Messages

16

Gear Talk / Re: What have you taken on tour and later wished you hadn't?

« on: March 09, 2024, 09:04:19 pm »

My battery powered CPAP machine, on a challenging  3-month tour.  We were all seriously sleep deprived every night, I slept like a rock. I have only a moderate case of sleep apnea.  After two months, I decided that I needed the space in my panniers, less weight and one less thing to charge - more than I needed the CPAP.  I sent it home.

I have taken it on subsequent trips and will continue to. Since I won’t take another tour that’s so challenging, toting it is worthwhile.

17

General Discussion / Re: Planning TA—Oregon logging trucks & annual highway closure?

« on: March 07, 2024, 12:01:34 am »

Hwy 126 has a nasty dangerous tunnel near Mapleton.  I would NOT go that way.  Highway 36 is longer but is the route recommended by AC.

I also rode 126 east of Eugene, from Mackenzie Bridge to Walterville.  There's no shoulder and traffic was generally impatient, passed closely, and we got horns a bit.  It was doable but stressful.  But then again, there are a lot of places like that on the TA.  I'll let it go at that.

18

General Discussion / Re: Eastern Express

« on: March 06, 2024, 11:48:33 pm »

I took the traditional TA, and I hated the climbing in Virginia, part of Kentucky and Missouri.  If I were doing it again, I'd look long and hard at the Eastern Express.  Thanks for your input.

19

General Discussion / Re: Some Useful Parameters When Asking for Route Help

« on: March 01, 2024, 05:36:54 pm »

We might also ask what sort of tour the person(s) are planning.  Are they camping or using indoor accommodation?  Cooking?  Sagged?

20

Gear Talk / Re: Clothing List

« on: January 13, 2024, 10:42:49 am »

I hope you’ve made a checklist.

In sunny weather, I wear sun blocking long sleeve shirts (UPF 50). They cool effectively and block sun better than sunscreen.  In cooler weather or on cool mornings, a merino jersey.  On a long trip, I take three of the shirts, trying to stretch washing intervals.

I take nylon convertible pants with zippered pockets.  On a recumbent, those over mens bikini briefs, which prevents chafing.  On a diamond frame, gel liners under the pants, two or three taken along.  But everyone has to see what works for them.

Full height synthetic crew socks, to prevent a ring of sunburn around my ankles.

21

Gear Talk / Re: Fargo 2 vs Fargo 3

« on: January 13, 2024, 09:40:46 am »

I should have offered more context: I can readily spin over 180 on rollers (the cadence meter doesn't read any higher than 180). On the road, I can't get this bike over 42MPH on my regular descents whereas I can hit 52MPH with my other bikes. Any way you slice it, the top end is too low.

Your call, but…  pedaling much over 25 mph, your energy added will mostly get burned up as wind friction.  On day rides it’s one thing, but do you need that extra speed when touring?  Another aspect is severity of crash.  I did many 40+ descents on my transam (fastest 53), but after a while I thought better of it.  At those speeds, I should be wearing body armor and a motorcycle helmet.

I thought of changing the big ring on our ‘bent tandem from 52 to 50, to get less redundancy, but the 52 is handy on a fast descender like that bike.  Still, I stop pedaling about 25 mph.  Also, stoker is uncomfy at higher speeds, so I keep it 30 or less.

But like I said, your call.

22

Gear Talk / Re: Where: Selling New Old Stock bike parts online?

« on: December 16, 2023, 11:42:57 pm »

Do a web search on “vintage bike parts”.  There are several sites listed.

23

Gear Talk / Re: Shimano Nexus Teardown.

« on: December 13, 2023, 11:13:28 am »

It looks like you’ve had an extreme experience with an abused hub.  If the hub is locked up, I agree that the flats and keying washers won’t hold the axle in place.  It shouldn’t be expected to.

In normal service with a reasonably maintained hub, the axle flats and keyed washers work fine.  Nexus and Alfine hubs enjoy a reputation as reliable, durable components, and in my experience, it is deserved.  I don’t think that its failure to work when the internals are gummed up that badly, is a reason not to use one.

24

Routes / Re: Cross-Michigan tour?

« on: December 11, 2023, 09:29:39 pm »

Thanks for the info.  My group of three has decided to follow the route that Adventure Cycling follows for its organized Great Lakes group tour.

