Topics

1

Gear Talk / Anyone know what this Arkel accessory is? (Photo attached)

« on: January 21, 2024, 12:59:56 pm »

I'm helping a friend sort and sell some of her late husband's bike touring gear, and I can't figure out what this Arkel Designs product is/does? Some sort of seat bag/wrap? I have no idea, and I haven't had any luck with Google reverse image searches, etc. Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks! :-)

2

Classifieds / Neckar Valley Germany Bike Route Guides & Maps Bikeline and Kompass

« on: August 10, 2023, 04:07:07 pm »

Two current maps / guidebooks to the Neckar River Valley Bike Route (Neckartalradweg) in Germany. Purchased this June 2023 in Germany; like new and newest versions. Selling as a set for one price. We rode this in June this year and really enjoyed the route! BikeLine guide is their typically excellent route book, complete with detailed narrative descriptions (in German, but easily translated with Google Translate camera app). Kompass map is more streamlined and mostly just maps. Both are 1:50,000 scale. I got both because while I like the BikeLine for handlebar bag map case use, I like the map overview that the Kompass has for overall route planning and visibility. $30 for both. Shipping is available at  your cost. Paypal or Venmo ok. Or pick up in Philadelphia, Pa., area.

3

Classifieds / FS: NOS Beckman Modular Tandem rear panniers, front panniers, Gordon f/r racks

« on: September 08, 2016, 09:40:41 am »

Interested in a full set of some of the best panniers and racks made, but don't want to wait over a year and pay $2000 or more? Check out these Robert Beckman Designs panniers and matched Bruce Gordon racks! I bought these for our tandem but have never used them. Although it pains me to sell them, because I'll probably never find another set, I'd rather see them getting some use than sitting in my garage. To buy this setup new would cost over $2500 and months (if not years) of waiting time and frustration.

Rear panniers: Beckman Designs "Modular Tandem" panniers are designed for maximum carrying capacity and flexibility, with a front section that zips off if you don't need all the space. Originally designed for tandem tourists, who need to fit two people's worth of gear on one bike, they are also great for anyone who needs the extra volume. These bags are new, never used.

From Beckman's description of the modular panniers: "The current modular version of the Tandem / Expedition is commonly built in an 18.25”-long version that has three lateral compartments, with each compartment being accessed by a very long 40” entry zipper. Generally, the inner compartment, which has a vertical zip-out divider forming a fore/aft, dual-compartment design, is the widest compartment. In the widest version of this model built for the greatest tandem gear-carrying capacity, which has a capacity of 3600 cubic inches per pair, the inner compartment is 5.5” wide (from the rack outward) and the two outer pockets (compartments) are each 2” wide. They are the most fundamentally advanced, and versatile panniers available for tandem touring. Combining the most advanced four-point mounting systems, triple compression systems and HDPE perimetric stiffeners, this Discovery Series model is dramatically more stable and has a much more advanced gear-loading design than any other tandem or expedition-oriented pannier on the market."

Front panniers: Beckman Designs. I'm not sure of the exact model, but they are a smaller set, sized for front use. While they match the rears in color and general design, they are not modular. These were used once, and basically still look like new, although they have a few light scuffs.

Front and rear racks: Bruce Gordon racks, made at Bruce's shop in Petaluma, California. These had light use, but I had them powder coated matte black (they look cool) due to some scratches in the paint. Super-strong, yet light, racks. Current new retail prices are $232 (rear) and $207 (front).

More photos on my CrazyGuyonaBike ad at https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/classifieds/?o=tS&classified_id=5589&v=h. I have plenty of detailed photos, which I'll be happy to send to serious buyers (having problems uploading pics here).

Price for the front and rear Beckman panniers, and matching front and rear Gordon racks is $799 plus shipping. I'm located in the Philadelphia area.

4

Classifieds / FOR SALE: Co-Motion Pangea S&S coupled bike small size $1750 Philly, Pa., area

« on: March 11, 2016, 05:13:55 pm »

This Co-Motion Pangea 26"-wheeled touring bike with S&S travel couplers is perfect for a shorter person looking for a high quality touring and travel bike. Standover height is ~28 inches. The seat tube measures ~45cm, and with the sloping top tube the frame has a good bit of size flexibility (Co-Motion calls this a 48cm in their frame specs on their website). It should comfortably fit someone between 4'9" and 5'3" or thereabouts.

