Bike touring

What's the longest ride you did?
You don't just hop on a bike and ride for months without training.

>>1043972
For your price range: get a used bike
Problem: You'll need somone to check it for you if you aren't into bikes.

You'll have to find out what frame size you need to actually enjoy riding the bike, for example. Not to mention components.

Find someone who is into bikes, buy a used bike together. Ride it like a beast and change what doesn't feel comfortable.

You can of course just get any bike and go for it without training. You'll get the training along with the distance. Personally, I wouldn't go on a tour with a random bike.

>>1043979
You never toured, did you?

>>1043972
I would highly recommend to upgrade your current bike if the frame is decent and it fits you (fit is important, if you experience any pain riding it, have your LBS check it out).

It's not really that difficult to upgrade your bike and you learn how to repair it this way. Youtube has tons of tutorials on how to do it.

Assuming your components are shit, you might need to replace everything but the frame and fork, the handlebars, the front wheel and maybe the brakes. You will absolutely need a sturdy rack, a sturdy rear wheel, decant gearing (shimano deore and upwards) and flat proof tyres. Clipless pedals aren't that important really.

I upgraded an old bike this way and it cost me around 350 € for the components. I built the rear wheel myself, but you can also buy prebuilt ones.

The most important skills you will need is wheel truing and replacing broken spokes, checking for chain wear and replacing a worn chain, and of course how to repair flats.

>>1044005
>decant gearing
I meant decent of course.

DO NOT MAKE THIS MISTAKE. I did a 6 month tour on a thrift store bike. This bike is going to be your home, don't fuck it up. Buy a surly LHT. If your still going to cheap out, buy a used bike and upgrade literally everything to to high mid range spec or touring spec components. Also the wheels and the seat will make or break your trip.

>I've never used clipless pedals or anything, should I employ this on my bike for my tour?

If you're mostly on flat land, you'll be fine with flat pedals and street shoes. If you're going to be in more mountainous territory, clipless pedals are much nicer. Shimano SPD is great.

>I don't know anything about bike mechanics, what skills should I learn so that I can face the challenges that will appear from crossing hundreds of miles on a bike continuously?

The basics that you must know: How to install a new tube, and how to patch a punctured tube. How to adjust your derailleurs. How to properly clean and lube your chain. How to use a chainbreaker to fix a broken chain, and how to install a chain. How to adjust your brakes as the pads wear. How to align your brake pads (if it's a rim-brake bike).

Critical for longer tours, a little tougher to learn to do properly: How to replace a broken spoke. How to true a wheel.

Also useful: How to adjust cup&cone wheel bearings. How to adjust a headset.

>>1044003
Good advice. In your price range, options for good new touring bikes are limited, especially if that budget also has to go towards other gear like racks/panniers/etc.

Your best bet upgrading your existing bike or getting a solid used bike, and it's tough for internet randos to guide you from afar if you don't know much about bikes. Find someone locally to help you out.

>>1044074
>LHT is the only bike anyone can tour on, ever. Cyclotouring was invented by Surly in 2007.

>>1044005
So you think I should rather upgrade my current bike with quality parts instead of buying a secondhand quality one?

>>1044074
> Buy a surly LHT.
What's so special about them?

>>1044183
Nothing is special about them. They're clones of 80s Japanese touring bikes. Only problem is that they lack a kickstand plate like a Soma Saga or VO Campeur.

>>1044183
>So you think I should rather upgrade my current bike with quality parts instead of buying a secondhand quality one?

Yes

Buying used won't serve you if you don't know a lot about bikes. You need to be able to check if it was in an accident or not. You need to know how to check the drivetrain, the rims and the hubs for wear. You need to check if the rear derailleur hanger is bent. And you must be sure that it fits you, so you need to take it on a test ride for a day.

A used bike (especially a touring bike) will have worn parts, so you will need to replace them anyway. I bought a used Koga Miyata touring bike for my GF and had to replace the casette, chainwheel, chain, brake pads and the saddle. It cost around 150, give or take. The bike was 370. Luckily, the rims and hubs were still in good shape.

It might be cheaper for you to upgrade your current bike than to buy a used one where you need to replace the worn parts. Especially if you don't know what you are doing and you bought a "quality bike" in really bad shape.

Upgrading is not rocket science and youtube, the people here and even your LBS can help you with it.

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hey o p. trek 520's and other similar old touring bikes can be had on CL or ebay for a reasonable price (miyata, nishiki, fuji, &c.). you'll need someone to do a full overhaul of the bike, though. make sure the bike fits well, has tons of hand positions (ie no flat 'trekking' bars).

travel with less than you think you need. almost everyone who tours ends up mailing shit back home at some point.

balance your load between the front and rear wheels to offset weird handling characteristics.

take a disposable point and shoot camera. it'll let you get the photos w/o sitting there trying to get the right photo on a digital/phone.

don't try to pack too much food on the bike, you'll be able to buy food along the route. However, figure out what your calorie intake/fat burning/energy expenditure is going to look like so you don't bonk super hard. trying to hump it up a remote mountain pass when your legs are jelly is not fun.

I recommend using the smallest tent you're comfortable in, as volume and weight on the bike will be a big concern.

in the western usa, there will be stretches where you'll need to travel 70-100 miles/day between services. plan accordingly. it's not a bad idea to take a reservoir to sterilize found water on the go.

>>1043972
>I've never used clipless pedals or anything, should I employ this on my bike for my tour?

Flats are perfectly fine for tourning, just get a big platform pedals and shoes with stiff soles (hiking shoes are good). That saves you the weight of a pair of aditional shoes. You won't need to go clipless because you won't be spinning at high cadence while touring.
>what skills should I learn so that I can face the challenges that will appear from crossing hundreds of miles on a bike continuously?
Changing tyres, patching tubes, replacing spokes, getting your wheels true, adjusting your shifting system,changing/repairing your chain and some McGyver skills like patching your tires if they blow or get a really big cut until you find a near store to buy tyres.

>>1043972

Where do you live? I have a touring bike I'll sell you in Philadelphia

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>>1044263
West Philadelphia?

>>1043972
Recommend a new, or at least recent, Fuji touring if you can find one - comfy, tough, and very good value. it's basically a surly lht but slightly lesser spec and way cheaper.
Think it's around 800 bucks US new ?
Get a good seat !
I wouldn't tour on a hybrid unless you're doing vou're doing very short times in the saddle, would avoid a vintage touring bike also - vintage touring bikes are godly but their age often necessitates a bit of know how and parts sourcing etc...
Clipless if you like, old school toe straps if not - it's really up to you but i'd recommend one or the other, sturdy comfy shoes if the latter.
Learn how to change a flat or a cable, tweak a wonky wheel with a spoke wrench, how to effectively adjust your brakes, and at least try to get a basic understanding of your gearing and how it works - that's the mechanical stuff covered and unless you're in the middle of nowhere with some ridiculous catastrophic problem that's all you''ll really need.
I don't think you need to train for this as others have suggested - the bikes got to fit you though, you have to be comfy if you're going to be on it for 7 or 8 hours straight. Get something that fits you, ride it locally until you're sure it's appropriate, and then just do it.
You asked about bike tech stuff specifically - A great site for touring related stuff otherwise is:
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/
Good luck to you m8 !

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>>1044183
>>1044168
>what's so special about them.
They aren't a gamble and most people don't know what's involved in buying or building a good touring bike. As OP said he has no experience, and on my travels I have never heard any complaints about them. I'm sorry if surly is to "main stream" for you autists, but they do make really good touring bikes. I would also suggest the TREK 520 and Kona Sutra. OP don't listen memes and don't take a chance on the next 6 month of your life.

>>1044263
What kind of touring bike do you have? I live an hour from philly and it seems I would have to drive a while to get a decent bike anyway.

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>>1044344

I concur. Having owned a Fuji Touring for 2 years now I love it to bits.

>>1044379
Just chiming in, I had a crack develop below the seat clamp on my 2015 Trek 520 disc after about 8500 ks. If I had my time again I would buy the trucker, worth the extra dosh for the bigger tyre clearances for sure

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>>1043979

I remember tourfat on /out/. He bought a not too bad bike and a ton of gear and just went. I'm not sure where he ended up but he really streamlined his outfit over a few months. Anyone can tour.

