Messages

16

General Discussion / Re: Pedals and Shoes for the TransAmerica

« on: March 02, 2021, 09:02:32 pm »

I am all for pedals and shoes.  Going barefoot is too rough for me.

Tailwinds, John

While I am guessing this was said with tongue in cheek - when I rode the Bike Across Kansas in 2019 (508 miles Colorado to Missouri border), there was a Mennonite woman with a teen-age daughter and son who all rode. The girl wore a traditional Mennonite dress when riding, albeit with white leggings/tights. and, she rode barefoot all the time. Every day about 1 PM or so, she would blow by me with an entourage of  teenage guys who were smitten with her (truth be known - I was too . . .). An amazing sight with her just speeding by barefooted.

will look for a picture of her and post it.

17

Gear Talk / Re: Handlebar bag conundrum . . .

« on: February 26, 2021, 08:51:04 pm »

Just to add a couple of ideas, although I haven't used a GoPro on my touring bike.

If you are rocking a newer touring bike, you might be lucky to have many cage/accessory mount bolts up front on your fork, etc. Hopefully some are unused, in which case put on a Paul Gino mount (pricey) or Origin 8 Eyelet Stub (what I have) to give you more and often better mounting options.  So I run "anything" style cages on my fork nowadays instead of my former lowrider front pannier rack, so I  have free rack mount holes near front axle.  I installed an Origin 8 mount on outside of left fork leg, near hub and have my headlight there.  Simply fantastic field of light, and does not blind oncoming motorists, cyclists or pedestrians (as handlebar mounted lights often do...especially if they are designed for offroad riding).

Actually, I do have some nice attachment points on the front rack.
Have already decided to get an Origin 8 eyelet stub mount and move the extremely bright (for a reason) 1300 lumen headlight to a lower position on the front rack.
That is a great solution.

Thanks.

thanks!

18

General Discussion / Re: NEWBIE Cooking question . . .

« on: February 25, 2021, 05:43:47 pm »

Thanks to all for your input.

Facts are our friends . . .

rick

19

General Discussion / NEWBIE Cooking question . . .

« on: February 24, 2021, 09:10:01 pm »

I have been impressed with the functionality and creativity I have seen on videos from bike campers cooking with the typical jet torch pocket stove configurations.

Here is a question, though -
If it is raining, can you safely use a jet boil to heat water for boiling or fry food in a pan within the covered area of a tent?
Either in the tent itself or, more likely, within an area covered outside the tent by a small vestibule?

Envisioning a day of riding in the rain, pitching the tent and really wanting something hot to eat and/or drink.

Thanks for any input.

Rixtoy

20

General Discussion / Re: how steep is the grade of the Golden Gate Bridge

« on: February 24, 2021, 09:14:11 am »

So, here is a recent video from a family riding across the bridge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIrbRj7149Q

I thought they did a pretty good job managing the traffic and the MANY bridge maintenance barricades.

I can see now where the commuter/expert riders drive up the average speed.
I am guessing by the shadow angles this was ridden fairly early in the morning,

But, there are many places where the barriers are up and with two way traffic it is hard to imagine a bike with double panniers getting through those tight areas while still riding.

I think I will pick my time to cross based on the average hourly/daily volume data.

21

General Discussion / Re: how steep is the grade of the Golden Gate Bridge

« on: February 24, 2021, 08:56:20 am »

"8,000 BIKES PER DAY in 2015 and it has only increased. Read the full report for data by hour, by month, and by day. Important if you are planning to cross, I think." -------  Like I said, it's a freaking circus.

With an average speed of 17 mph for all riders recorded on one day in 2019 . . . how is that even possible with that many bikes of mixed abilities? . . .

The commuter bikers early in the morning show 17 mph as the 85th percentile, meaning they are going possibly 10 mph more than that.

I need to look at some of the videos of crossings.