Co-Motion is a leader in custom and semi-custom touring bike building and is known for its well-made bikes. Scroll down for the full build list and all measurements. Do a Web search and you'll find a lot of great reviews of the Pangea.

The paint job is a very cool purple to black fade. The bike is used (2009 build date) and shows some scratches on the frame, most of which have been touched up, and it looks fine from five feet away. I tried to catch all the blemishes in the photos. Otherwise it is in great condition.

My wife is the second owner of the bike (bought used from a bike shop). Sorry, an S&S case is NOT included in the sale (you will get the special S&S coupler spanner wrench, though).

Lots of photos (24) on my Craigslist ad at http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/bik/5887010736.html

Co-Motion's description:

"Far from a mountain bike with a drop bar, the Pangea is designed with the stable, responsive touring geometry that has made Co-Motion an industry leader.
- Super-duty, extra-large diameter Reynolds 725 Steel tubing and rock-steady hand-built touring fork
- Long chain-stays, room for fat tires and fenders, plus fittings for three bottles, front and rear racks, and the toughness you need for your global touring expedition"

FRAME
-Co-Pilot travel option with S&S couplers
-Reynolds 725 steel tubing
-Frame size (measured) 45cm; Co-Motion calls this a "48cm" on their website, probably because the sloping top tube gives a lot of flexibility.
-28" standover height
-Seat tube: 45cm center-top, 40.5 center-center
-Virtual top tube: 48 cm (sloping top tube)
-Center seatpost to center handlebars: 58cm (with 110mm stem)
-Full touring braze-ons, including front and rear rack and three bottle-cage mounts

COMPONENTS
-Brakes: Avid SD-7 V-brakes
-Brake levers: Cane Creek for drop bars
-Rear derailleur: Shimano XTR M971, long cage
-Front derailleur: Shimano XT M761
-Shifters: Shimano Dura-Ace bar-end, 9-speed, indexed w/friction override
-Cassette: Shimano XT M770 11-34 9-speed
-Chain: SRAM, 9-speed (recent, maybe 100 miles on it)
-Crankset: Race Face Deus, 24/34/46 rings, 170mm arms
-Headset: Chris King 1-1/8", black threadless
-Wheelset: Shimano XT hubs on Sun Ryhno Lite rims
-Skewers: Shimano XT
-Tires: New WTB Slickasaurus 26x1.1 road tires (great for regular unloaded riding, but you'd probably want larger tires for touring; bike will accept really wide tires if you want, even up to MTB tires)
-Handlebars: FSA Omega 42 cm
-Stem: FSA OS150, 110mm x 6 deg., black, 4-bolt removable faceplate
-Seatpost: Kalloy Uno Seraph, 29.8 x 350mm, black
-Seat: Basic Terry "Sport" women's seat installed for test rides, will include if buyer wishes to keep it
-Pedals: not included (well, I might have a set of Shimano XT SPDs in my garage that you can have if I can find them)
-Misc: alloy QR seatpost binder; DaVinci cable splitters on all cables (except front brake); inline cable adjusters

Selling this ready to tour bike for $1750 firm. (For reference, a current Pangea with couplers would cost around $4,800.)

Located in the Philadelphia, Pa., area. Will consider shipping or meeting a buyer within a 1-hour drive. PayPal accepted for long-distance sale, with seller/buyer splitting the fee.

Although this is a 2009 model, it is very similar to the current model shown on Co-Motion's website at http://co-motion.com/bikes/pangea. The main difference is the new model has disc brakes and is 10-speed instead of 9-speed (although the new model has downgraded the derailleurs to an XT rear and 105 front vs. XTR and XT on this bike). For touring, many prefer V-brakes over discs anyway, and the difference between 9- and 10-speed drivetrains is negligible.

5

Classifieds / FS: Beckman Designs Modular Tandem/Expedition Rear Panniers

« on: November 07, 2015, 05:59:12 pm »

Selling one pair of expedition-quality modular rear panniers by Robert Beckman Designs (aka Sakkit). These are an extra-large set originally designed for tandem use, but also great for any kind of long (or short!) trip due to their modular design and flexibility.

