Bit coldy (sore throat)

I enjoyed a lovely sunny e-Brompton commute yesterday. I still really enjoy my little yellow Brompton (must be over 10 years old now!), albeit pimped up with DIY Swytch e-power.

It does make me think of getting another lighter (P or T Line) Brompton 8-10kg and using it for travelling and bikepacking simply because it is so versatile and easier to combine with public transport. Anyway, enough bikes for now, possibly down the line (although the seed is planted 😁).

I am a bit coldy 😷 at the moment with a sore throat, so opted for an easy TRX and weights session today. Hopefully tomorrow I can get back on the Treadmill for a Zwift run session - let's see how we go.

Sunday update

I managed to get out on the road bike this morning for a local loop - down to Henfield and back via Edburton and Fulking - I felt relatively strong and legs were fresh.

This was my first outside ride since my bikepacking adventure last week. Otherwise, I have been continuing to use my treadmill, plus the Peloton bike, for several 30 min HIT sessions, which I am enjoying. Not much strength training to report, with the exception of my daily press-ups (typcially 25-50) depending on how I feel.

Got a few (fitness/health/wellbeing) ideas in my mind - in no particular order - bit of a brain dump:

• Garmin lactate threshold test - help better define running zones 1-5
• More solo bikepacking adventures - gravel bike (and tent) or Brompton (train/plane + Airbnb)
• Bikepacking adventure with Lucy - definitely Airbnb
• O'seas climbs - Mount Ventoux
• Gym triathlon set - 20 mins bike, 20 mins strength, 20 mins run
• Brick runs - treadmill + Peloton
• Updating Brompton
• Brompton adventures - finding coffee shops (work + cycle)
• Water fast - 1 to 3 days, followed by
• Keto 800 for a week - track all food
• Trying to target 80-82kg (been talking about it for years)
• Adding in squats, lunges, planks to daily press-up regime

I had a couple of glasses of port last night (felt like a drink, and that was all I had in the house) - thought I slept OK but the Whoop ranked it as horrible (1% recovery - as low as it goes) with heightened heart rate and very low HRV. I do tend to get these readings even if I have only had a couple of drinks - it does make you think - I am certainly not a heavy drinker, but I do question more - should I just stop completely!

Hitting the Ground Running – My First Sessions on the Reebok Z-Tech Treadmill

Over the last fortnight I finally got to spend some time on my new Reebok Z-Tech treadmill – and I have to say, it’s already proving to be a brilliant addition to my training set-up.

On a busy evening with just 20 minutes to spare, I jumped on and lined up a Peloton interval run with Matt Wilpers (my favourite instructor). The main set was 4 x 2 minutes at 13 km/h, and on the last rep I cranked it up to 15 km/h – legs flying, lungs working hard! It was the perfect high-intensity hit session, short and sharp, but it left me feeling energised.

The treadmill also works really well with Zwift (free for runners). I’ve joined a few group runs already, and they can get surprisingly competitive. It’s nice to feel connected to others, even when training indoors.

There’s still plenty more I want to try. I need to re-do the Garmin lactate threshold test, which I failed outdoors recently (I couldn’t get my heart rate above 160 bpm on the final set). Indoors on the treadmill might give me a better shot.

Over the coming weeks, as the nights draw in and the weather turns wetter and colder, I’ll be incorporating more treadmill sessions. My plan is to keep the HIIT runs indoors to push my VO₂ and save the longer Zone 2 runs for outdoors, where I can enjoy the fresh air and scenery.

The early verdict? The Reebok Z-Tech is already earning its place in my training arsenal.

Day 2: New Forest to Cranleigh

Day 2 of my bikepacking adventure started early. I had hit the sack by 8ish the following night, so by 5:30am was up, showered and sorting out my breakfast and tent. It was a lovely sunrise, making the coffee and the moment, that much more special.

By 7:30am I had fully packed up and was on the road. The legs were still a bit tired and the backside was tender. The countryside route was lovely, albeit there were several gravel and off-road sections that were really tough. As it was so remote, my coffee stop came and went - I finally stopped at a pub to grab some food (steak and chips) and a beer (not the best choice) after 60km of cycling.

Thereafter, it was slow going, to say the least. At 80km I stopped for coffee (2x flat-whites) and a huge slab of carrot cake, which made me feel a bit sick.

The last 30km was slow - lots of off-road sections and my legs had had enough! I was going to stop at another pub - the menu looked good, although decided to get to campsite, pitch tent and shower, before I dropped.

In the tent now, lovely evening, and thinking I may get a brew + food going soon.

I expect another early night and then early start tomorrow. I am glad I only have 40km to home.

Day 1: Bikepacking adventures

So the day has finally arrived - bikepacking has been something I wanted to try for a while.

Last night I packed up all my gear (picture below) - it has been quite an investment over time, so I need to get some use from it.

I left on time with my first stop being Hassocks station, for a train ride to Chichester where I properly begin day 1 of riding. Like all good adventures, it started with a bit of a blip... Train delays and worries of overcrowding (how to get my bike on!) and thoughts that I should have gone with my original plan of cycling, at least to Hove. However, the weather was a bit wet and grey, and I am not in any great rush.

