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Apologies for the low res image but it's the best I could find. A couple of years ago a friend and I went on a series of "Cy-climbing" trips: We'd load up our bikes with climbing and camping equipment, then get on a train out of London on a Friday night. We'd then ride the (inevitably steep) 20 miles or so to a campsite, and spend the weekend climbing. This photo was a couple of trips in, when I'd figured out how to load my Fuji with enough gear that it was a genuine struggle to lift get it into a train. Note the tent slung under the handlebars and the two 60m ropes that had to end up on top of the rear panniers due to lack of space!  On the plus side, it handled it all like an absolute champ, and was so stable, even when hitting 35mph on some downhills.
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Aug 30, 2020 04:44
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Hell yeah I love me a fully loaded bike like that. More weight means faster descents (just make sure your brakes are up to the challenge).
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Aug 30, 2020 04:49
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Trek put out a 520 variant, the Grando: https://bikepacking.com/news/trek-520-grando/ I've ridden with 2 low rider panniers, frame bag, and saddle bag. It was totally fine. Weight distribution isn't all that different from 4 panniers.
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Aug 30, 2020 21:54
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kimbo305 posted:Trek put out a 520 variant, the Grando: I'd be curious what the tire clearance is on that as they only put 40s on it? The Salsa Marrakesh comes with 42s and the LHT has 41s. Neither of them claim any off-road chops (though are better than some people might expect).
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Aug 31, 2020 00:56
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nm posted:I'd be curious what the tire clearance is on that as they only put 40s on it? It's the same frameset as the latest 520, which is officially 700x50, but CyclingAbout said Trek designs more clearance, so you might be able to squeeze in 2.2" tires.
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Aug 31, 2020 01:23
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Bottom Liner posted:Just packed my bike for TNGA. Leaving Wed and start riding Thursday.
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Aug 31, 2020 22:29
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that looks cool as heck
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Sep 1, 2020 05:17
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It's going to be a banger weekend for sure. Got 3 days food packed and all of my water stops marked on my cue sheet and GPS so I shouldn't need any direct interactions with people. 
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Sep 1, 2020 05:24
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bike touring: I shouldn't need any direct interactions with people
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Sep 1, 2020 10:27
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I did a little bike tour 2 weeks ago. I managed one night of wild camping but bailed out the other 2 nights and slept in hotels because the weather was truely dreadful. I was on a moor in 50mph winds and the rain felt like daggers and i decided that trying to bivy would suck balls. I maybe should of sucked it up and found somewhere to camp but ehhhhh I wanted to enjoy myself. the first night was actually alright. i was sheltered and next to a stream and the sound of running water helped me sleep.  the purple heather is really pretty this time of year  I have a more gravel and less mountain bike type ride planned in a few weeks in scotland. I'm hoping for better weather and no storms. e: forgot i had a huge sidewall puncture I managed to plug and ride 100km on.  the tyre is worth like £50 and the tread was hardly worn so I've attempted a home repair. I sowed it up with dental floss, glued a radial patch on the back and also covered it in gorrilla tape. It's holding up tubeless at the moment! (please don't make fun of my stitching i really have no idea how to do it)  hemale in pain fucked around with this message at 16:16 on Sep 1, 2020 |
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Sep 1, 2020 11:27
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hemale in pain posted:the first night was actually alright. i was sheltered and next to a stream and the sound of running water helped me sleep.
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Sep 1, 2020 16:51
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It was alright, this was in the morning so it had slackened a bit overnight when it got wet. Definitely not perfect set up but just would need to pull it a bit more taut over the wheel to get rid of that slump. 
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Sep 1, 2020 17:40
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hemale in pain posted:It was alright, this was in the morning so it had slackened a bit overnight when it got wet. Definitely not perfect set up but just would need to pull it a bit more taut over the wheel to get rid of that slump. For my tarp I got a folding carbon 45” pole from Easton. You can see it holding up my bike in the pic a few posts back. Works great when I have no trees.
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Sep 1, 2020 18:24
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what if mini-tarp for the bike and a real tent for yourself? i carried a kelty two-person long-term and it owned
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Sep 2, 2020 11:54
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so I'm planning on training for and competing in the tour divide sometime within the next couple years (or whenever it comes back) so I'm looking for a good mountain bike that I could use for that, but also something that I can gently caress around on just doing normal bike tours on and maybe some easier mtb tracks. the only bikes I currently own are road. obviously the most popular bike on the tour is the salsa cutthroat, and tbh this build (grx 600) seems to be exactly what I'm looking for: https://salsacycles.com/bikes/cutthroat/2020_cutthroat_grx_600 but the $3000+ price range is a bit much for me to justify. plus, it looks like the wheels it comes with are something I'll have to replace. can anyone recommend a bike with similar mid-to-high tier components but maybe a bit cheaper? doesn't necessarily have to be carbon.
