Messages

16

Gear Talk / Re: removing tubeless tire used with a tube

« on: June 22, 2023, 07:06:49 am »

<<convert it to tubeless>>
Here's a vote for- DO NOT DO THIS

I ran road tubeless for a while and I would still be doing it if I were a pro racer and someone else were maintaining my wheels.  The balance of screwing around with it versus probable gains just sagged towards the 'screwing around with it' side.

On a tour, I find flats to be a minor nuisance.  With tubeless, they would be an opportunity to polish your profanity.

My experience was also that the air pressure leaked down about twice as fast in the tubeless vs tubed wheels.

This being the ACA forum, others' experience will differ.

For what it is worth, touring in the west in goat head thorn country I got a lot of flats with tubes.  So did the folks I rode with.

My experience with tubeless is with my mountain bike, but I went from weekly flats on my daily ride to no flats when I went tubeless.  My next new wheel buy or build for touring will definitely be tubeless.

17

Gear Talk / Re: Excellent, light-weight, air pump for long distance touring.

« on: June 20, 2023, 10:37:19 am »

Lezyne makes a number of different pumps.  All, of the ones I have used or handled can do both schrader and presta without any adapter.  I am guessing you are referring to the Lezyne Micro Floor Drive HP/HPG which indeed does use a chuck they call a "flip chuck". 

Their description of the chuck says:
  "ABS FLIP CHUCK – Flippable head allows you to fill up Presta or Schrader tires with ease, as the head will thread on to either valve type"

In my experience with their other models the chucks all work very well with either type valve.  Just in general lezyne stuff is top notch.

18

General Discussion / Re: Sunglasses

« on: June 16, 2023, 09:04:02 am »

For those who need Rx glasses (not just a reader strip), take a look at Rudy Project glasses with Rx inserts.  If your Rx changes, you can get a new insert rather than new lenses with the RX built in.  Of course, if you damage the lenses you can always replace them as well.

I had a different brand (Optic Nerve Red Hawk maybe?) like that with the inserts.  They were okay, but they do have 4 surfaces to keep clean.  Also 4 surfaces to fog up.  That made them a little worse in that regard.  The Project Rudys or others with inserts would have the same issue.

I also had some Project Rudy glasses with the regular lenses being prescription lenses.  They were pretty nice glasses.  I decided that for me it is worth springing for nice dedicated prescription sunglasses.

19

Routes / Re: Transam Colorado & Kansas

« on: June 08, 2023, 08:32:52 am »

Printing out the adenda before starting out on your trip is the minimum I'd suggest.  Checking more often along the way in addition is better.

Also yes, do everyone behind you a favor and report changes.  I think the correct way to do this is to use the route feedback form https://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/adventure-cycling-route-network/map-correction-form/

20

Routes / Re: Transam Colorado & Kansas

« on: June 06, 2023, 06:24:10 am »

I have never used the app.  In the paper map days changes like that were best kept up with in the adenda.  Is there a similar update that you need to do when using the app?  Are you reporting the changes back to the ACA folks so they can keep things updated?

21

Routes / Re: Astoria to San Francisco on pacific cost

« on: June 03, 2023, 06:48:52 pm »

I took 14 days.  I think that isn't far from average.  Taking a little extra time might be nice though.

22

General Discussion / Re: cost per day to tour

« on: May 26, 2023, 06:54:37 am »

That $60 estimate sounds quite high to me based on my experiences where with trips where seldom paid for campsites, but I am kind of a cheapskate when on the road so maybe $60 per day or more reflects a large portion of the touring community.

In some areas campsites are quite expensive and if you stay in an official campsite every night that can be a factor.  Where there are cheap hiker biker sites or free camping it makes a big differences.  That may depend on how good you are at finding it or on what is in the area you are in.  Are you good at finding free places to camp in plain sight?  Do you stealth camp?  I found I was able to camp for free without the need for stealth much of the time on my tours.

Similarly motels/hotels can vary widely in cost both by location and by where you choose to stay.  I don't mind staying in cheap places and asking for a discount.  At the very least I get an AARP discount.  Sometimes the "I am biking across the country" story gets a bigger discount.  The same variability by location and choice applies to food, maybe to a lesser extent, but I do treat myself to some extra nice meals here and there.

23

Routes / Re: Great Plains Gravel Route?

« on: April 19, 2023, 09:09:49 am »

... March was the nicest weather in Texas - the wildflowers in the Hill Country were magnificent, so I was thinking early March for the start....

Yes, if you do a segmented trip, March would be great in the Hill Country.  However, if you are doing the whole thing, then late April temps in North Dakota would be around low 60s for the average highs with upper 30s for the average low.  To me, that is the problem with a N>S/S>N route in that the temps can vary widely over a relatively short time.  Course, others think those temps are wonderful so do what is best for you.

Actually those temps sound pretty good to me.  In the past I seem to always get hit with unexpected early heat waves on my trips, so there is that.  Also there is the possibility of just taking a few weeks off in the middle of the trip if that seems to suit the weather of the year.  Being retired gives a lot of flexibility in that regard.