>>1044168

Clipless pedals are a fucking meme. Besides having to carry an extra pair of shoes which are useless for walking in (yes even SPD) they bring absolutely nothing to any cyclist outside of racing. I fell for the meme and did 20000km before I figured out that good flats like shitmano saint are just better pedals.

>>1044834

That's probably bad luck, didn't terk warranty it? If you're looking at Surly touring bikes, take a good look at the ECR which is a nice road tourer with fat schwalbes or ETs on.

>>1043972
If you can afford it get a internal gear hub (7 or better even a higher gear number)
it doesnt require that much maintainance and its delicate parts are hidden inside the hub.
the regular gears outside your bike can break easily when you fall and need more maintenance

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Different guy here, but in OPs position almost exactly. I've got in my head that I want to ride my bike from northwest Arkansas to the Pacific Northwest via the TransAmerica Trail.

I'm thinking about getting MTB clipless for handling the mountains but have zero experience with clipless having ridden platform pedals all my life.

For the bike, if I save up and buy new I'll be looking at getting either a Long Haul Trucker or a Fuji Touring. My LBS carries Kona (which I love) and Giant, but neither of their touring models appeal to me. Giant's is a flatbar and Kona's is butt-ugly.

I'll be on a budget of $730 a month (so $24 a day), how does that sound?

Concerning gear, I plan on using my one man tent and a modular sleeping system minus the patrol bag. I'll also get a second MSS compression sack for my clothes.

I was also thinking about a earth-toned tarp to help hide my bike when stealth camping. A nice camo military surplus bivy plus the bike wrapped up in a brown tarp would feel pretty safe to me as long as I wasn't camping right on the shoulder of the road.

>>1044847

That's bullshit.

Anyone ever rebuilt an old 10 speed for touring?
All it should need is mudguards, handlebar bags and a pannier and saddle bag?

>>1044847
Holy Christ that is really bad advice.

Unless by "bycycle tour" the OP means "riding my bike 30 miles on flat terrain to my friend's house next town over".

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>>1044926
Too aggressive of a stance gets really tiring for anything big, though you hear of light tourists or credit card tourists using that sort of thing.

>>1044929
What if I get one to fit more upright?

>>1044931
Then I guess that would be less of an issue. But getting an aggressive geo to relax might involve manipulating stuff in a way that is just going to cause potentially wasted energy, but I don't know much about that and it would definitely come in a case by case basis. And that also depends on whether or not your really care.

Where are you wanting to tour?

>>1044938
To be honest, I am just looking at traveling around my home country. Worst terrain would be a farm track. Rains half the year, and wont be camping overnight.
Looking at setting up Raleigh Winner.

>>1044919
for longer travels its by far the best gear system its just fucking expensive

>>1044927
ok go ahead with your outside gear and ride your bike for a few months. if you fall with any luck your gears are fucked. and your journey is over

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>>1044926
Yes. 7000km in 5 months, never had a backache, notice the drop bars.

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>>1044927
I've crashed my bikes many times through my life and have never damaged my drivetrain in any way. Yes, it would make things difficult, but it's very statistically unlikely to happen. If you're really that nervous about it then pack a replacement derailleur and cables and go to your LBS for some repair classes.

Internal gear hubs are pretty cool, but not for hilly or mountainous terrain, and if you 're on a trip long enough to call a proper tour then I'm guessing you're probably going to need lower gearing than what an IGH is going to offer.

>>1045015
>>1044979

>>1044927
>being this out of touch
Kekkles.

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5'8", 115 lbs, I'll show you my dick for $50.

>>1044979
Touring bikes have nice cages over the derailleurs to protect them.
Also, when was the last time I fell off my bike? Accidents happen yeah but someone whose going touring better not be a beginner or even intermediate.

>>1044978

No it's not. I've done many tens of thousands of KM with deraillers in harsh conditions including MTB and haven't had a problem for decades, and if I did I know that I could easily nigger-rig it to get me going.

Besides the classic indestructable 3spd style, I have heard plenty of horror stories of IGH either jamming totally or freewheeling. Shitmano ones that blow out seals and leak all their oil, overpriced rohloffs breaking flanges, whatever.

The rohloff meme is pure marketing, and best case you end up with a heavier, way more expensive option which you cannot field repair which has LESS GEAR RANGE and LESS GEARS than both my 2x9 bikes.

Besides, for the price and weight one could easily justify carrying a spare derailer and hanger and still be way ahead.

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>>1044834
Yea they did warrantee it which was real cool. Except if I was touring overseas and the problem occurred it probably wouldnt have been anywhere near as cool.

The ECR is a really nice bike, recently i have been delving into offroad touring so I purchased a Surly Troll about half a year ago, now I never want to ride any other bike.

>>1044841

wow , that guy looks like the "real" version of ultra romance.

>>1045059
whats wrong with Ultra Romance? Seems like a nice enough guy and is encouraging people to ride their bikes. I miss his old riv bikes before he got affiliated with the big S though, they were really nice.

I also like the information he gives in regards to 700c-650b conversions. Solid IG.

>>1045051
sure the cages protect those. but we are talking about months of cycling. dont you thing after like 1k kilometers your chain and cassete etc have to be replaced? I dont think you have this wearout on internal gears. if so its easier to fix
If you want to ride in the mountains you might aswell go with a mountain bike but that wont give you the comfort for a longer trip I guess. the more expensive internal hubs are capable of climbing aswell. but I dont think op can/wants to afford it

>>1045057
sure. personaly I never heard about problems with internal gear hubs and I also love the external ones. but I still think that when it comes to really long tours an internal one can spare you a lot of troubleand for all those guys saying "when was the last time you had an accident". when you are traveling around that long on streets youve never seen with people driving like madmen in their cars/motocycles it can happen real fast.

>>1045066

Google broken rohloff and broken alfine. When you're in the middle of nowhere, you can jimmy up a chain to get you home, but if your IGH jams up you are fucked.

>>1045058

Yeah same. I put "road" tyres on my ECR (2.5") and it's so awesome just to ride around town.

>>1045065

You clearly have no idea what you're talking about.

>>1045093
I am sorry that I got a different opinion than you
but I still suggest that you sir, can suck my hairy sweaty balls

>>1045095
Your opinion is wrong.
You are stupid.
not that guy btw

>>1045097
its an OPINION. regardless of right or wrong
both gear systems have their pros and cons
and suggesting OP the internal hub gear makes me stupid?

go suck a dick fag

>>1045098
>suggesting OP the internal hub gear makes me stupid?

Precisely.

>>1043972
those two german guys went from berlin to shanghai with a tout terrain silkroad bike and a rohloff (speedhub 500/14 I guess) gear system.
this setup is expensive as hell but for such a journey apparently really good

http://zweinachshanghai.de/bonusmaterial/ausruestung/
(unfortunately in german)

for smaller journeys an external gear would be fine
end of story
so many know it alls in here, jesus..

Does anybody know why they stopped making Tour de France self-supported during the stages?
How different would bicycles today look if they kept it self-supported?

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>>1045104

>>1045098
>>1045099
I have ridden about 1000 km on a cheapest 3-sped Nexus internal hub. Last summer I dissassembled it to grease a bit and I can definitely say - this hub is perfect for long-time riding. Actually, I could have gotten away without greasing as the old grease was still good, but I rode a lot under rain so I decided not to take extra risk.
The main disadvantage of internal hubs is their relatively small gear ratios, even on 11-speed ones, compared to touring sprockets. But if OP decides to travel on more or less flat terrain then I could recommend 7 or 8-speed hub, it will last for about 10000 km without major problems. Usually it is advised to grease them every 5000 km but it depends on the circumstances.

>>1045149
They don't all have the same sturdiness (by that i mean mostly the ability to handle torque which is the main issue with hubs.). The Nexus 3 is very sturdy. Nexus 5/7 not so much. Nexus 8/Alfine 8 are very sturdy. Alfine 11 not so much.

An Alfine 8 with a 39 teeth chainring and 23 teeth cog (best possible combination with native Shimano parts) can handle a 24 inches low gear with no issue even if you mash it loaded on a harsh offroad slope.

>>1045107
Yeah, but what advances could we have gotten instead of 6.8kg bikes

>>1045155
It is true. In this case are Nexus or Alfine 8 suitable for OP?

>>1045159
I have a friend who runs an alfine 8 on his Kona Unit as a touring bike but I would not recommend it. IMO you need between 19-21 gear inches for touring, especially offroad.

