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Messages - hondo77

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Gear Talk / Re: rear lighting
« on: May 11, 2023, 09:58:03 am »
I have two NiteRider Solas 250 lights attached to a NiteRider Double Taillight Rack Mount. I also have stuff on top of my rear rack but cars can see the lights very clearly.

2
General Discussion / Re: Sunglasses
« on: April 17, 2023, 10:23:27 am »
I'm a big fan of Tifosi cycling sunglasses. Great prices and they're great glasses. I stopped using them for a while because they didn't have frameless models but now they do so I'm back. Lots of lenses to choose from, too.

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FWIW, to go around the PCH closure next month, I'm planning to go from Santa Cruz to camp at Pinnacles National Park Campground, then camp at Lake Nacimiento, then follow the route above back onto PCH (maybe catching it near Cayucos, though) to camp in Pismo Beach.

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General Discussion / Re: Cell phone data
« on: March 23, 2023, 04:18:34 pm »
My wife and I have a 2GB plan together. It's fine when we're mostly home and can use the WiFi. It used to be enough when we weren't home. These days, though, whenever we travel to where we don't have WiFi, even if we try to be careful, we always go over pretty quickly.

Thanks for bringing this up. It'll be interesting to see how fast I go over on my little May tour.

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General Discussion / Re: Adjust Your Plans for Touring in the West
« on: March 21, 2023, 03:35:22 pm »
Yeah, I'm toying with the idea of moving my tour around California from early May to after Labor Day. PCH won't be open all the way but the rest of the flooding recovery will be better than early May, I suspect.

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ACA needs to come up with a safe bypass around this closure...

The route given four posts above yours looks pretty good: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/35120765

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Gear Talk / Re: Shimano CUES
« on: March 13, 2023, 01:26:40 pm »
Hondo, you can run a 2x11 system using GRX600 right now.

It's not just a matter of 2x11, it's the gear-inches I need for fully-loaded touring. I have a 20x34 9-speed that gives me 16 gear-inches (which seems to be fine so far). A CUES 22x45 11-speed will give me 13 gear-inches (I don't know if I can even keep my bike upright with that!). A 30x42 only gives me 19.5 and I know I want to go lower than that. I'm a big guy riding a heavy rig so I need all the help I can get. :-)

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General Discussion / Re: Clean bike shorts with ethanol?
« on: March 08, 2023, 12:21:28 pm »
Some things cannot be sterilized. Poop, for instance. Sometimes only a good scrubbing with soap will do. Just something to be aware of.

I do agree with the post above. Multiple shorts and access to water will be available in a day or two.

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Gear Talk / Shimano CUES
« on: March 02, 2023, 03:56:09 pm »
This week, Shimano announced their new drivetrain line called "CUES". It unites their lower-end lines (Deore, Sora, Alivio, etc.), does away with triples, is 9-10-11 speed, has the same pull-ratios and uses the same chain across everything, has 11-45 cassettes to be used with 2x and an 11-50 cassette to be used with 2x.

This was an unexpected announcement and, while no reviews are out yet, the press is very favorable. I am so stinkin' excited about this because my dream of a fully-loaded touring 2x crankset that can be used with an 11-speed cassette is becoming a reality. Drop bar components like brifters are expected later in the year.

https://bike.shimano.com/en-US/product/component/cues.html
https://road.cc/content/blog/shimano-cues-genuine-game-changer-299611

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When my Disc Trucker is fully loaded, I could live with the highest gear giving me 66 gear-inches. Just like you, that allows me to pedal standing up on the flats to mix things up. That's for a pretty heavy setup, though. Fortunately, I have a few more cogs to go so I can keep standing up on declines with a tailwind. ;)

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General Discussion / Re: Continental gator skin bicycle tires.
« on: February 22, 2023, 02:28:56 pm »
One reason for using Conti's rather than Marathon Plus is that if you do get a flat in a Marathon+ they are a nightmare to take off at the side of the road.

I have used Durano Plus and Marathon Plus from Schwalbe. Durano Plus is a dream to take off and put on. Marathon Plus is only slightly harder to put back on. For me, anyway. I've had tens of thousands of miles experience with the Durano Plus whereas I have only ridden Marathon Plus for several hundred miles.

On topic, I used Gatorskins several years ago. Then I got three flats on a single ride and on the same tire (it wa no't worn out). That was the end of Gatorskins for me.

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