Messages

1

Gear Talk / Re: Bike Sizing

« on: May 05, 2013, 05:52:06 pm »

In addition to the top tube length the complete LHT 60 CM bike parts set includes a wider handlebar and longer stem than does the 58 CM. In combination the 60 may thus feel much larger than the small difference in standover height might suggest.

I made the mistake years ago, when faced with the same dilemma, of going to the larger frame when I really should have gone down to the smaller size. That was in the late '70s. It was a Motobecane Le Champion (Reynolds 531, Campagnolo, tubulars...) which was a large chunk of change at the time. I was never happy with the bike... 

Assuming you are looking for a complete bike that doesn't require parts swapping, I'd suggest trying both sizes out and if that isn't possible go with the 58. BTW, I do follow my own advice!  My current touring bike happens to be a 58 CM LHT... I am happy with it.

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Gear Talk / Re: ACA & Smartphones

« on: April 26, 2013, 07:42:31 pm »

I ran into a lot of dead spots with Verizon along the Transam through the Rockies in 2011... We had three different devices with us and the problem existed with all three. As such, I wouldn't rely on real time access to the web via a smartphone as a primary navigation source. From speaking with locals there is no magic provider but AT&T held favor in some areas as having better access.

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Routes / Re: Louis and Clark Route - Hwy 12 Lolo Pass Section

« on: April 26, 2013, 07:17:43 pm »

My son and I rode that section in 2011 and it was one of the nicest parts of our trip from La Junta, CO to Pasco, WA using the Transam and Lewis and Clark routes... beautiful scenery and traffic was not a problem. No shoulder is an accurate description... there is white line and a ditch with nothing in between along most of Rte 12.

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Routes / Atlantic Coast Washington DC area

« on: April 10, 2013, 11:27:43 am »

Years ago I rode all over FL and then north to upstate NY via a wandering self-defined course... On that trip, from Williamsburg, VA I swung out west through Maryland and PA rather than go through DC and NJ.  This coming summer my 15 year old son and I will be tentatively riding from Jacksonville, FL to upstate NY. The theme of the coming trip is east coast history. We will probably be using the Atlantic Coast route for part of the trip, I'll retrace the route I used in the past for other parts, and some parts will be newly self-defined.

Regarding the DC area on the Atlantic Coast route, how congested is it in the summer and how easy is it to find reasonable accommodations and camping in that area?  I don't want to subject my son to a high stress riding environment... this is supposed to be fun! My 2011 trip through the Rockies on the Transam and Lewis & Clark routes with my other son (then 15) taught me that more certainty is better than less certainty, and less congestion is better than more congestion!

Thanks for any information on your experiences.

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Gear Talk / Re: Touring bikes...

« on: February 22, 2013, 06:15:21 pm »

If your choice is to buy in the U.S. I'd be very careful about arranging the purchase well ahead of arriving in the U.S.... This as in my experience you cannot assume that touring bikes are in stock or even available from the distributors on short notice during the TransAm touring season. I ran into this problem in 2010 while looking for 2 bikes and in 2012 while looking for another one.  In 2010 I found Trek 520s but had to compromise on frame size by going a size smaller on one of them than what I wanted. In 2012 I went looking for a 3rd Trek 520 and ended up with a LHT. This time with a frame one size larger than desired and at the maximum that could be ridden safely. The 2012 experience happened in May but if I'd done it in March I could have had another Trek and could have gotten the frame sized I wanted in either...

6

General Discussion / Re: Advice on Heading South in Winter

« on: November 22, 2012, 07:37:57 pm »

I've done several AMTRAK/Bike trips... the longest from NY to CO and then back from WA to NY at the end of the bike trip. The AMTRAK boxes are long pack boxes so only the bars and peddles need to be removed. Panniers, tents, sleeping bags, etc. can go in an additional box. We picked up the small boxes at a U-Haul store for the return trip... good and sturdy and relatively inexpensive. Better than the similarly sized Home Depot boxes we used on the first leg. AMTRAK in WA gave us some used bike boxes for free and we packed everything in the AMTRAK waiting room. Even though I brought some with us they gave us packing tape. My son and I each used a pannier and our bar bag as carry-on bags. Even with train changes in Chicago it wasn't a problem as the boxes were handled by AMTRAK.