People who do real deal round the world touring on IGH's all tend to run Rohloff because of the wide gear range, think its like 500%? Check out Cass GIlbert at his blog 'While Out Riding'. He does tons of expedition style touring and bikepacking places like Kyrgyzstan and South America on a Rohloff with no worries.

The most common breakage issue with the Rohloff is a cracked flange, apparently they offer a device which will provide a quick fix and then can send you on a replacement casing when your near a post office.

Holy fuck, shut up with your internal hubs. Plenty of people travelled the world without them. External gearing works just fine. The parts are easy to come by and are easy to replace.

>>1045149
The main disadvantage is that if it breaks on the road, you are fucked. I've read about a guy who repaired a broken rear derailleur with epoxy and fibreglass. He rode to the next city like this where he bought a new derailleur.

Try repairing a broken internal hub in the middle of nowhere. Good luck finding a replacement for it.

>>1045195
Why? This board is transportation, and inadvertently bicycles. IGH's are a part of a bicycle and pretty damn cool. Sure people travel the world without them, but plenty of people travel the world with em. So shut the fuck up, we will talk about whatever the fuck we feel like talking about, right now its IGH's.

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Bike touring is the best

>>1045195
see. this is what I mean with know it alls
they just cant except that other opinions exist.
but noooo their way of choosing a gear is the exact and only way it should be. everyone else is just "stupid"

btw: THEY DONT BREAK THAT EASILY ON THE ROAD

just stop posting nigger if theres only shit coming from you

>>1045215
>THEY DONT BREAK THAT EASILY ON THE ROAD

Neither do deraillers. But the fact remains that both deraillers and IGH can and do sometimes break and in that event, I know which one wouldn't leave me walking.

>>1045302
>he doesnt have a 135mm spaced fork with a ss hub

pathetic

>>1045211
i just bought this bike!!!!! i have not found the type of paniers (sp?) i want yet, but i really love the feel of it. may swap out the seat eventually, but for now its perfect. anything you noticed that needed swapping after purchase or anything to watch while touring?

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>>1045149
>I have ridden about 1000 km

>>1045215
>OP specifically mentioned that he is on a budget.
>Idiots start rambling about IGHs

>Not stupid.

k

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Anyone have touring plans?

I want to go to Yukon and NWT, hopefully with a packraft and spend 2 months exploring.

>>1044981
90s rigid mtb with slicks for biketouring ftw.

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Any eurofags (or anyone really) toured around Europe?
I just wanted to hop on a bike and ride and camp innawoods, but when I look at the map there isn't that much innawoods left. Every time I see pics from the US it's vast empty plains and forests with no buildings in sight.
Here the forests are patches of trees barely a couple of km wide, surrounded by towns and villages with daily trodden paths between those.
Seems impossible to get any kind of privacy outdoors apart from a few and far between areas.

>>1045399
You'd probably have to go into Russia, Mongolia, China, and the 'Stans to get that wide open space. Southwestern USA is amazing though if you can make it, so much BLM.. usually whenever I'm tired there will be somewhere to sleep nearby. Just don't go east of Colorado, central USA is awful.

>>1045399
Well in Scandinavia there's plenty of woods and a few countries also have sizable natural parks where you can camp (mostly France and Eastern Europe). But yeah we're not the US. Also laws on camping vary widely. There are places where it's very illegal and people will readily call the cop, others where you are allowed to camp pretty much everywhere.

Personally i rely on cheap municipal campgrounds (great option in France), cheap youth hostels (great option in Germany) and camping on private plots using apps like Gamping (like Airbnb but people offer their gardens for your tent) and of course i use warmshowers too. You average 10€ a night (i always bring a bottle of wine or flowers as present when i use warmshowers), which i find acceptable, and you get a proper shower, access to electric plugs, etc... unlike wild camping.

>>1045379
All IGHs below Rolhoff and Alfine 11 are cheap when you take everything into account (shifters, crankset, cabling, etc... when compared to derailleur systems).

>>1045302
A broken IGH will usually just be stuck on a given gear. You probably won't have to walk.

>>1045399
Like >>1045413 said, Scandinavia is the place to go for innawoods. There you can camp anywhere as long as it's not private property, but food and especially alcohol is expensive as hell.

You can also legally camp anywhere above the treeline in Switzerland, but everything is very expensive there too.

Wild camping is illegal in most western European countries. These laws are not really enforced though, but there are exceptions, like the Netherlands and French national parks (seriously, don't do it).

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>>1045211
Ah! Another beautiful Fuji Touring!

I'm planning on riding the transam this summer. It will be my first tour. Would these shoes worth purchasing? https://www.amazon.com/Targhee-Hiking-Cascade-Brown-Sugar/dp/B00E0JGU6K/ref=sr_1_3?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1485895871&sr=1-3&nodeID=679255011&keywords=waterproof+hiking+shoes I'm thinking I could get away with only using them and not bringing any other shoes with me. Also, any recommendations for rain gear? Any good brands I should check out?

>>1045432
>shoes
They're probably ok. A pair of sandals makes camp much more comfortable and doesn't add much weight or volume. I'm a big fan of clipless pedals, but plenty of people do just fine without them.

Ortlieb makes top-of-the-line waterproof panniers/bike bags. Supplementing your rain jacket with waterproof gloves and tights can make a big difference if you're in the cold and wet for long periods. On the trans-America route you probably won't run into too much, but you never know out in the Rockies.

>>1045436
I think I am going to use large plastic buckets for panniers. I need to try them out on an overnighter first, then I'll decide if I need to spend money on real ones. Yeah, I need to get waterproof gloves. I have some fingerless bike gloves for when I'm not in the rockies, but I will probably bring a waterproof pair as well.

>>1044243
>travel with less than you think you need.

>don't try to pack too much food on the bike,

>I recommend using the smallest tent you're comfortable in, as volume and weight on the bike will be a big concern.

I disagree with all of these.

1. Travel with exactly what you need. Any 'extra' weight is going to be luxury items. It's important to understand difference between 'a pair of jeans so I can look like a normal person if I stop in town for a day' and 'a second spare inner tube in case I royally fuck up 2'. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I've never mailed anything home in ~25,000 miles of touring. From trip to trip, my load has gotten heavier as I've gotten more comfortable carrying more luxury items. The best way to handle this is to take a few weekend trips before your big one and see what you actually use. If you don't use it and you can't imagine where you might need it, don't take it.

2. Carry more than enough food to make it to the next place you're SURE you'll find food. Bumfuck, Nowhere (population, 25) might have a cafe, but who knows if they'll be open on Thursdays. As mentioned, you can burn an absurd amount of calories while touring. I haven't cared enough to count what I eat, but some online calculator told me 5000 Calories from moving my weight + my luggage ~75 miles a day. Getting full is possible (after eating 4-5 suggested serving sizes) but all it takes is a couple hours of pedaling before I'm ready to eat again.

3. Pack a tent you will be comfortable in. Sure, you might not need it if the skies are clear and the weather is warm, but if you go out for long enough, you will experience torrential downpours, snow and hail. Having a tent which is big enough to sit in and a vestibule large enough to store most of your things will make for a much more comfortable experience. Weight and volume do matter, but not nearly as much on a bike as they do on foot. I highly recommend 2-man tent for individuals.

>>1045437
If you don't want to spend money on ortliebs you can use cheap panniers and put your things into dry bags first. It's pretty practical, too. Your stuff isn't flying around all over the place and you can just take them out if you need empty panniers. Also, if you put all your clothes into one dry bag, it can double as a pillow.

>>1045455
It all depends on how much money you've got to spend. I've toured with cheapo cloth panniers and stuff in plastic bags inside. It's not so nice when your panniers turn into sopping masses of frigid water.

If you've got the money, Ortliebs are great. If not, make sure you're ready for the weather you're exposing yourself to.

On a related note, waterproof socks are great for the same reason. Spending days on end with soggy cold socks squishing around inside your shoes is not terribly pleasant.

Such is life in the Pacific Northwest.

>>1045156
the world would be utopian

>>1045215
>>1045302
broken der hanger and vert dropouts have left people walking. theres a good fix for it now with some axle mounted hanger for emergencies.

not trying to schil the igh. just saying that external gears have at least that one weakness.

>>1045694
>not running semi-horizontal forward facing dropouts with a chain tug for if the rear derailleur gets fucked

What tools and spares do you take when cycling up to 100 miles from help?