25

Youth Bicyle Travel / Re: Links to tours w/ kids

« on: November 17, 2023, 07:05:39 am »

Irode a tour with my daughter and two teen grandkids this summer: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=3d2&doc_id=25295&v=9j

Grandson (17) said, “I knew this would be cool, but I didn’t think it would be this cool.”  We had a great time!

26

General Discussion / Re: Advice on likely my last bike

« on: November 16, 2023, 05:56:20 pm »

I recently purchased a new light touring bike.  Like OP, I don’t want (actually can’t tolerate) drop bars, but wanted a light bike with limited off road capability.  I bought a Trek FX Sport 5. It is much like a road bike but has flat bars.  I changed to north roads bars and a shorter stem with rise.  Buying a flat bar bike let me use the same controls on north roads bars.

The frame is stiff, but it is carbon, don’t know if you are ok with that. I chose the 5 over the 6 as it has alloy wheels and more spokes (32 v 28); I’m not comfortable with the carbon rims on the 6.

The bike comes with 40mm tires, good for some offroad use.

It is hard to find flat bar bikes.

I would also second reconsidering your current bike, if it meets your needs.  Maybe a refurb is all you need.  My new Trek replaces a 50 year old Raleigh, which I had refurbished and is still a capable bike for supported or credit card touring.  Well, except the Record crank needs replacing…. And my daughter just refurbished her 1990’s Cannondale road bike - turned touring bike.

And - have you considered a two wheeled recumbent? I use one for loaded epic tours.

27

General Discussion / Re: Traditional Trans America group tour

« on: November 08, 2023, 01:18:03 pm »

The problem with the harvest is, the crop has to come in 7-10 days, period.  If it doesn’t, people starve or go bankrupt.  Therefore, truckers are absolutely intolerant of any delay.  We just left the road when truckers approached.  Otherwise, I loved Kansas.

28

General Discussion / Traditional Trans America group tour

« on: November 08, 2023, 11:35:57 am »

I’ve just received the Adventure Cycling 2024 Tours catalog.  I see that the TransAm Express group tour is offered, but the traditional Trans America Trail is not.

I have my issues with the original route.  It’s too long and indirect, especially in the northwest.  It takes undesirable roads in places, mostly due to intolerant drivers and no lane space - and there are no other roads.  Virginia’s steep hills really beat me up.  And the group tour passes through Kansas during grain harvest, a formula for friction.

On the other hand, it is a beautiful route with great diversity.  I respect the tradition.  And it was the last self-supported epic tour.  I’m glad I did it, but I wouldn’t do it again.

29

Gear Talk / Re: roll up solar panel

« on: October 30, 2023, 10:33:43 pm »

Solar panels are not efficient

Depends on how much you need to charge.  As a general rule, solar panels can be made to work for low power devices like a phone or GPS (but maybe not both).  If you're taking a laptop or many devices, a solar panel might not do the job.  Compare the charge requirements of your device(s) with the output of solar panels.  And test it before you go.

Many other threads have come to the conclusion that a dynamo hub or solar panel may not be worth the trouble.  If you're road touring, you can recharge off line power most nights.  Many of us now carry a battery pack, the price of these is very reasonable and you can get several days charge from one for a phone.

30

Routes / Re: NYC to Fargo

« on: October 06, 2023, 01:02:12 pm »

On the NY (state) parts, weather will be quite variable in April and early May.  Expect some days that are downright cold and rainy.  You're experienced, so you know how to deal with it.  Maybe allow a rain day or two.

There is no one train that follows your route.  There is a parallel route from NYC to Buffalo, but no other trains until you get to Minneapolis.  Greyhound (bus) has some services that cross your path, check them.  I would not plan on using Amtrak in a hop on/off manner.  Bike spaces and train seats must be reserved, and they often sell out.

I loved taking the SS Badger across Lake Michigan, and will go again someday.

For a route from Manitowoc to Stillwater, the Wisconsin Bike Federation has cycling maps for the state.

If you ride to Milwaukee, there are nice trails most of the way across the state, to Winona Minnesota.  See the Wisconsin DNR website.  Between St. Cloud MN and Moorhead MN (Fargo), there are also nice trails.