We went on a bikepacking trip with an urban twist

In this episode with are heading off on a bikepacking trip with an urban twist that includes a route through Birmingham.

#bike #gravelbike #cycling #bikepacking #biketour

I’m riding with the usual crew plus my good friend Anton for the first time, and I have the Genesis Vagabond fully loaded and equipped with its new second wheelset.

With a more road based trip, I’ve fitted the vagabond with a DT Swiss wheelset rolling Schwalbe big one super light tyres.

I’m also running TPU tubes and a mixture of restrap, ortlieb and apidura bags to carry my kit.

I’ll be doing a full review video of my vagabond with its second wheelset soon, why not subscribe to make sure you don’t miss it @Downhillsmoothtarmac

Check out Dave’s channel @davedoesbikes

My buddy Martin @lifesbeengoodtomesofar4040 for all things bikes and vans and stuff.

www.downhillsmoothtarmac.co.uk

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@downhillsmoothtarmac

it’s a beautiful breezy sunny May bank holiday weekend and what better thing to do than go ride bikes and at the same time raise some money let me [Music] explain okay so welcome back to Downhill Smooth Tarmac and in this episode going to be taking you along on a 4-day bike packing fundraiser yep there’s five of us today riding out from Darisha out towards we’re basically going to Molvin and back to the Morgan factory i’ll explain why shortly there’s the usual crew we got JC woo we got JC we got Chops we got Dave and we’ve got a really good friend of mine Anton joining us on the channel for the first time we’re doing this ride out to the Morgan factory in memory of John’s brother and Anton’s father Phil who’s also my godfather phil was my godfather bless him we’re basically going to do a little bit of fundraising and four days of bike packing on the bikes traveling to the Morgan factory cuz John’s brother always wanted a Morgan so we thought that’d be a fitting place to go and come back it’s a mixture of lanes gravel trails and I suppose best talk about the bike as well we are so going to get some stick for being late you know it’s going to happen here we are look running late but looking great morning morning morning morning all right you all right how are you you okay you good [Applause] i saw the message come through on me i said to John “No [ __ ] they’re late i had two bites to get rid of ready you know what I’m saying excuse oh I’ve got plenty of them mate kit oh mate amazing milk and tea bag very important so 42.1 Melvin Day one is us isn’t it yeah it’s about 40 from here cool god this is beautiful lovely [Music] oh honestly Katrina hey no team sort of an expiration got out my tires morning morning more like it morning thank you very much that’s okay off the road and onto the canal next stop Kingsbury Water Park i reckon I believe this is a section of the Grand Union Canal that goes to Birmingham it is beautiful out here today now TPU but I want the better TPU yeah be interesting to see that difference yeah first cafe stop first puncture there we are yeah can do drop i want to get you to put the gears yeah yeah sort it i’m I’m on tech duty it’s fine are you all right i want your hands to have a look don’t you even David so I got a Revolute tube 45 PSI coming in hot thanks to the Psych Plus AS2 Pro still good i hope it’s got a lot of stretch don’t want to make anybody jump oh there we go that’s right it did just get me the art to go just just got me art to go just a little bit a little bit i need to get to the toilet you want chops mhm what you have you’re not filming while I’m eating i’m making a right mess it’s all right oh yeah i haven’t taken a photograph yeah dave does bites be spear and food talk about the toast layup on that mate to be honest not great not sure about the toast layup for beans on toast there got a bit soggy underneath but then they just dumped one on top sure so that is our first stop done 20 mi of day one stop at Kingsbury Water Park and my puncture total is one one TPU swapped one TPU repaired back rolling so we got another 20 odd miles to go now and that’s actually the day done we’re heading towards Sully Hall sort of Birmingham way we’re going to skate around the bottom of Birmingham airport which is quite fitting just carry on mixture road trail all that whatnot fueled up feeling good got more waffle than Captain Bird’s eye after that coffee on the [Music] [Music] way [ __ ] apparently there’s a trail here oh it’s there [Applause] wow it’s a bit spicy oh this is very Dave oh [ __ ] oh fresh thing of nettles big branch it’s going to be fun tonight in your sat in your tent mate springing away it’s gone from one