Messages

1

General Discussion / Re: Who's driving the increase in Cassette cog numbers?

« on: May 22, 2013, 07:17:13 pm »

This is not related to cog size but to the manufacturers driving choices. The basic bike computer really only needs to tell me what my total mileage and days mileage and time of day are. Not all the splits, cadences and heart rate etc. I found my Planet Bike computer going blank while on a rainy day ride the other day. I just want something rugged, reliable and simple. Any suggestions?

Two words: Cat Eye.   They are as rugged and reliable and anything ever made.  Even on my rain bike, they never fail and battery life  on one CR-2032, (available everywhere) is years and years.  Find a Mity 8 or Enduro 8 wired Cat-Eye and never look back.  Yes, they will tell you more than you think you need to know but you can easily ignore the excess info. 

2

General Discussion / Re: Establishing a budget. Can you review my list? Suggestions??

« on: May 22, 2013, 01:30:59 pm »

Some people swear by their Leatherman, but before you buy and carry one, ask yourself exactly what maintenance on the bike requires one. Very little to none. Yea, sure, there are some theoretical things you might do with it, but most are unlikely and you can figure out other ways to do those things.

+1  the Leatherman and it's copies are both heavy and have a lot of unnecessary tools for bike travel.  A middle range Swiss Army Knife will have all of the useful tools (knife, small screwdriver, scissors, and even the essential corkscrew.) with much less bulk and weight.

3

General Discussion / Re: Tandem bike possible with large rider in Stoker position

« on: May 21, 2013, 03:48:43 pm »

One tandem team couple in my Bike Club has the same situation you describe, the man is vision impaired so the wife  is the stoker with the expected size and weight differential.  They seem to have no problems with their tandem.

I don't know if you need a custom tandem or just a long MTB-type seatpost in the stoker position and a very short stoke stem to give your brother enough reach.   Co-Motion does make a tandem with a three section stoker seatpost that telescopes over a huge range of heights.  It was originally designed to allow a small child to ride with an adult without a "kid-back" crank set and then adjust upward as the child reached adulthood.  Perhaps a variation on that frame would work.

4

General Discussion / Re: Who's driving the increase in Cassette cog numbers?

« on: May 18, 2013, 01:53:49 pm »

Yes, the "performance" and racing market is driving the ever increasing cog count and ever lighter component market but, "obsolete" components are available lon after they have become obsolete.  You can still buy 7-speed cassettes (or even 5 and 6-speed freewheels) in a fair range of gearing and 8 and 9-speed will be supported for years and years to come.  Of all the major manufacturers, Shimano has been the best at supporting older groups and providing useful touring components.  Campy is strictly focused on the racing and performance market and SRAM isn't much better.   

5

General Discussion / Re: HELP! Items Checklist. Need advice. (especially from John Nelson)

« on: May 17, 2013, 07:42:07 pm »

The Thermarests are basically a foam pad enclosed in an airtight casing.  They "self inflate" as the compressed foam inside expands and sucks air in through the open valve.  They do about 85% of the inflating for you and you just top them up to your desired firmness by mouth and close the valve.  To pack them you open the valve, roll them tight to expel all of the air and close the valve.  They stay rolled up until you want to let them inflate again.  In the event of a tear in the outer casing, they still provide some padding and insulation.

So, they are both an inflatable pad and a foam pad all in one and the smaller, thinner ones are quite light.  To answer your question, no there are no light foam pads thick enough to make you comfortable.   

6

General Discussion / Re: Establishing a budget. Can you review my list? Suggestions??

« on: May 17, 2013, 03:05:04 pm »

The one thing in your list that caught my attention was "Handlebar - Find USED".  NO.  Of all the things on a bike that you NEVER want to compromise, handlebars are on top of the list.  Buy good quality new ones. They aren't that expensive. 

7

General Discussion / Re: HELP! Items Checklist. Need advice. (especially from John Nelson)

« on: May 15, 2013, 07:13:36 am »

Unless you are a very serious photographer and photos are the main purpose of the trip, lose the EOS.  In the days of film cameras, weight and size were essential to get quality pictures.  That is no longer true and very small, light digital cameras do a wonderful job.   The camera's Indyfabz describes have been long replaced by digitals with less than 10% of their size and weight. The EOS is not only excessively large and heavy but it is also vulnerable to damage.  Get something small, light and rugged. 

As to air mattresses, I have a Thermorest pad that is self inflating so you just open the valve and let it do most of the work for you.  A few puffs by mouth to firm it up and you are done. They can be very light and are also good insulation.  Is the air mattress you described one of those Wal-Mart slumber party types?   

