Messages

1

Gear Talk / Re: Tablets/IPad or laptops

« on: January 24, 2017, 10:11:25 am »

So I never replied with what I did....

Basically I had my Garmin Edge 500 recording the route.  I would charge it each night and it had more than enough capacity to keep all of the daily logs.

For pictures I used my phone with geotagging turned on.  I turned it on for any pictures, and shut if off again when done.  I charged it each night or daily at parks.

I posted each picture to Instagram, then had Feedburner grab the RSS feed, convert it to XML and I embedded the XML on my site.  People, like my kids and family, could then see pictures real-time as I took them and I didn't have to put any time into making that happen beyond taking the pic and posting it to Instagram.

When I got back I took the pics and the GPS logs, and ran them through software that could put the pictures on the map in the place I took them, essentially created a map of my route with pictures.

You can see the now old site with what I mentioned above here:

http://www.motate.org/biketour/

2

Gear Talk / Re: do I have too much crap?

« on: August 16, 2013, 11:49:03 am »

My bike handled no differently with the front and back loaded and only the back loaded.  It sure felt faster without the front loaded though.

I did try to keep weight out of the handlebar bag as much as possible as I've heard that can contribute to "shimmy".

One thing that was much better when both front and back were loaded was picking the bike up from the ground.  With both loaded it picked up nice and evenly. With only the back loaded it would wheelie every time I picked it up.

3

Classifieds / Arkel large handlebar bag and Tubus Duo front rack for sale

« on: July 05, 2013, 03:24:39 pm »

Just got back from my trip and need to sell a few things to cover my fun.  These are on ebay, but I'd consider ending the auction early for reasonable offers.

These were on my Surly Disc Trucker (Long Haul Trucker) and worked wonderfully!


Arkel large handlebar bag (black) with the rain cover included - $214.90 value

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=271234381041


Tubus Duo front rack - $120 value

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=271234377016

4

Gear Talk / Re: do I have too much crap?

« on: July 05, 2013, 12:27:03 pm »

I ended up sending the front panniers home on the third day.  I'm going to sell the Tubus Duo front rack.  My Arkel rear bags and handlebar bag had more than enough room for everything I needed.

I embedded some pictures of the trip on to Google Maps if anyone is bored at work today.

http://www.motate.org/biketour/

5

Connecting ACA Routes / Re: Denver, CO to NW Iowa, two alternatives?

« on: July 05, 2013, 12:24:58 pm »

Well, I got it finished!  Embedded some pictures on to Google Maps if anyone is bored at work today.

http://www.motate.org/biketour/

6

Gear Talk / Re: Surly Disc Trucker v. LHT

« on: July 02, 2013, 05:12:11 pm »

Seriously though, has anyone mounted a Tubus Tara rack to the disc trucker fork and fenders with normal stays?

Don't know about the Tara, but I had a Tubus Duo on there with big fenders and all was well.  I'm selling the Duo though, my rear bags are so big I can get everything in there.

7

General Discussion / riding and camping in thunderstorms

« on: June 12, 2013, 05:42:07 pm »

As my trip gets closer the one thing I get nervous about is thunderstorms.

The first question is what to do if one is approaching and I'm biking in the middle of nowhere?  If it gets bad I'll look for a bridge or culvert to hide under, but what if there is none of that?

And then what about camping in a thunderstorm?  I know to stay away from big trees, but what if there is no safe haven to run to?

8

Gear Talk / Re: do I have too much crap?

« on: May 02, 2013, 02:51:02 pm »

Yeah, the first day that I tried riding to work with front panniers on I scraped them on the ground twice.  Since then I've been more careful.

9

Gear Talk / Re: do I have too much crap?

« on: May 02, 2013, 02:05:14 pm »

Scraping my panniers on the ground when you lean it over too much...

10

Gear Talk / Re: MTB tires

« on: May 02, 2013, 11:23:56 am »

I went tubeless last year after tons of flats on the Great Divide.  I'll never ride tubes on a mountain bike again, it's that much better.

