Messages

61

General Discussion / Re: Creating a Journal: Ideas and hints for a good one?

« on: February 15, 2011, 07:51:43 pm »

I would respectfully disagree that there are not journals that rise to the level of art on CGOAB. I think there are a handful there that would be worth emulating if you have the skill and artistic bent. One of my favorite is Peter Gostelow's A long ride home http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=RrzKj&doc_id=985&v=4hY is well written, visually stunning, and captured a lot of followers. The problem is ferreting them out though.

And Douglas Coulter does some great photography http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/directory/?o=RrzKj&user=thegimprider&v=1E

It seems that the journals I find most interesting are those by professional journalist/writers and photographers. Which I suppose is not too surprising.

62

General Discussion / Re: Question about airplane travel!!?

« on: August 15, 2010, 12:50:38 am »

I strongly recommend SouthWest if you are flying with a bike and they go where you want to. 

+1 I flew round trip from Phoenix to Omaha on Southwest and the plane had a large number of bicyclist and bikes in boxes and cases on it headed to and from RAGBRAI. Southwest is my number one airline all the way around.

63

General Discussion / Re: Bike/Barge trip in Europe

« on: August 15, 2010, 12:40:18 am »

My wife and I did a Bike-Barge trip in the Netherlands out of Amsterdam in 2001. The riding was was good as well as was the sightseeing. Barge life was cramped and food was so-so. I would suppose that has a lot to do with the barge and captain running it. I had toured the same area solo and felt that that was a better trip with out the barge and et al.

However if you are with those who are not into biking, like my wife, they can stay on the barge and do sightseeing while the bikers are biking to the next overnight site. In my wife's case she did that a couple of times. This may be good for your group.

Another possibility to think about is doing a base tour where everyone picks out their own ride but come back together at night.

64

Routes / Re: BENELUX / Mosel

« on: April 04, 2010, 06:50:25 pm »

It has been sometime, 10 years now, that I rode from Den Haag, Utrecht, Arnhem, Venlo, and to Maastricht. I was there just as the tulips popped and it was awesome. You'll find that Arnhem to Maastricht will dispel the idea The Netherlands does not have hills. I have also done a bike/barge trip through some of the same area and enjoyed that as well. I like Arnhem.
I have also done the the Rhine from Düsseldorf to Koblenz to Trier and that is a very nice trip. I laid over in Cochem and enjoyed it. But that is the reverse direction of your trip.

The last time I went to Europe I flew British Air from Phoenix to London Heathrow non stop and used the CTC Bike Bag http://www.ctcshop.org.uk/cycling/p/CTC/22/CTC_Plastic_Bike_Bag/5360041697/
It worked great especially when I broke it down with the front wheel tapped to the frame center. Made a nice compact package to move around and handle. Seemed to had been handled properly too as there were no issues after flying both ways packed that way.

65

Urban Cycling / Momentum Magazine

« on: March 22, 2010, 02:40:06 pm »

I sort of stumbled on to http://issuu.com/business and Momentum Magazine which is published by http://www.momentumplanet.com/
Anyway on the Issuu site search for "momentum" and back issues of the magazine can be read online. Great articles.

66

General Discussion / Re: Wikipedia links for all towns on Transamerica Trail

« on: March 22, 2010, 02:08:04 pm »

Very Nice. Have you thought about using Google Maps and putting the links in place markers?

67

Gear Talk / Re: Jamis Aurora vs. Surly LHT

« on: February 28, 2010, 02:34:56 pm »

O-kay, so I've decided on the LHT, but what about 700cc vs. 26ers? 

Strictly opinion here. I had two Bruce Gordon's; 700c and 26". I sold the 26" because I am sticking mainly with paved roads. That said I run 40mm tires on the 700c.

68

General Discussion / Re: Bicycling in Poland

« on: February 28, 2010, 02:27:42 pm »

Has anyone any information about bicycling in Poland? If you have websites or personal info, I would like to hear about it.

Look at Mark Boyd's site. He has Poland trips there. http://www.cs.unca.edu/~boyd/bicycling.html

69

General Discussion / Re: maximum weight

« on: February 25, 2010, 11:37:31 am »

All touring bikes include clearly explained weight capacities so you're looking at non-touring bikes?
david boise ID

I just don't ever recall seeing any bike listing its maximum carrying weight, not that they don't. I just don't recall seeing that specification.
I have seen maximum carrying weights for racks though but that is about it.
Now Bruce Gordon does have a heavier tubing which he recommends for heavier customers.

I wonder how the manufacturers qualify that specification? Under what road conditions? Weight distribution? Speed? seems like a sticky wicket to me.

70

Gear Talk / Re: Baggy shorts

« on: February 05, 2010, 12:16:31 pm »

Tony,
I like the Nashbar Tahoe shorts but have not seen them lately.
I am considering the Tilley Endurables shorts http://www.tilley.com/detail.asp?gender=m&extractBy=CategoryId&id=8&productNo=TE20

71

Gear Talk / Re: What road bikes can fit a 700x32 or 35?

« on: February 02, 2010, 12:28:24 am »

Does anyone know or have any experience fitting 700x35's or 32's on a Cannondale R series or Trek 1000 to 1400?  Or really any road bike for that matter?  I'm looking for the best of both worlds a lightweight road bike under 20lbs for long rides up to 130 miles with an ability to swap out tires for the gravel trails.  I've tried googling this and haven't had much luck.

For a road bike using dual pivot caliper brakes 32c and even 28c tires can be a bit tight getting wheels off and on. Check out SOMA Smoothie ES or Stanyan. Both take 32c with fenders using long reach caliper brakes. Don't know what the build weight would be though.