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I really want to do London to Delhi. didn't make it all the way on the last try as was thwarted by the lack of Iranian visa. might go for it again next summer if funds allow.
The Pakistan part of that trip would scare the shit out of me. All the travel logs I've read of people who go through Pakistan seem to say it's a big hassle with security and having to have military escorts in some places.
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The Pakistan part of that trip would scare the shit out of me. All the travel logs I've read of people who go through Pakistan seem to say it's a big hassle with security and having to have military escorts in some places.
yeah - the bit from Bam in Iran to Quetta in Pakistan is right through Baluchistan and supposed to be dodgy as fuck - If I did that route I would def consider bus/train for some sections (although the train apparently gets hijacked on a regular basis). I am also looking at going up through the 'stans to China then along the Karokaram highway into Pakistan - only problem with this is that the Kunjarab pass is only open for a couple of months a year so timing would have to be spot on and would prob entail leaving the UK fairly early in the year.
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One of these could be sweet, little wider than a standard 2 person, only 1 porch but could survive and light as fuck.
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I think the only real disadvantage of discs for touring is that the frame needs careful design to allow guards and racks to be fitted.
Ive always enjoyed the feel of canti brakes (quite a lot of power & mudulation) and theyre adjustability.
I think disc brakes are a little unreliable to use on a touring bike, things like high temperature severely effect braking power. And brake pads are harder to get hold of in the middle of nowhere, especially considering many are model-specific.
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hmm well I do have Raleigh Audax 21.5" in original condition, triple chainrings with bar end changers, 7 speed rear I think, and it as new, fattish tyres, centre pull canti's, even 2 spare spokes mounted on twee liddle brackets on the the rear LH chainstay too. Could part with it....
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Ive always enjoyed the feel of canti brakes (quite a lot of power & mudulation) and theyre adjustability.
I think disc brakes are a little unreliable to use on a touring bike, things like high temperature severely effect braking power. And brake pads are harder to get hold of in the middle of nowhere, especially considering many are model-specific.
You're fluent in Bollocks aren't you, Pestilential Rump Crate?
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Ive always enjoyed the feel of canti brakes (quite a lot of power & mudulation) and theyre adjustability.
I think disc brakes are a little unreliable to use on a touring bike, things like high temperature severely effect braking power. And brake pads are harder to get hold of in the middle of nowhere, especially considering many are model-specific.
Are you serious? A good pair of hydraulics (Shimano Deore above) will work for years without any service, no problems just fantastic modulation and power. Don't need anything harder to get than a multi-tool and some sewing machine oil to re-bleed them and the pads will last for ages. Unless you are riding in an oven you will not be having any problems with heat, might be time you tried disk brakes again they are wicked.
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the reliablity of the disc brakes no doubt have improved dramatically since they've been introducted to bicycles, but the point of having one on a touring bikes, of which sometime ridden through 3rd world country, is somewhat useless when you can't get part for it, whether a canti brakes has been around for years and not so hard to set up and get part for.
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Are you serious? A good pair of hydraulics (Shimano Deore above) will work for years without any service, no problems just fantastic modulation and power. Don't need anything harder to get than a multi-tool and some sewing machine oil to re-bleed them and the pads will last for ages. Unless you are riding in an oven you will not be having any problems with heat, might be time you tried disk brakes again they are wicked.
hydraulic disk brakes can boil on long descents which causes them to fade, mountain bikers can get this often in the alps if they are using small disks and braking alot. Don't think this would really be a problem on a touring bike though unless your going down some massive mountains and braking all the way down.
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hydraulic disk brakes can boil on long descents which causes them to fade, mountain bikers can get this often in the alps if they are using small disks and braking alot. Don't think this would really be a problem on a touring bike though unless your going down some massive mountains and braking all the way down.
That's true with hydros and could happen on a loaded touring bike down a long hill, but mechanical disk brakes (like BB7s) don't have any boiling problems and are incredibly easy to set up and service.
And brake pads are harder to get hold of in the middle of nowhere, especially considering many are model-specific.
A lot of canti brake pads are model specific too and getting hold of them in the middle of nowhere would be pretty tough. A pair of metallic disc pads will last for ages in touring use and chucking a spare pair in the tool kit (along with spokes, chain, cassette, tyres, tubes, rear mech and possibly a spare set of shifters if you are going for a long tour somehwhere remote) isn't gonna make a big difference to the load you're carrying.
Having tried good cantis (Empella froglegs) and discs on my bike the advantages of discs massively outweigh any downsides.
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the reliablity of the disc brakes no doubt have improved dramatically since they've been introducted to bicycles, but the point of having one on a touring bikes, of which sometime ridden through 3rd world country, is somewhat useless when you can't get part for it, whether a canti brakes has been around for years and not so hard to set up and get part for.
Have you ever used a disc brake? BB7s (which I keep mentioning as they are the benchmark for touring discs) are much easier to set up than cantis and their reliability is very well proven as the same design has been around for years.
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You're all pussys. Man up and run the four panniers with No brakes (TM) it. Zero maintenance.
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Why is it people always bang on about ease of repair when touring in remote places? How many people actually go touring in the deserts of Kyrgyzstan or some equally remote place?
Yeah they do, well maybe not in the remote desert but I've heard of lots of people having to get pannier mounts reattached, which is far easier to get done with a steel frame.
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Why is it people always bang on about ease of repair when touring in remote places? How many people actually go touring in the deserts of Kyrgyzstan or some equally remote place?
quite a lot of people. not a huge amount, but definitely a fair few. These days though, it's easy enough to get spares posted out to pretty much anywhere so ease of repair isn't as crucial as it used to be.
this guy cycled to some pretty remote place last year - and met others doing it:
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this is mine http://mikesimagination.wordpress.com/2007/12/11/my-touring-bike-a-guided-tour/ heavy duty, have been all over the world on it - thoroughthe Himalayas, down the Andes, North Africa etc. It's heavy but bombproof. Thinking of taking a fixed gear touring bike to Tunisia next month tho
TheBrick(Tommy)
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Think I want a touring bike?
Posted by
@Simpson
I'd like to do the classic end to end and London to Istanbul, it's crossing a continent, a bit adventurous but not as scary as riding though some parts of Africa or Pakistan. I'm a bit of a scaredy cat.