What do you guys think about helmets for bicycle tours? Do you buy the idea that they increase the likelihood of accidents because people pass with less distance when you're wearing a helmet?

>>1045879
I have done quite a lot of touring and never been hit by a car, nor have any come close to doing so. I have, however, fallen a handful of times on wet pine needles, loose gravel, crazy cross-winds and the like, and appreciated keeping my noggin protected.

With that said, I have not and will never tour in a big city because fuck cities. If you plan to ride your bike with millions of commuters, I can't offer any advice.

Maybe I'm just a shitty cyclist and with your superior judgement and balance you can confidently avoid falling for weeks/months/years in the saddle.

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Also a different guy and not OP. Can I tour on a bike like this and get some frame bags/saddle/seatpost bags?
How sore will my back and ass be?

>>1045415
Not in any country.

A Nexus 3 (clearly the cheapest) groupset here in AR is actually more expensive than an Alivio 430 or T-4000, which are pretty rad for long distance touring.

>>1045907
Not in every country*

>>1045901
I'm sure it's possible, but why?

The frame isn't designed for the purpose. No matter how many grams you cut off from your frame, it's going to be nearly irrelevant compared with your luggage.

The balance is going to be awkward as hell because the frame is so short.

The tires are probably 23 mm or so, which aren't designed to deal with the extra weight you'll be putting on them and the terrain you might go through.

If you can afford a nice road bike you can afford a 2nd-hand mountain bike which will suit your purposes better unless you're super serious about ultra-light minimalism and speed.

>>1045915
It's gonna be a super short trip, around 20 days or so. I'm also saving up money to get that road bike so I can use it as my main and deff. got no money for another bike haha.

The tires are 25 I think and it being an endurance frame would mean at least it will be a bit more comfortable, yeah?
I do plan on putting 28s on it thought.

>>1046006
>super short trip
>20 days
Oh dear.

>endurance frame
>25 mm tires
>comfortable
This is an remarkably clueless post. Tourers generally use a minimum tire width of 32mm fire due to sure-footed behavior on broken pavement/unpaved surfaces, reduced susceptibility to punctures (lower tire pressures), and increased load-bearing ability. Rear loads will decrease a road bike's stability by moving the center of mass very close to the rear axle line.

>>1046006
So you don't have a bike now. How far do you expect to be able to ride in 20 days? How much do you expect to ride beforehand?

>>1046039
I have a shitty bike now.

I wanna do around 1500km in about 20 days. This will be in summer, june/july, and I already rode 1100+ km this month and will keep training.

>>1046049
1500 km in 20 days is a conservative enough estimate and should be easy enough if you ride consistently between now and then.

What kind of bike is your current 'shitty' one? Again, the skinny tires and short road frame are my biggest concerns about using a road bike to do it.

>>1045211
>>1045312
>>1045426

Do any of you know what the widest tires you can fit on the stock wheels on the fuji touring bike are?

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>>1046054
Shitty brazilian bike, Caloi 10.

>>1046114
damn hope you survive the day. Not because of the bike. But because Brazil

>>1046115
Hahaha, it's quite chill here.

>>1046116
In brazil? isnt half of your population murdered every day?

>>1046117
I wish, but my town is actually quite "safe". Or at least it is to me because the majority of the areas are middle class and separated p good from the poor areas.

There are dudes riding on Pinarellos/BMC/Orbea bikes all over.

>>1046117
Yes, just like how in USA people shoot each other and shart all day long

>>1045399
I toured from London to the Pyrenees by wild-camping primarily, only slept in campings every 5 days (for showering and plugging batteries), and it wasn't really difficult to find spots. Even between fields you can find the odd patch that will give you privacy, and if I was not sure of one place, I could always ride for a few extra kms until I found the perfect spot. There's always one, even relatively near from cities. You will never be seen if you do it well. I never even lock or hide my bike, just left it leaning on a tree and that's it. Good days, make the most out of them!

Does anyone know how good of a job Google maps does at finding routes that are good for bicycles? Is there a better way?

>>1046309
Google maps will route you onto a lot of shitty gravel forest roads or suggest a route with 15 turns when one with 2 will get you to the same place. I normally use google maps but spend some time looking at where the roads go, the street views, etc and edit a lot. How much a quiet road is worth compared to a direct one or a smooth one will influence your decisions. What kind of towns you want to visit or avoid also makes a difference. Talking to locals along the way can also help.

>>1045901
A Canyon Inflite would be a better choice.

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I have put mudguards on this, added a small pannier of sorts (Altura seat post bag).
How am I doing for a beginner set up?
I am building up to doing a 50 mile self-supported ride at first, then will build up to further.

>>1046345
50 miles??? Bruh that's barley a days worth of riding

>>1046347
I think it is best that I start small. Longest ride I have done in a couple of years is 30 miles. I plan on first trying to cycle to each of the areas within the city, then aim to head to each of the small towns around it. Just to learn my bearings etc and practice with the maps etc.
What would be the minimum I need to carry for me to do this on a regular basis in all weather?

>>1046345
Talk about over-locking

>>1046355
Having too many locks is like having too much money, only trouble is transporting.

>>1046345
What tools would be needed for breakdowns?

>>1046375
My seatpost bag contains:
* spare tube
* innertube patches
* tire boots
* mini chain tool (Park Tool CT-5)
* spoke wrench (Park Tool SW-40)
* cheap/light plastic tire levers (Park Tool TL-1.2)
* Small multitool (Crank Bros M10)
* a few small zip ties

Small pump on the frame as well, of course.

Anything you can't fix with a kit like that is going to require spare parts. On an extended tour, I'd bring along a few hose clamps - never know when those might come in handy.

>>1043972
upgrade ur bike, so you can save money and get more bike skills.
I have upgraded pretty much everything on my beter bicycle
Frame is most important part
Clipless are godsend if you need to go on hilly terrain

>>1046309
The adventure cycling association has maps for routes all over the US that are safe for biking.

>>1046407
This might be a stupid question, but I bought a decent touring bike last summer, and the frame is a touch to small. Someone recommended I get the handlebars extended, so I did that. I've only had a couple chances to ride it so far. If it came down to it, how hard would it be to take it to the local bike shop and try to do a trade and swap for a bigger frame? The frame is a brand new ralegh soujourn if that helps.

>>1044183
>What's so special about them?

Mostly they're just super reliable. Everything down from the shifting to the hubs on it is chosen because it's just really fucking reliable

It's also just a really comfortable geometry and surly knows their steel.

>>1046430
>the components work
>the frame doesn't break and doesn't hurt to ride

I guess I shouldn't throw out accusations without having ridden a LHT and compared it myself, but I would guess that the wheels, derailleurs, cables, drive-train, etc wear at a comparable rate to those of any other decent pre-made touring bike.

I've never heard of horrible experiences with LHTs, but neither have I heard of anything which separates them significantly from their competitors.

>>1046430
>Everything down from the shifting to the hubs on it is chosen because it's just really fucking reliable

This is the dumbest response to "what's so special [about the LHT]"

There's nothing special about a built kit. Pay more $, get a better build kit. Pay less, get cheaper parts. There's no Surly magic here. The only thing that matters with a build kit on an off-the-rack bike is if you're getting a good value for your money.

Eyeing the build kit for the current LHT and Disc Trucker, I don't see anything special.

Shimano hubs are nice; better than a no-name house brand. Bulletproof, serviceable, and cheap - abet heavy. 36 spoke is good for a touring bike. Rims are cheapish but acceptable. They really cheaped out on straight-gauge spokes however, which will be more prone to breaking under loads as well as harder on the rims. Could have had nice butted spokes for under $25 more...

FD-3503/RD-T780-SGS is a perfectly fine derailleur combo; slightly down-specing the front to save some money is pretty standard. FDs are simple devices and there's not much to go wrong (as long as you're not SRAM).

No-name square taper crankset. UN-55 crankset is fine, but heavy. At least they didn't try to save a few bucks and use the cheaper version with the plastic NDS cup.

Cheapo handlebars, stem, brake levers, brakes, seatpost, seat.

Genuine CC40 is a nice part, but a little odd as the CC10 is just as good of a headset for about $15 less (just a little less shiny).

There's nothing wrong with this build kit - it'll all perform fine on a tour - but it doesn't strike me as a good deal at the $1300-1500 pricepoint.

>It's also just a really comfortable geometry

It is completely standard North American touring bike geo. It appears almost indistinguishable from a geo chart from a mid-80s Trek 620 or 720. There is nothing special about the LHT's geo.