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Sep 6, 2020 23:22
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Used Cutthroats are pretty plentiful, but also look into a Fargo (their steel version of a drop bar MTB). Also feel free to chat with me about the TD. I had a plane ticket for Banff this June 🙃 Bottom Liner fucked around with this message at 00:16 on Sep 7, 2020 |
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Sep 6, 2020 23:31
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God Hole posted:so I'm planning on training for and competing in the tour divide sometime within the next couple years (or whenever it comes back) so I'm looking for a good mountain bike that I could use for that, but also something that I can gently caress around on just doing normal bike tours on and maybe some easier mtb tracks. the only bikes I currently own are road. What do you want to spend on a bike, and how much more do you want to spend on gear for the tour? I can't remember what your on-road setup was like and how much of it you can recycle.
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Sep 7, 2020 00:08
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kimbo305 posted:What do you want to spend on a bike, and how much more do you want to spend on gear for the tour? I was hoping to keep it at about $2000 (so far so good for the fargo) As for everything else, I already own all the gear I would need. I've ditched the panniers though and gone with a full bike bag setup.
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Sep 7, 2020 00:22
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TNGA report Close to 60 hours moving, 40k elevation, and about 9 hours of sleep. I was stupidly optimistic about the route conditions given previous rider reports despite the lack of maintenance this year and the hurricane remnants going through the area the previous week. That made the jeep roads washed out and the singletrack a tree ridden mess. I was hiking about 1/4th of the first two days which killed my speed and increased my food and water needs. Food was tight because I was trying to carry everything and not go for a resupply but I ended up needing to stop once into a rural town. Water was fine, Sawyer Flow did a great job and there was a ton of mountain streams and rivers to filter from (all crystal clear too). I had 96oz of bottles in gatorade bottles and an addition 24 oz in a mtn dew bottle I used for the filtering and in some stretches I would drink all 96 oz and drink more straight from the filter on the soda bottle. Weather was a mix of brutal 99 degree heat and 90% humidity and perfect riding conditions. Nights never got chilly either to the point of never even needing a jacket. I got the slightest hint of rain for about 15 minutes but otherwise skies were clear. No animals, but I did see plenty of bear droppings. At about 48 hours I stopped being able to swallow solid food which ended up being from acid reflux. I didn't feel any other symptoms but the constant exertion had worked acid up my throat and burned it raw, so when I took a bite of a bar with cinnamon in it it lit me up and I couldn't choke anything down. Tums helped a little but I had to rely on liquid calories for a while (also from my resupply). Flats and trail runners continue to be the pro choice for bikepacking these routes. They dry out way faster and the comfort is a huge help on and off the bike. There were so many stream crossings I would have lost hours with clipless and the hiking would have murdered my calves in them as well. Bike was a champ, 2.6 rigid was fine even though some of the singletrack got a little gnarly for me, but it was good to be forced to go slower and take safe lines instead of being risky while out there alone. Dynamo hub and AXA 70 light combo was ace, recharging my battery pack during the day and providing tons of light at night, even when slowly hiking the bike up a steep 20% grade. I would definitely do the route again but likely not solo, hopefully the official race happens next year and it's safe to be out there, and I hope the route conditions improve before going through that again. I rode through so many spiderwebs I stopped bothering to wipe them off my face unless I saw a spider in them.         These are just some phone pics, I'll have a lot better from my film camera when I get the roll developed.
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Sep 7, 2020 22:35
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Was about to ask if this saddle worked well
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Sep 7, 2020 23:29
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Bottom Liner posted:TNGA report Lol sounds miserable but nice job. How many miles?
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Sep 7, 2020 23:55
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375 or so counting dipping into town. Official route is right at 360
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Sep 7, 2020 23:57
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Bottom Liner posted:TNGA report
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Sep 8, 2020 00:01
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spf3million posted:Great ride and great trip report. Care to share a Strava link? https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33896468?privacy_code=uGQUWCJ1KmYFgedC
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Sep 8, 2020 00:02
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heck yeah that's great all the times you realize you could die alone are the best parts of touring
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Sep 8, 2020 00:11
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Here is my bikepacking rig from my first bikepacking adventure last year. I'm carrying way too much stuff, but my Surly ECR handled it beautifully. I have another short trip planned for next week so I'll post a comparison photo.
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Sep 8, 2020 17:32
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ECR is surlys most fun bike. When I bought my Ogre the shop had a fully Revelate kitted one on sale and I still regret not getting that instead.
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Sep 8, 2020 17:47
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It is definitely my favourite bike that I've ever owned.
