wheels
Oh that's such a lovely comment 😊 Thank you for watching
Susanna. If you get a chance I’d be interested in your travelling packing set up. I’ve just bought a Brompton and need to work out how to pack it properly. Great video. Also looking forward to further instalments of your HK to U.K. trip.
Hi Ian! Thanks for writing. Great that you have bought a Brompton! Fantastic little bikes. About the luggage set up, I've been evolving it over a few years. At the moment, I am using Ortlieb pannier bags, both front and back, to carry most of my gear. The Ortlieb panniers are super robust, and waterproof. At the front, the pannier fastens onto a steel frame that was designed and made by my husband a few years ago. The frame clips onto the standard Brompton front "block" and then the Ortlieb pannier hangs on the frame. I put all my food, as well as water and fuel for my stove in the front bag, so the bottles all stand upright. I managed to carry almost all my food for the whole ride to Sweden. At the beginning of the ride the front bag was really full, but of course it got less as I ate my way through all the food, and used up the fuel. At the back of the bike, I am now also using an Ortlieb bag. To figure out how to use an Ortlieb on the back of the bike was quite difficult. But during lockdown I saw a great idea from this guy Shane here www.shanecycles.com/carrying-luggage-on-a-brompton-folding-bike/ . I couldn't exactly copy his idea, but I realised I could fix a piece of wooden dowling onto the rear carrier rack, using the holes that are normally used to secure the rear reflector. So then I pushed together the hooks of an Ortlieb pannier and clip it onto the rear rack, lying flat, and pulled the Ortlieb shoulder strap over my tent on the top. It worked out really well, so I am really grateful to Shane for the idea. I put all the stuff I don't need during the day in there, ie sleeping bag and spare clothes and stove etc. Apart from that, I use a little bag hung under the saddle for things which I often need quickly on the road, and which don't mind getting wet, ie raincape, lock, rainshoes, pump, gloves, and tools. And then I have a little pouch on the "top tube". I put my phone, tripod, hand sanitizer, binoculars and face mask in there. The pouch gets slightly wet in rain, but the big yellow cape I use when it rains actually keeps it pretty dry(ish). Hope that helps! I am planning to do a film about my gear, as several people have asked about it, but meanwhile that's a description of the touring luggage set up I am using at the mo. Hope you get out on some great rides on your Brompton soon! Susanna
Susanna
Thanks for the packing ideas. We are currently in a trip and using the Brompton new front bags but just not enough space and regular panniers do not work so well. Look forward to your kit video.
Wow
Really cool video thanks. What type of luggage did you use on this trip please
Hi Daniel! Thank you for watching the film, and for your lovely comment. About the luggage, the two main bags is a pair of Ortlieb panniers, "roller classic" I think they are called. In the front one, I carry mainly food, water and fuel (the bottles can stand upright in the bag) and things I need during the day, like a folding foam mat to sit on. In the back pannier, which lies flat on the rear luggage rack, I carry things I mainly only need when I am at a camping place - sleeping bag, stove, spare clothes etc. I strap my tent on top of the that pannier bag. Apart from that I have a small bag hung under the saddle, with pump, tools, raingear etc, and a small bag on the "top tube" which I keep small things that I need frequently, like my phone and binoculars and a minuscule camera tripod. In earlier films I have made, you can see I have had slightly different set-ups, especially at the back of the bike. I have been sort of evolving the way I set up luggage on the Brompton bit by bit. Anyway, hope that is the sort of answer you were hoping for. Thanks again for watching! 😊
Hi Susanna! Just came across your video, got a new subbie here. Thank you so much for sharing such beauty with the world. I bought my Brompton at the end of September and can't wait to actually get it in January (long waiting due to Covid and demand boom) . I'm particularly interested in videos of bikepacking women, even better if they do it on a Brompton. You're such an inspiration! Not only because you're a woman travelling alone, but because you're not 20 years old anymore, which is great to show that anyone can do it at any age, as long as they're healthy. I look forward to watching all of your other videos and learning more about your story. BTW, I don't know if you've said this before, but why did you chose to bikepack on a Brompton instead of a touring bike? I also have a "normal bike" but I'm fascinated by the ideia of minimalist touring on a minimalist bike! Cheers 😁
Hi Gigi! Thanks for writing, and for subscribing too. I really appreciate it. Great you have got your Brompton now, as well as your "normal" bike. You ask about why choose a Brompton. Well, various reasons. When I rode from Stoke to Stockport, which is another film on my channel, I had recently had a big operation and was not sure how strong I was. I really wanted to go on a trip, and I thought that with the Brompton, I could easily fold it up and get a bus if I didn't feel good, or call a taxi, or cycle to a train station etc, all of which would ve obviously much harder if I was on a "normal" bike. When I rode to Sweden, the Brompton was also super handy on the ferries from UK to Holland, and then from Germany to Sweden. The people who had "normal" bikes had to queue in the car lane to go on board, then I think they rode onto the car deck. They had to lock up their bikes down there somewhere anyway. With a Brompton, I could just fold up the bike and head to the foot passenger waiting area, have a sandwich, then carry the bike onboard and put it in my cabin for free. That was really handy. Also, for camping it is just great to be able to put the Brompton inside the tent porch, so everything is undercover, and out of sight from outside. Actually my husband and I have toured on the Bromptons a couple of times, not camping but staying in hostels and hotels and so on. We could just roll up, unclip our bags (just one each, as no need for much gear), fold up the bikes, and walk into the lobby and ask for a room. No need to start discussing about whether the place has a lock up garage, and wheeling big touring bikes round the back and down to cellars and all that, or being worried about locking up bikes in the street etc etc. Anyway, there you go. A few thoughts. I also have a "normal bike" and I love riding that too. But yeh, I also really like minimalist touring on a minimalist and really flexible bike. Thanks again for watching!!
