Messages

1

Routes / Re: Cycling Across Canada 2026

« on: May 08, 2025, 06:37:05 pm »

David, sorry you didn’t get any input. I would have been interested. 

Personally, I love Canada and might be interested in a TransCan.  But from what I’ve heard, there are some delightful roads and some dangerous ones.  I remember hearing that BC has a good route with paved shoulders, but the prairie provinces have a lot of bad sections on the TCH.  Across the tops of lakes Superior and Huron are known to be bad roads, with heavy, fast traffic and soft gravel shoulders.

Some years ago, Ontario started a program to improve cycling.  I don’t know how successful this was, or whether the objective was to improve touring.

All of this is heresay, just what I remember hearing.  If somebody knows better, please speak up. 

2

Gear Talk / Re: Best bicycle tracker or air tag

« on: May 05, 2025, 01:14:42 am »

Note that Airtags don’t work inside metal.  I considered hiding one in my carbon frame, but I’m not interested in pulling the crank or head for annual battery changes.  The most popular holders go under a bottle cage or on the seatpost bolts under the seat.

3

Gear Talk / Re: Fleece vs insulated jacket

« on: March 12, 2025, 10:27:15 am »

Don’t forget about wool.  It doesn’t compact down as much as down, but is good insulation over a wide temp range, say freezing to ~50F/15C.  Also breathes well and retains warmth when wet.  My wool/poly insulating jacket and merino jersey are valuable parts of my kit on long tours. 

But I may be more concerned with warmth than bulk, compared to your needs.

4

Routes / Re: How many people ride the Northern Tier each year?

« on: February 09, 2025, 08:21:44 am »

I'd say that both unofficial and official hostility to dirtbag travel in general is much higher today than ten or more years ago.  This is all even more noticeable if you aren't traveling a popular route.

I avoid the issue altogether, by not looking like a homeless or poor person.  I usually shave daily and wear clothing that looks like athletic wear.  This way people don’t hassle me, or worse yet, try to give me money - I have heard of this happening.

5

General Discussion / Re: campsites on Empire State Trail

« on: January 10, 2025, 08:53:24 am »

I’ve camped at Middleport, Spencerport and Macedon hiker-biker sites.  (Also in Holley, but they no longer permit it).  No issues.  The police came around to just keep an eye on things, thanks.  I’ve also wild camped in Greece and Albion, also no problems.

One positive for these hiker-biker areas is you might make new friends with others using the campground.

In the larger picture, I have used hiker-biker sites and wild camped along other trails.  The main hazards are kids hassling you, raccoons, weather, stuff like that.  The kids will eventually go home, you may need to hang your smellables, and weather is weather, be equipped.

Enjoy your trip!

6

General Discussion / Re: ACA Donation Requests

« on: December 13, 2024, 06:42:53 pm »

What makes you think this is a money grab?  We all get tired of the begging, but all they’re asking you to do is to create a new account. 

7

Routes / Re: Lake Champlain circuit route questions

« on: November 20, 2024, 08:50:40 pm »

I have made that crossing, though it was 10 years ago.  It was simple and painless, probably the easiest entry to Canada that I’ve ever done on a bike.  We returned via Rouses Point a few hours later, also no issues, though US customs are always sterner and ask more questions.

8

Gear Talk / Re: Best Rim Brake Wheels?

« on: November 05, 2024, 11:54:07 pm »

I’ve had good service from Rhyno Lites. But for extra heavy duty, I put Velocity Cliffhangers on our tandem, a Double Vision recumbent.

9

Routes / Re: How many people ride the Northern Tier each year?

« on: September 26, 2024, 08:59:08 pm »

Others may wish to share, but I feel that long-distance, self-contained touring
has seen a huge drop-off over the past 25 or 30 years.
If it time? Money? Inclination?

Traffic volume increases? Distracted drivers?  Aging enthusiasts?  Antagonistic drivers?

I get the sense that long distance touring is in decline generally, and I bet AC thinks so too, as they are emphasizing shorter tours.  They are also offering few self-contained tours and more van supported.

The times, they are a-changin’.

10

Gear Talk / Re: Need a bike

« on: September 23, 2024, 09:52:08 am »

The unpaved parts of the Empire State Trail will be rolled stone dust, not gravel or dirt.  I agree that somewhat wider tires on a road bike would be adequate.  40mm tires will be fine, even 32mm would be ok.  I have ridden a lot on rolled stone dust (on the Erie part of EST), mostly with 40mm hybrid tires, and I never had any traction issues.

But to actually answer your question… you might look at a medium to high end hybrid such as the Trek FX series.  The 1x gearing is adequate, and they can be fitted with racks.  I outfitted my FX5 with rear rack and handlebar bag.  On a trip with indoor lodging, I use two small panniers, racktop bag and a medium handlebar bag.

11

Gear Talk / Re: CF Seatpost Length

« on: September 23, 2024, 09:30:17 am »

Don’t base your initial seatpost length on a historic value from a very different kind of bike.  The posture is very different.  I found that configuring a Rans/Phoenix bike to be a long and iterative process.  Changing one dimension or angle usually required tweaking another at tha same time.  For example, little higher might require a seat angle change, which needed a second height adjustment.  It took me about six months and several hundred miles of riding to dial it in.

FYI, my bike is a Sequoia with the stock flat seat used at the time.

You’ll be able to tell in a short time if your post is too long.  If not, I’d leave it full length.  I ended up with the seat higher as I dialed it in

12

Routes / Re: GART vs ACA TransAm?

« on: July 22, 2024, 12:06:58 pm »

  …
But we rode from Togwotee Pass to Jackson yesterday, mostly on roads and it was just glorious.

Coming down Togwatee, I had to stop and dry my eyes.

13

General Discussion / Re: Maximum Tire With on Amtrak

« on: July 19, 2024, 02:24:27 am »

Same (joined) train between Chicago and Albany. Eastbound it splits in Albany, part goes on to Boston and the rest goes to NY.  It does the opposite westbound, combining in Albany.

You can buy a ticket on the combined part, say from Cleveland to Buffalo, using either train number.  But it’s the same physical train.  Thus the confusion.

I think the Empire Builder does the same thing.  Westbound it splits in Spokane.

14

General Discussion / Re: Maximum Tire With on Amtrak

« on: July 18, 2024, 04:29:49 pm »

One example is trains 48 and 448, the Lakeshore Limited.  It splits in Albany NY for Boston or NY Penn.  Both numbers are active and used between CHI and ALB.  Sometimes prices are different for the two trains.  Probably has something to do with yield management. 

15

Gear Talk / Re: Short tours on 3 speed IGH

« on: June 26, 2024, 06:32:52 pm »

I dearly love hub gears, and have a special fondness for the AW (there are five in working bikes on the property).  I've even converted an old Raleigh International to hub gears, a five speed.  But for any touring that's not flat! flat! flat! I'd get more gears.  A bad headwind day can tax your low.  A marvelous tailwind day will have you overspinning your high.  Conditions will put you where third is too high and second is too low, that's a 33% jump there.

If you fall in love with touring, as many of us have, you'll want to extend beyond extremely flat terrain.  You made a good choice on the Aurora, it will serve you well - and it's gorgeous.

Here’s an update.  I updated that old International with a Nexus 8 and rode the length of Ireland last year (sagged).  The gearing was low enough for all but the steepest hills.