Messages

1

Gear Talk / Considering New Handlebar Setup

« on: February 27, 2008, 10:55:04 pm »

My expirience is with week long, self supported, 600 mile tours. While they are still drops, I switched to carbon fiber bars and found them to be much more comfortable.  Straight bars don't have enough hand positions.  10 years ago on a shorter week long sagged tour I used straight bars and my hands kept falling assleep.  Steel drops with STI "Brifters" - my shoulders hurt.  Nothing with the carbon fiber bars.  My CF bars have bar end shifters.  Maybe by forcing myself to change hand positions to shift I was somehow more comfortable.

2

Routes / Chicago to north west AR

« on: November 04, 2007, 09:48:12 pm »

I'm familiar with the Mississippi River Trail either side of my home town.  Stay on the Illinois side and ride the flat river bottom from Nauvoo, IL to Hannibal, Missouri. Cross the rivver and take Hwy 79 on the Missouri Side to Clarksville, MO. This stretch is scenic and hilly.  From Clarksville I recommend that you jump off 79 and over to Route W to continue south to Hwy 47.  Heavy St. Louis Traffic can start here, just 60 miles north, so be carefull. The general path is to head east on 47 back to 79 then south, but I would attempt to find smaller roads parrallel since both Hwys have no shoulder and lots of traffic.  Similarly stay on the smaller bottom roads into the east side of St. Charles where you will catch the Katy.  The Katy lacks the scenery that Hwy 100 and 94 have.  Both run parallel.

I just finnished a self supported trip through western Arkansas finishing in Branson via Eureka Springs.  Beautiful riding.  We stayed of of Hwy 69 at Branson by going on the west side of the lake.

3

Routes / saddles for touring

« on: November 18, 2007, 10:02:26 pm »

Brooks B17