My first long trip was similar to what you propose but I did that in the mid-80s and flew... it was easy and cheap back then! I arrived in FL the first week or so of January, rode all over the state, and then pushed north to upstate NY as the weather broke. The only place the weather was really bad was in the Charlotte, NC area when the temperatures dropped to the teens at night and there was rain and freezing rain. I arrived home April 11... left northern PA in a light snow which stayed with me until somewhere between Wurtsboro and Ellenville. Even with the snow the riding wasn't too bad with the right gear.

Depending on how much time you have you can make this work with the right clothing.

7

General Discussion / Re: Near miss with truck on Trans-Am

« on: August 13, 2012, 07:52:52 pm »

Well... the name painted on the truck cab says Gurule's and the number 157 is painted on the tractor and the trailer is number 256.  With a date, time and location I'd think the president of the company, as listed at http://www.manta.com/c/mm4ckcl/gurule-trucking, could probably figure out who the driver was...

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Gear Talk / Re: Stem leaks

« on: August 13, 2012, 07:05:25 pm »

What kind of pump are you using.... one with a hose or one without a hose?  In my experience those without a hose put stress on the stem while pumping which eventually results in the stem breaking loose from the tube. I ran into that very problem with presta tubes on last year's trip with a short frame pump... I have NEVER had it happen with my floor pump at home and I didn't have the problem with the Schrader values on the mountain bike I used on a 3,142 mile trip.

As such, a Lezyne Micro Floor Drive HP, a frame pump with a hose, was acquired for future trips.... It has a hose which will allow for daily "top offs" of tire pressure and for repairs without stressing the stem.  Most of our bikes will continue to have more traditional frame pumps for on-the-road repair purposes. However, for daily top offs and repairs on the road the Lezyne will be the primary pump and at home the floor pump will be the primary pump.

BTW, this problem isn't something new... I recall back some 35+ years ago the LBS was very careful to show people how to use frame pumps with presta values to prevent breaking the stem. In those days Zefal and Silca frame pumps were common. Regarding technique, in addition to holding the tire and pump together while pumping the removal technique was to hit the pump away from the stem instead of twisting/pulling to remove it from the value. We never had problems... On the other hand, with the newer relatively low volume short pumps, which require about a 1,000 strokes to attain pressure, the problem is far worse.

9

Gear Talk / Re: handlebar bags

« on: August 12, 2012, 08:18:26 pm »

My bike is a 2006 Specialized Allez. I've seen in other places that there can be a problem with having enough clearance between the pedals and panniers on road bikes. Any thoughts or advice?

That is an "it depends" thing... Rear racks vary in the length of the top rails and in the length/adjustability of the hardware that attach the rack to the seat stays and drop out eyelets. Long feet can be a factor too... Based on your original message about "credit card touring," with a longish rack you could use front panniers in the rear and slide them back as far as possible.  I know the chain stays are relatively short on that bike but with this approach you likely would have no clearance problems on the Allez.

I'd think that perusing the various manufacturers' web sites would yield specs on the various racks.  Or a visit to a LBS that has a selection.

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Gear Talk / Re: handlebar bags

« on: August 11, 2012, 06:28:40 am »

I wouldn't use a large bar bag by itself as it will adversely affect handling. If you do not want to use a rack perhaps one of the frame packs combined with a smaller bar bag and a seat pack would be an option. Search for Jandd, Akra, Axiom, and Salsa frame packs for examples.  One of those may work for you....

Then again, a rack doesn't have to be permanently installed... If you have rack eyelets it would only take a few minutes to remove and reinstall the rack after the initial installation. This as once the adjustments are set in regards to the stay length they don't have to be touched again.

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Gear Talk / Re: LHT Fenders - specific

« on: August 07, 2012, 08:06:32 pm »

I just had an "ah ha" moment... the tires are 37-622 which is aka 700 x 35... I clearly lost track of the size designation when I wrote the original message.  I should have written and thought 37-622 or 700 x 35, not 37 x 700!

