Messages

31

General Discussion / Re: Affordable/free camping idea

« on: March 06, 2012, 06:31:36 am »

While I would certainly patronize such a business, I think bicycles are still too niche for that to gain serious traction. There are already plenty of other businesses that parallel what you suggest. What immediately comes to mind is Hostelling International. In all of the hostels I've stayed in America, they seem to cater quite nicely to cyclists.

When I've rolled into campgrounds late at night (too late to properly check-in), the ranger/caretaker simply came by in the morning and collected my fee, and often offers to deliver firewood if I want it, and wants to chat amicably.

I think the "trust strangers" aspect is overblown. Stranger Danger is such a deeply rooted, yet misplaced fear in our society. Riding on the side of the road, we have to trust far more strangers, far more extensively than staying in their homes. I have yet to have a bad experience with hosting or being hosted through Warm Showers. The most negative thing I did experience was a host with overly friendly dogs and a previously-undeclared early departure. The lack of sleep through the night on account of the dogs and early start made for a tired day. But I have had plenty of bad nights in campgrounds with noisy environs.

Of course, if you think the cyclist campground is a viable idea, you might just have yourself a killer business model.

32

Gear Talk / Re: Swapping compact crankset for triple. Some help with parts selection needed.

« on: March 01, 2012, 07:46:19 pm »

He probably meant "Make sure your FD is from a road group" in order to work with the OP's STI levers.

Ah! You just totally dashed my hopes that someone makes a high-capacity road derailleur. You totally saved me hours of poring over Google searches. 

I knew about the front derailleur compatibility issue, but the sentence order made me think that there was some other issue with rear derailleurs.

33

Gear Talk / Re: Swapping compact crankset for triple. Some help with parts selection needed.

« on: March 01, 2012, 09:21:17 am »

I'd go look at some of the mountain bike cranks.  If you're looking to do loaded touring out of western Penna., I'd bet you'll want the lower gears (26, maybe 24, maybe even 22).  Ergo, something like a 48/36/26.  Add in a long-cage derailer, while you're at it, and an 11-32 or 11/34 cassette.  Just make sure your derailer is from a road group.

What road derailleur has ~50T of capacity and can wrap a 34T cassette?

34

Gear Talk / Re: How to avoid saddles sores and rash (hand sanitizer)

« on: February 28, 2012, 12:25:53 am »

Noxema has a face wash with triclosan (spelling, not sure) in a squeeze tube. 

Triclosan is bad news. Accumulates in the water supply and has nasty intermediate decay products.

35

Gear Talk / Re: How to avoid saddles sores and rash (hand sanitizer)

« on: February 28, 2012, 12:21:13 am »

Petroleum jelly was not recommended by a specialist who said it clogged pores. Bag Balm is anti-bacterial, besides being a lubricant.

The pores in the crotch are rather large and not prone to clogging. Petrolatum is bacteriostatic and Bag Balm uses a petrolatum base.

This is an ongoing problem for me, despite  changing shorts daily - being as scrupulous clean as possible - always use wet wipes, i try to get the bio-degradable ones.

I have a hypothesis about this: the "scrupulous clean" might actually be part of your problem. There is a natural flora that lives on human skin and the combination of some of the bacteria help to protect us against staph infections (this part is actually backed by scientific study). This flora is easily disrupted by  "hygiene" practices. When I was touring last summer, circumstances occasionally left me two to four days without showers. Normally, on any long-distance ride, I will invariably develop some manner of saddle sore. But during that tour? No problems whatsoever.

Another option that I find works really well for putting the kibosh on boils is preemptively wiping down with povidone iodine after each ride. When I do this, I never develop any boils or abscesses. And I, like pretty much all long distance cyclists/randonneurs, tend to be prone to them. Povidone iodine is like the nuclear option of skin sanitation.