Methinks the OP, who was looking for a melancholy or serendipitous moment for the protagonist should consider this crossing more like riding a roller coaster with his hair on fire.  Eeek!

22

Gear Talk / Re: Handlebar bag conundrum . . .

« on: February 23, 2021, 09:41:38 am »

I've got the Thorn bar John Nettles mentioned on one bike.  It's very solid and it works well.  I've got the accessory bar angled down, so the bag is below the "real" bar.  It's still handy to wrestle with the Ortlieb release for 5 seconds, pop the bag off, and carry it with me to preserve valuables like wallet, camera, and cell phone when I'm running inside (to a bathroom, convenience store, or diner).

Just writing this made me stop and wonder why I haven't done the same thing with my other bike.  Inertia, I guess.

Now, that is a unique solution - put the handle bar bag on the extension bar below the stock bars.

Will definitely look into that.

Thanks.

23

General Discussion / Re: how steep is the grade of the Golden Gate Bridge

« on: February 23, 2021, 08:51:39 am »

Holy Moley!
I did a random search on the subject and encountered a staff report that will be presented this Friday to the Golden Gate Board of Commissioners.

Here is a link to the report and an associated study from a couple of years ago: https://www.goldengate.org/assets/1/25/2021-0225-bocomm-no7-bicyclesafetystudy.pdf?6560

I had no clue as to the volume, SPEED and number of daily accidents of bikes on this bridge.

Here are some of the summary findings - what a hot mess - commuters travelling across at a very fast clip, combined with the thousand of families who rent from the Bike the Bridge companies where some people haven't ridden a bike in years. Just Wow!

8,000 BIKES PER DAY in 2015 and it has only increased. Read the full report for data by hour, by month, and by day. Important if you are planning to cross, I think.

24

General Discussion / Re: The current landscape of purchasing a touring bike . . .

« on: February 23, 2021, 08:21:09 am »

So did you find a 520 available for a more timely purchase?  Just curious if it worked out for you.  Nyimbo

Actually, I did - and, it was based on your timely input in your post above (locations of bikes).
My apologies for not noting that earlier in this forum.

The nearest bike on your list was in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (Tulsa suburb) and that is about a 3hr drive from me.

I spoke with Gretchen at Phat Bikes there and they had just received a 520 in 57 cm from Trek.
We discussed the landscape for the availability of these bikes and she graciously let me put a "hold" on the bike for a small sum while I made my decision. (And, without me asking, she honored the price they had advertised, which is less than the current Trek asking price - good business if you ask me . . .).

I decided there is a lot of ground to cover (literally) before I can fully be ready for a long tour, but I would rather have the bike and not be able to go on a tour than wanting to go and have no bike available, so I have adjusted my thinking to buying a touring bike and doing some smaller bike/camping excursions this summer. Then, when I am ready I can commit to the multi-week tour(s) this Fall and into next year.

Phat Bikes and their manager, Daniel, have been very helpful in configuring the bike to my needs as far as fenders, pedals, bags, etc. and I am scheduled to drive down and pick it up this week-end.

I am very excited to begin this new phase of my cycling life and look forward to the anticipation, celebration, recreation and education of this new chapter in the old book of my life.

Again, many Thanks.

(Pic is before mods . . .)

Rixtoy

25

General Discussion / Re: Preparation for climbing . . .

« on: February 22, 2021, 11:01:01 pm »

Getting all mathy here,

With a 20 gear at a 60 cadence, you'd travel a hair under 4mi/hr.  On a 6% grade, which seems to be a pretty standard steep hill, a mile is 317ft of climb. So at 4mi/hr you'd climb over 1200ft/hr which is pretty brisk.  I know a lot of climbs are done at around 900ft/hr which would be a sedate 3mi/hr.