Oh you are still waiting for your Brompton. I just realised. Wow that is a long waiting time.
Hi Gigi, that's pretty much my story as well. New to a Brompton (dare I say it, an e-version) and I'm in my 60s and keen to do some trips here in NZ with my partner. I like the idea of travelling with minimal gear; just what is needed to stay warm and dry.
What a great idea for a trip. I love seeing all the cycle paths in the Netherlands. Just a question though, how do you attach your panniers to your Brompton? I can see you have some sort of metal frame ... Btw I really like your idea of carrying your own dehydrated food. Seems like a good option for these times!
Hi John! Thank you for watching, and for writing. Yeh, it was really interesting to see what cycle paths are like in the Netherlands. Simply brilliant what they have done there. About the dehydrated food, it was a new thing for me actually, spurred by the pandemic, and wanting to have with me pretty much everything I needed so that I could avoid shops as much as possible - the odd (outdoor) apple cake aside. I found it was quite a lot of work to plan out all the food, then make it, dehydrate it, and pack it all up. But it was cheap, and nutritious, and on the road it is so quick and easy - tip it into a pan and boil with water, and the meal is ready. I dehydrated loads of fruit too, went a bit crazy with it and did tons of kiwis and pears and mango and all sorts. Really nice for snacks, and cheap. About the luggage, the steel frame was designed and made by my husband. It clips onto the standard Brompton front "block" and then the Ortlieb pannier hangs on it. We wanted a way to use the Ortliebs because they are big, and super waterproof. Plus we already had them, so no need to buy more things. At the back of the bike, I am now also using an Ortlieb bag. To figure out how to use an Ortlieb on the back of the bike was quite difficult. But during lockdown I saw a great idea from this guy Shane here www.shanecycles.com/carrying-luggage-on-a-brompton-folding-bike/ . I couldn't exactly copy his idea, but I realised I could fix a piece of wooden dowling onto the rear carrier rack, using the holes that are normally used to secure the rear reflector. So then I could push together the hooks of the pannier and clip it onto the rear rack, lying flat, and pull the bag's long strap over my tent on the top. It worked out really well, so I am really grateful to Shane for the idea. Thanks again for watching!
Thank you for taking us along on your trip. It was a great privilege.
Question: I recognised some of the Essex lanes, but not the station from which you started. "Near Chelmsford," but which one was it, please? Hatfield Peverel? Witham.... ?
Thanks again, Susanna.
Hi Effyleven! Thank you for watching! And for writing. It was Hatfield Peverel. I really enjoyed Essex. Gorgeous lanes for cycling along and I met some really nice people. A very nice family who gave me water even invited me to stay for a meal which I didn't have time to do unfortunately. But so nice of them
@@susannathornton Thank you for your kind response.
Yes! I thought it might be Hatfield Peverel.
Happy cycling to you..
... and stay safe, eh?
Please consider doing a video on the gear you used: tent, sleeping bag n pad, etc. I am planning to do my first camping trip to Hokkaido next year once travel is possible. Thanks!
