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Question regarding bikepacking bag sizing: Going for a full Apidura Expedition set and not sure on the saddlebag and bar bag sizes. Saddlebag available in 9, 14, and 17L, and bar bag in 9 and 14L. I'll have a 1L top tube bag and the 5.3L frame bag too. Looking to do trips from overnight to possibly a full week. Wouldn't be in the middle of nowhere so would have access to resupply/etc. Probably would use hammock gear for shelter vs tent. I'm definitely planning to get all my gear out and shove into known size stuff sacks, but curious if anyone has general opinion on sizing and/or this specific range of bags. Thanks!
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Apr 9, 2023 18:33
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amenenema posted:Question regarding bikepacking bag sizing: I use the 14L Revelate Terrapin seat bag and I'm almost exclusively a hammock camper. My general circumstances are relatively the same as yours (most rides I'd be interested in doing would have at least one resupply option per day) and I generally use my seat bag for lighter, more packable items such as my hammock's underquilt/top quilt, etc. It's best to pack heavier items closer to your seatpost to minimize sag and sway so keep that in mind too. On my handlebars I run the Revelate Harness with a Saltyroll (15L capacity) which has been fine for my clothes, hammock topquilt, etc. My frame bag is a custom one from Rogue Panda so I'm not sure what the exact capacity in liters is, but it's enough to accomodate a 3L hydration bladder in one pocket, pump/tube/tools in the other, and my cook kit (stove, fuel, mug, cutting board and knife) ride below.
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Apr 9, 2023 22:07
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In my opinion get the biggest bags. The weight difference will be relatively minor, we're talking 200-300g difference for all of them combined, and it's super nice having too much room cause it sucks trying to cram stuff in to small spaces with cold hands in the dark.
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Apr 10, 2023 00:46
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Are there any preparation/training guides for very long haul self supported bike tours? One of my medium to long term goals is to ride the Tour Divide but I’d like to ride it successfully rather than just attempt it.
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Apr 10, 2023 01:56
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aldantefax posted:just attempt it. I'm not familiar with the great divide route, but if the route has you going through a town every day for the first week or so that can be a great learning experience. I think it is important to figure out a bailout plan ahead of time if you are having a bad time*. Bad time includes but is not limited to: -Bike breakdown -Body breakdown -Mental breakdown -The entire western US being on fire.
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Apr 10, 2023 04:07
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aldantefax posted:Are there any preparation/training guides for very long haul self supported bike tours? One of my medium to long term goals is to ride the Tour Divide but I’d like to ride it successfully rather than just attempt it. It's the most and best documented ride of that type in the world, with GPS routes and written guides down to the mile for water, food, camping, and other things you need. Prep wise just ride a ton of bikepacking stuff to get comfortable with your gear, that much saddle time, elevation, etc. If you're doing it solo, get comfortable with the idea of grizzly safety, as people do die out there even camping in towns. Two of my friends have ridden it and I was prepping for it precovid so feel free to ask any specifics.
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Apr 10, 2023 05:00
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What's the deal with the trek 520 - says the model is archived on their website. New model next year? Discontinued?
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Apr 12, 2023 18:30
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Probably just cleared out until the next production run. E: looks like the latest 520 combines the worst of both quick release and thru axle on the fork. It is a QR wheel, but you have to completely remove the skewer to take the wheel off. CopperHound fucked around with this message at 00:11 on Apr 13, 2023 |
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Apr 13, 2023 00:06
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CopperHound posted:Probably just cleared out until the next production run. Ah, the sound of happy corporate lawyers is so much sweeter than having a useful bike.
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Apr 13, 2023 01:00
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CopperHound posted:Probably just cleared out until the next production run. Haha I didn't even notice that.
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Apr 13, 2023 02:01
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There's honestly no way Trek discontinues the 520, I think. They kept making that poo poo in the 00s when they sold like 12 of time a year. Seriously, they did one production run a year (in wisconsin) so if your order didn't get in, you'd wait a year. Things I learned when I broke a 520 and had to wait almost a whole year for the new frame.
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Apr 13, 2023 02:26
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After a month or so I think I'm going to buy a Bombtrack Arise Tour to replace my 10 year old Bikesdirect Windsor tourist. I'll only really ever commute on it but did go on a couple of 3-5day tours before I had kids and I keep thinking I'll go again someday. good idea, great idea? I was looking at all the classic tourers and the bombtrack seemed to tick a lot of boxes out of the gate (bar end shifters, racks, dynamo, fenders). https://www.bombtrack.com/complete-bikes/arise-tour https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/tourist-touring-bikes-v.htm Surprisingly the REI Adv 1.1 seems good? The hydraulic disc brakes maybe seem appealing? https://www.rei.com/product/220761/co-op-cycles-adv-11-bike The Sutra was a contender but it looks like the latest model went back to brifters / front rack only. edit: don't really wanna get a bike built up from the frame unless it makes a lot of sense to do so. Not too worried about cost (but still cognizant of it)
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May 10, 2023 02:16
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Mr Newsman posted:After a month or so I think I'm going to buy a Bombtrack Arise Tour to replace my 10 year old Bikesdirect Windsor tourist. quote:Surprisingly the REI Adv 1.1 seems good? The hydraulic disc brakes maybe seem appealing? I assume you've ridden them? Hydros are nice for braking power. Would welcome for commuting. Having experienced some that have a defect that leads to slow leaking, I would only take a hydro bike on tour if the calipers didn't have any reported problems like that on their track record.
