Messages

16

General Discussion / Europe with Bike Boxes

« on: February 09, 2005, 08:36:52 pm »

The next step I would take is to use our online Cyclists' Yellow Pages to look up organizations or clubs in Paris or Geneva that might be able to steer you in the direction of a solution. I had a look at the listings for France and although I don't see an obvious organization to ask, I bet if you contacted a few with your question someboday would have an idea for you. Below is the direct link to the listings for France. You can look up listings for Switzerland by going to the main Cyclists' Yellow Pages page at www.adventurecycling.org/cyp and using the search process.

http://www.adventurecycling.org/cyp/list.cfm?s=France&f=lCountry

Tip in case you don't speak French: some of the websites listed are in French only. If you look up that website through a google search, google provide a "translate this page" option that often works quite well.

Let me know if you have any luck.


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Larry Diskin
Adventure Cycling Association

17

General Discussion / Europe with Bike Boxes

« on: February 09, 2005, 03:32:35 pm »

If you are using reusable hard cases for transporting your bikes,  I would start by contacting the motel or inn you plan to stay at when you arrive and ask if they can store your boxes for you. Many places can do that. You might even consider basing your decision on where to stay on whether they can accomodate that.

Another option is to use cardboard boxes, discard them when you arrive, and find new ones for your return trip.

Those are two of the most common strategies.  





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Larry Diskin
Adventure Cycling Association

18

General Discussion / Great Divide

« on: January 14, 2005, 04:11:30 pm »

Hi Guys, Here is some info you may find helpful:

The GD route conditions vary dramatically regionally and even year to year depending on factors such as weather, maintenance, logging operations, etc. That being the case, a sturdy vehicle such as a pick-up or SUV can drive the vast majority of the route.

The ground surface can be hard-packed dirt with loose gravel on it, soft gravel, clay, rutted, rocky, dusty, muddy, potholes or any combination of those things. Most of the route provides conditions that are very comfortable, like you often see in the photos in Adventure Cyclist, or on our web site.

Some shorter sections may challenge an intermediate mountain bike riders. So,e people choose or have to walk for a mile or two here and there.

There are huge elevation gains and losses scattered thoughout the entire route. But the grades are not terribly steep most of the time. If you are riding North to South, you can expect the first 10 days to be an incredible challenge, but it is a desiralbe one and an amazing experience you will remember forever. This will be especially true for people that have not speny much time in the Rocky Mountains.

If you are a mountain biker of intermediate or better skill and you love camping and the wilderness, there is no need to be nervous, with a little luck you'll have a great time!

Here is a link to an article you may find helpful: http://www.adventurecycling.org/features/bikeforthedivide.cfm


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Larry Diskin
Adventure Cycling Association

This message was edited by LDiskin on 1-14-05 @ 12:12 PM

19

General Discussion / New here and seeking advice

« on: January 04, 2005, 04:09:52 pm »

For somebody that is new to road cycling, or hasn't done it in a while, comfort is the absolute number one most important factor to consider. It is also important to have the triple front chainring for climbing hills unless you are an experienced cyclist and relatively highly trained. Fortunately, there is a new(ish) frame design that allows for more comfort while also being sufficiently light weight and performance oriented. These types of bikes are right up your alley and what I recommend.

Two examples that run between $900-1100 are the Specialized Sequoia and the Trek Alpha 1200C. Check out their web sites and note that the design allows for the seat and handlebars to be approximately level with each other naturally. This creates a significantly more comfortable riding position than a typical racing bike without sacraficing much performance for the average rider.

If you get seriously into it a couple of years down the road, and want to get on something a little more racey, you'll always have the option of doing so. But if you purchase a racing bike right off the bat, you will likely end up modifying it to be more like the bikes I describe above anyway.

Happy shopping,
Larry Diskin - Adventure Cycling Association

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Larry Diskin
Adventure Cycling Association

20

General Discussion / Anyone tried both Phil Wood and Chris King hubs??

« on: March 03, 2005, 08:23:14 pm »

There are two main types of hub construction. The first type utilizes a traditional ball-and-cone bearing system. Bearings, cones, and axles for these hubs are readily available at most bike shops. (Like most shimano hubs).

The second type uses pressed-in sealed bearings similar to those found in in-line skate and skateboard wheels. Sealed-bearing hubs are usually more expensive because they run smoother and have the potential to go farther between maintenance. (Like Phil's or Chris King)
The catch is, if you are using a sealed-bearing hub and it does have a problem (which I have seen happen with even the best), it might be difficult to find replacement parts in a timely fashion since most of these hubs require unique parts and bearing that are only available at specialty bearing stores or from the manufacturer. Therefore, for maximum reliability, I vote for the traditional ball-and-cone hubs made by Shimano. The XT models, if maintined properly, will outlast most rims. Although the traditional ball and cone hubs may require a bit more maintenance overall, they are easy to service, parts are readily available at even small bike shops, and they will not likely leave you stranded with a catastophic failure.

People often forget to mention that the freehub bodies are unique to the hubs. That is an extremely vital part of the hub. Although there are some advantages to some of the freehubs on custom hubs, none have freehubs that are as reliable and easy to repair than the Shimano freehubs...



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Larry Diskin
Adventure Cycling Association

21

General Discussion / Door-Zone Bike Lanes

« on: September 03, 2004, 04:19:54 pm »

It seems rather obvious that bike lanes help increase awareness about bikes on the road. Schubert's article is rather disrespectful to the folks that work so hard to create bike lanes in their communities. There is a down side to everything and John has a nack for pointing it out...

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Larry Diskin
Adventure Cycling Association

22

General Discussion / Cycle the Divide Montana

« on: October 06, 2003, 08:06:28 pm »

Hi Kurt,
I am the tour director of Cycle the Divide Montana and I saw your question so I thought I'd reply. We have not yet had anybody do that tour on a cyclocross bike but it could be done by an expereinced cyclist. There may be a few sections that are rough but with a sense of adventure you should have a good time. However, if I had both a cyclocross and mountain bike, I would choose the mountain bike. The route is primarily gravel and dirt logging roads that can be driven in a truck or sturdy car. You also have the option of renting a nice mountain bike with front shocks from a bike shop in Whitefish, where the tour starts, for about $125. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions at 1-800-755-2453 x220  

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Larry Diskin
Adventure Cycling Association