Messages

31

Gear Talk / Re: Pannier J-Hook too Long. Any fixes?

« on: August 03, 2012, 09:35:24 am »

I have also dealt with the same problem.  I have MEC panniers, and my J-Hooks were too long.  MEC sells J-Hooks, but I already had the shorter ones.  I did end up bending my own J-Hooks, and this link will tell you how I did it:  http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=1&page_id=177560&v=5x.
 Surprisingly, it was not that hard, even though I messed up tempering.  I let my newly bent hooks air cool.  Plunging them in motor oil probably would have been better.  And yes, you can anneal in your oven.

I later changed to a diffent hook system.  http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=1&page_id=177563&v=5n.Â

32

Routes / Re: NW Ohio to Flint, Michigan

« on: August 01, 2012, 09:53:49 am »

You might look into the Underground Railroad's Detroit Connector.  That would get you as far as Marine City, Michigan.  You could bushwack from there with Google Maps. 

33

Gear Talk / Re: Bar End shifters vs

« on: July 17, 2012, 09:39:18 am »

There are extensive comments on brifters versus bar end shifters.

I personally like brifters on my zippy fast bike, but bar end shifters are more reliable.  It does not take much to gunk up a brifter, and you can always change a bar end shifter to index mode and limp home.  I have had brifters gunk up, and while they are repairable, it not something that you can do if you are carrying solvents and lubricants.  I have also had to switch a bar end shifter to friction mode because road side dust gunked things up.  I also like that a bar end shifter gives you infinite trim on your front derailleur.

I remember down tube shifters, and bar ender shifters are not that hard to use.  My touring bikes have always ended up with bar end shifters.

34

Gear Talk / Re: Frame Saver or T-9?

« on: July 17, 2012, 09:01:29 am »

Treating modern steel frames is just a talisman and products such as Frame Saver are only necessary to separate cyclists from their dollars. Unless you are regularly immersing your frame or exposing your frame to other catalysts, specifically salt, CrMo frames will form a small amount of surface oxidation and that's it. Seriously, when was the last time you even heard of a steel frame developing more rust than surface scaling?

More importantly, grease your seatpost and put on full coverage fenders. No more water in frame.

In my neighborhood, they use road salt in the winter time, and I worry about my frame rusting out.  So I bought and applied frame saver.  It left a thick film on the inside of the frame, and I expect it to extend the life of the frame.

35

General Discussion / Re: HELP! Are me and my girlfriend ready for this tour?

« on: July 12, 2012, 10:10:41 am »

BE WARNED once you have done it there is no way you will want to go back travelling any other way and before you know it you'll be a vet on here giving out good advice and encouraging others.

You mean we're supposed to be giving out GOOD advice??

 

Get with the program.  We need more recruits for the touring cult if we are ever going to challenge Scientology!
 

36

Gear Talk / Re: Tour Bike Gearing

« on: July 03, 2012, 09:31:13 am »

It is hard to beat a mountain bike crank (22/32/42) on a touring bike.  You would need to get the matching front derailleur.  Sometimes you can get a road front derailleur to work.  I think they changed the pull ratios so that road and mountain rear derailleurs are different, but I think fronts are still the same.

I would run a bigger tire.  32s would be fine for everyday use and 35 for touring.  I think you could get by with 36 spokes--I hear 48s are like naughty children with a tendency to just do their own thing.

You thinking of taking the ferry (USS Badger) to Ludington?  The ride along Lake Michigan is suberb.

37

Gear Talk / Re: Bike seat comfort

« on: July 03, 2012, 09:10:01 am »

The pad in the shorts is more for wicking moisture away than for comfort.  Wicking is important, otherwise you might chafe and grow pennicillen, add insult (or an infection) to injury.

A saddle upgrade might better address your seat bone issue.  A leather saddle is the classic answer to seat bone issues.  Search this web site for leather saddle and you should find lots of good material to read.

38

Gear Talk / Re: Is a '99 Bianchi Volpe worth rebuilding?

« on: July 02, 2012, 10:15:48 am »

I owned one, and can talk about its touring properties. 

At your weight, I don't think you will have any problems touring on a Volpe.  If you weighed more, then I would be cautious as the bike has a Reynolds 520 frame, and 520 is not a particularly stiff alloy.  The bike came with OK components, and we all replace chains, chain rings, and cassettes, so don't let that turn you off.

The Volpe would be  a superb commuter bike, and you don't need front panniers for that.  But if you want to get a pannier ready fork, I might suggest getting one from Surly.  I believe that the LHT fork can be had after market.  Soma (somafab.com) might also sell an appropriate aftermarket fork.

You can make this bike work for you if you want to put the labor and parts into it.

39

General Discussion / Re: Numbness, Tingling and Loss of strength in hand

« on: June 12, 2012, 09:29:40 am »

Your saddle may have a light downward pitch, forcing more pressure on your hands.  Saddles should be close to level.

