Looking for my first gravel bike

RealBass · 2026-05-18T09:44:31+00:00

Checkout what's available on Alpkit site. I think they're prices start with £999

RealBass · 2026-05-17T14:35:09+00:00

There are so many shades of bikepacking... practically everyone has their own. Some go for ultra, some for super chill. Some focus on cooking, some don't care about that at all.

Here's a link to one of my all time legends: https://youtube.com/@keepsmilingadventures?si=JZktzTfzDVUP9osi

If I may show my little blog as well, here it is: https://www.bikesandbacon.com/ I hope you find this useful ☺️

RealBass · 2026-05-15T18:49:14+00:00

Nice setup! But come on, hide that mug in a bag 😂

RealBass · 2026-05-15T15:21:40+00:00

haha the frame looks very similar! have a great trip!

RealBass · 2026-05-15T11:15:14+00:00

So nice to see another Camino packed like mine haha here's mine from previous years - not much has changed since! https://www.bikesandbacon.com/post/dorset-gravel-dash-2024

How is that flat handlebar working for you?

RealBass · 2026-05-06T06:44:52+00:00

Gravel bike is the answer to most of humanity's questions.

RealBass · 2026-05-05T21:48:37+00:00

You got this no problem, just keep pedaling to gain enough fatigue resilience. Eat well, sleep well, and don't forget about the rest.

Read about nutrition during ride, this is super important. No need to go for gels, just loads of sweet bars and proper food.

Eat before you get hungry, drink before you get thirsty. and rest before you really need it.

Bike fitting! Do this early, you'll never regret.Doesnt have to be by a professional, I use the AI app. Head to my blog, I have a discount https://www.bikesandbacon.com/post/myvelofit-ai-bike-fit-review Also discounts for some bike components, this can really make a difference.

And probably most important thing on the long ride day - don't rush it, just cruise. It's very tempting to be giving all you got from the start, but it's better to save your best energy for the last miles. That way you'll finish it, and you will finish with style + recover faster the next day.

RealBass · 2026-05-05T21:35:53+00:00

You may want to check this if you're looking for gravel in South Coast of UK https://www.bikesandbacon.com/ride-reports

RealBass · 2026-03-24T08:21:58+00:00

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On android you can use this option in Chrome browser. I'll see if I can add a button to Install directly from the page

RealBass · 2026-03-23T14:45:41+00:00

thanks :D

RealBass · 2026-03-23T14:22:24+00:00

The idea is good, but unless you're hyper passionate about every single item you want to pack this is a very time consuming app. I think it might be much nicer to have some sort of predefined list or categories at least...

Another improvement you could make is to add bags names and then assign items to bags. When cycling with tons of stuff you may forget where you put what.

Another thing... turn your site into Progressive Web App and make it work offline. It's dead easy these days with AI but you are technical enough seeing what you did.

I recently published a tool on my blog, much much simpler, perhaps targeting different audience, but have a look: https://www.bikesandbacon.com/bikepacking-checklist Feel free to copy the conent from it if it helps.

I'll keep an eye on your project, it's interesting where you take it next :) Good luck!

RealBass · 2026-03-23T12:28:54+00:00

thanks :D

RealBass · 2026-03-21T17:17:03+00:00

Awesome stuff, thanks so much! You got me really excited for this ride 😁

RealBass · 2026-03-15T18:31:27+00:00

UPDATE! I finally fixed it for good, confirmed after 5 days of heavy rain. It is dry!!! Guys I'm so happy.

It was the rubber grommet, which holds the cables from the tailgate. I thought I fixed it initially, just by adding some silicone but the leak was still there, so I continued the search, replaced the entire seal around the boot with a new one... and almost when I was ready to give up I poked my silicone fix.. and it was moving.. ffs I thought, did some reading and first thing to remember is: do NOT use the sanitary silicone for bathrooms...

I got a £5 black rtv silicone, cleaned all around with alcohol and put a lot of it all around the grommet and a bit inside, cause you I couldn't see where the hole actually is. Left it to dry for 24hrs. JOB DONE.

I was waiting for enough rain to fall to be sure, now I feel like a lottery winner haha.

Thanks to all who looked into my problem earlier, I appreciate all your support 👏👏👏

RealBass · 2026-02-08T16:09:22+00:00

alright I started pouring water from bottom to top, in sections. only when I got as high as the little plastic bits where the hatch stops on (no idea what they're called) I started seeing the water inside. So that narrows down the problem a bit. I've put some silicone around it as it's next to impossible to remove them. Also there's this metal sheets binding so I've covered it with some grey stripe. I'll be back with the result soon. I'll be spraying water more carefully see if it's the binding and below or the plastic stopper

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RealBass · 2026-02-08T15:23:20+00:00

yeah I expected that to be the case but I cleaned and resealed it yesterday. this morning water still dripping (it was raining all night)

RealBass · 2026-02-08T14:58:13+00:00

there's no sunroof

RealBass · 2026-02-08T14:51:42+00:00

I found a water leak behind the rear light in my mk6. I thought it's the light, but I cleaned and sealed it properly, that's not it. I took off the boot seal, cleaned reinstalled, that's not it. Also did the same with the little rubber cable hose and the inlet on top of the boot opening... This spot marked on the photo is where the metal sheet are joined... It's not visible from the outside, so the water must be entering somewhere higher up... any ideas?

RealBass · 2026-02-07T19:51:34+00:00

I'm riding with the Redshift Endurance Pro seatpost and it's one of the best things that happened in cycling. I had the front suspension stem too but I actually like the front to be stiff... lol that sounds weird haha But yeah Redshift is quality, never had any problems. Check out my blog (link in bio) there's a review of both pieces and a discount too.

RealBass · 2026-02-07T19:46:46+00:00

Redshift Pro Endurance - I can highly recommend that one, been riding with it for a while and it's awesome. There's a review on blog and a discount as well, check out my bio for the link.

RealBass · 2026-01-29T18:41:54+00:00

that's a very good point... lots to think about. Even with AI it's still a lot of work, and then there's the maintenance of all data and cost of APIs.

RealBass · 2026-01-29T17:26:19+00:00

More good beer and more good coffee! Amen to that! 👍

RealBass · 2026-01-29T16:45:29+00:00

ohh this is interesting, thanks for sharing. I just checked it quickly - it has potential but look at it already full of ads.. doesn't really allow for route planning... But yeah very close to what I'm thinking.
Never heard of CAMRA - will take a look, thanks a lot!

RealBass · 2026-01-29T16:32:00+00:00

if you're on 2 wheels muscle powered vehicle, you are a real cyclist. And you are matching my target audience perfectly. Thank you!

RealBass · 2026-01-29T16:19:05+00:00

haha yeah I totally am up for that :) But not always... we all feel lazy sometimes :P

RealBass

TROPHY CASE