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Life cycle of a bivi beginner
Moderators: Bearbonesnorm, Taylor, Chew
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restlessshawn
- Posts: 1469
- Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 2:04 pm
- Location: Scottish Borders
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
Just curious but did you consider a synthetic alternative? I genuinely find it odd that someone who loves animals enough to take their dog on a bivi would then buy a down jacket.£130 on a Rab infinity down jacket. Have I lost the plot?
(I'm sort of in an argumentative mood today
)Personally I love my Patagonia Nano Puff
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Cheeky Monkey
- Posts: 3918
- Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:48 pm
- Location: Leeds ish
- Contact:
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restlessshawn
- Posts: 1469
- Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 2:04 pm
- Location: Scottish Borders
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
Yeah they currently have a 12 page arguement on how to overtake roadies :)
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
First proper Bivi completed.. Epic!
Trip report:
I meet up last weekend with Deano (the guy who introduced me to Bivibiking) on the south downs. He had just riden 8 miles XC to get there, I had driven as close as I could get then cycled up a tarmac road.. I was starting to worry at this point about whether I was going to embarrass myself on the first serious hill. On first site of the 20ltr bag strapped to my handlebars, Deano suggest that next time I leave my suitcase behind..
We rode about 12 hard miles, plenty of steep hills and of course I was left for dust, but managed to hold my own.. just.
We then meet up with 2 other experienced bivi'ers who Deano knew, and they had found a great spot. After making camp we got down to some serious drinking and BBQ'ing. These guys were bivi gourmets, it was a real eye opener. My couscous and boil in the bag meal couldn't compete. Next time I know to bring some satay sticks for kebabing stuff over the hot coals.
Had a really comfortable night in my PD600 with neo air mat. I was too hot and realised I have purchased kit that is probably more suitable for winter! I woke up, had some breaky then got back into my bag for the best sunday lie in for ages. I wished I could have stayed another night. Bivi biking rocks!!! I was really lucky to have meet some experienced Bivi bikers who have accelerated my learning curve, this Bivi biking is an art and a science. Cheers guys.
My next challenge is to cut my kit down from about 40ltrs to 25ltrs. I am also starting to lust after a new bike.... watch this space!
Views from our Bivi spot
The bivi spot..On the edge of Friston Forest, deep in the sussex downs.
My set up.. comfy but bulky and heavy..
Trip report:
I meet up last weekend with Deano (the guy who introduced me to Bivibiking) on the south downs. He had just riden 8 miles XC to get there, I had driven as close as I could get then cycled up a tarmac road.. I was starting to worry at this point about whether I was going to embarrass myself on the first serious hill. On first site of the 20ltr bag strapped to my handlebars, Deano suggest that next time I leave my suitcase behind..
We rode about 12 hard miles, plenty of steep hills and of course I was left for dust, but managed to hold my own.. just.
We then meet up with 2 other experienced bivi'ers who Deano knew, and they had found a great spot. After making camp we got down to some serious drinking and BBQ'ing. These guys were bivi gourmets, it was a real eye opener. My couscous and boil in the bag meal couldn't compete. Next time I know to bring some satay sticks for kebabing stuff over the hot coals.Had a really comfortable night in my PD600 with neo air mat. I was too hot and realised I have purchased kit that is probably more suitable for winter! I woke up, had some breaky then got back into my bag for the best sunday lie in for ages. I wished I could have stayed another night. Bivi biking rocks!!! I was really lucky to have meet some experienced Bivi bikers who have accelerated my learning curve, this Bivi biking is an art and a science. Cheers guys.
My next challenge is to cut my kit down from about 40ltrs to 25ltrs. I am also starting to lust after a new bike.... watch this space!
Views from our Bivi spot
The bivi spot..On the edge of Friston Forest, deep in the sussex downs.
My set up.. comfy but bulky and heavy..
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
Simon it was good to meet you at Friston and I love the write up of your steady decline into the weird obsessive world of bikepacking. We're looking to head out this weekend and it would good to see you again. I'll be looking to cook up some kebabs fit for a king this time.
Nathan
Nathan
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
Hey Nathan, cheers mate. I couldn't make it on friday, hope you had a good bivi though?
My week started off quite grim however I had a bivi plan!
This was my view at 2pm on wednesday afternoon: on my way to a meeting in central London.. Pure hell.
Just a few hours later however and I arrived back in Sussex by train, to my car which was fully loaded. After a short drive then a 90min cycle later - my view had improved significantly! :)
Yes, this is the same spot we did last time! It was all looking good however there were a couple of bivi beginner moments.
1. I have been feeling quite smug about my tarp set up: front wheel and stick. However having arrived with my front wheel absolutely caked in cowshit, I had to improvise. I chose not to photo the resultant mess.
