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Routes / Re: ACA routes and Warm Showers hosts
« Last post by canalligators on December 18, 2018, 10:14:15 pm »
We live less than a mile off the Northern Tier, which is also the Erie Canalway Trail here.  We would host 5-10 parties a year.  That number would be higher but we needed to say "Sorry" to people who didn't honor our need for 48 hours notice (we worked opposite shifts).
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Gear Talk / Re: Best tires for touring the US
« Last post by Pat Lamb on December 18, 2018, 09:59:02 pm »
I managed to take a wire bead tire (700C, FWIW) folded in thirds as John suggests, and then squeeze it in the middle so it was mostly linear, maybe 15" long, with loops at both ends.  I had a catastrophic failure, and the replacement worked OK after that folding regime.
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Routes / Re: ACA routes and Warm Showers hosts
« Last post by John Nettles on December 18, 2018, 05:38:27 pm »
I am about a mile off of BR66.  We get 5-7 per year so it is not bad at all.  However, on the more popular route, i.e. the TransAm, the can get tons.

I "think" there is some guy in or near Missoula that has hosted hundreds of cyclists yet he keeps doing it so he must not be overwhelmed, or just can't say no.

WS is a personal decision.  What works for me not work for you and vice versus.  Regardless, I thank you for being a WS host.
John
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Routes / ACA routes and Warm Showers hosts
« Last post by 5kdad on December 18, 2018, 05:33:01 pm »
My wife and I are Warm Showers hosts, but not many cyclists pass through our area in rural Arkansas. We've only hosted 3 cyclists in 5 years. I'm planning a tour this summer, planning on staying mostly on ACA routes. I know there are WS hosts along ACA routes, but wonder if they get over-whelmed with requests for lodging? Anyone with experience, using WS hosts along ACA routes?
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Gear Talk / Re: Best tires for touring the US
« Last post by John Nettles on December 18, 2018, 02:52:22 pm »
My wife prefers the skinny high pressure tires on her trike.  Also, there are plenty of videos that show how to fold a wire bead 700c tire so it is about a 12" circle without damaging it so don't feel you can't carry a wire tire.  They are typically just heavier.
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Gear Talk / Re: Best tires for touring the US
« Last post by brhoward on December 18, 2018, 02:28:34 pm »
It's been 1 at a time so no, I don't need to carry multiples of the same size. I do like the Schwalbe Big Apples for riding comfort. But again, they are wire bead. Failures are usually from glass on higher-pressure road tires. Maybe with the lower pressure on the trikes I'll be fine?
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Gear Talk / Re: Best tires for touring the US
« Last post by John Nettles on December 18, 2018, 01:45:31 pm »
How often do you experience more than 1 tire destroyed at a time?  I am assuming you are not riding the tires until the threads are showing and then you ride on gravel.  I am also assuming by catastrophic you mean you have no way to repair the tire, i.e. use the dollar bill as Aggie suggests (I have done that too and continued for an additional 1,400 miles), wrap duct tape around it , etc.  I have never, in 40 years of touring, experienced a catastrophic tire failure (unable to use anymore), so I am a little at a loss in that experience.  Probably just jinx it now.

Honestly, I would like to know how/why you are getting more than 1 tire failure, again you are not riding on sharp gravel frequently.  Did you hit a massive hole?  The tire itself was a piece of junk?  A blowout?  Was it on the sidewall, the tread, etc.?

Anyway, if you have never had more than 1 at a time, I would probably just carry one spare tire AND also know the source of where I can call have have another 24" tire shipped to me.  This could be a friend, shop, Amazon, etc.

My thinking is say you only get 1 failure at a time.  Say it takes a week to ship the 4th tire to you (remember, start with two on the trike and one spare).  What are the chances you will have another tire failure within the week you are do not have a spare with you?
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Gear Talk / Re: Best tires for touring the US
« Last post by aggie on December 18, 2018, 01:42:24 pm »
On one web site I found a 24 in Kenda tire.  If I couldn't find a more thorn resistant tire I most likely use a liner and feather the end to prevent a bump when riding.  I did find several tires on Amazon.com that might work.
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Gear Talk / Re: Best tires for touring the US
« Last post by brhoward on December 18, 2018, 01:33:41 pm »
Thats my problem as well. Finding a 24" tire for the fronts.
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Gear Talk / Re: Best tires for touring the US
« Last post by aggie on December 18, 2018, 01:27:29 pm »
I've only had 1 tire failure where the sidewall blew out and that was able to be temporarily fixed with a dollar bill until the next town with a LBS.  I've gotten a few flats so I carry a few spare tubes and a repair kit along with a bike pump.  A leatherman type tool is handy to pull out thorns or wires embedded in the tire.  I've found a spare tire just adds unnecessary weight for me.   I currently run Specialized Armadillos on my  touring bike and have yet to have a flat.  I also like Marathons but couldn't them in in the size I wanted.
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