Bike Touring

>>929770
nice bike, BUT

- rear rack will fail you after 3 months
- most used bottle cage will fail you in about 3 months
- position the back wheel lever towards the back so that it doesn't hook to branches
- your saddle seems to point up
- spray paint everything matte black so you can hide it better innawoods while you sleep
- get rid of that light below saddle, use your headlamp as backlight by attaching it to the back of your helmet
- those levers on your handlebar will fail you on the 10th time your bike will fall

t. recently completed did a 6 months ride across europe

> those levers on your handlebar will fail you on the 10th time your bike will fall

ouch!

>>929782
>- rear rack will fail you after 3 months
only if it's a shitty cheap knockoff or you try to carry an engine block home

>- most used bottle cage will fail you in about 3 months
only if it's a shitty cheap knockoff or you try to carry depleted uranium ingots in it

>- position the back wheel lever towards the back so that it doesn't hook to branches
That's not likely to happen if they're tight enough and with vertical dropouts it won't be catastrophic, but then again there's no reason not to. By the way it's called a "quick release".

>- your saddle seems to point up
Maybe he likes it like that. Some are designed that way and everyone's ass is different.

>- spray paint everything matte black so you can hide it better innawoods while you sleep

Wat? No, you do that to your beater commuter so nobody steals it when you lock it up on campus.

>- get rid of that light below saddle, use your headlamp as backlight by attaching it to the back of your helmet
then you turn invisible when you turn your head

>- those levers on your handlebar will fail you on the 10th time your bike will fall
no they won't, I have them on my 'cross bike.

t. actually been riding and fixing bikes for 25 years

>>929782
What model of bike did you use? It must have been incredibly shitty.

> only if it's a shitty cheap knockoff or you try to carry an engine block home
> only if it's a shitty cheap knockoff or you try to carry depleted uranium ingots in it
changed 3 rear racks as i pedalled, from shitty quality to best i could afford (aluminium and two steel)
most serious biketourers gave up racks exactly because they fail, i guess you have super powers - great for you mango


> That's not likely to happen if they're tight enough and with vertical dropouts it won't be catastrophic, but then again there's no reason not to. By the way it's called a "quick release".
> not likely to happen
> not catastrophic
ah, of course, if you think a root or branch hooking on your quick release won't be catastrophic or unlikely to happen good for you mango
thanks for the english term!

>- your saddle seems to point up
> Maybe he likes it like that. Some are designed that way and everyone's ass is different.
or maybe he's not who knows, do you?

>- spray paint everything matte black so you can hide it better innawoods while you sleep

> Wat? No, you do that to your beater commuter so nobody steals it when you lock it up on campus.
or maybe you're stealth camping and you don't wanna be noticed; i guess you don't camp around?

>- get rid of that light below saddle, use your headlamp as backlight by attaching it to the back of your helmet
> then you turn invisible when you turn your head
a blinking floating light is surely invisible, especially in those times where you pedal while looking right behind you

>- those levers on your handlebar will fail you on the 10th time your bike will fall
> no they won't, I have them on my 'cross bike.
and your bike never fell, hitting that exact spot evry fucking time, right? good for you

>>929821
90s mtb, define shitty

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>>929823
>most serious biketourers gave up racks exactly because they fail
No they didn't, bikepacking notwithstanding (and bikepacking began with offroad touring on MTBs that won't take racks, not because racks break).

OP's is a copy of a Blackburn Expedition. It's a good sturdy design. Some of the Chinese copies are shitty but some are good. I've been using them for years and never broke one.

>if you think a root or branch hooking on your quick release won't be catastrophic or unlikely to happen good for you
People have been arguing about quick release angles since they were invented. If you ask a road racer they'll probably say to do it like OP to minimize the chance of injury in a crash. I don't worry much because if they're tight then yes, they are unlikely to get knocked loose.

Even if it happens the back wheel probably won't come off with vertical dropouts unless you go over a jump or curb. Someone stole my rear QR once and it took me a few miles to even notice it, then I rode to a shop and got a new one.