>and surly knows their steel.

It is pretty generic 4130 steel. This is fine. But no Surly sekrit steel knowledge.

>>1046427
Are they worth paying for though? They keep asking for money and I have no way of knowing how useful it is before I buy it. It's not useful to me at all if the information I want exists somewhere for free.

>>1044870

Same here only the Transcanada. However I plan on hitching up a trailer on the back to sleep in.

>>1046532
You can make your own routes. What the ACA has is elevation profiles (when relevant) and information about services you can find along the way.

I've done ~7000 miles on ACA routes and at this point, I think I enjoy the ones I design for myself at least as much. If you aren't confident you can figure something good out for yourself, or if you care about restaurants or paying for a place to stay, they can be useful.

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How much to build something like this?

>>1046572
I'm an open minded person - please help me understand the appeal of this... bike.

>>1046598
Originally people would want to take their steed with them touring, they used bags like that to adapt a bike without the right mounts.
Unfortunately most people owned those piece of shit mountain bikes because they don't understand the physics and mechanics of bikes, only that big looking is strong looking.

>>1046598
It seems to me someone wanted to tour on his fat bike but realized they couldn't fit any racks or panniers on it

>>1046600
>>1046601

Touring (bikapacking) on a fat bike is the part that gets me. Why would anyone sign up for that? I guess a beach cruiser is the only bike less suitable for that.

Well, I must be missing the point, maybe he tours max 20km daily.

>>1046604
Could be that he fell for the fat bike meme, or expected to ride in the snow, romantisiced ideas of touring could have him thinking he would ride through the zombie apocalypse.

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>>1043972
Buy a bike from Specalized or even BMC

>>1046572
If that's a titanium frame there's at least 5 grand sitting there.
>>1046598
Fat bikes were originally designed for sandy backroads in the desert. If you wanted to get lost in the Canyonlands or the Aticama desert it would take you there. This might even be someones ride for the Iditarod Trail.
>>1046601
Look closer, it has rack mounts. But i guess he was hoping to save a few grams by going the bikepacking direction.
>>1046604
It's about going slow and being on the roads that are almost reclaimed by wilderness. But also being faster than a hiker. If you've ever been to Death Valley or the Canyonlands you'd know that a regular mtb is useless there. I'm no athelete but i have done 100 km on a fat bike and it's not that much harder than a mtb.
>>1046606
That thing is way too clean, but it would be interesting to hear their actual plans.

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>>1046604
I found their blog, Fat Bike Adventures. Meh.

>>1043972
im not queer for bikes like the rest of these faggots, but damn that sure is a nice looking set-up.

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>>1046662
>left side of the road

Which crappy country is that? AU?

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>>1046604
Fatbikes are ideal for bikepacking if you're going way off the beaten path. Don't gotta go fast, just gotta get there and back in one piece.

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>>1046670
On the other hand, fatbike + framebag/seatbag/forkbags/yadayadayada as shown >>1046604 never made all that much sense to me.

The main reason for that sort of setup versus tradition racks and panniers is that it's more aero, which matters if you're doing fast road touring or long distance racing. But fatbike wilderness bikepacking the the definition of slow.

Big ol' panniers and racks makes way more sense to me.

>>1046662
What we see here is tarmac perfect for a touring bike. Somehow I knew it they wouldn't want to steer into wilderness all packed up. The hint was in the pristine condition of the bike and bags in the first photo. So yea, he's just battling about 80W of rolling resistance for the sake of fitness!

>>1046670
Ice and cold are very good at keeping the path beaten. In fact the road in the picture is perfectly rideable even on knobby 700x32c.

>>1046642
Please show me a road that a 29er on 2.2 Racing Ralphs won't go through. And it's lighter. And more agile. And so much faster.
The wide tire baloons working as snow rackets would make sense to me if the bike didn't weigh 30kg and didn't carry 30kg of stuff. That rules out touring on a fatbike in my opinion - the only thing it is supposedly good at negated the moment you load it with bags. I'll be happy to be proven wrong.

>>1046671
What's this stupid 'shopping cart over my front wheel' meme all about? Fucking hipsters.

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>>1046700
Travel to Utah, California, Arizona, Texas, Nevada, even some places in Colorado, and Nebraska backroads are awfully shit too. Pick any backroad 4wd route that follows washes or is unmaintained. Your 2.2" tires will sink and you'll be in for a suffering. A decent fat bike can be less than 30 lbs. And once you're touring on a rough road 200 km from nowhere, the efficiency argument is out the window, because you'll be pushing and I'll still be biking. I just did a 14 day trip within Death Valley and I wouldn't have gone there with any less than 4.8" tires.

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>>1046700
So yeah, go to Death Valley. Ride out on Saline Valley road, go up past the Warm Springs and over Steel Pass. Head through Echo Canyon and cross the Greenwater Valley. Try to get to the Racetrack and cross the Hidden Valley. Report back to me on your experience.

>>1046755
That road looks perfect for my 1.5" kenda slicks.

>>1046757
hahaha forgot i was on 4chan.

>>1046764
What do you mean? I've cycled roads on far worse conditions than that in south america.

>>1046756
Again, that doesn't look bad at all.

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>>1046772
shh- hes trying to justify buying a fat bike

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mfw "fatpacking" is a thing now.
I can't hate on you players though- I once owned fruit boots.

>>1046700
>In fact the road in the picture is perfectly rideable even on knobby 700x32c.
That's out in the Nebraska Sandhills, bub. Take your 32mm tires down to the beach and report back.

>>1046756
>>1046755
I like your pictures, those are some scenic vistas! Unavailable to me at least for some time as I'm in Europe.

But this guy rode similar trails:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZhQ73t2NhM

I wouldn't call his tires wide. I don't think they're even half of what you suggested.

Perhaps fatbikes are like SUVs, hm? Big, clumsy, imposing but truly terrible at everything except taking your kids to school and groceries home.

>>1046786
I was commenting on the picture and I'm still confident I would ride THAT road with ease on 32c.

Don't know about Nebraska sandhills (why do you call them sandhills not dunes? is this simplified English?)

>>1046700
>>1046772
>>1046809
>all these keyboard warriors

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>>1046811
Most of western Nebraska is lightly-grown-over sand dunes. Looks more like rolling hills than dunes because of the vegetation, but anywhere the grass is worn away it's just deep sand.

You think you could ride that on 32s but I guarantee you'd just sink. It's literally like riding on a beach.

Weird part is the sandy stuff extends all the way into the Nebraska National Forest

>>1046812
I did Alaska-Ushuaia on a touring bike a few years ago, Freddie. Fuck fat bikes.

>>1046819
>quit liking things I don't like
>my way is the only correct way

>>1046821
You can do whatever yo want, I just don't like misinformation being spread, you don't need a fatbike.

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Why, How, so many questions...

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>>1046990
how about this guy, riding a bmx around the world.

>>1046990
>>1047010
Neither of those are that much more stupid than touring in general. I mean, there are objective reasons why other bikes would be better, but there are objective reasons why motorized vehicles are better designed for long-distance transportation.

>>1047010
More pics? story?

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>>1046990
>>1047010
Then there is this guy touring the world on a penny-farthing. Nothing really surprises me anymore.

>>1047024
>>1047010
>>1046990
These guys know what's up.

>>1047024
The first dude to bike across the USA did it on one of those in the 1800s

>>1047016
Just Google "Around the world on a bmx" and it'll pop up. It's really well written, the guy is a total champ. He is riding somewhere in the middle east and it sounds so claustrophobic with everyone on his case.

>>1047014
you don't tour because you want to get from point A to point B as efficiently as possible mate

>>1047179
No shit. Which is why doing it on a unicycle or a penny-farthing or a bmx bike is justifiable.

>>1047183
ah sorry I completely missed the first part of that sentence

>>1046428
Not likely to happen if you have modified it at all. Best asking local bike shop.
Does it actually affect riding? Is it only because someone got it into your head?

>>1046670
Fatbikes and bikepacking are shitty memes that need to die.

>>1046755
>>1046756
Those roads can be done on any cross or gravel tires. The Kenda slicks the other guy proposed would probably work too although they wouldn't be pleasurable.

>>1047266
No, they can't.

>>1047270
Perhaps there's some other, rougher stretches you've not photographed, but the roads in the pics are easily doable with any standard """adventure bike""" that takes 35c tyres or more.

