Messages

1

Gear Talk / Re: Shoe Recommends

« on: April 03, 2018, 09:13:49 pm »

Depending on your mileage - onr other thing we often forget (associated with shoes)... know your fitter (or find one) - get your shoes/clears fitted.  Footbeds, shims (inner) and outer and spacers on the pedals... in addition to clear location/rotation.  Great if your blessed with perfect limbs... but Jess at bikefitmi is a great resource (Ann Arbor Mi).... 75 rotations x 60 x 6 x 7 days.... 190,000 rotations per week.  Good shoes are a great start - good luck!

2

Gear Talk / Arkel “rollpacker” 25L?

« on: March 30, 2018, 06:53:25 am »

Opinions? 25L vs an Arkel 42L pannier set up?  With the understanding that with the rollpacker I’d also use a Revelate XL sweet roll. 

My intended use is single un supported touring on a car on fork road bike (rear panniers and rack - all good).... but “if” I could visualize a packing list for the rollpacker/sweet roll (+ a frame pack?) I could reuse this kit on my 29’r MTB, retire the Bob trailer and have a Great Divide set up... common components (different frame bags).

What would I have to give up on using this set up for my road bike (ie Blue ridge parkway tour)?

3

Gear Talk / Re: 5lb “penalty”... what is the cost?

« on: March 25, 2018, 09:56:45 pm »

Great advice... it’s exciting, looking forward to the adventure... next up (separate post) - panniers, frame bag, sweet roll... the combinations are numbing.  But I do enjoy chatting with the folks from Arkel.  “Canalligators” thanks for your note.

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Gear Talk / Re: 5lb “penalty”... what is the cost?

« on: March 25, 2018, 09:24:02 pm »

All good thoughts.. I’m going to do my first pannier ride with the larger 2 man tent and see how it feels.  I’m a spinner so it’s a mater of wind resistance for me at this point... planning on a test over the Blue Ridge Parkway in July.  And engineers on the site... for performance cars we often talked about “sprung weight” vs in sprong... in my mind my body is “sprung”... if I lost 5 lbs, would that offset the mass of the tent?

As far as the rest of the plan... I have a thermarest neo pad and down quilt and MSR windburner stove/coffee press and 4 dehydrated meals (safety), packages of instant oatmeal, and empty water bladder -electronics 1030/lights front/rear... tools/tubes... one luxury folding saw for the fire... and a cigar case (to ward off mosquitos).  Clothing will be light (summer) + personal kit... testing to begin as soon as the bike arrives in early May. 

Thanks for the thoughts and direction. 🤓

5

Gear Talk / Re: 5lb “penalty”... what is the cost?

« on: March 24, 2018, 10:12:37 pm »

Pat, I like your approach... the Tent was purchased with the Bob trailer in mind... I even haul a REI camp chair with me.... 28 lbs total gear.   Now... I’m building my road bike option... rear rack, rear panniers and eith an inner frame bag or sweet roll bad from Revelate... before I spend another $600im going to try the current tent ... at least to start.  Thanks!

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Gear Talk / 5lb “penalty”... what is the cost?

« on: March 24, 2018, 12:29:13 pm »

Looking for advice/feedback please. I currently use a free standing 2 person tent that is expedition ready (black label, Hilleberg) that I use for winter camping... and stores in my Bob trailer just fine (designed for my carbon MTB and the GAP type trails)... Now that I’m getting a road bike and planning longer road tours... what is the penalty of 5 lbs?   I am looking to buy a yellow label Enan tent... non-free standing 3 season tent... ignoring the cost - it will be <3 lbs with ground sheet, pack smaller but would sit on the rear rack... similar to the other tent... minimal wind exposure, but there is a weight/non-free standing/size offsets. 

Thoughts?

7

Gear Talk / Re: Best Touring Wheelset

« on: March 19, 2018, 09:58:05 pm »

I’m placing an order this week for a set of Rolf Prima double spoke disc wheelset with 20 spokes in front/back - centerlock so I can pack everything in the suitcase... going out with 28mm to start.

8

Gear Talk / Re: New bike build... carbon front forks - options?

« on: March 16, 2018, 03:03:35 pm »

Thanks Pete very insightful. I checked the Revelate site and in addition to the large frame bag, I’m going to install my front sweet roll bag... with these two I should be able to downgrade the rear pannier size... and as you point out retain a better weight distribution - I’ll still have to deal with wind.

I appreciate your comments on water... plan would be to carry 3 and have a bladder in reserve... this season is check out rides (Michigan, Atlanta, Blueridge Parkway... so water will be plentiful.  Next year is the plane travel... Tucson, Napa and San Diego... still all manageable.

Still this past year was my introduction with the Bob trailer... for the trail trails it’s perfect!

Ps... what wheel width are you using 32mm?  Thanks!

9

Gear Talk / Re: New bike build... carbon front forks - options?

« on: March 15, 2018, 10:53:34 pm »

I’m going to use a full frame bag... top tube, to crank... no traditional mounts... easy does it. LOL.

THE 4L bladder is for camp / cooking.

I’m really comfortable with my hydration plan, on bike nutrition... let’s let the bottle issue rest.

Now about the rear panniers - size/ content?

Anyone have experience with the Arkel GT54?

10

Gear Talk / Re: New bike build... carbon front forks - options?

« on: March 15, 2018, 10:07:51 pm »

With an inner frame bag, traditional bottle mounts don’t exist. Be open minded - you might be surprised. . I’m raced long course triathlons for 10 years... and find reach back much easier than looking down- and they’ll sit above the rear panniers and with a 3 bottle mount above the crank... it gives me 3 bottles plus a bladder in the frame bag.  All good.

Still looking for an opinion on someone who has used the large Arkel bags?

11

Gear Talk / Re: New bike build... carbon front forks - options?

« on: March 15, 2018, 05:42:26 am »

Thanks Russ... I currently use “Bob” with a carbon 29’er on the GAP/C&O 3x a year plus locally for Mi rail trails... and at double nickel I enjoy my REI camp chair, favorite mug, kindling - it’s a perfect camping set up. But I need to do mor miles for health so Seven is building me a road bike with an option up to 32mm... i have an option to take bob, but say I fly to the west coast... I need another option.  I plan to have a two bottle xlab wing off my rear seat - so. That defeats the seat post bag... ialready have a Revelate xL roll bag for my 29’er, so I’ll check to see if a small will fit a set of road bars, frame bad and then maybe a can use a smaller rear set... new to this sight, and the bike arrives in early May... so I certainly appreciate the help. Thanks,

12

Gear Talk / New bike build... carbon front forks - options?

« on: March 14, 2018, 10:59:18 pm »

I have a new bike being built for travel and touring… S&S  couplers  equipped so I’m thinking about leaving the Bob trailer at home when I travel by air... my question is what are my options for storage as a single rider?

If I were to install two of Arkel GT54 panniers at the back and put a Revelate inner frame bag in the inside of the frame... would that give me a enough storage without having front panniers?

Thinking is mild weather x-country rides...1 man Hillenberg tent, MSR canister stove, folding saw, thermarest, 40 degree down bag, water bladder, clothing - showers pass rain set, sandals, kit bag, civi  clothes. Parts/tubes/electrinics.

Thoughts... thanks! 🤓