>or maybe he's not who knows, do you?
That's my point, you can't critique other people's saddles. OP has a nice bike he built himself and seems to know what he wants.

>maybe you're stealth camping and you don't wanna be noticed
When I stealth camp I go far enough into the woods that it shouldn't matter, I lock my bike to a tree just in case, and it's dark because it's night. If I was worried I'd get a tarp.

>a blinking floating light is surely invisible
Once I was riding half a block behind a guy with just a helmet light in back. Every time he turned his head to look for cross traffic, the light disappeared. So I wouldn't use one as my only rear light. But I see now that OP also has one attached to the rack.

>and your bike never fell, hitting that exact spot evry fucking time, right?
I try not to be a klutz, but It falls once in a while and I've crashed it a few times. Usually on dirt but not always. I've never damaged a shifter though.

>>929865
OP here my rack is a Topeak Explorer

I have a headlight that not visible in the picture too

>>929898
It's a nice bike. I had an old stumpjumper I used as my city bike for a while (that one I did spray-paint flat black, but mostly because the original turquoise and magenta paint was scratched). Looked like just another cheap rigid MTB at first glance, but it was light and fast. Until the frame rusted out.

What's the saddle? Kind of looks like an old Avocet O2. If so is it for sale?

>>929933
Thanks, The saddle is a Selle Italia Turbomatic titanium. I'd sell it, I just bought a Brooks b17 for it.

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>>929770

Yes

"le fatbike meme"

Nice Fatboy

>>929971
Do you like those bars? I am looking for a new style of touring bars. I currently just have drop bar with bar end shifters.

>quill to threadless stem adapter
>non leather saddle
>knobby tires
>flat pedals
>no fenders

4/10 pls try harder

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Here's my "touring bike" which is a steel Bianchi mtb I found on craigslist for $50 on which I promptly added hundreds of dollars worth of accessories.

>>930062
>quill to threadless stem adapter
Kludgy, but maybe he likes it, but still kludgy. Half point scored.
>non leather saddle
personal preference; leather is comfy for some but not for all, and prone to rain and theft. No points awarded..
>knobby tires
Tire choice depends on the road/trail, but touring on dirt is more hardcore. Point deducted.
>flat pedals
Personal preference. Flats let you ride in any shoes or boots. You might have a performance based argument for clipless for racing or MTBing or brevets, but not for touring. No points awarded..
>no fenders
Point scored.

Final score: 0.5/5, or 1/10. Pls try harder.

>>930006
the saddle is leather yah knob

>>929823
>most serious biketourers gave up racks exactly because they fail, i guess you have super powers - great for you mango

What. Don't tell me you mean bikepacking because bikepacking gear wear out way faster than racks.

>>929971
That's a lot of gear. How long will your travel be?

>>929938
those "saddle" shaped saddles should have the nose and rear level with each other. otherwise i like your build alot. very thoughtful what are those panaracer tires? i have a crossbike a ride on trails but it need some beefier rubber. soft gravel and cross tires are no good for rocky forest trails...

>>930281
sure, sure

here's your you ((You))'re special)

>>929865

> blackburn expedition
> actually a 6061 Hollow Aluminum topeak

> 25 years
thanks mastah, troll more!

>>930066
nice!

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>>930339
I said the design is a copy of the Blackburn, fucktard.

>>929938
don't fall for the brooks meme
don't give up your selle italia

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>>930342
GOOD AND STURDY DESIGNminium

> Keep on rockin' in the free world.mp3

>>930343
Brookses are great if you can keep them from getting rained on or stolen. I never had to break them in very much to get comfortable, not even my Team Pro.

>>930358
lol good luck not catching rain or snow in the winter

i'll stick to reliable ITALIA DVCE DIOCANE

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>>930006

Jones H bar, aluminum, largest size (don't ask for measurement)

I would never swap those bars out. For touring they are amazing. There's a reason half the Surly line of touring bikes use them.

