Category: Creative Projects
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Oxford Bike Works Expedition: New Upgrades For 2023
Before my recent Australia tour, I took Tom’s Expedition Bike back to its birthplace in the UK for a tune-up and a few experimental upgrades. This post details what’s changed, explores the thinking behind the upgrades, and goes deep into the specifics of why they were made. (Warning: it’s a 5,000-word long read, so maybe put […] Continue reading →
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‘Janapar: The Game’ Is Now Available. Download It For Free Today!
For the last few weeks I’ve been putting the finishing touches to a project I’ve been working on for many years – and with so many of us in isolation and looking for things to do, the timing could not be better! Yes, that’s right – the story of my award-winning documentary Janapar: Love on […] Continue reading →
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How To Custom Build The Ultimate Expedition Touring Bike (With Pictures)
Last updated on with an update on pedal choice. I constantly revise this human-written, AI-free article to reflect the latest thinking on the design and construction of custom-built expedition touring bikes. Some of the most frequently-asked questions I get on this blog are about designing and building custom touring bikes, whether DIY or built to order. […] Continue reading →
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Researching Armenia’s Most Comprehensive Travel Guidebook – By Bicycle
There’s another purpose to my in-depth bicycle tour of Armenia, which is also a nice development for my occasional career as an author: I’ve been greatly honoured with the task of researching and writing the next edition of the Bradt Travel Guide to Armenia. This British publication is the only dedicated English-language guidebook to Armenia […] Continue reading →
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Oxford Bike Works & Tom’s Expedition Bike: The Story So Far
Just before I flew out to Bangkok for my current trip, I paid a visit to Richard Delacour at Oxford Bike Works to collect Tenny’s newly upgraded tourer. Based on a vintage steel Trek frame, the lovingly recycled bike is a tidy piece of work, naturally — but it got me reflecting on the story […] Continue reading →
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Safe roads & tailwinds to Janapar Grant winner Jess Hargreaves!
A little over a year ago, I was having a chat with a small group of friends who all made a living – one way or another – from adventure. We’d been having these irregular meetings for a couple of years. Ideally they took place down the pub, but often – the lifestyle of the […] Continue reading →
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What Does The Ideal Cycle Touring Clothing Collection Look Like?
I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel I’ve ever quite solved the cycle touring clothing quandry. Walk into a bike shop or outdoor store and it isn’t quite as simple as finding the ‘cycle touring’ department and taking your pick. I inevitably end up wearing garments – such as trekking trousers, merino or […] Continue reading →
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Your Frequently-Asked Questions About The Janapar Grant, Answered
The response to the announcement of the Janapar Grant has been overwhelmingly positive – but then with £2,500 worth of bikes and equipment up for grabs, that’s no great surprise. What’s been interesting is the questions I’ve been fielding about the specifics of the idea. Some have been obvious, some not so much. They’ve certainly […] Continue reading →
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For One Week Only, Get The Kindle Edition Of Janapar For Just 99p
It has been really rewarding to be able to share for free (in serialised form) the entirety of my first book, Janapar, on this blog over the last few weeks. In particular, the comments from readers who the story has resonated with have been a keen reminder of my motivations for penning this complicated tale. […] Continue reading →
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The End
‘What was it Mark said three and‑a half years ago?’ I joked to Tenny. ‘Cycle on the left, cycle on the left, cycle on the left … or die!’ And with that we rolled off the ferry and onto the British mainland. There was no turning back now: we had escaped the Continent and set […] Continue reading →