My Ride- Gary Fisher 29er X-Caliber//Hardtail

I was just thinking that I should maybe introduce you to the creator of all my pains and the deliverer of my body from end to end of this our sceptred isle, mainland Britain!
After much deliberation, that is what I do when I have to spend any money at all!
I invested a well timed company bonus into upgrading my daily conveyance to work, my bicycle, for this beautiful contraption. Designed in California USA, made in Taiwan or somewhere and bought by me in Southampton England!
Reading other accounts of peoples experience travelling from Lands End to John O'Groats I hit upon the idea of using a mountain bike.
In the first place because that is what I already owned and second because one person anyway had done the same thing and been very pleased to have so many gears to use, and indeed used them all!
Then I discovered a style of mountain bike called a '29er', for the very simple reason that it has 29" inch diameter wheels.
Slightly bigger than a road racing bike wheel and described as giving the rider the edge, both in distance travelled for each pedal stroke and with a bigger circumference than a standard mountain bike it has a lower point of attack when crossing rough terrain, so you should get over the bumps that little bit easier?
To be fair initially it did not live up to expectation!
And took me about a year to get into ballance with it and comfortable at the controls, ( I mean all the necessary little tweaks of saddle, handlebars and pedal strokes. To be honest I found it much more of a chore pedalling to work even, which is only seven miles away!)
I have had the good fortune to be loaned a brilliant suspension post for my saddle by Adi E and from Aero extension Bars from Joe at Cycle world, they are brilliant when hurtling down hills and as a different sitting position during the long rides of the day. The narrow road tyres were given me to get a feel of what it would be like to use those at the higher pressure of 75psi and smoother tread compared to the much wider tractor tyres that I have become used to at three times as wide and only 45psi. I can honestly say that there is a difference to the ride, but it would appear to be all physical, shaking my poor bones to pieces!
I have invested in a 'touring' panier rack over the back wheel which fitted quite easily considering the bike is a pure breed mountain bike, not expected to do the mundane long distance touring that I am expecting of it!
A pair of panier bags give me 32ltrs of storage, and a further 7ltre waterproof 'top box' will nestle above the main storage and hold my camera and others of my crown jewels safely.
Finally I need to fit a mileometer to remind me how far I still have to travel each day and a clear plastic map case will be fastened to the sticky-up bit of the Aero bars, for easy on the move reading of my old fashioned but reliable paper maps.
The Camel Bag water carrier that sits snugly on my back with a special straw to drink from completes the kit I guess, that is if we don't talk about the figure hugging lycra clothing, which we won't!
Bye for now.
Steve L