Also Barflybags makes a bag that fits in the middle which fits lots of quick access, little shit. I keep a multitool, flashlight, credit card, money, a marker, some zipties, bug spray, chapstick, tweezers, etc in it. Way useful.

>>930274
Either you misquote or you're retarded. Well either way you're retarded.

>>930572
Do you think they would work well with bar end shifter? Or should I get some sort of attachment for them so they can go on the bar itself.

Also comfy pic. Where is that?
That bottle cage placement is neat.

>>930358
Brooks saddles can handle being ridden in the rain just fine. They just shouldn't be allowed to soak in water or left outside in a downpour without a cover on.

Also I treat mine with Obenauf's LP which gives it a degree of water resistance.

>>930323
The tires are comet hardpacks

Yea, I wish I had the opportunity to do some touring for more extended periods of time. Currently I can only manage the occasional overnight trip and few and far between 7-10 day trips.

Your bike looks real good, people often ask me what sort of bike I would recommend to people just getting into cycling commuting/touring, and my answer always is something similar to yours, 80s-90s mtb drop bar conversions are bomb proof.

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>>931034
Heres a piccy from a recent overnighter

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>>930611

No, get trigger shifters. Also pair them with ergon biocork GC1s (or rubber but cork feels NICE) Compared to normal version they do feel better on the wrist.

>>931036
Jones bars and ergon grips; doin' it rite.

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Here's mine, earlier today (in winter picnic mode not touring mode).

>>930066
How do you like having everything on the back wheel? I always heard most of the weight was supposed to be on the front.

>>929770
I love cycling. I'm planning on doing a tour this summer.

Leaving southern NM to Yellowstone
Yellowstone to Canada
Canada to San Fransisco
San Francisco to Moab UT
Moab to back home

I'll be riding a Surly Long Haul Trucker
Ive only ever done a 100 mile tour, but have been riding my bike for a while.

Will have plenty of camping experience by the time the tour starts.

>>931036
I like that you used your seat post. Clever.

What kind of tarp is that? Also, what do you have under your sleeping bag?

>>931320
Its a Mountain Laurel Designs Trailstar, bit pricey but I picked it up secondhand so it wasnt too bad.

Under the bag is a sea to summit ULpad and under that is a sheet of tyvek, a housewrap favoured by ulta light hilkers as a ground sheet due to its low cost, low weight and how damp proof it is.

Its a pretty nice setup, the tarp is real roomy. You could squeeze three under there or sleep two really comfortably.

Packing light while bike touring is a good idea imo, its nice to not feel like your riding a truck and enjoy the ride a bit more, covering big distances gets pretty addictive once your taints broken in

>>931351
What about mosquitoes?

>>932240
They dont seem to go for me, but if its an issue the tarp has clips for attaching a bivvy or bug net. Or I will just take my tent.

>>931318
I heard the opposite, in that having too much weight on the front disproportionately affects steering and increases the likelihood of endo during braking. Plus pretty much any performance bike has a rear wheel weight bias which only shifts to the front when getting out of the saddle to mash uphill.

As for me I didn't really notice any handling problems from having the cargo behind my heels.

>>932678
Depends on the geometry of the bike (some cargo and touring bikes are designed for front loading) and exactly where on the front you put the weight.

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I have a Marlin 6, is it possible to turn this bike into a touring bike or should I get something else? I wanna travel somewhere when I get back from my thru hike

>>932687
Get a nice rear rack for it and hang 2 panniers.

Then hang from your handlebars, a stuffsack of clothes or light items; nothing that affects steering too much.

You could also get a frame bag if you wish. I use mine for a water bladder and repair tools.

>>932687
What >>932744 said, just make sure you get a rack that works with the disk brake because not all of them do.

There are also front racks that work with suspension forks but I've never used one so I don't know how good an idea it is.

Or you could use bikepacking bags.

