Touring Equipment

Wow, it takes nine months for the bite to take effect?

I'm getting to the age where everything takes a long time to get going. :)

does anyone know where to get those old fashioned heavyweight capes ?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Agu-TRACK-PONCHO-WATERPROOF-BIKING-CAPE-BNWT_W0QQitemZ250616327848QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=133560182824&rvr_id=133560182824&cguid=6f8f7cfc12a0a0aad2073257fe399b92

http://shop.2wheelsonly.co.uk/agu-waterproof-track-poncho---one-size-2138-p.asp

Army surplus stores do goretex versions.

yo ! thanks !

anyone fancy a terra nova photon elite 1 man tent 770gr brand new for £200?
http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/images/products/43LP_L500.jpg

more Info

Hello people,
I rode Lands End to John o Groats this summer...since you lot seem to have an interest in touring, here is an album of photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47853324@N08/sets/72157624848518178/

i wild camped all but three nights when my girlfriend came to join me.

Equipment wise...i tested an MSR hubba tent to what would have destroyed most other tents (60/70 mph winds on the side of a mountain in scotland) - amazing.

i used MSR cooking pots:
http://www.cascadedesigns.com/msr/cookware/fast-and-light-cookware/quick-2-pot-set/product which were very poor in comparison with other MSR products i have used, the non stick rubbed off very easily.

my ortlieb panniers were amazing, as were my tubus racks. my surly long haul trucker was incredible, so comfy.

but the award for most valued item has to be my brooks b17, loved it.

nice one chris,

OT, but would you share your route, perhaps in the rides and races section?

Looks like a great tour - +1 on seeing the route...I need another tour after my summer's epic London-Nice!

nice one chris,

OT, but would you share your route, perhaps in the rides and races section?

+1, I'm planning to do LEJOG next summer so would be really good to hear about your ride.

yeah, if i get a chance ill write out my route...i should really try and put it down on a map but im not sure i have the time - i didnt plan the ride at all apart from booking a train to the start and back from the finish. i just made it up as i went trying to stay on B roads all the time.

when i got to JOG, i met quite a few others who had done just under 900miles, due to my route choice i had done 1153. - i am glad that i did it the way i did, i saw some amazing places and our country is truly beautiful, in particular nothern scotland.

I would be interested in buying your tent. I just registered so can't send a DM yet but please DM me or reply if it is still for sale.

Thanks

Stu

hi stu. tent available, contact me on my email. suriaribeiro@gmail.com

tent is sold to stu ^ pending payment.

Not quite sure if this can stand up as a touring tail, it certainly required a lot of endurance, and it was from Washington DC to Maryland, even if I was quite close to the state border.

I got the CrossCheck from a local Surly dealer here in DC. The day I got it, after just five miles the pedal fell off. But it had seized so no one's fault really (except Crank Brothers). Bike shop stayed open late so I could one leg pedal over to them and get it fixed.

On the second day of ownership I did this ride: http://tumblr.com/xqrigfanx

No fuss, no drama; the bike just got on with it, and despite my valiant attempts to be miserable, it really wouldn't let me.

stering effort mate, especially when you hasn't even ridden the bike enough before embarking the almost-century ride.

Thanks Ed.

I know, I wasn't sure what was going to be least reliable; me or the brand new bike. But that was stupid, it's Surly, it's far more dependable than I'll ever be.

Can personally vouch for this tent, terra nova Aspect 2. Spent 6 weeks in it and found it be perfect.
Enough space inside for two people or one person and their panniers, two doors so you get great ventilation, goes up with the fly so no problem with pitching in the rain, the porch rolls out into a massive awning, light, strong and affordable.

Great tent.

stering effort mate, especially when you hasn't even ridden the bike enough before embarking the almost-century ride.

+1

Did you have any trouble with fitting of the bike at all?

I stupidly moved my handlebars (ever so slightly) the day before I cycled to Paris and back. The result was that I couldn't open my hands properly for a good month.

I really got the bug for long cycle tours after cycling to Paris and back. Probably going to plan another one next year, don't know about you guys but one of the fun things for me is trying to plan it on a budget. I managed ferry/accommodation and food to Paris and back for under £150.

I'd also like to do a few changes to my bike before another long ride, ideally a front triple and different STI shifters, maybe ultegra - but we'll see from next years cycle to work scheme.

can someone please recommend me a couple of things:

1. A drop bar with a pretty shallow drop that are about 44cm wide. I'm going to be using bar-end shifters and will only be riding in the drops occasionally so would like some shallow drops to make the reach a little shorter.

2. A handlebar bag that is big-ish and has a map pocket/cover on the top. Something along the lines of the Altura Orkney bar bag. That seems to be the best I've seen but would like to hear of other bags you might recommend - ideally that don't need a pouter rack (although that could be an option).

thanks.

T-4003, a little slow, have you though about increasing the stem height so riding on the drop will be comfortable?

touring/randonnees bicycle often have their handlebar equal or slightly higher to saddle height, so they'll be able to ride on the drop almost all the time with easy reach to the brake, like this;

As for saddle bag, the Ostrich one I have is pretty good, it got a sleeve for map, and some useful feature such as pocket on the back to put small snack and the like in;

are the the classic design bags like those ostrich and carradice much heavier than the newer style ortlieb bar bags?

I didn't use a bar bag when I went touring recently just 4 pannier bags. Yet I think I could have got away with a bar bag and the rest on the back, which saves substantial weight. But then you've got the conundrum of the front to rear weight being unbalanced.

They're probably heavier, but I don't think weight is that important in touring is it?

handlebar bag is amazingly useful being able to grab something while riding, save you the time and effort of stopping and reaching for the pannier/saddlebag to grab says, a sandwich, putting your iPod in the little back pocket, sunglasses, phone, etc.

It's one of those thing that you don't realise how useful they are until you tried it, like mudguard I suppose.

they make a lot of sense. I could never get my map or snacks out easily while riding. the reach down while riding, unroll ortlieb, eat banana and re-roll, isn't the easiest of manoeuvres.

The weight probably shouldn't matter, I doubt theres much in it.
I think I could only really tell my bike was more sluggish when I had 2-3kg added in the form of extra food/water.

Probably a good weight distribution should make it less sluggish, you ride with four panniers, two on the back and two on fork?