Hi again Jason! Oh Hokkaido sounds like a super trip. Great! Let's hope the coronavirus situation gets better soon. About kit, really I have just acquired things over the years and kept using them, so don't feel like what I say is very much great use... Basically over the years I just tried to buy the best I could afford at the time for what I wanted to do - eg my sleeping bag is a down 3-season bag made by Mountain Equipment which I bought about 30 years ago. My stove is Trangia that I got nearly 40 years ago. I also have an MSR which I use if I think I wont be able to get the right fuel for the Trangia, like when I rode from HK to the UK. Regarding tents, I bought a Terranova Laser in 2006 for that trip, and it is still good and I use it sometimes, and then I got a Hilleberg Akto about 5 years ago, and I use it a lot. Both tents are great. My other stuff is really just bits and bobs, like the knife I use when cooking is just our kitchen knife... Haha. But as quite a lot of people have asked, I am planning to do some kind of video about kit or preparations and things like that... Those just a couple of basic thoughts meanwhile. Thank you again for writing! And wishing you a happy year and happy cycling in 2021!
@@susannathornton Happy New Year! Thanks for your reply on camping gear. Hope normal travel becomes a reality later on in the year, esp with the vaccines becoming available to many of us 🤞🤞
I would love to do the same trip but not by myself, I don't even know how to repair a puncture 🙄
Hello Alisa! Thank you for watching! About mending punctures and things, tbh I am definitely not the world's greatest bike mechanic. But I can muddle through the basics. Actually re Bromptons in particular, I found some great how-to videos by a woman at Brilliantbikes - look at this ua-cam.com/video/L_RQ4Y94-6M/v-deo.html I love the way she makes even rear punctures look easy!! I used her videos to practise at home. Really there's only a couple of things you need - basically mending punctures, how to tune the gears, and then just making sure bolts are tight and things don't rattle loose and fall off. That's it really. You could learn all you need in a couple of hours, then if you want to head off alone, the world's your oyster. Haha! Anyway thank you for watching, and happy cycling! 🚲😎
@@susannathornton I wanted to ask you, if you suffered any breakdowns. tire repairs are simple but what about more complicated problems. broken spokes, gearing problems. did you bring spare tubes and tyres. What is that noise I'm hearing when you pedal?
Very inspirational tour. 9 days doesn't seem long and motivates me to try this type of riding.
Sometimes it takes a world event to change the way we cope. I’m happy for you that the ride was so enjoyable (for us too) and scenic. One question: did you put the bike in the tent each night? Obviously a stolen bike would’ve ruined your trip. Very haunting fact in your notes too re: WW II. Safe travels on all your upcoming trips.
Hi Chris! Thank you for watching, and for the nice comment. About keeping my bike safe, I did chain it to a handy tree one night, but yes mainly I keep my Brompton in the tent at night. So brilliant that a folded Brompton can be tucked away in the porch like that. Thanks again for watching 😊
Hi, I love your videos. Just purchased my first Brompton. But I am very interested in how you packed your bike. Is that a ruck sack or a pannier on the front of your bike, and how did you attach it?.
Hi Martyn! Thanks for watching! oh that is exciting that you have got a Brompton now. About packing, a few years ago I made this video ua-cam.com/video/5KLs7aK18GY/v-deo.html which shows how I put the Ortlieb pannier on the front of the bike (and on the back actually), as well as showing other bits and bobs about my gear. Hope that helps! About bags, of course Brompton make their own bags too but I didn't want to have to buy more bags, because I already had the ortlieb bags, which I also use on other bikes commuting shopping etc, and I love them cos they are waterproof and lightweight. Hence this solution. ANyway, hope you enjoy your new bike! best wishes!
I was just wondering, how do you tolerate the uncomfort of the small seat when you’re biking for so many hours?
Well tbh I don't have any prob with that. I think it is cos I ride a bike pretty much every day, not massive rides or training or trying hard or anything, just little bits and bobs as part of daily life, shopping and seeing friends etc. So I am very used to it. Then it matters a lot to have a good riding position - weight distributed across bum, hands and feet, not just on your bum. And comfy clothes, and a saddle that you get on with. I raced the bike for years when I was younger, and rode with a cycling club, so did 10000s of hours in the saddle and learned a lot from clubmates, plus I worked in a highend bike shop, which meant I had to know a lot about bikes and riding them. Not that I am an expert but definitley have done a lot of things with bikes through my life. I see a lot of people with poor riding positions and it looks really uncomfy. Long answer! Sorry bombing you with a long message! Anyway, thanks so much for watching!
What a lovely film! You pedalled through parts of Germany where I grew up. I can see you were fuelled by apple cake and coffee. I think I have bike envy btw. I love the colour of your Brompton, and is that the 'P' handlebar set up? (I don't think they do that anymore). Could you tell us about the tent you used pls? as it looks perfect for me. Thanks for filming this you brought back happy memories.