8

Gear Talk / Re: Bike Sizing

« on: May 06, 2013, 07:16:15 am »

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.

I did just the opposite when I bought my Litespeed in 1996.  The frame came in 55 and 57 cm sizes and, since my previous bike was a 56, I went with the 55.  The problem was that my legs are long for my overall height (5' 9") and that required a lot of seatpost extension to get my saddle positioned correctly.  So, to get the bars positioned comfortable (~3.5 cm below the saddle) required a long quill stem at first and, later, a lot of spacers when I converted it to a threadless fork and stem.  I rode that bike for over 70,000 miles and still have it but always felt it was a bit too small.

When I bought my newer bike in 2006, I went with the 57 cm frame and find it a much better fit as both the seatpost extension and spacer stack are much more "conventional".

Upshot: the size you will like better is also dependent on your proportions.   

9

Gear Talk / Re: Bike Sizing

« on: May 05, 2013, 07:01:27 am »

Assuming the standover height allows you to comfortably straddle the 60 cm frame (if not, don't consider it) then the deciding factor can be the top tube length.  If you have long arms and/or prefer a more stretched out riding position, get the 60.  If you want a more upright position, the shorter top tube of the 58 will make this easier.  In either case, stem length and angle can be chosen to get a comfortable riding position but the proper frame choice makes it a bit easier.

10

General Discussion / Re: The importance of always wearing a helmet

« on: May 05, 2013, 06:52:52 am »

The current (June) issue of Bicycling Magazine has an article "Why Your Helmet Should Be Safer" that discusses the limits of current helmet designs and why it's so difficult to incorporate newer and better technology. 

In brief, the author states that modern helmets do a great job of  keeping your head intact in major crashes but do a poor job of preventing concussions.  He describes why that's the case, a couple of better technologies and why it's so difficult to get the CPSC regulations changed to require them.  Worth reading.

11

General Discussion / Re: The importance of always wearing a helmet

« on: May 02, 2013, 06:56:39 am »

That said, I once had a very rare accident in which I would have been better off without a helmet. It was at a spot on a sidewalk/trail where a telephone pole guy wire infringed on the right side. I was used to dodging it but once got distracted dodging glass on the sidewalk. The guy wire snagged my right shoulder and helmet, jerking me backwards and slamming me to the ground. I remember briefly looking up at my bicycle. It shattered the helmet and cut my shoulder. Very embarrassing.

Was the helmet at fault or would the wire have snagged your shoulder anyway and caused the accident?  Maybe the helmet saved you from being more seriously hurt. 

I grew up riding when no one rode with a helmet.....

Well, I grew up when no one wore (or even had) seatbelts in a car, steering columns were effective spears, all interior surfaces were hard metal and airbags were the stuff of science fiction.   These days we know better.

12

Gear Talk / Re: OCD bike tech and extra spare parts?

« on: April 29, 2013, 04:36:31 pm »

The glueless patches (Park brand) are not permanent.  They work for a week or two and then leak air.  So do not count on glueless patches fixing a hole in your tube permanently.  They are temporary patches.

The first generation Park GP-1 patches certainly were temporary, sometimes lasting only a few miles.  I had terrible luck with them and gave up on the idea.  The new generation GP-2 parches have gotten mixed but far more favorable reviews.  Applied properly many users say they outlast the tube. YMMV.

13

General Discussion / Re: Tents

« on: April 29, 2013, 04:31:55 pm »

2 people really need two doors and two vestibules, especially if one door/zipper goes bad and you have to sew it up.

Even without considering possible structural failures, two people in a two or three-person tent need separate entrances.  Otherwise the person farther from the single door has to crawl over their tent-mate every time they want to go outside or get something from their bike or packs. That will get old fast. 

14

Gear Talk / Re: OCD bike tech and extra spare parts?

« on: April 29, 2013, 04:56:44 am »

A couple of possible considerations for a long trip:

Add a small squeeze bottle of chain lube that can also be used for pivot points like derailleur and brake pivots.
Check to be sure your patch kit cement tubes are still good as they tend to dry out over time.  Perhaps substitute Park's GP-2 glueless patches.

How many spare tires are you willing to take if your party has bikes with significantly different wheels, say both 700c and 26"?
 

15

Gear Talk / Re: finding bikes to test drive

« on: April 27, 2013, 05:59:09 am »

I understand your wanting a test ride but realize that all of the bikes you mention are so similar in geometry and weight that I doubt you would notice any difference if they were fitted with the same saddles and handlebars.  So choosing based on availability, price, stock components and dealer assistance is just as good.  Any good dealer will let you "customize" your bike by swapping stems, etc. to make it fit you better no matter what name is on the downtube.