2. It had been raining all day and I just couldn't get a fire to hold. Being an Aussie I can assure you I tried all the tricks of the trade, however no joy. I was about to spit the dummy then I remembered that I had packed a paperback novel. So starting at the back (hadn't started reading it yet), I ripped out about 25 pages and we were off, BBQ chicken kebabs with chorizo, plum tomatoes mixed into cous cous.. Not to mention 3 cans of a reassuringly expensive wife beater. The paperback also proved to be a good chopping board for the chorizo and was also a stable base for the camping stove in the morning. So a novel gets added to the kit list for future!
So the week was improving. I then took Thursday off, bought an Axe and took out my son for his first mini-bivi-bike session in the woods out the back of our house. He loved it, spent about 2 hours chopping wood and he now wants his own bivi bag! He used the cheap kit I bought first time round so I have found a good excuse for upgrading kit without worring about it being a waste of money! Does that work? :?
My week started off quite grim however I had a bivi plan!
This was my view at 2pm on wednesday afternoon: on my way to a meeting in central London.. Pure hell.
Just a few hours later however and I arrived back in Sussex by train, to my car which was fully loaded. After a short drive then a 90min cycle later - my view had improved significantly! :)
Yes, this is the same spot we did last time! It was all looking good however there were a couple of bivi beginner moments.
1. I have been feeling quite smug about my tarp set up: front wheel and stick. However having arrived with my front wheel absolutely caked in cowshit, I had to improvise. I chose not to photo the resultant mess.
2. It had been raining all day and I just couldn't get a fire to hold. Being an Aussie I can assure you I tried all the tricks of the trade, however no joy. I was about to spit the dummy then I remembered that I had packed a paperback novel. So starting at the back (hadn't started reading it yet), I ripped out about 25 pages and we were off, BBQ chicken kebabs with chorizo, plum tomatoes mixed into cous cous.. Not to mention 3 cans of a reassuringly expensive wife beater. The paperback also proved to be a good chopping board for the chorizo and was also a stable base for the camping stove in the morning. So a novel gets added to the kit list for future!
So the week was improving. I then took Thursday off, bought an Axe and took out my son for his first mini-bivi-bike session in the woods out the back of our house. He loved it, spent about 2 hours chopping wood and he now wants his own bivi bag! He used the cheap kit I bought first time round so I have found a good excuse for upgrading kit without worring about it being a waste of money! Does that work? :?
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gairym
- Posts: 3151
- Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:05 am
- Location: Chamonix, France (but a Yorkshire lad).
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
is that the axe handle sticking out of his rucksack???
brilliant!
brilliant!
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Cornish Neil
- Posts: 71
- Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2012 8:03 pm
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
Loved reading this, personally I experimented with loads of options and settled on a 20 litre Gourdon and a 5 litre XTra drybag on the bars, I prefer to carry the kit rather than strap it on the bike.
I take our dog camping quite a bit, she has been down to about -15 in January at 3000 feet in Snowdonia and loves it. I find that with the dog it's not worth taking a tarp, she settles much better in a tent and actually a decent 2 man tent (mines a Force 10 Helium 200 superlite and weighs about 1.4kg) is not significantly heavier than tarp plus bivi bag, minimises faff and keeps in a small amount of warmth and stops the windchill you would get in a tarp.
We have a fleece jacket for the dog which I carry when it's below zero and depending on conditions I use spare clothing etc as necessary to keep her warm. When it's the wrong side of zero with snow on the ground I'm generally glad of a hot water bottle in or half in my sleeping bag (shes a lot smaller than your lab!)
Enjoy
I take our dog camping quite a bit, she has been down to about -15 in January at 3000 feet in Snowdonia and loves it. I find that with the dog it's not worth taking a tarp, she settles much better in a tent and actually a decent 2 man tent (mines a Force 10 Helium 200 superlite and weighs about 1.4kg) is not significantly heavier than tarp plus bivi bag, minimises faff and keeps in a small amount of warmth and stops the windchill you would get in a tarp.
We have a fleece jacket for the dog which I carry when it's below zero and depending on conditions I use spare clothing etc as necessary to keep her warm. When it's the wrong side of zero with snow on the ground I'm generally glad of a hot water bottle in or half in my sleeping bag (shes a lot smaller than your lab!)
Enjoy
Time would be better spent getting the miles in instead of fretting about how many ml of meths to carry...
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
Am I Soft?
On my last bivi I set up on what seemed like flat ground. I realised however that I have been lucky to have found true flat on past occations: I spent the entire night trying not to roll off my mat. I ended up changing the position of my bed about 4 times and in the end abandoned my ground sheet in search of flat ground. I found solice in a slight rut that cradled my bivi just nicely.