Hi Caroline! Thank you for watching and for your lovely comment. I really enjoyed these parts of Germany and the Netherlands. I had no real idea what it would all be like - it's nice just drawing a line between two places and then going to see what is there. And yes the apple cakes and coffees - and nice people at the cafes - were definitely highlights! About the bike, yeh it is the P-type Brompton handlebar. I didn't realise Brompton have discontinued this type of bar, but after reading your comment I googled it and saw that they have. Wow, that is a pity!! About my tent, it is a Hilleberg Akto, and I love it. Not cheap, but it feels so robust and cosy and safe, and is really fast to pitch. There is masses of room in the inner tent, especially for me, as quite a small person. And the folded Brompton fits in the porch, so everything is under cover. For wild camping, when I want to avoid being too visible, that is really helpful. I use the Akto footprint underneath the tent, which gives loads of clean usable extra space in the porch. I love sitting at the end of a day with my legs stretched out in the porch eating my dinner. Glad the film brought back happy memories. Thanks for writing! Best wishes, Susanna
Felicitaciones desde Argentina. Uso una folding bike "Olmo".
Estoy planificando una travesía por la Patagonia...!!!
Hi Ruben! Thanks for writing! Sounds like an exciting trip you have got planned - hope you have a brilliant time! 😄🚲
Hi Susanna, loved the video you are really inspiring. Could you share with us what brand and model of the tent you used for this trip? Thanks a mil. Keep posting more videos for us to enjoy:)
Hi! thanks for watching, and thanks for your nice comment too. About my tent, on this trip I used my Hilleberg Akto tent. You can see me explain about my tent and the other things I use in another video on my channel, all about my gear - here is a link to it. Best wishes! ua-cam.com/video/5KLs7aK18GY/v-deo.html
Hi Susana, just popped back to look at this video. I know you've been poorly hope you're on the mend, this message December 2023. Planning a ride from Hook of Holland to Konstanz May 2024. Have a 6 speed Touring Brompton, but undecided whether to take it or a racing bike.will be bivi bag camping for 5 nights, no cooking, as want to pack super light. Any thoughts on navigation. I don't own a Garmin type device, would prefer paper maps tbh. Lee
Hi Lee! oh that is exciting about your plans for 2024. Sounds fab. About the bike choice, the only thing I would say is that I found that in Germany although there a lot of dedicated cycle paths alongside roads, they often had quite poor surfaces, so that especially on a small-wheel bike you constantly have to watch for issues, slow down, brake, to avoid being jolted - the issues are often root damage or broken up surfaces, plus they often don't smooth kerb edges etc so you sharp big bumps up and down. I also found that German cycle paths were paved quite frequently with small pavement tiles, which are quite rough and slow to ride on. If you decide to have a break from trundling on a rough bike path and use the (beautifully smoothly surfaced, and often empty) road adjacent, people going past in motor vehicles shout at you. If you are OK to ride quite slowly, a small wheeler is fine. But a bigger-wheeled bike would actually cope with German cycle paths better than a small-wheel one. I found German cycle routes markedly worse than Netherlands and Denmark, which were dreamily smooth in comparison. Anyway, that is just a thought re bike choice. About maps, in the Netherlands, I used a paper map just to give myself an overview, and then for actual turn by turn navigation I followed local cycling signs on the ground. There are several layers of signed cycling networks there. You probably know all this already! But anyway, I found the long distance cycling route network to be really well signed, so if one of those goes the way youre going, that will be great. I think the knooppunt network is brilliant, and will get you anywhere, but take a pencil and paper to write down the upcoming points you want to follow and have that on your bars, and keep your eyes peeled to see the pointer signs. I found they are quite easy to miss. I am sure there are good local free Dutch apps for knooppunt system etc - I saw several when I looked in playstore but didnt know which to try and ended up not using any of them. For Germany, I used the paper (yay!) ADAC Superstrassen road atlas and thought it was fantastic, perfect for cycling. Brilliant detail, even tiny unpaved lanes on it. I cut out and took the pages I needed www.thalia.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/A1062853447 I don't know about Belgium or France, in case you go that way... Re Garmin etc, I also dont have Garmin. I used Bikemaps app in conjunction with the above paper and on-the-ground signage esp in Germany, for finding nifty quiet ways through housing estates on the edge of towns etc etc, that I could never have found otherwise. Anyway, hope that helps! Actually, I have got a some new films coming up actually some lovely new rides I have done through Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden etc. Happy happy! Working on them now!! Happy New Year!!
An amazing inspirational tour Susanna, I can't believe you went all that way on a Brompton . Such beautiful countryside and villages so peaceful and best of all no sign of the dreaded mask !!!, when did you do the trip ?.