extreme to the other this got mountain above no if you see any need all of it all of them oh that wasn’t so bad right all right look at that wow that was a little adventure got a bit tasty going over the M6 tunnel now I think so what happened now this isn’t M6 this is M42 slow as always oh bit of trail yeah could this be gravel this could be a small shingle of gravel a little shingly bit of gravelness how much do we go not in there oh my god this is a sight this is very weird uh-oh where’s the trail ah it’s accessible now [ __ ] [ __ ] don’t want any of that in my life this is weird this might be the weirdest bike packing adventure ever now we’re talking then we’re going left here it’s going to get a bit weirder oh dear me this is a mess [ __ ] hell under the motorway don’t get a puncture it would be a miracle so just gone to the cycle way now chsley Wood look at this 4 miles thanks Cafe don’t get much weirder than this on a gravel ride bottom of Birmingham airports runway with airplanes and whatnot [Music] all right bigles blime me i think there’s an airplane coming in you just can’t see it very well there it is look look look landing lights on another great job yeah but what are they waiting for to happen that’s what I want to know yeah day out yeah should we go get Let’s go up to the airport for the day out in the city let’s go breathe all the agas in video thing cuz we stopped at a pub it’s pub break and where are we i don’t know where we are john’s very kindly getting us drinks because it’s about Andy and Phil just got to show you this as well because I think it’s really really sweet you going to show the viewers what’s happened to my leg no I’m going to show the viewers John’s bike cuz I think this is lovely this is very nice he’s got a little picture of his bro there to carry with him he’s got a little mascot and he doing well good stuff right now chops yeah you might have seen the uh the bit of trail that was pretty tasty was it show your legs oh dear spicy well all right about a couple of points had a little break we’ve only got a few miles to go i’m feeling the pressure because I’ve just I’ve got a squishy tire up front i think I got another puncture in me TPUs we’ve only got a few miles to go for the campsite where we can uh do some proper repairs trying to collect up to a little bit gravel yeah literally just I think it knows that its days are numbered commute’s like “Look please don’t leave look look I’ll find you some gravel.” [Music] Oh David this could be bit spicy you have to joking oh that’s not going to work is it through there Dave what have you done how am I going to get through there i think we’re going to have to generate all right i’ll pass over to you over yeah yeah i don’t see how it did one not going to happen that’s not going to happen mate wheel her in wheel her in wheel her in oh right you might have to sort of let her let let her go once she’s in sorry that’s your mug your bike will go easy there we go right you know what i’m going to video this i think you should yeah that’s it there we go that’s it oh no it’s cuz Okay so it’s definitely a Dave ride quite why Kamu took us on something oh my god this is lovely oh it’s worth every moment oh wow bit spicy well done on chops oh yeah it’s a great piece of single track sometimes you got Oh it’s the best bit so far i remember when they put this bridge in yeah it was on the news so rolling into Umblade Farm Park now i’m not sure we’re in the right way or not mapping’s taking us this way this is where we’re camping tonight we finally got some decent trail yeah oh lovely i’ll have a bit of that and this must be the vehicle entrance that we’re coming up against beautiful and this is our campsite for the night I’m guessing espresso Farm that’s it we’ve arrived at Umberslade Park farm farm park whatever it’s called time to set [Music] up and just like that it’s day two it’s jocking cold dave’s more close it’s freezing on did the porridge warm me up a bit it did a bit a bit chops will be out from the tent soon but I’m not much hope i don’t think she’s very happy all right just boiling at least we can have hot proper coffee that makes everything better that’s it day two is underway we’ve left Tanworth in Harden at Umbber’s laid where we were staying had a bit of breakfast there cuz it’s quite a short day today as I said before it’s less than 40 miles this pretty much so shouldn’t be too odd nothing particularly arduous just fun uh I know Dave and Kate want to stop in Worcester kate wants a carvvery and Dave wants to buy some warmer clothes cuz for me it’s a little bit chilly so yeah let’s get back on it here we go first taste of a bit of off-road lovely very