Hard or Soft: How Mountain Bikers Shop for Tail

Gabriel    mountainbikingholidays, Pro Tips     Adventure, Adventure Sports, cycling, Downhill, mountain biking, MTB, off-road

Mountain bike technology has come a long way over the past 20 years. Once, bike manufacturers created stiff and solid frames that would roar down hill before people really knew what they were doing (no helmets, no body armour). This video gives you an idea of how rocky and risky downhill descents were on a rigid frame.  Then they decided to put motorcycle suspension on these bikes. And an industry was born!

It began with front-suspension forks. Companies like Rock Shox and Manitou couldn’t keep them on the shelves. Then bike manufactures had the idea to make each wheel float independently of the frame. Full-suspension bikes became fashionable and the market was flooded with them.

Today, the industry still makes a number of sharp and snazzy dual-suspension bicycles that make the heart pound (probably because many of them look like combat helicopters). The next time you go shopping for a mountain bike, get one with a lock-out front suspension. However, before you dump over 3K on the latest “full-susser,” consider these tips so you don’t wind up buying more bike than you can ride:
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Would-be explorers, join the Ice Warrior Project

Mark Pawlak    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     Adventure, explorer, exploring, north pole, Overlanding, trekking

One of the most inspiring things is learning that there are still places to be discovered. I really thought that we’d pretty much been there, done it and got the T-shirt, but I was very wrong!

Ahead, the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility

‘The Northern Pole of Inaccessibility’ is still waiting for the first batch of explorers to arrive, and in early 2012 a team led by experienced polar explorer Jim McNeil will be gathering data from this most remote region.

They will be visiting the furthest point from land on the Arctic Ocean – 270 miles from the Geographic North Pole.

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Five Tips for Trips

Mark Pawlak    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     Adventure, Holiday, planning, trip, trip planning

Whether you want to cross the globe or just get out for a day on your bike, you need to make a plan. It doesn’t matter where, how, or when you’ll do it: even if you are not going for long, just make one.

Here are five tips for planning trips

Prepare everything

Photo from Flickr user: bradleyolin

The time you spend thinking about your adventure will pay off when you are having the adventure. Write it out, type it up, and collect clippings of research. Preparation now will save you hours later. Mind maps are a great way to get your thoughts down, and heeding the advice others will help no end.

Let people know where you are headed

Ideally, leave them a copy of your route and at least tell them the waypoints. For longer trips, inform rescue services and agree times with your family that you’ll be in touch.

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Holiday in a war zone: extreme enough for you?

Mark Pawlak    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     Adventure, Adventure Travel, Afghanistan, Albania, Biking, Bosnia, conflict, conflict countries, Cyprus, Danger, driving, Europe, extreme travel, Georgia, Helmand, Holiday, Holidays, Iran, Iraq, Middle East, Risk, Safety, Safety Tips, Skiing, Travel, Turkey, War, war zone

Danger is exciting. But how much can you flirt with it before you get hurt? There really isn’t anyway of telling, no logic or probability to consider. But putting yourself in the path of armed conflict, even onto the damaged ground of a country recently scarred by war is ill advised. Or are we missing something? Is war zone tourism extreme enough for you?

I’m sure you have some answers, but for us it’s a matter of definition: What is a war zone? What is too dangerous? And ultimately, who decides?

Let’s start with definitions: If a war zone is a place where war is happening right now, then it’s too dangerous to visit. But just because you’re told a country is a war zone, don’t be scared off visiting, just start investigating further. Perhaps find out if the whole country/region is affected, then establish which areas are safe and what is the true risk, not just the perceived risk.

There are people climbing in parts of Afghanistan right now, without body armour. And Georgia, a place of ongoing fighting between the Russian army and Chechen rebels, is not off the adventure travel map either. So would you still go?

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Mongol Rally Madness!

Mark Pawlak    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     Adventure, Adventure Sports, Mongol Rally, Overlanding, Travel, trekking

With little experience beyond a couple of European road trips, a team of five university students are taking on the Mongol Rally.

Unlike other overland adventures, this trip will see the team pick up a cheap small-engined wagon, drive it all the way to Mongolia before donating it to needy locals.

Thousands of miles, no set route, no real experience – are these guys adventurers, or just plain crazy? Let’s find out:

The team: Jon Medlock (22), Ben Newnum (19), Rob Fitzpatrick (22), Paul Challis (22) and Matt Challis (19).

Gentlemen: Why?

Paul: “To set off on a journey to the other side of the world, collecting money for a good cause four days after graduation, what better way is there to have a break after university?” Jon: “When life throws you an opportunity like this, I fail to see how people could turn it down – mortgages and property ladders can wait, we’re off!” read more

Making your expedition a success, it can be done!

Mark Pawlak    Our Experts     Adventure, everest, explorer, Kathmandu, trekking

Mikael explains how to prepare for success:

“Mikael, I had to abandon my expedition! My idea was to cycle through Africa, but I had to give up after just three months. I lost it along the way. What did I do wrong?”

My answer to this email was simple and direct: “You lost motivation and you hadn’t prepared enough!”

Mikael: "Resting and eating are vital to your success."

His email was similar to hundreds I have received in the last 25 years. After reviewing all of them at length, I realised these failed expeditions often had three things in common: Explorers had lost motivation, and they had failed to understand the need for good sleep, and the benefits of good food.

When the going got too tough, they proved not tough enough to keep on going! Key to any successful expedition is understanding why you go through all these hardships – at the most difficult of moments remember what it is that drives you, and draw on this, it can be your motivation.

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Everest teen gets explorer’s support

Mark Pawlak    ash, Our Experts     Adventure, Asia, everest, Jordan Romero, Nepal, Travel, trekking

When I first read that a 13-year-old  boy wanted to climb Everest, I reacted negatively. I thought this has got to be a joke, he is way too young!

But reading more about Jordan Romero it becomes clear that this boy knows his way around a mountain. He’s been to high altitude before and has some top peaks on his CV.

Mikael Strandberg says: "Jordan, go for it!"

So why the worry? His detractors, and there are many, are clearly forgetting what exploring is all about.

Human life is about pushing the limits of what others think is impossible. Or stupid. Or irresponsible. Or dangerous. This underpins all exploring.

Put yourself in the boy’s position; what an opportunity!

So I say to Jordan Romero, aged 13: Go for it!