40

General Discussion / Re: Share how you got $ & time off to tour

« on: June 12, 2012, 09:11:49 am »

This is all fine and dandy, and perhaps doable before marriange and kids or after marriage and kids.

I however have 4 kids, one of whom is still in college, a wife I love dearly (even though she has minimal use for a bicycle), and a house payment to make every month.  I get my touring fix with a couple of overnights and week long trip each summer.  In 10 or 15 years, I will be retired, and then perhaps I will tour more.

But I would not give up the route I have taken. 

41

Great Lakes / Re: Lake Erie

« on: May 29, 2012, 09:46:16 am »

There is a slightly closer ferry that goes from Algonac to Walpole Island.  You would save about 10 miles.  Walpole Island is connected by a bridge to the rest of Ontario.  The Bluewater Ramble, a Michigan event ride in October makes use of both the Algonac and Marine City ferrys as part of its route.  The ride has its lunch stop on the Canadian side midway between both ferry stops.

You could go off the the Underground Railroad route at Riverview.  I would use Google Maps to work out your route from Riverview to Toledo.

42

General Discussion / Re: Overall weight for touring

« on: May 29, 2012, 09:21:38 am »

Packaged weight is listed at 5 pounds 5 ounces.  Are you adding a 1-pound poncho in case the fly leaks?  I don't think I've ever added anything (except maybe rain or dew) to any tent I've carried beyond what the manufacturer shipped.

To surlyboy's question, John Nelson said it well.  It's not too heavy and it's not stupid-light, you should do well with it.

We all decide what we want to carry, based on its value to us.

This is a two person tent, with dual doors and vestibules.  The weight seems to be in the realm of of what a tent of that nature weighs.  If the tent proves to be too heavy, then the obvious choice is a solo tent.

43

Gear Talk / Re: Touring Bikes Under Consideration

« on: May 16, 2012, 10:16:25 am »

This is a pretty broad spread, price wise.  My only comment, is that if you can afford a Nor'Wester, then why not go for an Americano.  Why?  Your list looks to be all light touring bikes.  There is some disagrement over what can be done on a light touring bike and what requires a heavy touring bike.  Sort of like arguing over how much truck do you really need: a Ford Ranger of a Ford F-350.  The Co-Motion Americano can definitely take whatever you want to throw at it, and it only a little bit more expensive than a Co-Motion Nor'Wester.

In general, you need to decide what features you really want, and how badly you are willing to pay for them.  A bike for a ride across Asia has a different set of requirements than a weekend in Florida.  You said a week long trip, but that still can mean a lot of things.  So think about your feature list and budget, and we can talk again after that.

44

Gear Talk / Re: Surly Disc Trucker v. LHT

« on: May 07, 2012, 08:52:22 pm »

Cannot speak for the Long Haul Trucker specifically.  But I had a 1991 Trek 520, their touring bike.  It had a steel frame with skinny tubes like the LHT.  I never experienced any wiggling of the frame descending mountains at 40 mph with front and rear panniers, handlebar bag, and rear rack bag.  I tend to think all bikes are more than stiff enough for anything.  People who complain about stiffness of a bike says more about them than the bike.

I am going to have to respectfully disagree with you--sometimes it is the bike and not the rider.  Most sub $2000 touring bikes are sold to people who never put panniers on them and the bike companies know that and cut corners knowing that they can get away with it.  I work with a guy that owns a 520 which is slightly older than yours (old enough to be 27" instead of 700c), and he has had wiggle issues.  Neil Gunton over at CrazyGuyOnABike has owned several bikes that have had ride issues when loaded down with panniers.  And I have had wiggle issues with my first touring bike, a Bianchi Volpe.  I am confident that all three of us were capable of getting the weight in our panniers balanced, that we know how to spin our pedals smoothly, and that we make sure that our wheels are properly seated, true, and round.

I may have misspoke when I talked about frame stiffness.  I can make my Waterford frame flex, but vibrations immediately dampen out.  I will have to talk to my mechanical engineering buddies to find out what material property describes the ability to dampen out vibration.  I don't know how Waterford does it, but it is a beautiful thing.  Sad thing is that I would expect every touring frame to do that.  Cheaper touring bikes might weigh more and do come with crappier components, but they ought to be tour ready.

I am glad to hear that your 520 works for you.  And I glad to hear about those glowing LHT testimonials.

45

Gear Talk / Re: Surly Disc Trucker v. LHT

« on: May 07, 2012, 10:33:48 am »

The couple of people I know (self included) who went the custom bike route have paid closer to $5000 to get a custom bike.  Granted we all went for the tanderm wheel sets, and that usually mean $1000 on just the wheels.  So there is no getting around the fact that an LHT is much cheaper.

I have seen a lot of LHTs, but I have never seen one with panniers on it.  The tubing diameter looks small to be stiff enough to tour on.  I ended up with a custom touring bike because my light touring  bike that came from the LBS wiggled with 60 pounds of gear on it.

Anyone really tour on an LHT with full packs?   Is the frame stiff enough for full packs?

Credit card trips don't count.  Supported trips don't count either.