nice oh yes bloody marvelous but we have to be a little bit cautious because of the snakes skin light with big ones there is grip it’s not in abundance anton’s going off like a rocket get these rock shook sids working b up ahead panied bit steel salsa very nice now we’re having a shakeddown i can see it’s Dave’s flipflops jostling around on his bags bag of handling this even with all this weight beautifully really really nicely cuting through hope I don’t lose anything on the way what a little bit of rein just magic oh this is pretty oh [Music] yeah nice one mate thank you this is lovely cheers Dave this is beautiful on your left chops chance to let it rip i’m going to let it rip [Music] you too Cart thank you very much no problem have a good [Music] day this is flipping awesome look at the views as well glorious glorious gravel if you will [Music] pie salute you [Music] oh morning marvelous function number four coming up i know what you’re thinking should I just stop and change one now so for anyone keeping track I’m back on the canal i’ve had three punctures we’re only on day two it’s been really nice actually this trip day two’s brought some trails some really nice bride the way this is a half decent bit of canal as well this is so pretty like riding alongside the canals it is enjoyable when it’s like this it’s not bone shaking oh yes and he was right look at that yes lovely i’m going to lose my shoes my shoes are going to go losing my shoes shoes down oh I’ve lost my shoes oh yeah oh not a good bag rattler in ages where’s this guy there’s the canal down there so hopefully we can just get back on it without getting shot at and there we go back on track oh bugger bit of hiker bike coming up ah okay ready go now that’s it this one yeah so start going now start going now that’s it there you go [Applause] back on the canal lovely yeah well I like that i’m hoping we can get through this way bl you weird i want to ride on that i’m doing it life’s too short come on shops get out of me way oh he ruined it i wanted to ride on the ponene cuz it says you can’t that’s being a rebel these bits are quite good fun aren’t they who’d thought you can get a little bit of pace up on the canal with a few of these drops look these are great it’s really good actually i reckon it’s going to be time for late lunch let’s go away oh more steps magic okay so we are rolling in about three miles we’re going to be in Worcester I think canal suddenly dropped into this cycleway tarmac and it’s just Boston can really rack up some mileage we’re hoping to get into Worcester it’s a Sunday and we want to get there before the shops close just to get a couple of bits before we continue the last few miles to Melbourne for our hotel for the night will we make it time will tell it’s about4 to 3 I think at the minute so it’s going to be tight see what happens [Music] oh no don’t let Don’t let Kate see that hey no to the left mate never get her away now she’d have to carry it though wouldn’t she Dave [Music] oh yes prompted lovely [Music] [Music] i’m not sure I have you know I haven’t I haven’t I haven’t [Music] No ooh this is fancy is this right this ain’t right now I’m going to just get to the primarily and it’s here look I reckon is this it the Mulvin spa no that’s not it found it you have arrived oh yes who lift going up lift going up yeah so we’ve arrived at the premier in in Molvin don’t often get to do one of these weird videos with the old reflection and whatnot let’s go find a room day three chops how you feeling hang on tight tired my form really hurt i don’t think I’ll use this it’s a bit miserable for a charity ride isn’t it i’m okay i’m fine are you sure i’m all right but you know had breakfast premier in bike bike’s getting loaded up ready to go again next stop Morgan Factory okay so we’re officially now running late it’s all right doors closing going down no room for more than one in here thank you very much thank you cheers take care we’re rolling i thought he fainted or something who made the comment about the bloody John Sean’s on tubes he’ll be all right he’s not oh yeah he’s completely totally floppy um this must be it fancy well there you go John just lean your bikes up against the cars it’ll be fine i’m sure that’ll go down really well right where’s the cafe then so there we go i’m going to be honest and say I’ve never really actually been a Morgan fan but now I’m standing in front of them they’re really quite beautiful stunning this is all for JC and for Andy who’s a Morgan lover there we go morgan [Music] factory don’t whether the middle was a good choice i didn’t fancy the golly [Music] there we go semi slicks kicked me about a bit there