36

Gear Talk / Re: Chain selection

« on: February 27, 2012, 04:29:00 pm »

Another vote for the 971. I use 7-series SRAM chains on almost all of my bikes and I am very happy with them. My mileage per chain ranges from 700 (nasty winter conditions) to about 3000 in the summer.

37

General Discussion / Re: Travel info Portland to Seattle

« on: February 25, 2012, 11:45:47 am »

If you're going to use the ACA Pacific Coast Route from Vancouver BC to get to Portland, you can deviate from the route at Castle Rock, Washington. From Castle Rock to Kelso, where this route into Portland begins:
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Vancouver-to-Longview-WA
you can use SR 411, the Westside Highway. It's got low-to-moderate traffic but no shoulder (traffic picks up closer to Kelso/Longview.)

Just be prepared for the climb and descent between KM markers 44 and 50. The view is worth it, but it's a doozy. The first time I ever rode to Seattle in one shot, that climb had me burnt for the rest of the ride.

38

Gear Talk / Re: thunder jug

« on: February 23, 2012, 10:35:46 am »

That's not for the volume, it's for the wide mouth. Maybe there are quart containers with a wide mouth, but at the time I never came across one.

Now your just braggin'   

Nah, it's just the bad aim in the middle of the night.

39

Gear Talk / Re: thunder jug

« on: February 22, 2012, 07:44:54 am »

Half gallon?!! Time to cut back on the evening beverages...

That's not for the volume, it's for the wide mouth. Maybe there are quart containers with a wide mouth, but at the time I never came across one.

40

Gear Talk / Re: thunder jug

« on: February 21, 2012, 04:02:40 pm »

Wide-mouthed half-gallon fruit juice bottle. It doesn't collapse, but it cinches down tight and won't leak. Well, at least I have never had one leak on me. The convolutions on the bottle make for an easy grip and prevent it from rolling as easily as a normal bottle might.

41

General Discussion / Re: Travel info Portland to Seattle

« on: February 21, 2012, 11:10:23 am »

The STP is a mostly drab route, but there are some changes you can make to the route to enhance it. Taking the reverse of the STP brings you along OR-30 and over the Longview bridge, which is not really a pleasant experience. OR-30 has a wide shoulder, but it is highway.

I suggest going over the I-205 or I-5 bridge into Vancouver and riding north on the WA side. There is a scenic route that you can take all the way to Centralia. I suggest staying at the McMenamins in Centralia. They are bike-friendly, although you will have to hump your bike up a narrow staircase into your room.

From Centralia, I jump on the Yelm-Tenino Trail (in Tenino) and ride to Tacoma, jump on the Vashon Island Ferry. Camp out at Vashon Ranch (only legal camping on Vashon Island). Take the ferry into Seattle.

Prepare for damp conditions that time of year and expect a prevailing northerly wind.

If you need a place to stay when you get to Portland, look me up on WarmShowers.org.

42

Gear Talk / Re: touring stove

« on: February 10, 2012, 07:40:14 pm »

Too many factors to answer without more context. Lay out more details and you'll get much more relevant answers. Details such as budget, locale, time away from resupply, number of people for whom you will be cooking, food preferences, et al.

Also: Try the search feature in the upper right, since this is ground well covered.

43

General Discussion / Re: Blatant Anti-Cyclist Comic in Today's Paper

« on: February 09, 2012, 10:39:35 am »

There are many times when it is more appropriate to take the lane. This idiocy undermines that bicycles are vehicles, that there are sometimes compelling reasons to take the lane, and there is never cause to initiate force against another.

44

Gear Talk / Re: Shimano 8-speed

« on: February 04, 2012, 12:26:35 pm »

Universal Cycles has Shimano 8-speed cassettes.

You know that the SRAM cassettes and chains are compatible, right?

45

Gear Talk / Re: Velocity Fusion wheels

« on: January 31, 2012, 09:07:07 pm »

Do you have to put those verifcation numbers in everytime you post?

Verification numbers?