The dates sealed it. Simon booked his flights for a June ride, which is when Ben will be in Australia, leaving his unit in London for me to sleep in at each end of the trip and his bike free for me to use.
The price? Leave him some panniers.
My boss is an established part of the Canberra cycling fraternity, and had put some feelers out for touring gear for me. As luck would have it, a fastidious gear freak he knows is looking to downsize some of his kit. He's done some great treks in Asia and Europe and clearly knows his stuff when it comes to cycling gear.
He brought in some half decent sized rear panniers, along with some nifty front panniers and a nice little Cannondale handlebar bag. I was concerned that the capacity was a little small, but was assured that a little packing discipline will make the ride more enjoyable. $200 Deal done. I'll post the works to Ben during the week, and leave half of it when I head back after the ride.