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>>929770
thinking about doing a bike tour later this year after i finish up uni, don't have very much money. But is this good enough for a 1k miles trip through the states on like real roads.
>i figure i can spare $1000 to do it
>$400 bike
>$200 equipment/upgrades
>$400 in supplies/food/AirBnB every few days but mostly stealth camping

i've done loads of backpacking and when i was younger i had no problem doing like 50-80 miles a day for fun (of course with no load, but at quicker pace)

http://bikeshopwarehouse.com/cgi-bin/BSW_STOR20.cgi?Action=Details&ProdID=396

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>>932807
If /out/ still has archives you should look up tourfat, he was a fat OG /out/ist who successfully crossed America on a shitty bike with almost no money and no initial experience.

If your funds are limited:
1) used bikes are much better value than new, and old rigid mountain bikes are cheap and plentiful. Hybrids can work too.
2) cheap frames will do the job, but invest in good wheels

>>932836
didn't see anything :/

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>>932807

I've come across people on walmart quality bikes doing multi day trips. Pic is the repair I did on a completely busted dollar-store quality tire for a European lady. I disabled her rear brake..

What the other guy said, just craigslist yourself a solid trek or giant with at least V brakes.

Bring portable tools for repairing your bike so tire levers, spare tube, pump, some allen wrenches with BALL ENDS, a good multitool like a leatherman, and zipties + tape for things like pic related. it will limp you to the nearest shop for part swap. Completely rebuild the bike before your trip and you wont have any major issues.

OR

Buy a higher quality bike used, rebuild everything down to individual ball bearings with good marine grease, and enjoy years of low-maintenance fun on your bike. I am a big fan of Surly bikes. Shits steel and I can still ride it in the ocean with no rust (if properly built)..

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i dont tour but regularly do 50 miler day trips on the weekends. i like steel bikes the best. ive had this bike since new, its a 2001 lemond nevada city. they have long top tubes so its kind of like straddling a horse! but i can run up to 28c tires so thats good enough for urban riding. i run conti gatorskins and ride all over glass strewn portland oregon. ive had 4 epic flats on those tires in a decade. i wont ride anything else. id like to tour but it would probably be more like over night trips on long distance bike paths. we have two options for that here. a 25 mile trail on the east side, and a 20 mile hilly route towards the coast range. that one is popular because its got a state park convienient at the halfway point. its also got yurts and cabins you can rent. long distance, gravel riding is what i want to conquer next. i have a cross bike with gravel tires i ride on logging roads. nothing epic, just like 10 or 15 milers here and there. im an enthusiast but my mileage is more like weekend warrior, i do about 2500 miles a year.

>>933747
Well the Tourfat threads were more inspiratonal than instructional, point is you don't need a lot of experience, fitness or money to tour, just get on a bike and start riding. He did have some bike fit problems at the start but he asked for advice and got them sorted out soon enough.

Also that while you don't need the best bike in the world by any means you at least want a decent one, and for the price of a kinda shitty new bike you can get a fairly nice one used.

>>933782
>zipties + tape
Bailing wire is really useful too when you need something stronger than zip ties. I've made "temporary" repairs with wire that were sturdy enough to become semi-permanent.

I also carry a mint tin with spare small parts (M5 & M6 bolts in case some shake loose, spare SRAM quick link in case chain breaks, spare fender mounting eyebolts, Fiberfix emergency spoke, maybe a crank bolt). Some of which I've needed occasionally.

>>929770
What's a good cheap touring bike? All I've got is my old half dead mountain bike from my days of biking to school.

I'm thinking of doing a hybrid of bike touring and hiking/exploring, i.e. stopping for a few days in a nice area to do something other than cycling, and hiding the bike away somewhere then come back to it later. Do any of you think that this is viable?

I know nothing.

What do bike tourers carry? Seems crazy how minimal the luggage is. Any good lists?

>>934031
New, you'd be looking at something like the Surly Long Haul Trucker, but it isn't exactly cheap. Might be able to find a decent hybrid for less but I don't pay attention to hybrids so I don't know.

Used, you could probably get a decent quality old rigid MTB or hybrid for a couple of hundred bucks that would do the job. If your old bike has a decent frame it might be worth fixing up.