The modular design features a rear compartment (with several dividers inside) and a front compartment that easily zips off to make the set smaller or so you can take just a few necessities into wherever you are going. The front compartment area has a fully zippered closed part as well as a mesh outer pocket with its own zipper for clothes drying or other quick access.

With all the compartments attached, these are big panniers, probably 3600-4000 cubic inches all told. The bags are made to be bomb-proof, with Cordura nylon, heavy duty zippers, etc. They are handmade in the USA by Beckman.

The color is a teal green (for some reason they look blue in the photos, but they aren't).

These are older Beckman panniers, but still in very good condition. One of the small compression straps is missing on one of the panniers, easily replaced with some 3/4" webbing and a buckle from REI. No rips or tears, and the fabric and zippers are in perfect condition. They could use a good cleaning, and they smell a bit musty due to being stored, but that's about all they need.

While Beckman panniers are designed to be used on certain brands of racks (commonly Bruce Gordon or Beckman Designs), these will fit on Blackburn or Tubus racks with just a bit of reworking of the lower straps.

Lots of photos on my ad on crazyguyonabike.com at https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/classifieds/?o=wA&classified_id=5191&v=j

Selling these hard to find panniers for $160 + shipping. I'm not in a hurry to sell, and the price is firm (to get a set of these new would be well over $500, probably more like $650, so I think $160 is fair). Located in the Philadelphia, Pa., area.

6

General Discussion / Portland, Oregone: Help find XC biker's stolen 46cm LHT

« on: July 22, 2015, 08:40:38 pm »

A friend of a friend just had her bike stolen in Portland, Oregon, after riding cross-country from the East Coast. I don't know her, but here are the details from her posting asking for help. If you know of it, contact the Portland Police using the case number at the end.

Note, this is NOT MY BIKE. Just posting to maybe help her find it.

*****************************************

I just rode across country from Washington DC to Portland OR. My 2nd to last day visiting Portland, my touring bike, that I built myself, was stolen this morning sometime before 8am PST on west Burnside St (NW). I am absolutely heartbroken. I dont have many friends/connections here in Portland but posting this anyway to get the word out for those who are nearby. If you know people in Portland or surrounding area, please tag. Could be already in the marketplace or several weeks before the culprit sells it.

Details:
Surly - Long Haul Trucker
Black 46cm frame
26'' wheels (Continental Tour Ride)
Honey colored Brooks leather saddle (possibly under black seat cover) and matching tan handlebar tape
Teal cable housing
Headset has a unique spacer thats a lime green beer bottle opener
Shimano bar end shifters
Black front rack (old man mountain) and back rack **the front rack cannot be removed unless they find a new quick release for hub mounting**
Front and back Planet Bike fenders **with lots of bright yellow reflective stickers**
The right of the top tube only says "Trucker" on it (compared to all/most LHT bc I scratched it off).
27 speed. Large chain ring is black, middle and small are silver.
Pedals are MKS step-in **flat on one side, clips on the other**
I had a nameplate on the back fender that said "Megan" from Natural Bridge, VA but likely was removed.

Unfortunately I dont have many pics of the bike unloaded because I finished building just before the trip.

Portland police case #15-248109

7

Classifieds / FS: Touring/Hybrid Wheelset Deore hubs on Mavic T520 700c rims 36 spokes

« on: May 14, 2013, 01:09:27 pm »

Touring/hybrid/niner wheelset. Shimano Deore hubs laced 36x with DT spokes to Mavic T520 rims. Very low miles on this wheelset, was on my wife's touring bike for less than 50 miles. 135mm rear spacing. Nice wheelset! $149 + shipping. Photos on request.

Located in Philadelphia, Pa., area if you want to pick up.

8

Classifieds / UPDATED> FS: MTB/Touring Parts

« on: March 29, 2013, 08:23:29 pm »

UPDATED 5/14

E-mail if you have questions or want additional photos. See below in additional postings for photos of most items.

All prices do not include shipping. Pick up in the Philadelphia, Pa., area welcomed, or I'm happy to ship.

Touring/hybrid/niner wheelset. Shimano Deore hubs laced 36x with DT spokes to Mavic T520 rims. Very low miles on this wheelset, was on my wife's touring bike for less than 50 miles. 135mm rear spacing. Nice wheelset! $149.

