Functional bikes. Not Porn not Anti

Basically the heavier the bike, the more range you need.

I tour the Pyrenees on 34t chainring and 32t sprocket on a semi-loaded touring bike, I managed but not without discomfort.

TL;DR; fit the biggest range possible.

I’ve toured extensively fullu laden on 34/32 including crossing the Pyrenees and various mountains in the Balkans. Could have been nice at times to have a slightly lower gear but I wouldn’t have need for a triple. Guess it comes down to fitness/preference. The fact that I’m a big heavy guy and managed fine would suggest anyone else should be ok.

I think suggesting a photo of a bike on the internet has the wrong gearing is nonsense, we don’t know the owner etc.

Guess it comes down to fitness/preference.

To be more explicit it comes down to power-to-weight ratio and cadence. I think you're right that nearly anyone can get up nearly any hill on a ~1:1 ratio, but riding up a hill for 30 minutes at 60 RPM and high power will stress your muscles (which will accumulate over time on a tour) and increase the likelihood of an injury. So I would rather crawl up it at 100W and 100 RPM personally. Weight is already a non-issue on touring bikes so there's not really much of a downside to having the extra chainring or cassette teeth IMO, after all you don't have to use them if you don't feel like it

But if it works for you that's fine, I would just say that it's not the most practical functional option that exists

Managed fine being the keys word. We can managed with a 53/39 on 11-28, but why would we?

New Alpkit/Sonder tourer

This prototype @sonderbikes steel tourer has been turning a few heads. This is the Caledonian, a 631 steel tubed tourer, disc specific and with full rack and boss mounts. Designed to be 1x and 2x compatible and with good clearance around 700 x 38 tyres. We have painted versions planned but also really like this raw, unpainted version, let us know what you think?

Looks like it'll fill a nice gap in the market - cheap big tyre disc, gravel/tourer thing but with a steel fork that can carry a load of junk. If it was £300 for the frameset and available 6 months ago I would have bought one

Edit: I am assuming that it's going to be cheaper than a CdF, otherwise it seems pointless

I opt for the total maximum range these days with no shame. Years of riding silly fixed gearing has taken its toll.

I dont like commuting in spd shoes. I wear 510 freerides

Functional forks - are there any OTP high-rake forks other than Soma Champs Elysees disc? And is there any cheaper way to get those than shipping the bloody things over from 'murica?

Sure southerndistributors.co.uk can sort you out

Thorn replacement forks from SJS

Only up to 52mm tho.

Will give them a mail, cheers!

#makethetriplegreatagain

Loris fibre

Air cycles

https://www.pelagobicycles.com/shop/components/framesets/stavanger-fork.html

Ah, good shout!

Defintely, even fixed have a silly ratio of around 64GI.

Next time, 44/28t chainring while keeping the 11-34t, that'll give me a 1x10 road and a 1x10 MTB gearing.

Someone will need to be quick!

Light Blue Darwin for very cheaps at the moment.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Light-Blue-Darwin-Frameset-not-Surly-Straggler-or-Long-Haul-Trucker/223025742757?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3Daf9c22f80f404235aa2ccfd46e90dc56%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D223025742757%26itm%3D223025742757&_trksid=p2481888.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3A0d94e354-7a25-11e8-8ef4-74dbd1800cc2%7Cparentrq%3A420595031640ad411805cc34fff78b78%7Ciid%3A1

Noice, someone nab it! Monster clearance and so many functional features:

SO the CDF I am building has lowrider mounts, I want to put a Nitto M18 type rack .. whats the best rack (as nitto one doesent have long enough struts) that will work with Ostrich bag and VO decaleur kit?

you can get longer struts, e.g.

I meant in UK/EU .. no1 has stock, is there a hacky way?

Would a porteur rack do the job? CdF has the eyelets for it doesn't it?