gear help

[ktp]

hello all                                                I have a 04 specialized rockhopper it has a  22/32/42 crankset and 8-speed 11x32t cassette.  i need help with gears and crankrings? what wood be good for pulling a BOB?     any info wood be a big help                                   thank you

[valygrl]

It's fine the way it is.

[ktp]

thank you for or help:)  ktp

[hallorann]

Maybe you should buy tires with low rolling resistance
(I guess you're goningto use roads, not single
trails).
 
Have a look at the Specialized Crossroads EX,
Hemisphere EX and Nimbus EX. Rhey are puncture proof,
too.
 
Bye
Steffen  

[vanick]

I've been setting up my hardtail MTB for transamerica this summer pulling a BOB.  I'm running 24-34-46 cranks and an 11-34 9speed cassette, this combination works great with or without the loaded trailer (which I've been pulling up and down the Blue Ridge on training rides).  This is similar to your gearing on the low end, mine is a bit taller in the high end, there've been a few times when I've actually spun out the 46-11 gear with the trailer.  

Nick

[ktp]

  Iam planing to do the great divide rout? some day.    thank you for your help. ktp

[Dan]

I agree with hallorann about the tires...especially if your riding the great divide.  I used the Specialized Crossroads EX (Armadillo version) and had excellent results.  Zero front flats and 2 rear flats over 3,400 miles of loaded touring on the great divide.  Good traction for the dirt but the smooth center strip made the paved portions smooth, quiet, and fast.  The front tire is still in use on another commuter bike while the rear had a bit more wear and was discarded.

[pamelaw]

any suggestions on mini speakers that an MP3 can hook up to?
Thanx,
Pam

[don quixote]

Pam, I've wondered the same thing. Have you found any ideas since your posting several weeks ago?

George Olmstead
San Diego

[don quixote]

Pam, I found the answer to your question about a small speaker for you iPod, or other MP3. I bought it today at Fry's Electronics for $39. It is a Sony model SRS-T33 that weights 6 oz, including the 2 AAA batteries (not included) is 7" long and 1.5" wide and plugs into the headphone jack on the iPod. It might also be on their catalog site at outpost.com. Or type " Sony SRS-T33" into Google and you will see several sellers, one for $30. Not great fidelity, but I did not expect that, however it is certainly acceptable. I plan to velcro it to my handlebar bag and also use it in camp (with rechargeable batteries). Mine is "pink", which I usually really dislike, but it is actually more of a salmon color and just fine. Let me know what you think.

George Olmstead
San Diego

[jim baross]

Portable, Bluetooth speakers! These would likely plan MP3 if sent over Bluetooth. The OMAKER-M4 has standard small input jack.
Wow! I have tried out the Omaker model OMA2130 and their OMAKER-M4 provided to me to test and report. They have worked great; easy to connect to my Bluetooth capable Android phone playing my Pandora music feeds, easy to recharge via USB jacks. Both are amazingly small for their volume. The OMA2130 is about a 1.5" cube size. The OMAKER-M4 is water proof and makes showering a new experience. They both provided plenty of volume for adding music to my bike riding. And they are each available for under $30. I find listening to music via earbuds or headphones to be far too distracting for bicycling in any kind of traffic, and I'd miss out on the other natural sounds around me, but these little speakers add rather than detracting from my bicycling experiences.