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May 10, 2023 06:22
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How are HY/RD brakes for touring? Is it less work than regular hydro brakes to service them in the field? I'm guessing you want to be careful with not getting mineral oil/brake fluid on the rotors and pads, so you need to have a somewhat clean and organized workspace if you end up having to do a bleed. I know lots of people recommend mechanical over hydraulic on unsupported tours, but I've never actually serviced hydraulic brakes before so I don't know how overblown the risk is.
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May 10, 2023 07:05
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My mountain bike has hydros (but not the cable / hydro hybrid). I figured they'd be like mechanical discs but slightly better due to the self adjusting pad mechanism. Or it could be the worst of both worlds. I haven't ridden the REI bike for what it's worth so not sure what the HY/RD feel like. No idea what the maintenance is like or how often you need to deal with the hydraulics. The mechanical discs I've had have all been fine for the most part. Sometimes they're fiddly to adjust but that's probably more because I didn't know what I was doing at the time. Any comments or concerns around bombtrack?
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May 10, 2023 10:52
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Mr Newsman posted:The Sutra was a contender but it looks like the latest model went back to brifters / front rack only. It’s like 10 minutes to install a rear rack though…? You really want bar end shifters over brifters? Why? Coxswain Balls posted:How are HY/RD brakes for touring? Is it less work than regular hydro brakes to service them in the field? Remove the wheels and pads before doing anything bleeding wise, 100% safe. Unless your tour lasts more than a year in areas without bike servicing places you most likely won’t need to touch anything other than replacing pads and cleaning rotors occasionally. Knowing the basics like removing bubbles by holding the bike so the hoses run vertically to the levers and tapping them while pumping the brakes gets you a long way in cases of spongeyness. I just saw a small portable bleed funnel / fluid bottle for on the road use the other day. That’d be fine https://www.neutroncomponents.com/emergency-bleed-kit for a basic top up/ bleed. Depends how remote the place you are touring in and how gnarly the terrain is (ripping off a hose or something), you can carry a lot of brake cables far more easily. Re the bombtrack; not sure how much that is but the REI bike has a far better spec. Shimano Deore everything drivetrain wise is reassuring.
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May 10, 2023 12:46
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Coxswain Balls posted:How are HY/RD brakes for touring? Is it less work than regular hydro brakes to service them in the field? I'm guessing you want to be careful with not getting mineral oil/brake fluid on the rotors and pads, so you need to have a somewhat clean and organized workspace if you end up having to do a bleed. I know lots of people recommend mechanical over hydraulic on unsupported tours, but I've never actually serviced hydraulic brakes before so I don't know how overblown the risk is. It's about the same amount of work to service them, which is to say, not much. I wouldn't have any concern about touring with hydraulic brakes, HY/RDs included, unless I were going somewhere truly remote (no bike shops anywhere at all), month+ stuff in Africa or the outback. If that's on the docket, I'd be inclined to prefer a mechanical because it's easier to carry everything you need to field service. Anything else, hydraulic brakes own.
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May 10, 2023 16:19
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What is a bleed for a self contained unit like the Hyrd? I’ve run them on tour for 2k miles and have only replaced pads. I even do the irresponsible thing of running the arm a little choked up on the cable. I’m not sure there’s a need to service if they’re not leaking and operating fine. I guess there’s some rubber that could dry and crack at some point? bicievino posted:I'd be inclined to prefer a mechanical because it's easier to carry everything you need to field service. Anything else, hydraulic brakes own.
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May 10, 2023 16:20
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kimbo305 posted:What is a bleed for a self contained unit like the Hyrd? In principle you don't bleed them, the cylinder is pretty much self contained. You could if you really wanted to I guess.
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May 10, 2023 16:52
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wooger posted:It’s like 10 minutes to install a rear rack though…? Bar ends is like 70% aesthetics, 20% because I want some spice in my life, and 10% because I liked using them the few times I've ridden bikes with em. Bombtrack is 2500 - largely due to the dynamo setup over the REI bike. It is about 500 bucks more than the comparable Surly / Salsa / Kona offerings. +/- Appreciate the insight. I'm really just deciding if a dynamo setup would be something I'm interested in I guess.
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May 10, 2023 17:33
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kimbo305 posted:What is a bleed for a self contained unit like the Hyrd? Bleed process is very similar to a normal hydraulic brake. https://www.trpbrakes.com/userfiles/HYRD_Final_053113.pdf Personally I've never needed to bleed mine, even with numerous airline flights where you'd think pressure or whatever could muck it up. But if you did need to - it uses TRP mineral oil not shimano mineral oil and its not clear whether they are interchangeable because mineral oil isn't standardized like DOT.