>>934077
If you mean stashing the bike under a bush and carrying all your gear while you hike, that could be awkward, but not impossible. Besides having to keep the bike safe, bike luggage is hard to carry off the bike, and a big frame pack is hard to carry on the bike. You could stuff everything in a duffle bag with backpack straps, that's how I kept my panniers together when flying, but it wouldn't be too comfortable. I'm sure someone's done it though.

If you mean staying in an area for a while and doing day hikes or an overnight, I just left my bike locked up at the hostel I was staying in and brought my day pack, which I strapped on top of my rear rack while riding.

>>934104
Here's a start: https://www.adventurecycling.org/resources/how-to-department/bicycle-travel-basics/what-to-take-and-how-to-pack/

>>934031
>What's a good cheap touring bike?
A bike with a rack. Literally. If you don't plan on crossing Patagonia any bike will do. Just fix up your old bike and you are ready to go.

People like to pretend that bike touring is expensive, that you need a special bike, ortlieb bags and possibly a trailer to carry your espresso machine and pottery wheel around. Protip: you don't. Just make sure you are comfortable and the bike is suited for what you are trying to do. Also try to get a sturdy rear wheel, because it will have to carry most of the load.

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WTB: 5mm titanium bolts

>>934849
Sweet ride!

As a tip to save money, you can use backpacks from thrift stores as bike panniers. Just buy some hooks and a bungee cord for each, bolt them on with a very thin sheet of metal, wood, or plastic as a support inside the bags to make them rigid.

You then just put everything into ziplock bags and all bags go into a forceflex trash bag.

You can do this for $5 in materials per pack and the bagception keeps the critters from snooping as much.

>>929770
>"specialized" bicycle
most be for a "special" little guy like yourself. don't forget to wear your helmet, you pussy.

>>937132
what cardio are you into tough guy, besides frantic masturbation?

26" vs 700c?

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>>937192
In the first world it doesn't matter. If you're going into the third world, finding replacement wheels/tires at 26" is easier from what I understand. 26" will give you slightly easier pedaling at the same gear ratio.

I couldn't tell you if it's actually possible to find quality tires in the third world. My thought is to arrange for new tires to be mailed to me every 5000 miles or so once I get around to adventuring internationally (25,000+ miles of touring in NA). That's about as far as my touring tires have lasted me (Schwalbe Marathon Mondials, Infinity Armadillos). Switching front and rear tires part way is a good idea because a rear tire with more weight on it will wear faster.

>>937192
what the other guy said. I'd pick 700c for first world nowadays so's you can use any ETRTO 622 road or cross or 29er tire out there, but 26" is probably still the best bet for finding spares in the rest of the world (possibly including large chunks of flyover America).

I'm thinking of doing a long bike trip starting this summer. I have a 1-2 year old 400$ hybrid bike, the parts have broke down several times. Should I buy quality parts and put it on the frame, or buy an entire new bike? My budget is 600-1200$.

I will look up secondhand deals, but I live in a small town so I'm not sure I'll find anything.

>>937188
Ive ran 10 miles in under an hour before, fuck off

Guys, I need a bag and a bike rack, any recommendations? Obviously cheaper is preferred but a little expensive is also preferable to garbage quality. Also, do you need special clips to attach bags to the bike rack or what? I bike a lot but I've never done any very long distance travel before with one.

>>937817
I don't have a ton of experience in this but I'd say lean towards spending on a better rack. A good rack that keeps your cheap ass bag out of the spokes is probably going to last longer than a cheap rack that lets your expensive bag hit the spokes. Rear panniers have their own attachment systems and will work with just about any rack, front panniers you might run into more compatability issues. I really like the nashbar front rack/bags I have on >>934849
I think they were $70

>>938667
oh, and get a bungee net. They're the fuckin bees knees

>>937407
Parts are expensive if you buy them separately, and you'd still be putting them on a cheap frame, so it might be cheaper to get a new bike.