>>1047264
>No fun allowed
>Quit liking things I don't like

>>1047266
>>1047278
>keyboard warrior internet detective
>I will tell you why you're wrong despite never having ridden there
>I can tell exactly what the surface conditions are like on the entire trail by looking at a photo of a tiny section

What are some good clothes/brands for touring?

I've only gotten a few chances to ride it so far, so I'm not sure how much affects riding. I went on one 20+ mile ride with it, which is a lot for me atm, and my hands were going numb. Some people were saying it could be because of the small frame, but I also read that cycling gloves could solve the hand numbing problem. I have a pair of gloves now, but I haven't tried them out. I am going to start getting serious about training in about a month because I plan to leave on the transam around the beginning of June. When I am training more is when I will decide whether or not I need a bigger frame. I also want to get fitted to my bike before I leave, so I imagine when that happens they would tell me if I could get by with what I have. I haven't modified the bike at all since I bought it, so I'm good there.

>>1047441
meant for >>1047256

I am going to start training soon for a tour I am doing this summer. Does anyone know of any good 1 to 2 night rides in Oregon that would be a nice start for a beginner that is training?

>>1047833
What part of OR? There's plenty of nice stuff in the coast range. Quiet roads, modest hills, easy camping.

Cascade Lakes Highway is probably my favorite ride in OR, but it won't be open for a while and making it up and over the Cascades is probably not the best thing to start with.

>>1047842
I live on the coast, but I am going to be doing the transam, so I kind of want to avoid doing the same spots a bunch of times. I was thinking somewhere around portland or eugene, or I have even been thinking of taking a short trip near crater lake and doing some cycling around there since I was a kid the last time I was there and I would like to see it again.

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>>1047843
Crater lake is lovely, but again, going up 5000' in one go is not the wisest place to start.

Portland and Eugene are, well, cities. Here are some areas where I had nice trips when was living in Oregon:

Alsea
Cougar Reservoir
Triangle Lake
Kings Valley
Green Peter Lake
5 Rivers


I rode my bike to all of them from Corvallis, so they're probably in cycling range of you on the coast.

>>1047441
Different anon here. Normally, you shouldn't feel any discomfort in your hands while riding (your ass is a different story).

The numbness could be caused by the frame being too small, but also by your saddle not being horizontal (but inclined towards the front) or unnatural hand positions.

What kind of handlebars do you use?

>>1047852
Cool I'll look into some of those places. I'm in Newport, so Corvallis is just an hour away. I've been to alsea, just not on my bike. That might intersect with the transam a little, but whatever.
>>1047867
My handlebars are drop, which is a first for me.

>>1047441
Gloves will help, but you shouldn't be getting hand numbness after 20 miles. Are you on drop bars or flats?

The one tour I tried on a flat bar bike was agony due to hand numbness; when you're going to be in the saddle for hours you really need multiple hand positions available.

>>1047970
Drop bars, but it's my first time using them, so maybe my positioning was off.

>>1047949
>>1048128
Drop bars should allow for enough hand positions (though trekking bars would be even better). So it's either your saddle not being horizontal, your frame being too small or your handlebars being in the wrong height. Have someone at your LBS look at it, these things are often tricky to sort out.

>>1048243
Okay, cool. I'll take it to the shop and see what they say. Thanks.

Anybody done the southern tier route before?

Was it fun? How was the scenery? Any tips?

>>1048283
I was thinking about doing it a while ago, but I decided to do the transam instead. I actually bought a map of the first section that I probably won't use now. When I was thinking about doing it, I read a lot of blogs about it on crazyguyonabike. I would suggest checking some of those out.

>>1048314

I hear transam is the best ACA route by far in terms of scenery, but the longest and the toughest by elevation and weather variation. How long did you take to finish that one?

I did Pacific Coast last year, and now I'm hooked on touring. I want to do one long tour a year, and two or three short ones.

>>1048315
I haven't done it yet. I'm leaving around the beginning of June. I've been saving, planning, and gathering gear for almost a year now.

>>1048316

Ey, nice. I hope you always have a tailwind at your back

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>>1048315
>but the longest and the toughest by elevation and weather variation

It's not that bad really. I took some detours when I did it, ended up riding ~4800 miles and finished in ~2.5 months, stopping for some hiking at the nice destinations along the way. I also ended up riding about half of it with some people I met along the way.

Colorado was a little bit tough, mostly because I detoured to do two 12,000 foot passes (pic related). The first had me stopping every 3 minutes to catch my breath. After getting acclimated, the second was no worse than any other hill.

I think the designed route is more like 4600 miles. All things considered, the trip was probably the easiest longer trip (> 1 week) trip I've taken.

>>1048391
>I also ended up riding about half of it with some people I met along the way.

This is nice to hear. I'm planning a tour but I don't have anyone to go with me so I'm hoping I'll meet someone on the road.

Are these paths you guys are talking about all paved or are there some unpaved sections? I'm looking for a route across the US but I'd rather stick to mostly pavement.

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>>1048395
As I recall, Adventure Cycling's Trans-America route is 100% paved.

Bear in mind that sticking to pavement generally means staying closer to civilization. How good or bad this is depends on your tastes, but I've had many of my best touring experiences on gravel.

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F U C K A C A

Seriously don't follow those routes. Unless you're the dude in the picture, then go for it.

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>>1048405
Another example of the type of people who follow ACA routes or the Pacific Coast. Find something different and challenging. It's the best feeling when you're 300 miles from anywhere climbing a nasty hill, and everyone that sees you gives you a thumbs up. On a number of occasions I've had cars stop, the people get out and take a photo... "what the hell are you doing out here on a bicycle"... simply awesome.

>>1048405
>>1048406
I've never done anything like this at all, and I wouldn't trust myself finding my own way with a regular map. I don't give a shit if someone on a taiwanese finger painting forum thinks I'm a pussy for using ACA maps.

>>1043972

Hijacking:

I want to participate in TD Five Boro Bike Tour in NYC.

Have any of you done it? Is it possible to participate without registering?

>>1048424
Just because it uses the word 'tour' doesn't make it related.

>>1048423
ok pussy do whatever you want

>>1048427

Relax dude. Are there more casuals on ACA routes? Sure. but anyone who is actually traveling by bicycle isn't really that casual. There are plenty of good times to be had on and off of ACA routes.

The number of people who keep blogs about their adventures might make you think that touring is some sort of popularity contest, but it really doesn't need to be.

Perhaps I won't have bitches skydiving into my all-natural shelter to share some freshly roasted, hand-killed bear meat before being overwhelmed with my manliness and throwing themselves on me, or any of the other amazing things I'm sure you regularly experience.

At the end of the day, I tour because I enjoy it. If my happiness makes you unhappy, may you be miserable for the rest of your life.

>>1048427
>calls someone planning to bike across North America a pussy

Uh... huh.

>>1048463
>If my happiness makes you unhappy, may you be miserable for the rest of your life.

DAMN SON

>>1048463
Yup ACA routes are 100% casual. You plunk down money to get complete day-by-day guides so you are never outside your comfort bubble. You follow the same routes that 1000's of people are doing per year. I understand some people need constant social interaction, some people are afraid to get dirty, some people are afraid of real challenges, that's where ACA comes in. Planning my routes, researching blogs, building directions piece by piece, making my own discoveries, running out of water and hitting dead-ends is an absolute JOY and the lifeblood of adventure. When I see other people's blogs that are way off the beaten path, I sure do get envious of what they are experiencing. And I tell you what, those people are always genuine and humble as they come. The GDMBR does look fun though, and the Baja Divide too.
>>1048509
Across North America is not a challenge buddo. It's a vacation.

>>1048463
If you like touring, yes it becomes a popularity contest. Because those people with the best blogs draw a lot of attention. They receive sponsorships which means free bikes and gear. Go look on any bicycle manufacturers website and they will have at least a couple sponsored riders. Lael Wilcox is becoming a household name. These people have perfected touring and are making a living riding their bicycles. That is the outright dream, is it not? For those of us without much money or job potential you have to make your vacation a productive one... more than just "me time".

You can tour on any bike. Plenty of people tour on Bromptons and other folding bikes.

>>1048546
>>1048550
Dude, you are so far up your own ass

>Across North America is not a challenge buddo. It's a vacation.
I get it, you're such a hardman that you can humblebrag about how ridiculously easy this is.