Since there is negligible wind resistance at these speeds and rolling resistance is the least of our problems, the power required to climb a 6% grade is easy to approximate for various total bikeand rider weights:
             3mi/hr    4mi/hr
250#        90W      119W
300#      107W      143W

I imagine your trainer has a power readout.  Failing that, I have a somewhat fuzzier aero resistance model that estimates riding a road bike in still air at 16mph requires about 140W.  Or, since you live in Kansas, riding 11mph into a 10mph headwind requires the same 140W.

On a warmup ride for a TA trip, I crossed central Tennessee.  It's pretty much a plateau incised by 1200ft river valleys.  On the frequent climbs I started out stopping every 100ft of elevation for a break.  Eventually I got tired of stopping all the time, my strength built up, and I just started grinding them out.

I am an analytical guy and this hits home with me.
Encouraged to know my normal Kansas riding in the wind does provide some training basis.
I appreciate the numbers and will digest them.

Rixtoy

26

Gear Talk / Handlebar bag conundrum . . .

« on: February 22, 2021, 10:28:36 pm »

I am guessing this has been discussed, but my search provided no joy . . .
I am interested in the Ortleib handlebar bag, but am not seeing how to integrate a clean bracket attachment for Garmin GPs and GoPro with the bag there.
My Trek 520 has a nice duo mount in the center of the stem for GPs on top and GoPro (or light) below, but the bag will block the GoPro.

I guess a handle bar GoPro mount fixed to the side of the Ortleib bag might work?

I do have a front rack and could forego the Handlebar bag for a trunk bag on the front rack which sits lower than the GoPro.
That might be an optimal solution.

Thoughts or implemented solutions?

Thanks.

27

General Discussion / Re: Preparation for climbing . . .

« on: February 19, 2021, 08:29:56 am »

I will be riding fully packed for camping with front and rear panniers . . .
Thanks.

Rix -
as posted ("Jam's" great post : ) previously, 'stopping' is always a wonderful option.
I.e., you will be on 'touring time' ~ and smelling the flowers along the way with each stop is part of the enjoyment for a good number of us.
P.S. You mentioned 'Gearing' ...... a great help to me in enjoying the climbs
is to always be riding with Chain Inches (aka, Gear Inches) under 20.

Indeed. As it turns out, my wife and I have ridden probably 150,000+ miles together, each on our own Harleys over the years before she turned to golf and me to bicycling. We recognized early on the real adventure was not at the destination, but in the ride getting there - the smells, the sights, the weather, the people . . . we only ate at places recommended by locals and never rode interstates unless we had to make time It was glorious. One morning we rode to breakfast 30 miles away and, unplanned, rode 1,000 miles before getting back home.
"That" is what it is about. Thanks for awakening that spirit in me - it must be what is driving me for these ventures, as well.

28

Gear Talk / Re: Marathon supreme width for full pack touring . . .

« on: February 18, 2021, 11:17:02 pm »

I ride Schwalbe Marthn Spremes,  700 x 35s on my fully loaded (32 lbs-35 lbs) Kona Sutra and they work great on asphalt and on fairly good gravel roads. You'll be fine. I've never ad a flat with them.

Thank you, Sir.
Very helpful.

Rixtoy

29

General Discussion / Re: Preparation for climbing . . .

« on: February 18, 2021, 09:58:47 pm »

I've toured for 35 years and have come to the conclusion that -
a) If I'm gasping for air, then I might as well stop.
b) I'm not doing it to punish myself.

******************************************************************************************************
Point taken; or, as I tell my adult children" "Misery is optional - no one should be able to make you miserable but you, so don't".
(They hate that saying, but under the influence of serendipity or alcohol, admit I'm right.)

Thanks.

30

Gear Talk / Re: Marathon supreme width for full pack touring . . .

« on: February 18, 2021, 09:54:00 pm »

Right but my point is that if the chainstay width is say 40mm, and then the fenders take up 5mm of that, the widest tire you can have without rubbing is 35mm.  Probably best to wait until you get the bike and then see.  Regardless, the 35mm would work fine.

that makes sense - Thanks for the clarification.