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yeah - wiggo is joining in the cock-baiting :)

http://twitter.com/bradwiggins

http://www.flickr.com/photos/danburbridge/

Is that ^ Christopher Hitchens? I kind of hope it is.

Indeed it is

i saw a falconary display where the chap running it looked after an owl from birth and the owl decided walking was better then flying so walked every were. they rock

Snowy Owls are known to do this - they prefer walking to flying apparently and nest on the ground. They are also grumpy fuckers.

The Owls are not what they seem!

haha true:)

But this fellow should be paying people if hes taking pictures of them.

A commonly held misconception, if you are in a public space then you have no right to your image - ie someone taking a photo of you is under no obligation to pay or even ask whether they can take the photo and a model release/aproval is only required should he be using the image to advertise a product (ie implying that the person in the shot endorses the product) rather than for documentary/art purposes

send em back from whence they came:

http://trackdropouts.com/forums/topic/organised-bike-thieves-police-warning-8th-sept-2009

the seatpost rails clamp is the bit that tilts :)

undo the clamp bolt most of the way and you should be able to adjust the angle.

Riding through the vineyards in Burgundy in August after sampling a few wines :)

Zips generally (unless you buy very expensive ones) arent very waterproof - perhaps a roll top closure for the liner might be better - also - any stiching introduces holes into the liner which then allows water through... all things to consider.

Also I havent tried it but I can imaging that the material used for those Ikea bags is a complete pain in the arse to work with - given its "crunchy" nature....

These are awesome day-packs - what I used when I was trekking in Nepal - pretty comfy, completely waterproof, not too big, lightweight and CHEAP :)

http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16379&category_id=251

Alpkit are really good to deal with too and make a lot of clever but well priced kit.

Grape picking is proper hard work - dont underestimate it....

Was down in Burgundy earlier this month - mostly around Cote de Beaune / Challonais region.
Great rolling hills with mostly pretty good roads.

We camped in Nolay - nice campsite with Apple/pear/cherry trees :)
The campsite at Mersault is also good along with the one at Chamboeuf (Cote de Nuits)

Might be worth checking out the Voie Vert routes round there too - tarmacced bike paths between a lot of the villages

Would recommend checking out the Domain Colin (!!!) Morgeot Chassagne Montrachet reds - VERY good and very reasonable (for Premier Cru Burgundy) reds. Its actually a Sub-appelation of Chassange-Montrachet Premier Cru so is about the size of a postage stamp :)

Ah I think I see what you mean - looks like the corners are darted so that it curves around the bag...
Don't think that would work too well with compression straps etc - as they change the depth of the bag. Also with suspension strapping on the top - this should pull the flap round the corner avoiding it, so shouldnt be neccessary.

Might be worth picking up some seam sealant (tent shops sell it) to use on your bags seams - should help prevent water getting through (although it will wear off eventually)

I remember that freightbaggage backpacks used to come with external flaps like postie bags, but they have now been redesigned. I'd like to ask to you bagmakers, I would have thought that external flaps prevent water from seeping under the flap and protect the external pockets more that internal flaps (which seal the main compartment very well though). Since I had water seeping in through the side stitch where the floating liner is attached to the shell I would like to have some way of getting the flap to cover the area to protect it! Mind you, the seepage only happened because the exterior cordura was totally soaked.

Not entirely sure what you are getting at - is this an extra top flap?
Or just raised sides (like Scott's Grobags?)
Also the whole point with a floating liner is that it is only attached around the opening rim of the bag - otherwise as you say water will wick up through the threads and into the bag. Due to the positioning of the flap edges (where the inner is attached) when they are folded over - there shouldnt ever be any part of it where it could get through....

Perhaps some pics/links to examples might help?

yeah - its total overkill for most applications but still a very useful book

Cheers,

Incase anyone else fancies a go here are a few useful links to get you started.

Good guide to bag making here: http://leiflabs.blogspot.com/

Parachute riggers handbook - lots of good info on sewing strong seams etc: http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aircraft/media/FAA-H-8083-17.pdf

Macho sewing site (need to sign up to see content - watch out, lots of guns and overweight men with silly holsters) : http://www.diytactical.com/forums/index.php?board=40.0

Supplies:
http://www.profabrics.co.uk/snap_product_search.php?search=true&category=Fabrics
http://www.acesupplies.co.uk/
http://www.sailcloth.co.uk/index.htm

haha - yeah good point Scott, hadn't thought about the twisting, just thought that it would end up too high like you say.

Some XA pics (yes I know it has a light leak)

awesome stuff - never thought about using an old belt - but it sounds perfect when you think about it

yeah - the one peice im not that happy about - ridiculously heavy and needs an extra ladderlock for adjustment.

Its from a belt btw - off ebay - like this one but a uk seller and was about £3 or £4: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Official-FORD-MUSTANG-SEAT-BELT-Belt-Buckle_W0QQitemZ270447040997QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3ef7e659e5&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Thanks guys - havent seen the tortoise ones so I will take that as a compliment :)
You are so right about the sense of acheivement - and a certain pride in wearing something you have made yourself.
No plans to sell them yet - maybe in a while I might make 1 or 2 for friends - oh and i have been TOLD that I am making a small bag for my other half...

Wrt the straps - I wear them pretty tight, so the bag sits pretty high, if I had offset them I think I would lose visibility over my right shoulder when looking back. Certainly something to consider however. Any ideas which makers do that? - most I have seen have the staps across the top....

Cheers,

First proper test run in with the bag this morning - has held up nicely, very comfortable and great being able to really cinch down all the compression straps to get it to the best shape.
Just a shame it didnt rain (!!??)

thanks, yeah - 6 compression straps - 2 at the bottom 4 on the sides.
Used an old camping rollmat for back and shoulder padding
Thread is v69 dabond polyester sail thread - it is a one piece pattern, although more complicated than it need be really...

Oh and the machine I used was a 60's Husqvarna - pretty much all metal construction - must weigh like at least 20kg... its certainly a lot heavier than the old singer i had

Got back late last night from cycling fixed to Dartmoor and back with a bit of climbing in between and am looking for an image that basically kept me going on those hills.
I always assumed it was an old Cartier-Bresson photograph or maybe another Magnum image but I might be wrong. It's of a coal-man cycling back after a day in the mines looking absolutely wrecked but completely stalwart and resolute.
He may or may not be carrying sacks of coal! Any leads?
Ta.

David Hurn perhaps - did a lot of photography around the welsh mining villages