oh yeah [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] this is fun [Music] what do you think of the semi slakes there is actually grip but I’m not trusting it absolutely yeah needed to get some things done by the end of the tax year I think can we have four ostentatious and very fancy looking modern bridges please i’ve got a river hey this is good [Music] so now we are heading into Vines Park should be a cafe stop here so I think it’s about time we had one all right onwards and upwards i didn’t film that last bit we went to a shop in Ditch Spa had a coffee bought some sweets didn’t really think you’d be that bothered yay so 3 milesi of turning right onto Timber Hunger Lane we’re still battling a headwind i think it’s going to be a headwind all day hopefully it’s going to die off a bit later when we set up camp there’s already a revolt from Kate regarding that particular subject she wants to go to another premier in now she’s got the flavor hello there hi there but I’m not lugging all this heavy camping kit around let’s only use it once oh yes here we go timberongal lane go it’s turned out to be another beautiful day we have really had a great weekend for this so far fantastic nice cheeky bit of off piece trail it looks right oh yeah oh yeah i love a bit of this Northshore we Oh yes way brid okay just spotted this bridal way looks like it should cut a corner off our ride which can only be a good thing surely oh this is a bit nice oh my god probably going to go down it’s one of our best places there could be some backlash from that you reckon we’re going to get some Yeah some branches in the middle dead fox was a highlight the dead fox yeah see people on benches come on it’s pub time just reach for a beer all right cheers you having a Cheers cheers JC and some little supplement here that’s nice oh that’s lovely that way right yeah too nice right explain it so I said to the lady I know this is a really strange request but can I please have me large wine in me buy bottle and she has done so I’ve got one don’t drink it now no that’s for later yeah I’ve got wine and so apparently the wine on offer at the pizza place is not good enough for Chopsy so it’s not after a couple of large glasses she’s kind of got it in a water bottle i’ll stay three for you it’s good see if we can set up camera oh god yes you can oh you’re going to have to it’s not optional i was I was trained by Simon Brown so I can handle this it’s easy 20 minutes ago an hour ago to the park coming in hot woo and that is camp [Music] new view from the Jet Boil day three is complete much alcohol has been consumed it’s warmer here than it was there it’s warmer here next to my Jet Boil so day three is done it’s now time to rest in camp and recover with a cup of tea absolutely isn’t that right Dave cup of tea dave you’re being stalked by ducks look at him don’t you dick are these wildlife or vermin dave vermin why are they vermin they’re lovely hi ducky ducky how you doing ducky ducky on human scraps that’s Don’t they live on grass and meal worms and stuff oh they’re supposed to vegetarians really although I’ve seen me eat tonight how them ladies leggings working out for you Dave they’re all right that’s a win that is It is yeah it’s a must it’s a boon they’ve got actually got pockets in get your lipstick in yeah they have handbags for that don’t they feel like I should have a moment on camera of reflection of 3DS so far moment of flexction moment deflection Dave moment of flection it has been fun though hasn’t it has not been massively off-roady but it has been great fun yeah it’s been a mixed jump it’s been a good mixed bag is this Coke in here it is yes for the camera Dave is reaching for the CocaCola not anything of a powdered format am I even in the frame there look all right well no it’s not you know what I mean is the composition okay well you’re asking the wrong person about composition aren’t you really oh you having a double well good morning and welcome to day four it’s the final day everybody’s packed up behind me and we’re looking forward to a route back it’s going to be slightly different today we’re not going back the way we came we’re going to go back more towards Coventry before we head uh back for home get some more trails in it’s been a cold night really cold uh I think there was even a bit of a frost last night so luckily I had chops in with me so we could uh snuggle up but it’s just a bit fidgety actually i digress so yeah we’re loaded up we’re going to go off and find some breakfast in a minute so yeah it’s been nice plus we’ve had the campsite pretty much to ourselves had an early night so not much filming yeah see you back on the bike oh