Messages

16

Gear Talk / Re: New Adventure Bike...from Trek!

« on: September 14, 2014, 11:26:01 pm »

From talking with the Trek rep at the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival MTB race (Trek is a long-time sponsor) the 920 will be available starting in February.

Ride safe,
Hans

17

Gear Talk / Re: Best foot wear for touring?

« on: August 30, 2014, 08:02:34 pm »

Personally, on my touring bike I have toe clips and on my MTB I have PowerGrip straps. I was born with a splayed foot (Something they couldn't correct 60 years ago, but do now.) so I can't use SPD. I for bikepacking I wear lightweight hiking boots, and find myself wearing them more and more on road/gravel, too. I have a pair of police-style bike patrol shoes (I'm a park ranger.) that have semi-rigid soles and work well with the PowerGrips. I also have a pair of older Bontraeger MTB Race shoes I wear for rec riding because I can throw them on and pull the Velcro shut and be on my way.

Long and short, the hiking boots are working well for me, and it gives me one set of shoes for on and off bike.

Ride safe,
Hans

18

Gear Talk / Re: New Adventure Bike...from Trek!

« on: August 30, 2014, 07:43:23 pm »

Nice looking bike. Similar in some ways to the Salsa Fargo, at least in appearance.

My guess, without talking to anyone at Trek...yet...is that the potential Fargo (or Co-Motion Divide) buyer is the market they are going for. I have always liked Trek MTBs; their geometry fits me well. This bike is at the top of my list for my bucket list super trip on the Lewis and Clark Bicycle Trail.

Ride safe,
Hans

19

Gear Talk / Re: New Adventure Bike...from Trek!

« on: August 30, 2014, 01:48:28 pm »

Trek is offering a 520 Disc version starting later this model year. I still have not been able to find out a release date for the 920 and 720. The 520 Disc is on the Trek website already.

20

Gear Talk / New Adventure Bike...from Trek!

« on: August 05, 2014, 10:41:10 am »

Stop the presses! Holy Hot Wheels, Batman! I may have to become a Trekkie again! Just introduced at the Trekworld Trek dealers gathering, the new 2015 Trek 920 Adventure Bike. Those of you who know me know until I got the Volcanic, all of my MTBs were from Trek, and I still ride one at work. Been thinking of upgrading the Volpe, and this may be the ticket! Looks very interesting, to say the least.



Ride safe,
 
Hans

21

Routes / Re: Lewis and Clark route: Traffic concerns?

« on: July 27, 2014, 11:02:06 pm »

Tom,
ACA rerouted the L&C in ND to address those very concerns, It gets away from the Missouri River for a while, but also avoids the oil boom traffic in the Williston area. The problem is it also takes one away from Ft. Mandan and their beautiful new Visitor's Center.

Ride safe,
Hans
2WX

22

Gear Talk / Re: Saddle Suggestion other than Brooks

« on: May 09, 2014, 12:12:13 am »

My favorite saddle has always been the WTB SST. Very comfortable. I have an original leather version on my MTB, but I think they make it in naugahide now.

23

General Discussion / Re: Tour Divide Race 2014!

« on: May 09, 2014, 12:03:52 am »

All you need to do is run "tour divide" on Google (or Yahoo or whatever) and the first listing should come up as "http://tourdivide.org/"

Ride safe,
Hans

24

Gear Talk / Re: Wheel sizes

« on: April 12, 2014, 01:08:35 pm »

A couple of years ago, every MTB magazine was shouting from the rooftops that 26 was dead, get your 29ers now! Now in their market-driven madness they are the biggest advocates of the 27.5/650B. Even so, some of the big names, like Giant, are pushing the 650B as their primary entry. Will the 29er go the way of the 26? I hope to heck not, because I looked at a lot of different 29ers , including the Salsa Fargo and Co-Motion Divide before I bought my Volcanic Vx7. I like it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

25

Routes / Re: St Paul to Fargo via Bemidji

« on: December 01, 2013, 12:48:36 am »

Everybody rails about the bugs here in MN, but really, they are not any worse than Maine or the Adirondack Mountains, and definitely not as bad as in NW Russia, Alaska or the NWT. In May you'll be ahead of the worst pests (other than tourists) the deer flies.

I am from northern NYS, but have lived in MN 26 years. There is a lot of beauty in this state, and it is GREAT for cycling. If I hadn't moved here, I'd probably still be a backpacker instead of a bikepacker. Our state parks have an "open to bikes, always" policy. If you arrive by bicycle, even if the campgrounds are full, we'll find a place for you to set up. (Yes, I am a state park ranger; bike patrol as a matter of fact.) Knutson Dam Campground is federal (USFS), not state, but is really nice. (I used to be a Backcountry Ranger on the Chippewa National Forest.)

You will like it here!
Hans

26

Gear Talk / Re: Of Tires and Roads

« on: October 20, 2013, 12:37:33 am »

Thank you all for the input. I did it and it worked great; better than I expected. The campgrounds on the Chippewa were closed due to the federal shutdown, so I did the Rum River State Forest near Milaca, MN. and had a great time. From the looks I got from loggers, hunters, a fire crew and a state forester, you'd think they'd never seen a bicycle before. In fact they haven't, at least on the forest. Both a hunter and the forester told me they didn't get bicyclists there. Going to go back with my MTB before the snow flies and check out some of the side trails and fire lanes.

Picture is the Volpe, on the dirt, fully loaded. That's my Dr. Livingstone helmet. I wore it for my oldest grandson who thinks it's pretty cool; so do I!



Ride safe,
Hans

27

Gear Talk / Re: Of Tires and Roads

« on: September 16, 2013, 09:46:54 am »

Thanks; that was what I was thinking too. We have plenty of dirt roads around here I can test it on. As for the bike itself, the Volpe was first introduced as a cyclocross bike, so it can handle the abuse. Of course, my MTB, a Volcanic Vx7 APB (basically a heavy-duty hard-tail, built specifically for police/EMS use) can definitely do it with ease.  I just like the drops and the suspension seatpost on the Volpe for touring.

Thanks again!
Hans

28

Gear Talk / Of Tires and Roads

« on: September 16, 2013, 12:27:31 am »

Planning on crossing the Chippewa National Forest here in MN using almost completely dirt and gravel roads. Backroads in Minnesota are almost universally semi-sandy, but the area has had sufficient rain so it's not powdery, and terrain is fairly level. Carrying me (250 lbs.) and my gear in rear panniers (30-35 lbs.) Do you think the 35mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus on my Volpe would cut it, or should I take my mountain bike?

Ride safe,
Hans

29

General Discussion / Re: 2 or 4 panniers

« on: September 15, 2013, 11:14:41 pm »

Back before the Tour Divide ever happened, and frame packs were invented (or "re-invented, if you look at the photos of the old Buffalo Soldiers), "bikepacking" was done with two rear panniers  or a Bob trailer. My friends in Russia still travel primarily with rear "U" packs or panniers. (See image, in Karelia this summer:) Bikepacking by MTB, I load the rear. Loaded touring, rears for 1-2 nighters, all four for longer.

Just my 2 cents.
Ride safe,
Hans

30

GPS & Digital Data Discussion / Re: New Garmin Edge Touring

« on: September 09, 2013, 08:28:03 pm »

Supposedly, you will be able to update the maps though Garmin Connect or Base Camp. If the battery is like in the rest of the Edge line-up, it's internal and you recharge it through your USB port, a USB plug for the car, or a USB adapter for a wall plug.

Ride safe,
Hans