>If you like touring, yes it becomes a popularity contest. Because those people with the best blogs draw a lot of attention.
The fuck it does. I tour to get the hell away from people, not to whore myself out on social media for the express purposes of attracting corporate sponsorship to shill for.

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I want to ride the Baja peninsula with this bike. Any suggestions to build the cheapest touring rig around this bike? My lowest gear is 20-28 and i find it ridiculously low., do i actually need lower gears? Also i'm considering changing my grip shifters for thumb shifters, I think they are easier to repair and i like friction shifting better, especially in the front mech

The only bag i own is this framebag http://www.blackburndesign.com/en_eu/bags/outpost-bag-collection/outpost-frame-bag-medium.html

>>1048603

Don't know how hilly Baja is, but don't underestimate how much it sucks to ride a bike equipped with heavy ass panniers up a hill or into the wind. 20-28 sounds pretty good, I would stick with it.

I would add more bottle cages, and some bar-ends to add a seconday hand position for climbing. Thumbies are nice and reliable, and dirt cheap on ebay too.

What tires are those?

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>>1047024
I'm not going to lie, that seems pretty fucking cool. Makes me want to go do it on an old Raleigh DL-1.

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>>1048603
Low gear of 20:28 will be more than good enough for touring. It works out to roughly 18.5 gear-inches with those 26" wheels, which is a real stump-pulling, climbing-20%-fire-roads kind of gear.

I did my first mountain tour with higher gears, and I survived (despite being hella out of shape).

Seconding what >>1048607 has to say: Do something to the bars so you have more hand positions - I made the mistake of doing a short one-week tour on a flatbar bike, and my hands were in such agony that I found a bike shop and strapped some bar-ends onto them around the 4th day. Had lingering hand numbness for over a month afterwards.

Could be as simple as adding bar ends to your current bars - or you could replace them with something like a Jones H-loop or some butterfly bars, which would give you a plethora of hand positions but still work with flatbar brake levers.

Baja should be dry, so you probably don't need fenders.

A good set of lights is a must.

What's your overall plan? Roughing it all the way, bringing a tent and cooking gear and such? Or staying at hostels? Because that will really inform how many bags/racks you need to plan for. At the very least, you need to figure out a water solution - I suspect that frame bag you linked to will preclude the use of both main triangle water bottle cages.

Personally, if I were trying to use that bike to tour on the cheap, I'd put a simple rear rack on it, a pair of large panniers, and strap whatever else I need up over the top of the rear rack. Something along the lines of the photo attached here. A setup like this doesn't handle best (especially if you like to climb out of the saddle), but it's extremely economical in terms of racks and bags that you'll need to purchase.

>>1048603

Get it checked over by LBS first, those wheels don't look the strongest and wheels/tyres are what really will let you down. Definitely thumb frictions like microshit.

>>1048405
>>1048406
>>1048427

>you MUST be a HARDCORE bike tourer and go in the woods for weeks at a time, shitting in holes, wiping your ass with moss, navigating using the stars or you WON'T ENJOY IT
>trust me, I know what's best for you even though I've never met you before because my way is the BEST way and I'm superior to all these losers who are doing it the WRONG way cuz their pussies

I'm going to keep to these paths so I'm sure not to meet any judgmental egotistical assholes like you.

Anyone know of any actual off road long distance cycle routes in the U.K? I'm thinking of giving it a go as I already have the camping gear.
Really not keen on road cycling and every route I've looked at that's been called off-road has big sections of road riding

>>1048669

You're going to meet a lot of foreigners, from the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Canada, maybe a few from Taiwan or South Korea. I don't think I met a single person traveling by bike that wasn't a great person in their own way.

When I did Route 66 probably only 1 out of 4 tourists I met on the road were Americans.

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>>1048607
>>1048669

Those are Michelin City 1.4x26 in, guess i would need to change those.

>>1048637

I was thinking of staying at hostels but bringing a tent in case I can't find one, my outdoor skills aren't that great.

These are the bags i already own and i would tape my bottlecage to the bottom of the downtube, as you say I adding a rear rack would be the best idea.

My current frontlight is a Cateye 800 and so far it has worked perfectly on night descents on my road bike.

>>1045058
This guy knows what hes talking about, I run my purple troll with a surly front rack and a hammock never looking back, lets be trollmates

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>>1049863

>>1048603
make sure you are comfy and get some tires and a rack

>>1049863
Brilliant. With a setup like that you can go anywhere.

...anywhere with things to hang your hammock from.

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I'm thinking about getting a trike for touring across the country and towing a trailer with my backpacking bag for week long hikes. Anyone have experience with trikes? I don't care if I look like a dweeb, I just want to have a fun time.

>>1050167
I've carried a big enough pack for 2-4 day backpacking trips on the back of my bicycle. You can also tow a trailer from a bicycle.

Nothing wrong with trikes, but they certainly aren't necessary.

How far do people go in an average day of bike touring?

I know that's one of those it depends questions, but I'd just like some sense. It seems like 50 miles a day is pretty relaxed and 100 is kind of a lot. Is that really off base?

>>1050167
I've toured with a guy with a BOB Yak trailer. Pros:
* Way better aero. He ran away from those of us with panniers on descents, and suffered a lot less in headwinds.
* Turn the bike 90 degrees to the trailer and it stands up on it's own, no need for a kickstand
* Way better out-of-the-saddle behavior than loaded panniers; no "tail wagging the dog" like you get get with a lighter frame and a heavy rear load.
Cons:
* Heavier than a set of racks.
* Giant bag doesn't encourage you to pack light, way too easy to overpack.
* The heavier overall load makes climbing much more of a chore.
* Different sized wheel means you need to pack another size spare tube.

I'd be 100% in favor of a trailer if I were touring in a mostly-flat area or a place known to be windy.

On the other hand, you're going down a deeeeeep rabbit hole with the trike. There area zillion different varieties, none really mass-produced, and you're going to spend most of your time (and money) customizing stuff to fit right.

Also, IMHO, trikes are comfortable but not *fun* to ride like an upright bicycle.

>>1050235
I just don't think my body will tolerate four months on a regular bike since I have a back injury from the army. I'm fine with a less fun bike ride if I'm feeling good once I get to my destination.

>>1050244
Fair enough. Back injury is a 100% legit reason to want a recumbent.

>>1050228
Sounds about right. 75 is an average day for me. I've doubled that, but that was with favorable hills and wind.

Different people have different styles. Some people like to push themselves with a light load and/or long days. Some people prefer to stop early and spend more time off the bike. The longest I've heard of was one guy who sustained 120 miles/day and plenty of people do under 60.

Regardless, unless you're counting off the miles, you're likely to end up with something like a bell curve. Road conditions, places to get water, places to camp, stops, etc will all encourage shorter or longer days.

>>1050228
Like you said, it depends. Do you want to see the sights and check out stuff on foot, or are you just powering through on the bike all day? Taking the scenic route or do you have a schedule to keep? Want to stop and relax for lunch, or grab bites from clifbars as you ride? Is the terrain flat, or will you be climbing mountains?

When I did a tour of Japan {climbing mountains/stopping for good food/doing tourist-y shit}, I averaged ~50 miles per day at a pretty relaxed pace.

I'm looking for some 26" tires for mostly gravel hardpacked dirt and pavement.
I've been thinking about the continental raceking or x king.
any experiences with either ?

I've been using the raceking on a commuter but I'm worried that they will not be sufficient once I'll leave paved roads.


what ever tire I'll use I'll run it tubeless.

https://vimeo com/204068767

what the fuck

>>1050679
Are you surprised that obnoxious hipsters made a video of themselves doing something?

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>>1050679
This feels incredibly outdated, like it was made by some 40 year old hipsters who got stuck in the late 00s

>>1050385
>https://vimeo com/204068767
the x-king is has a pretty raised tread, better for proper mtbing honestly. The Race king is really fast for an xc tyre and I use it for mixed surface rides but predominantly on dirt. if it were a 50/50 split id be looking for something like the schwalbe big ben, just my 2c

>>1050385
If you're looking for something more on the MTB end of the spectrum, the Maxxis Crossmark II is surprisingly fast-rolling on pavement.

If you're looking for a tubeless pavement tire that will do OK in dirt, a slick will work just fine. Look at the Compass Rat Trap Pass. Maybe not the tire you want if you're going to be bombing dirt descents, and they're pretty bad on "loose over hard" situations (loose dust/gravel over dry hardpack kinda stuff), but I've been shocked at how well they do on gravely fire roads and slightly damp "hero dirt".