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Sep 8, 2020 21:47
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I've been bike touring a few years but still consider myself very much a novice so I'm looking for advice! It's a White Bikes SC Comp. Apologies for the terrible picture! I go on weeklong bike trips and camp mostly with friends. I can normally fit everything in the panniers and the tent strapped between them. It works out okay but there are some negatives. * The tent gets wet when it rains. I'm considering either getting a rain proof stuff sack, some cover to keep the rain off or perhaps stuffing the tent inside one of the panniers - the tent poles would then have to be strapped outside. * All the weight is on the rear wheel. Is there a reason for shifting some of the weight forward? Would it ride better? How heavy do you think I can safely load the bike? I weigh 70 kgs and sometimes I bring climbing gear on the bike in addition to camping gear. * It's a hassle to get into my panniers for frequently used items such as my wallet or snacks. I'm considering a small front bag. What are good mounting locations? Brands? Some additional questions. * I need a better bike lock. A combination lock that can reach from the frame to a low bike rack. Is there any safe-ish option that doesn't involve hauling a kilo worth of chain? * The front bike light is dead. Looking for a cheap low profile USB charging light. * I'd like a third water bottle on the frame. But where would it fit? * Are there any extra large water bottles that can fit inside the water bottle holders? Mine are 650 and 700ml big but I feel I could probably fit bigger ones. * What kind of bike lubing/cleaning kit should I bring on weeklong trips? If there are decent enough stuff avaliable on Wish.com or Aliexpress or do I need to spend actual money?
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Sep 9, 2020 09:38
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Sigmund Fraud posted:I've been bike touring a few years but still consider myself very much a novice so I'm looking for advice! Tent: I would get a waterproof drybag. Even better if it has a one way air purge valve so you can easily get a puffy item like a tent to compress down. Some of them also have strapping where you can lash the tent poles to the outside, and to the rack. They also make these in a duffel style that might work better for sitting on the rack top. Weight: Distribution is a personal thing, some people like it more up front, the classic “bike touring” setup has always been more rear heavy. If it’s not bothering you then there isn’t any pressing need to change it. Small bag: Are you wanting a top tube bag or a front handlebar bag? For a top tube bag the Revelate Mag Tank is a great choice, the magnetic closure makes it a lot easier to get in and out of one handed. It comes in two sizes. There are also feed bags if you wanted to go that route. Most of these have knockoff/generic versions (Moosetreks, Rockbros, etc) available as well. The feed bag also solves your additional bottle problem, although if you want a third bottle all the time it’s a waste of the bag. https://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm/store.catalog/Cockpit/Magtank https://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm/store.catalog/cockpit/MountainFeedbag Lights: I like Cygolite, pick whatever one fits your budget. Locks: For touring I’m usually not by myself (pre-COVID) so I’ve only ever brought a tiny combo lock for the rare instances where nobody is around the bikes. This is definitely territory where you get what you pay for, trading weight for security. If you’re only ever leaving the bike to go buy food at a stop or similar type stops then I either bring my bike inside or lock it up in a high traffic area with a small combo lock. I’m never far away for long, so it’s just to function as a deterrent. I’m guessing if they wanted to cut the lock and haul a heavy rear end bike into the back of a pickup they’d probably be fine with just robbing you when you’re on the bike, and you can’t do much about that. Bottles: see above re: feed bag. Alternatively, you could strap a bottle cage to the side of your forks. I can’t tell in the photo if there are bosses but if not you can use something like the Topeak Versamount Clamps or King Cage USB to mount a bottle cage. Most standard bike bottles are 21/24oz, but you could mount a cargo cage or giant bottle cage and fit in whatever size bottle you want. You could also do the same approach on the underside of the downtube, if you have clearance. Hard to tell from the pic. https://bikepacking.com/index/cargo-cages-anything-bags/ https://bikepacking.com/index/oversized-bottle-cages-for-bike-touring/ Lube: bring dry lube if it’s dry, wet lube if it’s wet. Grab some paper towels from a gas station and wipe off the crud first.
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Sep 9, 2020 10:59
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I always always always recommend front panniers unless you're traveling light or going over extremely rough terrain. Front bags make things so stable, it's the only way I'm comfortable going faster than 35mph downhill. They make a cool gyroscope effect across an axis
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Sep 10, 2020 01:45
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4 panniers give you 4 spots to randomly put stuff up top for quick access.Sigmund Fraud posted:* It's a hassle to get into my panniers for frequently used items such as my wallet or snacks. I'm considering a small front bag. What are good mounting locations? Brands? I like the Banjo Brothers' handlebar bag for its ease of installation and no frills functionality. I used the bigger waterproof one, even though the clasp is dumbly front-facing. https://banjobrothers.com/collections/handlebar-bags/products/quick-release-waterproof-handlebar-bag-large There's also a mid size one with a zipper on top. https://banjobrothers.com/collections/handlebar-bags/products/quick-release-handlebar-bag-medium The BB mount primarily relies on friction, with the tension cable as a backup. Ortlieb, afaict, is just the tension cable, which is such a ball drop from them.