Front derailleur Shimano XT FD-M735. 28.6, bottom pull. These are actually pretty sought after due to their wide range capability. Retro-dudes like them for half-step setups. Nice shape, a little bit of wear to the black near the swingarm. $25

Front derailleur Shimano DX FD-MT62. 28.6, bottom pull. Again, a wide range front derailleur. Good shape, some wear to the finish on the inside of the cage. $20.

Blackburn Expedition rear rack. Black, for 700c wheels. In good shape with mounting struts. $20.

XTR rear derailleur. Shimano M953 8-9 speed compatible (Mega9). Rapid Rise. Bottom pulley has typical crack in it (it seems every XTR RD I have has this happen), but does not effect use. Some scratches, but otherwise good (was on my wife's bike). $40

XTR front derailleur. Shimano M950. 34.9mm clamp size (fits most aluminum frames), you can use on smaller frames with a shim (not included). Top swing (low clamp) leaves plenty of room on your seat tube for bottle cages or whatever. Some pitting of chrome finish, but functionally perfect. $10

>> Buy both XTR RD and FD for $45 + shipping and save $5.

8-speed cassettes. XT M737 11-28, VGC, $25; LX, 11-28, GC, $10.

DX tandem or single-speed crankset. Shimano MT60, 175mm length. NOS in perfect condition. This is a tandem "captain's" crankset with pedal holes tapped in reverse from a regular crank (arm with chainring is designed to go on the left side of the bike), but works great as a single speed crank if you retap the threads or put some Helicoils in the pedal holes. Includes NOS Shimano 38 tooth 110 BCD chainring. Really nice old school cranks! $30

Looking for something else? E-mail me, I might have it. My wife says "clean out the garage" so I'm paring down many years worth of parts packratting.

9

Classifieds / FS: Bikeline guide to Danube Passau-Vienna route in English $11.50 shipped

« on: August 23, 2012, 03:06:12 pm »

Just got back from a tour along the Danube bike route from Passau to Vienna, and I have an as-new Bikeline guidebook for sale. It's the newest version (bought it two weeks ago in Passau, Germany) and is the version in English, covering the section noted above. It cost 13 euros (a bit over $16 USD at current rates). I'll sell for $11.50 shipped (in the USA via Media Mail) and throw in any free advice you want. I've biked this route several times now and know it fairly well.

This book is difficult to impossible to find in the USA, but is really the premier guide to this route. The route is also known as the "Donauradweg" in German, for keyword purposes.

10

Classifieds / **SOLD**Co-Motion Nor'wester ("Sport") Frame + Fork

« on: November 02, 2011, 04:11:09 pm »

Co-Motion Nor'wester 53/54 cm Reynolds 853 steel frame w/Co-Motion steel fork. Sloping top tube gives it a standover a bit over 76cm (30") with 25mm tires. This is the "Nor'wester," also previously known as the "Nor'wester Sport.
 
This frame is badged as "Custom" frame due to the fact that it was built with a sloping top tube before Co-Motion made that standard. As of last year, Co-Motion now builds all the Nor'wester frames this way. Uses long-reach sidepull brakes. Most all specs are identical to a current 54cm Nor'wester. See http://co-motion.com/index.php/singles/norwester for Co-Motion's website and current bike details.

Chainstays are 42cm center-center. Sloping top tube allows it to fit a wider range of sizes. I can never quite figure out how Co-Motion measures their frame sizes, but the actual measurements are 48cm seat tube c-c, 51 c-t. Standover is around 30". I usually ride a 52-53 (21") frame and this fits fine. It would probably also fit someone a bit taller, as I tend to like my frames a little big.

Beautiful bright "Ferrari Red" paint with vanilla/light yellow panels (photos below don't show the red color correctly: think fire-engine red). I always got compliments when I had it out on rides. A few small paint nicks, all touched up with matching paint. Frame looks almost new. The bike rides beautifully. Responsive yet stable and comfortable unloaded, while also handling well when loaded, too. A fabulous all-around bike that you can ride locally and also on a long tour. Also idea for randonneuring/Audax style riding.

The only reason I'm selling is because I got the same thing with S&S couplers. This frame would also be a good candidate for an S&S retrofit, which I considered, but I got a good deal on an S&S Nor'wester and went that route.