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May 10, 2023 18:07
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Mr Newsman posted:Bar ends is like 70% aesthetics, 20% because I want some spice in my life, and 10% because I liked using them the few times I've ridden bikes with em. A dynamo light is the single best thing I've ever bought for my commuter. Removing the stress of "oh dang it did I remember to charge my light last night poo poo poo poo" is just so so nice. I didn't realize the stress was there until it was gone.
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May 10, 2023 18:09
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Mr Newsman posted:Bar ends is like 70% aesthetics, 20% because I want some spice in my life, and 10% because I liked using them the few times I've ridden bikes with em. I ran Bar Ends on my road bikes starting in the 1970's:  Then on recumbents with "under seat" steering in the 1990's and 2000's:  And on trikes:  But in the new CF 'bent. a single microshifter, bar ends would hit my legs when steering: 
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May 10, 2023 19:20
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bicievino posted:A dynamo light is the single best thing I've ever bought for my commuter. Removing the stress of "oh dang it did I remember to charge my light last night poo poo poo poo" is just so so nice. I didn't realize the stress was there until it was gone. I regret (greatly) not ordering my Brompton with this.
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May 10, 2023 19:21
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Mr Newsman posted:Bar ends is like 70% aesthetics, 20% because I want some spice in my life, and 10% because I liked using them the few times I've ridden bikes with em. A dynamo wheel is like £300 where I am, you can add one to any reasonable bike and have your pick of dynamo lights. Otherwise that bike is basic steel and the drivetrain seems really cheap, they might be taking the piss with that price.
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May 10, 2023 21:00
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Mr Newsman posted:Appreciate the insight. I'm really just deciding if a dynamo setup would be something I'm interested in I guess. Tunnels are a thing though, so my lights still get use on tour.
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May 11, 2023 01:38
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While I've never toured persay dynamo lights are also great for the daytime running lights for safety.
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May 11, 2023 01:43
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One type of touring that benefits greatly from dynamo lighting is the weekender or s24o, you can ride out at night and ride back in at night, maximizing your time at destination.
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May 11, 2023 02:29
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https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/3641162/ I've only put a couple day trips on it and loved it but I have to make room in my garage. Any Canadian goons who are interested hit me up with a PM. SOLD! Well that was quick! Rot fucked around with this message at 03:48 on May 31, 2023 |
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May 29, 2023 21:48
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CopperHound posted:A dynamo light set up is my favorite quality of life improvement for a bike. Great for commuting, but in practice I never ride at night on tour. I want to have my sleeping place sorted before the sun goes down. When I had one, I used it to keep my phone charged up (which I was using on brevets), as well as powering the lights.
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Jun 3, 2023 07:00
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Hi all, I'm getting my wife a bike for her birthday. She currently has some bad Amazon folding bike but it's not great and she has to work way harder to keep up with me when we go on rides. I want to get her her first "nice" bike. Currently debating between the Surly Preamble and the Kona Dew Plus, since they are both sold at the local bike shop here: Surly: https://www.peddlerbike.com/product/surly-preamble-flat-bar-421525-1.htm Kona: https://www.peddlerbike.com/product/kona-dew-plus-318878-1.htm Both look pretty decent to me, I noticed the Kona has hydraulic disc breaks and is cheaper than the Surly, does that make it a better value? Anything I'm missing?
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Jun 6, 2023 18:01
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Biodome posted:Hi all, I'm getting my wife a bike for her birthday. She currently has some bad Amazon folding bike but it's not great and she has to work way harder to keep up with me when we go on rides. I’m not an expert in these matters, but Surly is known for their durability. Kona is also well regarded but not quite the “bomb proof” prestige (or price tag). Big difference I think would be the Surly is steel frame vs aluminum with the Kona, so a bit different feel & weight. It looks like the Kona has hydraulic disc brakes vs mechanical on the Surly, I believe hydraulic is mostly considered preferable but I have no experience with either. I think either one would be a very solid choice though so you probably won’t go wrong. You might be able to get more info over in the bike commuting thread, if it’s for more of a daily driver thing.
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Jun 9, 2023 04:44
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I would definitely go with a Kona over a Surly at equal pricepoint. Surly's tend to carry a price premium for reasons I don't understand.
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Jun 9, 2023 04:55
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Makes sense. I went with the Kona Dew Plus, thanks yall!
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Jun 10, 2023 03:19
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I did a thing. Completed all 2700 miles of the Tour Divide in ~22 days through some pretty gnarly peanut butter mud, head winds, heat, and storms. Proud to have completed on my first attempt!
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Jul 4, 2023 19:48
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SplitDestiny posted:I did a thing.  
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Jul 4, 2023 21:08
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Jul 4, 2023 21:09
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SplitDestiny posted:I did a thing. 
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Jul 4, 2023 21:39
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SplitDestiny posted:I did a thing. Congratulations on your achievement, that’s quite the accomplishment! I’d love to do that someday.
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Jul 5, 2023 03:02
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SplitDestiny posted:I did a thing. Oh man that is so awesome, congrats! The GDMBR (not the Tour Divide race) is on my bucket list for sure.
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Jul 5, 2023 08:27
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