It seemed easier to sleep with feet down a slope that lying side on, however any slope seems to me to be the worse night sleep ever. If that was the norm I don't think I could cope with a multiple nights trip.
Does sleeping on a slope take practice and training? Or do I need to admit to myself I am just a bit soft?
On my last bivi I set up on what seemed like flat ground. I realised however that I have been lucky to have found true flat on past occations: I spent the entire night trying not to roll off my mat. I ended up changing the position of my bed about 4 times and in the end abandoned my ground sheet in search of flat ground. I found solice in a slight rut that cradled my bivi just nicely.
It seemed easier to sleep with feet down a slope that lying side on, however any slope seems to me to be the worse night sleep ever. If that was the norm I don't think I could cope with a multiple nights trip.
Does sleeping on a slope take practice and training? Or do I need to admit to myself I am just a bit soft?
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Bearbonesnorm
- Posts: 24197
- Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:53 pm
- Location: my own little world
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
You just need to find a flat bit
Don't decide on your spot until you've first tried it out. If you can't find a flat bit then it'll be difficult not to slide about. Running lines of seam sealer on your groundsheet will help stop you sliding off but won't stop your groundsheet from sliding (unless you can peg it down).
Sleeping lengthways across a slope is always a PITA. If you've really no choice try placing whatever you can under the edge of your mat to help level it out.
Don't decide on your spot until you've first tried it out. If you can't find a flat bit then it'll be difficult not to slide about. Running lines of seam sealer on your groundsheet will help stop you sliding off but won't stop your groundsheet from sliding (unless you can peg it down).
Sleeping lengthways across a slope is always a PITA. If you've really no choice try placing whatever you can under the edge of your mat to help level it out.
May the bridges you burn light your way
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
Friston Forest? Laughton Woods? (the one just east of Ringmer?)
Glad you're having fun on my old stomping ground 8-)
Glad you're having fun on my old stomping ground 8-)
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
Simon, nice to see you've been out again. Ah the slope thing, I seem to always end up on a slope and have got used to it. Friday's trip, however, saw a nice flat(ish) pitch and a great night sleep on the new multimat.
Dinner was a feast of all thing cooked on skewers. Dean even brought some brie which toasted up nicely and tasted delicious.
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Dinner was a feast of all thing cooked on skewers. Dean even brought some brie which toasted up nicely and tasted delicious.
.Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
Heya Si m8
Been keeping an eye on your post and thought i'd better chuck in my two penneth. Looks like my drunken ramblings and a demo of my bivi at Curly Steve's infamous party, hit the spot.
Sorry for the suitcase, bar bag ref, did make me smile when your silhouette came over the horizon at Firle Beacon looks like an Aussie riding a Hammer Head Shark 
Nice post btw, Good night at Friston wasn't it ! Which leads me nicely into the nitemare you had second time around, dude you never go back :twisted: told you that voodoo hoodoo around the campfire, you got hexed! .....muaahahahaa!
Here's an idea for a slope issue Hoojum and I faced on Beacon Hill
Not great quaity but you notice we jacked up our feet with logs then wrapped the groundsheet underneath to act as a brake.
A good nights kip was had, proofs in the mugshot....
Quite a slope though eh!
Hoojum that Brie was vaguely exciting and the fire pit that night needed the perfect 'GOOBA'
Anyways look forward to our next camp interested in that lake we spotted, I know Hoojum is already packed.
Been keeping an eye on your post and thought i'd better chuck in my two penneth. Looks like my drunken ramblings and a demo of my bivi at Curly Steve's infamous party, hit the spot.
Sorry for the suitcase, bar bag ref, did make me smile when your silhouette came over the horizon at Firle Beacon
looks like an Aussie riding a Hammer Head Shark Nice post btw, Good night at Friston wasn't it ! Which leads me nicely into the nitemare you had second time around, dude you never go back :twisted: told you that voodoo hoodoo around the campfire, you got hexed! .....muaahahahaa!
Here's an idea for a slope issue Hoojum and I faced on Beacon Hill
Not great quaity but you notice we jacked up our feet with logs then wrapped the groundsheet underneath to act as a brake.
A good nights kip was had, proofs in the mugshot....
Quite a slope though eh!
Hoojum that Brie was vaguely exciting and the fire pit that night needed the perfect 'GOOBA'
Anyways look forward to our next camp interested in that lake we spotted, I know Hoojum is already packed.