Anyhow, that simplifies things as the FE1013 Longboard 45 should work fine.

Thanks for helping me see the errors of my ways!

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Gear Talk / Re: help choosing a bike

« on: August 06, 2012, 08:02:05 pm »

We've got a couple Trek 520s and a factory built LHT... Brooks Flyer or Flyer Specials are on each. Fully equipped the bikes cost about the same. Yes, there are some differences in the frame design and in the components but quite frankly, they are both durable and serviceable bikes as are the others you listed.

I did a 3,142 mile self-supported trip on a 26" wheeled rigid frame mountain bike that was set up for touring on the road. Outside of my time off-road in the Everglades backcountry I was wishing for drop bars and tires with lower rolling resistance.  Last year my son and I did 1,600+ mile self-supported trip through the Rockies on the TramsAm and Lewis and Clark routes on the 520s. I was much happier with the ride of the 700Cs on the road (not the stock tires though... they literally fell apart and were replaced by Schwalbe). We did the Erie Canal the summer before that and wide 26" tires would have been better than the 32x700s we had on the 520s because the tow path surface was soft. Assuming you are road riding, given your height I'd stick with the 700C tire size... my 26" wheeled bike just didn't "roll" as well on the road.

In my younger days I obsessed over my bikes (my road bikes were typically Reynolds 531 frames with Campagnolo components and tubulars). Over time I figured out that barring accidents personal skill, equipment maintenance, and the ability to persevere seem to make the most difference on the road... That said, paint color could be a valid selection criteria across the bikes on your list!

13

Gear Talk / LHT Fenders - specific

« on: August 06, 2012, 05:52:56 pm »

I've scoured the forums and see Planet Bike and SKS Long Board fenders receive good recommendations. I am unsure of which specific model, in black, of each would fit on my LHT with the stock 37X700 tires.  Can someone(s) identify the proper fenders from the 2012 QBP on-line catalog for me?

This link gets you to roughly the correct page in the catalog. 

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/a8e5bd2a#/a8e5bd2a/1234

I've got Trek Interchange Nebula fenders on our Trek 520s. They work well as fenders but the rattling at the quick release studs and stay/fender connections is annoying. Thus far a permanent solution to that problem has not been found--rubber electrical splicing tape worked for a while but that breaks down--so I want to try something different on the LHT.

Thanks

14

Gear Talk / Re: Trek 520 wobble

« on: August 04, 2012, 08:41:18 am »

Another issue that I did not see specifically mentioned is how smoothly you pedal. I'm sure someone could add a lot more technical information here but in layman's terms, if you have a nice round pedaling stroke the bike and load are generally more stable. The smooth pedaling combined with good core body strength go a long ways towards preventing the development of dynamic sway, i.e., wobbling while pedaling. Clipless pedals, or toe clips and straps, let you pull and push through the rotation. Some slight pull at all times helps smooth things out and a lot of pull helps you power up hills or accelerate.

It took quite a while for my mid-teen son to develop a smooth pedaling stroke as both technique and strength are involved in doing so. To help him understand what I was talking about I told him to watch how well his rear wheel tracked behind the front (relatively dry roads with puddles or cinder rail trails help here). When he saw how much his front wheel was constantly going from side to side as compared his rear (and compared to my tracks) he understood. After a couple thousand miles of loaded touring over two summers, growing in height and gaining a lot of core body strength during that time, he pedals much more smoothly now and it shows in his tracks.

I noticed that it also takes a bit of time at the beginning of a tour for my body to automatically and seamlessly make the core body muscular adjustments needed to keep the bike steady. I'm talking about a few hours at most... By the second day the muscle memory is restored and there are no more wobbles.

15

Gear Talk / Stoves in Rockies

« on: May 18, 2011, 04:01:15 pm »

I'm wondering if I'm going to have trouble cooking with a Coleman Peak 1 stove in the Rockies on my trip along the TransAm... Does it light, burn, and boil water at 5-11,000 feet of elevation?  Any other stoves to consider for this trip?