I have had hot and cold weather on tours and only really suffered in the heat.  Granted, cold can be dangerous if extreme enough and you aren't prepared for it, but putting on an extra layer and a windbreaker during the day and having frost at night are still what I consider good riding weather.  I definitely prefer that to 100 F heat.

BTW, I am anxiously waiting to hear more about this route, but it sounds like it will be late summer before they release details.

24

General Discussion / Re: Sunglasses

« on: April 13, 2023, 01:07:08 pm »

Re: photochromatic, the last couple pairs of photochromatic lenses I got turned permanently dark after a summer's worth of riding.

Interesting. How long ago was that? It’s my thought that the technology has greatly improved in recent years.

Yeah, my impression as well.  Perhaps different coatings vary? Maybe even how the lab applies them?

My 4 year old everyday wear photochromatic glasses still were fine as far as the lightening/darkening went when I retired them.

25

General Discussion / Re: Sunglasses

« on: April 13, 2023, 10:57:44 am »

I wear prescription glasses so losing them isn't an option.  I have gone cheap in the past and got by.  This time I spent a bundle on expensive glasses with $$$ lenses and expensive coatings.  I have to say they are a joy compared to cheap glasses.  But, yeah, they were stupid expensive.  That said even if you go inexpensive maybe try using a neck strap or cord so that they are attached and you can't leace them behind.

I am pretty close to gettig cataract surgery according to my eye doc so in the next year or two I could go back to cheap sunglasses.  The thing is after having really nice ones I doubt I will.

26

General Discussion / Re: Insulin pump

« on: March 28, 2023, 07:20:48 am »

I have no experience with carrying insulin, but I will say that stuff in panniers wrapped in clothing has stayed way below the ambient temperature during the heat of the day for us on tour even with black panniers.  My companions on the TA had a water bladder in a front pannier with a hose and bite valve to drink from and the water stayed relatively cool even on 100 F days.

You might experiment with carrying a pannier with a thermometer inside to see how warm it gets.  A kitchen remote probe thermometer might be a good way to check.  You could also use one on tour to see how your medicine was fairing and get some ice if you needed to.  I suspect you can get by without ice.

27

General Discussion / Re: Your best single piece of advice

« on: March 10, 2023, 11:19:53 am »

And then diesel pick up trucks who choose to floor the pedal when they pass you in order to cover you in soot: Basically telling you to get off the road.

I had the same thing happen in Missoula so it is not just limited to the SE part of the country.

FWIW, I remember that happening once on the Trans America.  That was near the Wyoming Colorado border. 

28

General Discussion / Re: Your best single piece of advice

« on: March 08, 2023, 04:31:22 pm »

1. I did not like biking in the Appalachians on the TransAm (Virginia, Kentucky): Some locals were hostile, lots of aggressive chasing dogs, you are in hill billy country. I did not feel welcome in that part of USA. The bikers I met had similar experiences.

The people seemed nice enough when I have toured there.  Same for many years of backpacking, mountain biking, off road motorcycle racing, and whitewater boating there.

29

Routes / Re: Great Plains Gravel Route?

« on: March 01, 2023, 07:35:27 pm »

Segmented doesn't really appeal to me.  I'd probably just split it into two years if I weren't doing it all in one go.  Temps can be pretty cool for me and I am okay.

I'd consider a really early start, mid February at Big Bend if it worked out best for the rest of the trip.  There will be discomfort somewhere.  There will be hot or cold to deal with and likely both.  A lot will depend on daily mileage.  Depending on motivation, fitness level, and tailwinds.  Miieage cold realistically range from 55-80 miles per day.  At this point I really don't have a plan for that.

30

Routes / Great Plains Gravel Route?

« on: March 01, 2023, 09:12:30 am »

I saw the write up about this not yet completed route in the ACA magazine and can't stop thinking about riding it.  I also saw the article in Cycling World https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/gravels-most-successful-creators-are-collaborating-on-a-new-adventure-the-great-plains-gravel-route and a few other places.  It says route completion in late 2023.  Does anyone know how like that is to be on schedule?  It looks to me like a route that should to be ridden north bound as early as the weather allows in order to avoid the heat and to hit the Flint Hills when they are their beautiful spring green.  Also some lead time is needed for planning.  I usually fail at avoiding the heat even if I go somewhere when it isn't supposed to be hot, but still...  If the release of the route is too late I am guessing it means riding in 2024 is out since I would not want to ride in the worst heat and miss the Flint Hills in Spring and it would be pushed back to 2025 for me.  A shame since at 71, I am not getting any younger.  I like to think I have lots of years left where I can still do long tours, but you never know how you will hold up.

I'd really like to find out more.  How much access is there to resuppy or at least filterable water along the way?  Will there be a need to carry multiple days of water anywhere?  How many days and how often?  I am generally not inclined to use a support vehicle, but if a support vehicle were to be used is it possible to drive the route or drive parallel to the route close enough to provide meaningful support.