I have been dreaming of doing a bike tour in the near future and am in the process of getting some kit together for touring hopefully next year before I get too old !!! , what weight of luggage were you carrying ?, hopefully you will do another video showing your bike touring setup and tips for us newcomers.
Hi Steve! Thanks for watching and for writing. Great that you are getting kit together for a tour. I don't think anyone is really too old really. I did a couple of lovely cycle tours with my Dad a couple of years ago, when he was in his late 70s, or maybe he was already 80, can't remember quite. We didn't camp, but we carried all our clobber. So proud of him. We had a fantastic time. Actually, about newcomers to cycle touring - or to cycling generally - if I was to give any "tips", it would be that it is not important at all to go far, or to go fast, or to go anywhere "special". To me it just seems a joy to pedal around pretty much anyhow, anywhere, looking at things. Anyway, there you go. About masks and corona etc, this trip was done in August. My idea was that by cycling and camping, I could be outdoors pretty much all the time and forget about the whole virus thing for a while. I had to put on a mask on the ferry from Harwich, and in Germany whenever I went inside a shop (mainly bakeries). The campsites had all put measures in places like every other shower taped off etc. It wasn't busy anywhere anyway. So nice. About my luggage, I am afraid I have no idea how much my luggage weighed. I am hopeless with things like that. I just try to minimise everything, eg that blue flannel that occasionally you see in the film - that was my "towel". And so on. I use quite a lot of ancient bits of kit actually, that I bought literally decades ago when I was still at school! Haha! Anyway, I'll try and do a video about my kit soon. Hope you can get out on the bike in some nice autumn weather. Best wishes meanwhile! Susanna
@@susannathornton Hi Susanna, thank you taking the time to reply to my comment, your Dad sounds amazing if he is touring at the age of 80 then there's no excuse for me !!! , I can see where you get it from now, I have been binge watching your You Tube videos over the last couple of days and have enjoyed and been inspired following you're adventures. Congratulations on getting over 1100 view's must have finally cracked the You Tube search algorithm !!! well deserved, I am eagerly waiting to see part 2 of your ride home from Hong Kong and your next adventure so hopefully we won't be waiting too long for you to finish the editing ! .
All the best .....Steve…...
I love watching these little films of your journeys, they’re very inspirational and I’m starting to plan my own trip. Do you have any advice for women’s bike saddles for Brompton touring? The one on my bike is so uncomfortable…
Hi Medemea! thanks for writing! glad you like the films. About saddles, yeh an uncomfortable saddle is murder. I did a day ride on a mountain bike recently, that had a saddle I didn't get on with and I ended up hating the day, wriggling around, wanting to just get off the bike, super-uncomfortable and miserable all the way. Saddles are a really individual thing so what I suggest is that you go to a good local bike shop, talk to the staff there about what they have in stock, sit on a few bikes in the shop if you can (not a great test really but better than nothing). The shop will probably show you "womens" saddles, which is a good thing to try but I suggest you don't just limit yourself to those - I find I get on really well with an ordinary ie not womens saddle. Buy a new saddle, and go for a ride. If your new saddle is still not comfy, go round the process again. Definitely worth putting a bit of effort into. I changed the horror saddle on that mountain bike, and I love it now. Happy planning re your own trip! that is awesome that you're planning one. Thanks for watching my channel!
Nice cycling,, salam kenal dan damai dari kami indonesia
Hello Om Widi Bercerita!! Thank you for writing! Greetings to you too, and thank you for watching!
🌹🌹❤❤🌹🌹
Susanna congrats! Makes me want to get on my Brompton and do the same🙂just wanted to know the camping gear you used and bit about the camping sites I heard you say you had to register🤔🙂Thank you.
Hi Dominic! Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed the film! About the camping gear, the tent is a Hilleberg Akto. It is a superb four-season tent, very easy to put up, and very reliable. I use an old down sleeping bag made by Mountain Equipment, that I bought many years ago, and an inflatable mat, forgot the brand right now. About my gear, actually I am doing a film that covers my gear, which I will put up soon, that will show you a bit more. About the camping sites, on this ride from England to Sweden, I camped in campsites every night (ie did not camp wild). I didn't book any sites in advance as I wasn't quite sure where I would get to. About registering, yes I did mention that in the film. What it was was because of the coronavirus pandemic, there was a special system whereby people staying at campsites had to register their name and leave a contact number, so that if necessary the campsite management could contact them. Hope those bits of info help! And hope you have the chance to get out on your own bike soon too! Best wishes!