Finally, I got a train into Brighton, then rode a couple of miles to Hove before boarding the Chichester train - all good in the end!

Nice route from Chichester to Portsmouth - a bit of gravel, cycle paths and roads. Just after Portsmouth the cycle path was blocked (construction work), which resulted in a detour, but finally found my way back to the route. Cycling through parts of Southampton were a bit grotty but then it started to get a bit more scenic as I hit the outskirts of the New Forest.

I got to the campsite but couldn't resist a pint of cool Peroni at the local pub before heading to my pitch.

No problems with the tent and cooking on my little stove - barbecued pulled pork, rice, coffee and a protein bar. The campsite is very peaceful, only one other couple on other side, and lots of sheep to keep me company.

Going to hit the sack soon, as I expect it will be an early start - longer ride tomorrow with plenty of climbing. Let's hope I sleep well!

My First Bikepacking Adventure – New Forest Bound

It’s been a while since my last update, back in May, when I finally got my dream gravel bike – the Kinesis ATR. Since then, life (and weather) has done what it does best, and the weeks have slipped by. But this week I’ve lined up something new. Something I’ve never tried before. Something that feels equal parts exciting and daunting… my very first bikepacking trip.

The plan starts close to home. I’ll roll out from Albourne to Hove station (about 15km) and hop on the train to Chichester. From there, the adventure begins properly – a 90km ride through West Sussex and into the New Forest, finishing up at a campsite where I’ll pitch my brand-new one-person tent. Just me, my bike, and a pile of kit I’ve been obsessively gathering over the past few weeks: sleeping bag, mat, mini-stove, and a couple of dehydrated meals to test.

Day two is the big one – around 140km heading inland towards Petworth and up to Cranleigh, where I’ll crash at a second campsite close to the Downs Link. After that, the finale: an easy 40km roll home via Henfield and down the Downs Link, before a hot shower, proper food, and hopefully a big grin on my face.

I’ve never done bikepacking before. For years I’ve looked at photos and read blogs of people strapping bags to bikes, heading out into the wild, and thought: one day, I’ll give that a go. That day is (weather permitting!) this Thursday.

It’s also the perfect excuse to test the Kinesis in its natural habitat. Since May, it’s been on plenty of road and gravel rides, but this will be the first time I’ve loaded it up with kit and asked it to carry me into the unknown. If the bike’s anything like it’s been so far – smooth, responsive, and just plain fun to ride – I think we’re going to get along just fine.

The weather is turning now, and I know this may be my last chance for 2025 before the winter really bites. But that almost makes it better. One trip to test the set-up, see if I love it, and if I do, then 2026 can be the year of bigger adventures. Maybe longer trips, maybe further afield.

I’ll let you know how it all goes – the riding, the camping, the kit, the food, and whether bikepacking really lives up to the hype I’ve built in my head.

Oh, and next time I’ll share something a bit different: my new treadmill set-up, and how I’ve been experimenting with Zwift and Peloton running apps to make indoor running (almost) fun.

Until then – time to pack the bags, charge the lights, and see what this whole bikepacking thing is really about.

It's here: my dream gravel bike - the Kinesis Tripster ATR

Finally, it's here: my dream gravel bike - the Kinesis Tripster ATR.

I picked it up from Upgrade Bikes on Friday and it had its first two test rides on Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday (today).

It looks very cool in its natural titanium colour with its black Thomson, Reynolds and Shimano components, plus a hint of funky orange in its Lizard Skins bar tape and water bottle cages.

The ride is very solid and smooth - it just feels well-built and the realtively high-end components give it a quality bias. I am very pleased!

On the first ride I had to try it on the South Downs - I rode up Saddlescombe Hill - at first I thought I might have slightly under-geared the spec. but it was more likely my bike fitness, or lack of it. Saying that, I got to the top easy enough. Going down was lumpy but the bike handled it well and I felt safe and secure. Then I was climbing again, this time on the road, to Devils Dyke, and down a singletrack the other side (real off-road and lumpy terrain with multiple tree roots).

Coming back onto the road for the last section home, I zoomed along, at what felt like a speed I would be more than happy on my road bike. Not a long ride but a great tester.

This morning I was out again, navigating towards Henfield and picking up the Downs Link (old gravel railway track that stretches from Guildford to Shoreham). The bike came into its own on the fine gravel and in no time at all I found myself in Bramber, when I headed back via Poynings, Fulking and Edburton. I will certainly incorporate section of the Downs Link in future bike commutes into Brighton.

When I got home I treated my dream gravel bike to a nice wash - super clean for its next outing.

Overall, I am super happy with the Kinesis Tripster ATR - OK, it is never going to be a fast as my road bike (on road), or as comfortable on the rocky (hilly) parts of the South Downs as my old full-suspension MTB. However, it does both, and everything in between, very well. I also think it will be an ideal bike for bikepacking and future gravel adventures - watch this space!