Touring Equipment

Which rear LED light for a pannier rack?
Any recommendations?

Are you planning on running a dynamo? If so Rose cycles in Germany has some excellent B&M models that you will not find in the UK. Worth a look anyway as the prices are frequently a lot less than the UK and as it's EU you don't pay VAT on the import.

Just to add to that:

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/products/tech/lighting/?page=3&viewtype=list&count=16&order=topseller#anchor_products

The B&M Selectra Plus on that page makes the Smart flash rear LED look dull, has nearly 10 minutes on standby and fits nicely to a rack with a couple of P clips.

Thanks for the link.
No, I don't run dynamo at the moment, but I will when I swap the wheels later on in the year.
Probably for now have to do with a battery powered one.

Thanks all for previous input, going to take Bob once he is finished as his wheels will be 36/40h (though in urgent need of a campy nuevo tipo h/f 40h rear hub to finish) on burly touring rims with 27 1/4" tyres, so pretty tough, was just the frame I was worried about.

Main reason isn't the ease of luggage transport but my mate will be a bit fitter than me, so I need a 'mechanical advantage', i.e. their taking an old steel HT with monster tyres and knowing them, 18kg of stuff.

Does it have flatbar?

if so, then putting on a drop bar should make it fit, especially if it was build for flat bar meaning the top tube tend to be a bit longer to compensate.

only if you actually ride in the drops all the time.....when touring, you may not want to!

Fit the butterfly bars - they'd give loads of stretch (or vice versa) and you can also change the angle.

@Edscoble...when are you gonna post some pics from your 2 day 25O mile credit card tours you've been doing? I'd be interested to see what bike setup you use and where you've been going.
Which bike have you been using for them incidentally?

The Moulton which currently have a damaged headset, waiting for a Chris King headset to replaced it (might as well go for it).

Didn't take any photos, but going to the Lake District soon, so will post my bike set-up as well as the ride itself.

I thought you only got the Moulton about 2 months ago?
And since when do you not take pictures? Especially of anything to do with your bikes?
You have a pic on your facebook of your moulton loaded up for a picnic to richmond park and yet none of the 25O mile tours? Have you been sleep touring again Eddie? :]

Are you sure you didn't just ride to richmond park 25 times? :]

Heh, I went to Richmond Park with a couple of mates for a picnic, it was the first 'outing' I took it to.

I had the Moulton for two months, and end up riding out more often, previously were usually under a century on the Colnago (which flex like a noodle when carrying a little more weight than usual).

I see a few inconsistencies appearing in your story here Ed. :]

How can you be giving expert, trustworthy advice on touring bikes, and touring setups and positioning when you've been doing distances less than you've implied, and mostly on a colnago road bike...except for your recent Moulton trips to Richmond park? :]

Eddie....C'mon...It's ok to tell the truth!
I know you have every intention of eventually doing some proper touring, with a properly set up touring bike, but up until now you haven't actually been quite the Christopher Columbus you've led these good people to believe have you? :]

I'm only winding you up here ed, but honestly, you haven't really been doing much 1OO-125 mile a day weekend touring have you? On ANY bike? :]

I personally don't tour light. The worse thing about going anywhere with a child seat instead of a trailer is that you won't take any pictures, because you can't really leave bike unsupported for more than 10 seconds :-)

Ok, it wasn't touring - just a daily 20 miles circles through the forest.

Cheers guys. It has a butterfly bar, for as far as I can remember.
I'll drop by the lbs on monday and ask if I can take it home to have a good look at it.

If they're set up as on the picture above, by flipping them you'll get more than 10cm stretch to the bars.
I'm sure if you change the stem for something longer you can add enough for the top tube to fit you.
The rest is about your legs.
It's all obvious advice, but use an online bike fit calculator and then go to the shop with a measuring tape. Perhaps you can work something out - it's not a racing bike, so all those millimeters aren't critical?

Well, I bought it.
It's actually in a lot better condition then I thought. Except for the barfoam and a good clean, nothing needs work or replacing - even the chainring and cassette are in good condition.
Deore XT with Sugino XD cranks, Magura Hydrolic brakes and took home an adjustable SR seatpost too.

Only annoying thing is the play in the stem. I changed the bushings, but it's still there.
I don't know what to think of it yet; it feels like (too much of) a "sit up and beg" position, but I normally ride a lo pro.

Shitty photo:

http://hilarystone.com/images/sale%20images/retromtb/SR-MTB-adjust-seatpost-26.4mm.jpg

Yep, the top tube looks short. Nice bike, though (for touring).
Have you tried to flip the bars?

How's the saddle's level?

Foam's on eBay.

I see a few inconsistencies appearing in your story here Ed. :]

How can you be giving expert, trustworthy advice on touring bikes, and touring setups and positioning when you've been doing distances less than you've implied, and mostly on a colnago road bike...except for your recent Moulton trips to Richmond park? :]

Eddie....C'mon...It's ok to tell the truth!
I know you have every intention of eventually doing some proper touring, with a properly set up touring bike, but up until now you haven't actually been quite the Christopher Columbus you've led these good people to believe have you? :]

I'm only winding you up here ed, but honestly, you haven't really been doing much 1OO-125 mile a day weekend touring have you? On ANY bike? :]

im always thinking this...seems to be an expert on everything, yet no photos or anything to back up claims!!

Did Einstein need to show photos to prove his theories?

Watching a few handlebar bags on ebay at the moment. When riding the DD I plan to just use a rack pack though, should be more than enough.

Now just to find some arm and leg warmers and I'll be ready for it!

I'm looking for a blood transfusion before the DD.

Oh I forgot to ask, how would a handlebar bag affect the handling on my audax bike with carbon forks? Would it make any difference or not?

Not sure. My bag was tiny.
What are you getting? One of those full grown with a map attachment like Ortlieb Ultimate 5 or something smalller/bigger?