>>937235
26" wheels are inherently stronger

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Pic form a bike trip round north eastern Germany some years ago.

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never done bike touring but i have a saracen mantra 2016 mtb that i enjoy playing with on the trails.

picture is from the day i got it, since then ive only added a bottle cage, headlight and a chain stay.

>>929782

I used one of those Topeak racks for ten years without any issue at all. Article reader detected.

Was touring on a Surly Crosscheck, upgraded to a Surly ECR a few years back. Awesome comfy bike that goes anywhere, put 2.5" road tyres on for plush dirt and tarmac, 3" dirt tyres for anything.

>>937235

>using third-world parts

If you busted your first-world wheel in the middle of nowhere, what the fuck do you think you're going to do with a third-world piece of shit? It's better to get the best and simplest parts. That means no meme rolhoff hub, carry spokes and brake pads/cables.

>>939063

Shitty parts have the potential to get you from the middle of nowhere to a decent sized 3rd world city where you can either buy decent parts or get something mailed to you within a semi-reasonable timescale.

I cracked a rim once while touring, and if I had really been in the middle of nowhere, I would have been fucked (eventually).

Of course, going off a curb with tires near max pressure was a very stupid idea, but I've lived with myself for long enough to know that I'll do stupid things from time to time.

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where to buy bike tyres in UK?

>>939736
at a bike shop.

halfords has some if you dont have any bike shops near by

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>>939736
Have you tried wiggle.co.uk or bike24.com? A lot of amerifats order tires from them because even with shipping it's cheaper than North American prices.

>>939167
wouldn't max pressure be better than under inflated? seems like you'd be more likely to bottom out and dent the rim...

>>939736
i want that spoon, where get

>>939773
It comes with the thermos. I got mine at Canadian Tire.

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>>929782

>- get rid of that light below saddle, use your headlamp as backlight by attaching it to the back of your helmet

don't do this

>>930358

>english saddle
>unchanged for decades
>no good in the rain

Just get a rear fender, which you ened anyway. Topeak racks like OP have a nice strip down the middle which kills the roostertail.

>>940316
I didn't say they were no good in the rain, I said they were great as long as you can keep them from getting rained on or stolen. A plastic bag and fenders take care of the rain but I had 2 Brookses stolen off my bike downtown. That's why I gave up on them.

>>934849
If you invested in a down sleeping bag and an air pad you'd be packing 1/4 the size of that. That mountain you're carrying must be a pain.

>>940550
I don't really care how big it is, not like I have to carry it. Same deal with the weight, I bring a full sized camp chair just because I can.

Hoping to do 500-800 miles over my spring break.

When I lived in western OR I thought it was too cold to go up in the Cascades in March. Now that I've spent a few months biking in temperatures down to -12 F, every day above freezing seems balmy.

My only concern is if it will be cold/snowy enough to require a 4-season tent. I can spare the $ for a sleeping bag liner, and I've got some solid cold-weather riding/camping gear already, but $400+ for a fancy new tent is outside of my budget.

>>942240
As far as I know, 4 season tents are just needed for heavy winds or heavy snowfall. I doubt they will make a difference in terms of warmth. So it depends on how much snow you expect.

Just make sure you have a sleeping bag suited for these temperatures.

>>942265
Bag is rated to 18 F. Would be getting a liner that allegedly adds 20-25F to the sleeping bag rating. Shouldn't have days too far below freezing.

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>>931105
comfy

>>934849
how do you even go uphill!

>>930066
legionnaire cap! sun is the worst enemy

>>943157
The crap on his rear rack is bulky as hell, but the sleeping bag and the mat probably don't weigh much of anything. I doubt the balance is quite as bad as it looks.

Also, I don't know what kind of hills you deal with, but 12% grade is about as much as I've dealt with over any distance. Most roads, especially those in the western US, use enough switchbacks to avoid that kind of slope.

It would take some effort and specific circumstances to run into a problem.

>>943177
Not that I thought it was heavy, but it looks like all the weight is on the back and you'd wheelie and back flip on a hill