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
Had another nice bivi session. I knew it was going to be hot and dry so I went with as little kit as possible. I purchased a summer down bag and another smaller tarp, as my Alpkit pd600 and DD 3x3 tarp are so bulky. I ended up sleeping on a slope, wedged against a small mound and without a ground sheet or tarp! It was comfortable and actually quite liberating. My suitcase was a lot smaller and lighter. I now have my eye on a mountain laurel designs bivi bag that has Cuban fibre base, eVent top and zips fully up with a small net covered breathing hole. See if I can continue the minimalist approach in more normal weather conditions. http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/sh ... ucts_id=30
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
I have one of those MLD bivy bags & it's ace. You can get lighter ones if you don't need it to be 100% waterproof...ie if you're using a tarp all the time. I wanted the option of not using a tarp, or just using a small one over my head.
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
I bought an interesting bit of kit from an inflight magazine the other day - baggage scales. This really helped me to get to grips with reducing my weight.
I have also managed to get my volume down by switching to a more summer bivi set up.
Before (notice full 20lts front bag)
After
The handlebar system shown here is a 20 year old oversize bum bag. I have since invested in a wildcat handlebar system (arrived today!) and have a wildcat tiger saddle bag on order.
Here is my summer bivi set up, I took a tarp but didnt use it on this trip.
And on the menu..
I have also managed to get my volume down by switching to a more summer bivi set up.
Before (notice full 20lts front bag)
After
The handlebar system shown here is a 20 year old oversize bum bag. I have since invested in a wildcat handlebar system (arrived today!) and have a wildcat tiger saddle bag on order.
Here is my summer bivi set up, I took a tarp but didnt use it on this trip.
And on the menu..
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
You're on a slippery slope now that you've got the scales out! 
Is it a Southern thing, this fresh produce on bivi trips? You're eating better whilst out, than what I do at home!
Is it a Southern thing, this fresh produce on bivi trips? You're eating better whilst out, than what I do at home!
- The seasons blow away, but the love is just the same -
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
Not wrong there, I weighed my bike without any kit and it came to over 30 pounds!You're on a slippery slope now that you've got the scales out!
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
Hey Simon, how about a write up on your latest biking investment. Me here's you got yourself a Rumblefish..
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
How time flies.. Thinking about geting back out there, not had any bivi action since September. I did however make it to Affan Valley for an vaguely exciting single track weekend towards the end of last year. I can feel the bivi bug kicking back in now that I am the other side of my snowboard holiday.
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
Back on it.. Been training for the WRT with Deano and Hoojum and feels good to be back on the bike. Not sure how I will cope with the endurance aspect as I am only managing one ride per week that is longer than 1 hour. I am having to make do with some training on a stationary bike and running - work and family conspire against me.
I have started thinking of the WRT as a training exercise rather than the main event, which is helping with the mental preparation. I know it will be painful but hopefully I will enjoy it rather than suffer it. I just need to put some bricks in Deano's bag and some valium in his custard powder: so I can keep up.
I had a bivi the other night but underestimated the weather as I took my summer bag. I didn't get much sleep. It was so cold that the water in my camelback froze and I ended up spooning the dog!
I have started thinking of the WRT as a training exercise rather than the main event, which is helping with the mental preparation. I know it will be painful but hopefully I will enjoy it rather than suffer it. I just need to put some bricks in Deano's bag and some valium in his custard powder: so I can keep up.
I had a bivi the other night but underestimated the weather as I took my summer bag. I didn't get much sleep. It was so cold that the water in my camelback froze and I ended up spooning the dog!
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
Warming up for the WRT. Had an afternoon of tarpology practice in the rain. Deano was sporting his new tarp and poles set up, whilst I was trying to turn my DD tarp into something resembling a shelter. It was good to acclimatise to the weather and remind myself how crucial it is to get your kit sorted and be able to make camp in the wind and rain quickly - it was freezing. 
Re: Life cycle of a bivi beginner
Nice to be back!
As per last post, I did do the WRT in 2013 and it was great, but then work got in the way of my bivi career for the last 3 years.
I am planning on doing the WRT 2017 and this has resparked my interest in all things bivi, hence first post in 4 years. I'm heading out this weekend with a mate for a bivi to test the old kit and do a bit of preparation for Wales. Plan to camp in Friston Forest, wishing for snow, and looking forward to some gourmet bivi fare..
As per last post, I did do the WRT in 2013 and it was great, but then work got in the way of my bivi career for the last 3 years.
I am planning on doing the WRT 2017 and this has resparked my interest in all things bivi, hence first post in 4 years. I'm heading out this weekend with a mate for a bivi to test the old kit and do a bit of preparation for Wales. Plan to camp in Friston Forest, wishing for snow, and looking forward to some gourmet bivi fare..