-Built for long-reach sidepull brakes, allowing use of fenders and wider tires
-Rear rack braze-ons, two sets of bottle bosses, pump peg, dropout eyelets, derailleur cable adjuster braze-ons on headtube (nice feature eliminates cable rub), fender mounting points, etc.
-1-1/8" threadless steerer tube
-Takes 700c wheels
-Takes a 27.2 seatpost
-130mm rear dropout spacing
- Frame measurements (pretty close but may not be to the mm): top tube actual (sloping) 53.5cm c-c // seat tube 48cm c-c, 51 c-t // down tube 64cm c-c // chainstays 42cm c-c // seatstays 47cm c-c // headtube 135mm actual (slightly longer than normal to allow higher handlebar height)

See lots more pictures at http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/classifieds/?o=1r4vFZo&classified_id=2355&v=1E&finished=1

Frameset price for 2011 is $1,745 + $100 for steel fork + $225 panel paint option = $2,070 new.

>> Buy this almost-new frame for nearly 2/3 off the retail price: $745 for frame and fork <<

Shimano Ultegra-level long-reach brakes also available for an additional $45. Other parts may also be available, including a 36-spoke wheelset (Ultegra/Mavic), Ultegra triple cranks, and more.

Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Willing to ship at buyer's expense (actual shipping cost only, no handling charge) and will take PayPal if buyer pays the transaction fee.

11

Classifieds / FS: Walrus Arch Rival 2p Tent

« on: August 01, 2011, 10:42:35 am »

Walrus Arch Rival two-person lightweight backpacking or bike touring tent. Excellent condition, little use. About 4 pounds and very compact when packed. Not freestanding, but lots of room and very easy to pitch (two-hoop design). This was a Backpacker Magazine editor’s choice in its day. Made in USA by Walrus before REI bought them out. Stock photo below, I'll have actual pics soon. $95 + shipping

12

Routes / Great Allegheny Passage (GAP): new journal posted on Crazy Guy site

« on: March 01, 2011, 04:25:45 pm »

Not sure why it took me so long to finish a journal for a three-day bike tour, but my write-up of my fall 2010 ride along the GAP is now complete.

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/BrianGAPtour

Hopefully it will prove helpful to others contemplating the same ride. Plenty of detail, photos, maps, and resource links.

I also have a write-up of my 2008 C&O ride at http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/cando-tour

13

Classifieds / FS: (1) Ortlieb Bike-Packer Plus Rear Pannier - Brand New! $99

« on: December 05, 2010, 09:57:23 pm »

I'm selling a SINGLE (one, uno, un, ein) Ortlieb "Bike-Packer Plus" rear touring pannier. It's brand-new, never used. So what can you do with one pannier? It's great for commuting, shopping, general around-town use, day tripping, etc. Or maybe as a spare for your existing set (Ortlieb does not sell single panniers). How often do you really need two panniers, unless you are actually touring?

Color is red for maximum visibility and safety on the road. It has Ortlieb's "Plus/Light" fabric, which is a waterproof Cordura nylon. Expandable inner sleeve with drawstring and a top hood that fastens with buckles. Has a mesh pocket and a roll-top waterproof pocket on the front. Uses Ortlieb's easy-to-adjust QL-2 attachment system on the back. Super-easy to remove when you get to your destination, just pull up on the handle and you are off, but it also locks securely to the rack when riding.

Works great on all types of racks, including Blackburn and Tubus.

$99 shipped in lower 48 states. I can't seem to get pics to post here; see them on my Craigslist ad at http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/bik/2097199020.html

14

Classifieds / Want to trade? My 700c Blackburn Exp rack for your 26" same

« on: December 04, 2010, 12:21:29 am »

Looking to trade my silver Blackburn Expedition rack in good condition for the same thing (or in black) but for a 26"-wheeled bike.

15

Classifieds / FS: Carbon fork: 700c, canti/v-brake studs, low-rider bosses. New!

« on: July 15, 2010, 02:33:57 pm »

Carbon fiber fork for 700c wheels. 1-1/8" threadless steerer (metal, not carbon), uncut. Designed for touring (or cross) bikes. Has brake studs for cantilever or V-brakes, eyelets on the dropouts, and even mounts for your lowrider rack built-in! $125, shipped in USA. Bought for a project, but never ended up using.