yeah and one other thing if you’d be thinking that a two season bag would be warm enough for May you’d be wrong there’s a lesson learned there [Music] so as we make our way along the canal probably a really good time actually to recap on the Vagabond how good it’s been has it worked out for me but as a 4-day companion this is a very very comfortable bike for the kind of ride we’ve been doing my second wheel set with the slicker tires has paid off pretty much apart from the punctures and it’s carrying me and my kit really well very easy to load up and it’s certainly very very capable handling is lovely and I only ran out of grip a couple of times on some more technical sections I think really so all in all yeah the Vagabond is very capable and very comfortable my other gravel bikes would have handled this trip quite easily and possibly been a little faster particularly the CDA with the twin setup at the front but for sheer comfort and load carrying the Vagabond is a winner an absolute winner oh yes so we’re just climbing up beside null locks which means we’re on the edge of Birmingham again not going into Birmingham this time but how amazing is this don’t know how much of it you can see behind me it’s quite a feat of engineering [Music] village i think this is Hampton and Harden next stop is going to be Meridan where we’re going to stop for the cyclist memorial uh really looking forward to that look at that lovely right rocking out of Meridan a little break by the cyclist memorial it’s time to get back on the road ah it’s a bit of road work back on some trail filong Lee [Music] hey he does it matters not he’s [ __ ] finishing it excuse my language he will finish it won’t he Chops let’s have a bit on camera where we go come on John john will prevail back stillly common quite pretty left left back on home turf Dave this is us into Barley’s barn oh it’s busy bottom corner there lovely final stop 11 miles to go 12 12 12 it was 11 12 miles to go how you feeling Chops i’m all right today yeah thought so you’re doing well JC tired but it’s been really really good really really good anton I don’t care i’m a pl there you go great answer right then wait for you to finish your bloody plowmans then and then we’ll go ride again there we go we left Barley’s barn this ride is so nearly done and it’s brilliant we’ve raised nearly £1,000 for our charities which is pretty awesome and we’ve had an amazing time doing it everyone’s a winner yeah into Nether Seal we’re nearly done the end is nearly finished our way up Chops is here and before we all start splitting up let’s get everybody together everybody had a good time brilliant really good excellent great company good time had by all yeah definitely that lady thinks we’re crackers doesn’t she yeah we are yeah just put our parts and Yeah that’s all you can ask brilliant just brilliant right well let’s carry on let’s get it finished i just wanted to make sure we get everybody together on the video before we go so there we go job and how much we raise close to the grand nearly raised the grand nearly £1,000 job well done really happy with that and there we go now it’s just the three of us heading out another seal for the last bit of our ride well there we go everyone is back and home safe had to nurse this one back on yet one more puncture it’s quite a fitting way to end the ride with one last puncture it has been the bike packing trip of many many punctures but it’s still been incredible fun it has been a real experience i want to thank everybody that came along have to take my hat off to Dave for planning the route and all the food stops and all that sort of admin that he always goes above and beyond to sort for all of us well done to Chops for smashing it on the last day she did really really well today absolutely owned it anton been great to ride along with him for the first time just so much fun to bring him along with everybody else jc well done for all your efforts really smashing it in on those last climbs you could see you’re having a tough time mate but you dug deep and you did it for Andy it’s what this ride was all about raising some money for charity and remembering Andy and Phil and I think we did all of that so I’m going to sign off and say you hope your next ride is downhill smooth tarmac keep your wheels spinning keep your rubber on the road your nobies out on that trail be safe out there remember be a good human being first even better cyclist second so stop and help people be decent okay if you get a minute like and subscribe but don’t let any of that get in the way of you getting out and riding your bike till next time it’s Daniel Smooth Tarmac thank you for watching [Music]