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Sep 10, 2020 02:34
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Sigmund Fraud posted:I've been bike touring a few years but still consider myself very much a novice so I'm looking for advice! Second the waterproof dry bag. I have an ortlieb trunk bag that works well for this. It also fits my sleeping bag and mattress. Since I've started packing lighter, I can fit much of this in a 4 bag setup though. Cheap was is to line everything in garbage bags. This works okish, but you need to check for holes. I also recommend 4 bags. Lowrider rack unless really off road. A small bar bag that mounts on the bars, not on a rack. Ortlieb makes nice ones. I use a krypto mini-6 and a 7' krypto cable lock. The clock is reasonably strong and can work for a quick stop in an urban area. The cable is good for rural areas without bike racks. Pretty light combo. Do you have a 3rd set of mounts under the downtube? I like boeshield. It is reasonably durable and you can wipe the chain ever day or two and reapply.
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Sep 10, 2020 02:38
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For securing your bike, consider an O lock. http://travellingtwo.com/resources/wheel-locks-for-bike-touring They're not light, but they're super convenient (until you lose the key when shaking out your tent and then have to get it chopped off). I've got that one that's pictured at the top.
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Sep 10, 2020 05:48
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I got the Abus Granit X-Plus because it seems to be the u-lock with the best strength to weight ratio. I also bring a cable with me that I can wrap around my tent so I'll be woken up if anyone tries to spirit it away in the middle of the night, but I'm thinking that bike theft out in the sticks isn't nearly as much of a problem as it is when you're in cities. I don't know if it's any worse here than elsewhere, but It bums me out every summer to see a couple news articles about someone riding across the country and getting their bike stolen while sightseeing. Fortunately it seems that most times when that happens they quickly get the fundraising done for a new bike, if not just having a new bike and gear donated to them from a local shop. On one of my first tours I was having breakfast at a place in the woods and saw an article in the newspaper about a guy from Germany riding across the country who got his ride jacked. A few days later I wake up and start packing my campsite when I notice him using the next spot over so we chatted and he told me how quickly he was able to get back on his feet again due to the cycling and Mennonite community around here.
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Sep 10, 2020 06:16
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I always tie a tent tie off to the bike. I basically always hotel/airbnb/warmshower in urban areas, so i never park the bike outside for more than 15 minutes in urban areas. I just walk/public transit for sight seeing
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Sep 10, 2020 06:23
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Sad Panda posted:For securing your bike, consider an O lock. http://travellingtwo.com/resources/wheel-locks-for-bike-touring They're not light, but they're super convenient (until you lose the key when shaking out your tent and then have to get it chopped off). I've got that one that's pictured at the top.
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Sep 10, 2020 10:46
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I just finished a six day bike vacation with four days of gravel riding in Oslo then 2 days of riding over Hardangervidda from Ustaoset to Voss which was 150km in total. The riding was amazing even though i had really bad weather and barely enough clothing for it. Over hardangervidda itself i had a 50km ride with brisk headwind, rain and 4 degree weather which left my feet freezing through two pairs of wool socks and shoe covers. Dropping down to a aeroposition on slack hills and flat ground on a loaded bike felt silly but it made the ride a lot faster. Thankfully theres a couple cafes along the way where i could pop in for some coffee and pastries to heat myself up. On the second day i rode 100km from Maurset to Voss, it was another rainy cold day, but without the killer headwind it was easy riding and i could enjoy more of the scenery. It was a good time to stop at waterfalls since they are usually swamped by tourists.  Bad photo as a i was freezing my nuts off and in a hurry to get in the sleeping bag  My hastily put up tent where i crashed in Ustaoset after coming with the train just as the sun started going down and the rain started. Didnt get much sleep owing to the flapping tent and rough ground.   The morning views where spectacular though  The waterfall Vøringsfossen    Took the old road down Måbødalen, its officially closed due to rockfall, but i had "scouted" it on youtube so was reasonably sure it was good to go. Only saw one part where i had to dismount and carry my bike, but plenty of of big rocks in the roadway so its very much a do-at-your-own-risk path.  Ulvik  Skervsfossen  The ride with luggage for the whole 6 day trip. As always the adventure left me with plenty ideas for gear i want to buy like more fancy bags, a tent for myself as i borrowed one for this trip and more cold wet weather clothing so i can ride in comfort 
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Sep 10, 2020 12:34
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that double waterfall pic is so cool
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Sep 11, 2020 15:53
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Looks beautiful and now I'm pining for a rainy day ride. Are some of those roads rural bike paths or just narrow?
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Sep 11, 2020 16:11
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