Messages

481

Gear Talk / Rear Derailleur

« on: October 27, 2007, 08:21:23 am »

Just be sure the new one has the same cage clearance as the one you're
replacing. Couple of different sizes depending on your biggest cog. Many
touring bikes have larger lows.

Assuming you take better care of the rest of your rig than you did your
rear mech, replacing the whole thing is definitely the better idea.

david boise ID

go, ristretto, FCP/AE
"Read the manual."

482

Gear Talk / Touring Friendly LBS in D/FW

« on: October 06, 2007, 09:46:27 am »

I'd find some bike mfrs you like and ask them who sells their bikes in
your market area. Imagine trying to find a bike shop that is touring
friendly and understand recumbents in Boise ID. We have neither.

I know of only a precious few shops that proudly cater to all forms of
the bicycle world but it's not really something that you can expect.
Hardly any retail outlet can cater to all forms of a sport or niche. For
instance, it is rare to find a camera shop that carries 4x5 view cameras,
underwater housings for dive photographers and a huge selection of
the hottest selling point and shoot digitals.

david boise ID

go, ristretto, FCP/AE
"Read the manual."

483

Gear Talk / USS Recumbent water :)

« on: October 04, 2007, 11:01:48 am »

The mfr of your bike should be your second stop after you spend a few
hours exploring bentrideronline.com where you will find tons of USS
discussions from hundreds of riders.

I second the bladder advice. Hacking water bottle cages is kinda silly,
just a set of compromises on mechanical integrity and accessibility.
I have the same problem with headlight mounts on my Easy Racers
bike. Decades ago, the original designer had a huge supply of small-
diameter tubing and he used it for the handlebar crossbrace. Ever since
then, we have all been trying to hack a decent solution for mounting
any and all conventional handlebar accessories. Nothing really works
well except expensive third party solutions.

david boise ID



go, ristretto, FCP/AE
"Read the manual."

484

Gear Talk / Laptop to carry on bike trip?

« on: October 04, 2007, 11:05:43 am »

You're already underway o this doesn't matter much but I'd suggest an
iPhone.

However, I cannot imagine traveling with a laptop or expensive
electronics. That much money tied up in easily stolen stuff, too much
to keep worrying about, batteries, finding Internet links, keeping it dry
and out of the dust... How did we EVER get along for the last century of
bike travel without all that stuff?

david boise ID

go, ristretto, FCP/AE
"Read the manual."

485

Gear Talk / Tire Pumps for Long Tours

« on: September 16, 2007, 09:16:32 pm »

There are several frame pumps that have fold out legs or floor
platforms. Topeak makes a few models, look for the Road Morph, very
popular, I've got one. Works great.

http://www.topeak.com/2007/products/minipumps/roadmorphg.php

david boise ID

go, ristretto, FCP/AE
"Read the manual."

486

Gear Talk / USS Recumbent Mirror

« on: September 16, 2007, 09:29:39 pm »

http://www.rei.com/product/723518

I switched to convex bar end mirrors a couple of years ago, many on
the market. As a year-round commuter, I kept breaking or losing my
helmet mounted mirrors.
This unit is easily adapted, with a bit of messing around, to USS
recumbent, however, with the mirror so far away from your eyes, the
convex style doesn't give you much in the way of detail; one reason
USS and trikes tend to use helmet mirrors.

Editorially, it is a myth that, when riding a recumbent, it is more
difficult to turn one's head to check the rear or side. The idea is that
the action tends to swing the bike dangerously. Tosh, just takes
practice. It is, however, a bit tedious so I think we use mirrors more
assertively than upright riders. Still, it's silly not to ride with a mirror,
don't you think? I can't ride anywhere without my mirrors anymore than
I could drive without mirrors.

david boise ID

go, ristretto, FCP/AE
"Read the manual."

487

Gear Talk / The $64,000 question...Riding gloves!

« on: September 16, 2007, 09:10:34 pm »

Google crochet bicycle glove and you'll find only three models, a black/
red/blue stripe that is badged by Pearl and Nashbar or Performance I
bought three paris about ten yearts ago, just now going through my
last pair), and my next pair at:

http://harriscyclery.net/itemdetails.cfm?catalogId=39&id=2240

david boise ID

go, ristretto, FCP/AE
"Read the manual."

488

Gear Talk / Should I buy a bent?

« on: July 31, 2007, 10:18:59 pm »

The answer is yes, yes, and ever yes.
You can test ride my Tour Easy, 27,000 miles in five years.

See bentinboise at yahoo groups. IOr ask around at World Cycle. They
no longer sell Rans bikes but they service several bents in the valley
including mine. Talk to me, boy.

david boise ID


go, ristretto, FCP/AE
"Read the manual."

489

Gear Talk / Camping Tent

« on: June 21, 2007, 07:27:39 am »

> Looking for a 1 or 2 person lightweight. I have read a few reviews on
different ones. My only concern is condensation. <

Depends on where you are camping and what you want to spend.
Single-wall tents were notorious for condensation a few years ago but
fabric advances have changed that. Mountain Hardware's single-walls
are fabulous. And expensive.

A 1 person tent is way too small for me solo unless I am trying to go
ultralight but UL is a completely different topic.

