Generic Touring Thread

@amey can’t remember if this is where I got them but these are they…
https://www.cyclemiles.co.uk/shop/accessories/gorilla-cage-dry-bag-5-5lts
Material very strong. I’ve only got the cages initially so nothing else to compare with. But they are a similar material to my Crosso panniers but a little thinner and more flexible.

2 Attachments

Alpkit ones are doing me well. Real snug with the straps replaced with Voile...although I suppose anything would be.

Yeah, quite often. But back then I was mostly heading to cities and I already had the locks with me.

You'd be surprised at how often I saw people in Europe where I didn't expect to see people though.

I'm boringly not on trend (again, I know) and love my Viscacha - adding a rack is like adding mudguards - you need three showers to get the stink off.
If it's a short trip though what are you actually carrying? That looks like a lot of stuff over the front end. If the rack and rear bag(s) allowed me to move some of that front end weight to where it doesn't impact handling as much I'd do that.

Comes with having eyes everywhere I guess. A blessing and a curse.

Any advice on good veggie camping foods in Spain for 1 pot? First thought is pasta/sauce/beans

Having come back from a quick tour in Andalusia recently I can recommend a quick but delicious bean salad. They do those fancy jars of butter beans in all supermarkets, just mix one up with whatever fresh veg/salad you fancy and some jarred artichoke or other fancy bits. Sachets of salt from restaurants help. We had nice tuna too but that could be easily skipped. Fresh herbs and a lemon good too.

Lovely, ta!

Another thought. With tomatoes also being incredible over there I'd consider making a sauce up (fry some onion/shallot and garlic, add some tomatoes and some water/wine/cider until cooked down into a sloppy sauce) - you can then cook the pasta directly in the sauce but make sure you keep topping up with water if it gets dry. It takes a bit longer than cooking it in water but always a good option for a one-pot and ends up really flavourful. Will need plenty of salt. I would look at adding fresh olives/chilli/artichokes etc.

Yeah this sounds great. Had been considering going without stove and living on bread and cheese but faffing about with this on an evening really appeals

Been thinking the same for a tour from Toulouse to Nice starting next week - my first long(ish) tour! Really excited for camp cooking in the evenings with fresh and local stuff (especially real tomatoes and @owl says). One of the campsites I'm looking at even has a little veg garden.

There's an equal chance I'll live on dry bread and box wine but trying to at least set intentions

I'm carrying a cannister, stove and pot around for an absolute laugh. 2 months, haven't broken the seal.

I've used my cooker a few times to justify carrying it around but to be honest I prefer campsites with beer gardens and restaurants so I can just relax once I've finished riding. Or hotels.

And don't forget to order your bread rolls for the morning.

LIDL

Does anyone go/has anyone gone off-road touring on a modern long/low/slack hardtail with a rigid fork? Wondering whether I can have a bike that does trail centres and touring at the same time just by swapping the fork over (and maybe switching to Jones bars and more practical tyres, etc.). But I feel like a bike with a 65° head angle will ride like an absolute pig once you put some weight on the fork and I can't un-slacken it because the seat angle is already 75°.

Why can't you just tour with a sus fork? Maxi comfy. I've done everything from bike parks to multi-day bikepacking on a modern full sus. It's tyres wot make the most difference

just happened to be reading about the kona unit x and remembered this post, doesn't sound quite as slack but might be a nice middle ground..
https://bikepacking.com/bikes/kona-unit-x-review/

This would be less gnarly stuff bordering on gravel I suppose where you don't need the suspension. Main thing is the amount of luggage you can take on a rigid fork, but also the efficiency, and you need to take more care of a suspension fork

I have a P2 off a 2020 Kona Unit going, if it's something you want to try

What length is the fork with 65ha, as if say 150 and you drop to rigid or 120 that will increase ha by 0.5deg per 10mm fork drop.

Unless premium gravel I'd run a suspension fork bikpacking. Off road takes its toll

Also Jones bars aren't the be all and end all, my wrists hated them.

Also I don't like weight on the fork or front end really, unless its just premium gravel as you can't maneuver the bike about so well.

In my experience efficiency gains would be minimal, as most forks can either be fully locked out or stiffened through damping, and service intervals are going to be effectively increased due to the very light usage, beyond just lubing the stanchions every so often. There are also bolt on luggage options available, though you can fit an awful lot between saddle/frame/bar/feed bags. I also don't think the slackniss is going to make much difference once you're cruising along, aside from a bit of bar flop while you're near stationary. Sagged head angle for 65deg is going to be about 66.5, which is the same as my Swarf. Big downside is really only the weight.

Realistically the longest fork you're going to be able to swap for a rigid is 120mm, Unless you splurge on a Whisky No.9

My fork's 130mm so I think a 500mm rigid would be just about okay if I also swapped the dropper out for a fork with layback. I'm imagining that I end up with something like a Nordest Sardinha/Karate Monkey/Stooge or whatever but a little bit more LLS.

@TvH good point about the service interval... But touring on a Yari? It just feels wrong!

Maybe rigid is a bad idea

@platypus has done plenty of gravel riding on a Manitou Mattoc! But then he services it so infrequently it may as well be rigid ;)