>>1050795
>>1050799

I got a pretty good deal on some 2016 race king protection , the black chilli compound, made in germany ones.
their rolling resistance value is crazy low, lower than the standart race king + officialy tubeless.

but thanks for the input non the less

>>1050679
>204068767
I want one of those bikes to tour in places like that but videos like that make me not want one

>>1050679
>>1050846
meh, they're just being goofy. All-city is admittedly kind of hipster, but I like that they don't take themselves too seriously.

These innova tires are pretty good for all-round commuting. I use them all the time with my commuter, the lack of logos make it look stealthy from it potential being stolen, and they are cheap. No reason to buy $100 worth of tires. And continentals I find wear out a lot faster than maxxis.

http://www.innovatires.com/menu.php?xCPId=B07

What tents and sleeping bags are you unsupported tourists using?

General camping equipment suggestions as well, gearing up for my first multi-month tour.

>>1050282
I'm thinking of doing Tokyo-Kyoto later this year, but transporting the bike seems like a massive pain in the dick. What's the best system for air transport of touring bikes with full fenders? I've looked at the Alps/Hirose Rinko system that Jan Heine shills for, but I'd rather not deal with removing my fork or modifying my rear fender.

>>1051453
Hey, that's the same trip I did! Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka is fucking beautiful in late April/early May. FYI, we generally followed this route in reverse: http://www.japancycling.org/v2/cguide/part1/

As for air transport, we fully disassembled our bikes and packed them in cardboard frame boxes. When we landed in Tokyo, we lugged the still-boxed bikes thru the airport to the subway, and took the subway (we arrived balls early on a weekend, no one on it) to the Airbnb we were staying at. Assembled our bikes in the apartment, stuffed the cardboard boxes into the dumpster.

When we arrived in Osaka, we found a bike shop and grabbed some frame boxes from the dumpster in the back alley. We boxed up our bikes in a city park by a subway station, and took the subway to the airport.

One of our buddies had a nice padded bike case; he ditched it with a friend in Tokyo and took the train back to there at the end of the trip. I think that worked a lot better for him.

You'll still need to rinko your bike if you plan on taking the bike onto a train or subway at any point. This was fairly easy without fenders, but a much larger issue for you.

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>>1051439
I've been running with a LL Bean Microlight FS 2 (the predecessor to the UL 2). I don't think the particular model matters a whole lot.

The type you use depends on your style. I like a 2-man tent because I end up spending a lot of time in it in very wet or very buggy areas. Changing clothes and spreading out gear to dry are pretty nice.

With that said, it's bigger and heavier than a 1-man tent, a bivy, a hammock or a tarp. It's also more expensive than some alternatives. How important each factor is depends on the person.


For a sleeping bag I use a Sea to Summit Trek Tk II. I like it because it unzips all the way so I can use it as a blanket in warmer areas and it also has a fairly low temperature rating (18 F / -8 C). Granted, below freezing, the bag is fucking cold on it's own. Extra clothing is necessary.

Again, the particular model won't make a world of difference. You just need to determine what attributes are important to you. Size? Weight? Durability? Flexibility? Price?

For me, having gear that will work in any condition I run into is most important, followed by durability. I have and expect I will continue to tour in the cold, the hot, the wet, the dry and everything in between. If you're only concerned about one trip in one area at one time of year you can specialize your gear more than I do.

Guy that's planning to ride the transam this summer here. I'm about to pull the trigger on some rain gear. I want good quality stuff, but my budget is around $100-$250. Any suggestions?

>>1052538
You'll spend that much on just one piece of clothing. If you're looking to be dry head to toe you'll need a bigger budget.

>>1052538
when you're riding, a poncho works pretty well, and allows you to cover your arms and legs well

when you're camping, just make sure your tent is well waterproofed, you have a rain cover for it, and use a oversized tent footprint or a big tarp or something under it

>>1052558
>dry head to toe
you don't need to be unless its really cold though

>>1052558
False.

Im dry head to toe in C9 gear. Spent around 90 bucks usd.

>>1052558
I should've phrased that better. I meant $100-$250 per item of clothing. Total would be around $500 probably.

>>1052559
>a poncho works pretty well

'Pretty' is a pretty vague term. I've spent enough time riding in the cold and wet that I would never consider relying on a poncho.

I agree that an effective waterproof tent is very important. Make sure you have a rain fly that completely covers the corners from even sideways rain.

>>1052562
That should be more than enough. You could spend it all (and more) if you want, but a $300 rain jacket isn't going to make a huge practical difference from a $100 one.

My setup (or nearly any other) won't keep you 100% dry, because you're going to generate a lot of body heat going uphill and lose it going down. It does, however, keep the rain off.

Gore Bike Wear jacket
Perl Izumi lined waterproof tights
Sealskinz waterproof lobster gloves
Sealskinz waterproof socks

I've heard of people using helmet covers and other waterproof headgear. I've found that enough of my body heat exits through my head to keep me comfortable in the very cold and very wet with the same gear as in the cold and dry.

what are some very decent cycling pants.
I've allways ridden cheap stuff from aliexpress and was quite fine ith it , but I think sitting in the saddle for a week or two at a time I should upgrade.

is there any specific product ?

>>1051439

I ave a vango helix 200 as tent
and a northface aleutian 35/2 as sleeping bag

still looking for a good super thick inflateable sleeping pad for a reasonable price.
any tips ?

>>1052651
What are your opinions on pit zips for jackets? Necessary, or no?

>>1052791
I don't have them on my rain jacket and I've come to accept sweating on climbs while wearing it. I can get enough extra ventilation by unzipping the front and/or pulling up the sleeves.

I really appreciate having removable sleeves on my normal wind breaker. Taking them off after starting in frosty pre-dawn or putting them back on after finishing a long climb is really pleasant.

Are they necessary? No, but they're a really enjoyable luxury. I guess pit zips are sort of half-way there.

I guess it depends on how much extra you'd be paying for them and how much your money is worth to you.

I haven't ridden a bike since I was 15 but I've decided to ride across America by myself starting in three weeks. I'm probably an idiot but whatever, the worst that can happen is I spend a few months in misery.

>>1053464
>in three weeks
Make it three months, dumbass. You need to get your endurance up, so you need to start riding for longer and longer every day.

>>1053464
>>1053468
And late March isn't the best time to do it, unless you're going to stay far south and at low elevation.

>>1053464

I did route 66 with no training. It sucked for 10 days, then I got used to it.

Then at random points on my trip I realized that I shouldn't have cheaped out on gear. Cheap pannier bags, my shit got wet. Cheap sleeping bag, froze my toes off(figuratively) on the high elevation nights. No sleeping pad, what a fucking idiot I was. Bought the cheapest Bivy, I was fucking swimming when I woke up some mornings. No cooking gear, because I was expecting to see a mcdonalds every 20 miles(this isn't the case on route 66, southern/southern tier, pacific coast. GET COOKING GEAR or prepare yourself for nonstop PB&J sandwiches on the long stretches away from stores.)

It's fun, you'll meet a lot of wonderful people. You'll probably drop like 20 pounds by the end of it. If you're like me, you'll want to do one tour a year every year afterward.

>>1053525
>drop 20 pounds

Maybe if you're a lazy fatass now.

I've gone for 2-3 month trips and lost less than 5.

>>1053527

Okay manlet

>>1053527
>OP hadn't ridden a bike since he was 15
>going on a bike tour in 3 weeks

He's a lazy fatass who is going to lose 20 pounds.

>>1053528
>only a manlet can exercise regularly or be near a healthy weight! Every normal person is fat and unhealthy like me!

>>1053530

stay salty shorty

>>1053531
I guess I probably can't convince you that I'm 186 cm. Have fun justifying your fatness.

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>>1053532

Opinions on warmshowers.org? Would it even be necessary to join for riding the transam?

>>1055430
>necessary
of course not but it's nice to get free sleeping inside or just a shower every once in a while

>>1055488
What I meant was it seems like a lot of people along the Transam offer put up cyclists willingly, so communication through a website wouldn't be as necessary if someone was looking for a shower or place to stay.

>>1055508
eh, I mean it's not that big of an effort man, do it in case you want a backup or whatever.. You don't need to use it if you don't want to but it takes like five minutes to set up