Almost any tent from a reputable mfr will last many years and
withstand most weather conditions. But if you're biking across
hurricane or tornado country, you need to consider the worst case. It's  
not like camping in southern California.

david boise ID

go, ristretto, FCP/AE
"Read the manual."

490

Gear Talk / Charging electronics on camping tour?

« on: June 17, 2007, 08:44:27 am »

How did we ever manage for 200 years without these things?
Disposable 35mm camera with prepaid processing envelope. Prepaid
phone card. Maps. The music in my head.

david boise ID


go, ristretto, FCP/AE
"Read the manual."

491

Gear Talk / goggles?

« on: June 17, 2007, 08:50:09 am »

> For what it is worth, never use goggles. Reasons are to many to list
and obvious.<

Not obvious to me at all. I always carry a pair of cheap ski goggles in
my rain gear. They go on when the rain starts coming at me sideways
or snow becomes heavier that my Oakleys can deflect. They are always
with me while commuting in spring and fall/winter. Never know when a
storm will roll into the valley.

The safety benefits of being able to see far outweigh any downsides. In
fact, I have never found a downside to my goggles.

david boise ID

go, ristretto, FCP/AE
"Read the manual."

492

Gear Talk / Digital Cameras

« on: December 29, 2007, 11:37:02 am »

Sorry, I haven't read the rest of the thread. I shoot professionally with
Nikon D1 and D2. I would never, repeat NEVER, consider taking either
of those cameras, or any other SLR, on a bike tour that involved riding.
If I was shooting the tour as a documentary, I'd take all of my gear
including a locking transport case that was affixed permanently to the
SUV that was carrying me and my gear. I tour with an old 1.4
megapixel Canon with a broken LCD.

I get asked about digital cameras often. Here is my usual reply to
snapshooters:
1. You do not need fancy equipment to have fun creating memories on
a bike tour. Obsessing over your photo gear diminishes the touring
experience (unless this is something you do often).
2. You do not need huge megapixels. Most of your shots will be
downconverted to itty bitty jpegs for email or uploading to social sites.
One to four megs is more than you need for this simple task. Digital
zoom is meaningless, buy only optical zoom range. Weather sealing is
nice but unnecessary if you are at all careful about your electronics.
3. Buy a camera with controls you can use on the bike and operating
software that does not require carrying the manual.
4. I once recommended only AA battery systems. You must be
confident you can recharge or purchase fresh batts on your route.
5. The camera is only part of the purchase. Get a water resistant case
for storage and a different case that mounts conveniently on the bike
(if you can't get to your camera, you won't use it). You need a lanyard
that will keep the camera from falling into your spokes while riding.
You want a little tripod or some other mount for self-portraits
(armlength is s-o-o boring). You want at least one spare card, maybe
two.
6. Do not buy a camera you can't afford to lose or break on your tour.

If you are thinking you want to learn to be a better photographer, you
pay the price for your equipment and you accept the burdensome task
of hauling it. You accept the risk that it will be stolen or severely
damaged. You know ahead of time--and you must inform your
traveling companions-- that your tour is mostly about developing your
skills as a photographer; your tour is not about riding your bike.
(Imagine your traveling companion informing you that her tour is
about completing her lifetime birding list, not about riding her bike
with you. She carries the tools she needs: identification books,
excellent and expensive binoculars, and her logbook.)

david boise ID  

go, ristretto, FCP/AE
"Read the manual."

493

Gear Talk / Comfort Gear

« on: March 29, 2008, 06:15:53 am »

google "ultralight backpacking" for long discussions of what to add
back once the goal of going light has been achieved.
You will find lots of interesting suggestions that just don't appear on
bikers' radar. But "comfort" is strictly subjective. I must have some kind
of seat/chair with back support. A small chair from Crazy Creek is
much lighter than the cover/frame for my Thermarest but the cover
provides additional puncture resistance for the mattress. I discovered
those egg crate ultralight sleep pads from Cascade Designs add
substantial padding under any Thermarest for almost no mass gain.
Depending on your expected night temps, a silk bag liner can add
several degrees to your sleeping bag without much mass.
Wool.

david boise ID
 

go, ristretto, FCP/AE
"Read the manual."

494

Gear Talk / Anyone name their bike?

« on: February 18, 2008, 10:09:24 am »

Easy Racers Tour Easy, "Lume della Luna."

david boise ID

go, ristretto, FCP/AE
"Read the manual."

495

GPS Discussion / Clueless

« on: November 12, 2008, 06:06:20 am »

Your local library will have several GPS books on the shelves.

I gotta say the only people I've seen on bike tours or other bike events
who actually enjoy using their GPS devices are GPS geeks. Everyone else
uses the most basic functions such as speed and rate of climb because
the devices are so insanely difficult to use and, besides, we've all got
maps and cue sheets.

You can spend $150-300 on a decent receiver but a good and useful
GPS setup for a bike will run you about $1k. This price includes the
unit, spare batteries, bike mount, optional sensors for cadence and HR,
solar charger, upgrades to the proprietary software, and the mapping
software you may need to download and manage your routes.

All of the better GPS software appears to by PC-only so if you're a
Macintosh user you have to buy a computer, too.

http://www.rei.com/category/1/q/GPS

david boise ID

go, ristretto, FCP/AE
"Read the manual."