11

Gear Talk / Re: do I have too much crap?

« on: May 02, 2013, 11:22:23 am »

Thanks for all the replies, I think I could easily get everything in to my T-42 rear panniers.  I have about everything loaded and front and rear panniers only seem half full.  I also don't like how much I have to watch the bike in corners with the fronts on.  I was thinking I'd need the fronts for the extra food I'd need on my first few days, but maybe I'll try to keep them off.

12

Gear Talk / Re: ACA & Smartphones

« on: April 23, 2013, 12:27:45 pm »

To the OP, I know you said you weren't keen on dynamo hubs, but have you seen the Luxos U?  USB charging integrated in to the headlight.  People have commented that they've used it to charge their phone while being used for navigation and their phone was at 100% when done riding.

I still can't be sold on using a phone for navigation on tour.  I like using my phone over our car's nav system because searches and manual entry are a lot easier, but once on the bike with a set route I'd rather use my Edge 500 over the phone any day.  Sure I dropped my Samsung S3 from 7 feet up twice and it didn't break, then it fell out of my pocket a foot off the ground and cracked.  Battery life on it is ok, but no way it's going to last a day of navigating with GPS on, the Edge will last about 14 hours.  Worrying about charging something while riding that I "need" while riding isn't a worry I want.

That said, I know there are some people that love it, why not have a section on tips and tricks for using it.

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/b&m-hl.asp

13

Gear Talk / Re: do I have too much crap?

« on: April 21, 2013, 06:22:29 pm »

I live in Denver.  Calculated out that's only a cumulative average of 1.4% grade over 10.5 miles, but it's not a sustained climb and has some flat sections?  Most of the actual "hills" on my ride to work are 4-6% when I calculate them out, which I was hoping were good tests.  The one bummer is that I don't have the up and down rollers on the ride that you find in the midwest.

You can see the elevation profile at the link below.  I was thinking that for cruising across Nebraska that heading up Lookout Mountain with my panniers might be overkill and not quite the same.  I want rollers vs sustained climbing for the type of riding that will be.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/295157214

I planned on riding east out of Denver to Strasburg a few times for some overnight camping, and also down to Chatfield for some overnight camping.  The road to Strasburg by Aurora Reservoir has some nice rollers.  I rode that with a friend when he did his TransUSA trip.

Honestly, my biggest concern is that my typical rides to work and back are 10 or 12 miles each way.  I'm only putting in 24 miles a day at present, 34 if I get crazy and take a different route.  Sometimes I feel like I hit a wall right past the 25 mile mark as that's what my body is used to.  I've done 150 in a day before, but that was a long time ago and my typical rides were 60 to 80 miles at a pop before doing it.  I know the solution to that is to get my butt out there and ride.

14

Gear Talk / Re: do I have too much crap?

« on: April 21, 2013, 05:14:25 pm »

Thanks for all the replies.

I weighed the bike alone today and it's 36 lbs. That's with stainless fenders, front and rear racks and a dynamo hub.

So I guess 27 lbs isn't awful for two sets of panniers and a large handle bar bag loaded.  That said I'm not at 100% load yet either on the list I had.

My typical ride to work route is a good test of weight.  It gains about 800 feet over 10.5 miles.  I've also done lots of century days, although on a nice light road bike.  I'm not so worried about the fitness portion of it, I just don't want to be plugging along at 9mph hauling a bunch of stuff I don't need.  Everytime I go out on the road bike and see the huge speed difference I start thinking I have too much stuff on the touring bike, I have to change my mindset more than anything.

15

Gear Talk / Re: ACA & Smartphones

« on: April 19, 2013, 11:01:09 pm »

I use my phone a lot for navigation when riding around town.  That said, the battery life on my phone isn't conducive to relying on it out on the road.  I have my days planned out as GPX files.  I'll just convert them to TCX and upload them to my Garmin Edge for navigation.  I've also done that around town and it works great.