Tech Tips

The back of beyond is a long way from workshop tools and spare parts. So when big crap happens, you'll need to make like de Bono and dredge up some lateral thinking to limp home.

It's a bummer but your mountain bike needs care, love and attention (just like the family cat).

Tricks to avoid walking home when crap happens.

You need to carry enough tools and bits so you can hobble home on your wounded bike but not be laden down like a US Marine.

The essentials of cycle touring.

For two or three day mountain bike trips the trick is to take the least amount of stuff that you can safely get away with. This invariably means omitting a few comforts but is a worthy sacrifice... tackling wonderful singletrack while being loaded like a packhorse is not a good time.

According to legend, Jack Kerouac wrote his seminal road trip novel 'On the Road' in just three weeks, on a continuous 36 metre scroll of paper that he cut to size and taped together.

The knack to winter riding pleasure is to manage your body temperature with different layers - typically a thermal base layer against your body, a mid-layer of insulation, and an outer shell to top it all off.

Buying a second-hand mountain bike should save you a wad of cash over a new one- but just like when scouting for a used car you'll want to keep your wits about you so you don't end up with an expensive lemon.

Whether you're dodging impatient cars after a hard day at the coalface, spinning the pedals on a mid-winter training ride, or caning your favourite singletrack ... nocturnal missions on the treadly without making the ultimate sacrifice are a constant challenge.

I'm not an advocate of spending too much time washing my rainwear - after all it's just going to get filthy again on the next outing, but a trip to the laundromat can be a good thing and it does allow one the opportunity to audition for the next Levis advertisement.

Holidaying with your bike can present challenges to even the seasoned traveller, but as always there are tricks to avoid too much grief when heading to places far-away.