Skinny goes Touring. Bike and gear.

Are they any better than the older version? Mine dies when the batteries are low.
No warning, no dimming, no nothing. Stupid lights.

No idea, owned neither, but been told their good. And take batteries. Batteries are off grid, which works as I don't have generator wired into my bottom bracket. Though that's a thought.

Mine's been exemplary. Always warns me that the batteries are about to go, sometimes even via email*.

*this may not be true.

I've seen your post on STW andyp with capitals.

You can't hide from the NSA (Nice Sausages Association).

The new visions have a battery meter. Or at least some kind of warning before they switch off.

Prefer the lezyne Macro Drive to my old vision now though.

Can't get my hands on a frame till the 21st. Wanted to go away that week.
Will just have to collect everything then build it at the last moment.

+1 for macro drive

Ah wicked thanks. Though this does mean I might have to face to face talk to people. Think i'd rather wild camp, than talk to people.

During the week you're very unlikely to meet anyone at all... and anyone you do meet staying in bothies mid-week will probably be as conversationally reticent as yourself. Also good places to find people who might share single malt with you... or have left some behind....

I'm looking to get some new packable lights. After a lot of weighing up. I'll probably get the Marcodrive front, and a zecto drive rear.

leyzne no good as it's rechargable not batteries.

You need one of these:

Yours?

If this wasn't so ill tought I would have prepared a dynmo hub. Next time.

Yep, hence the silly rim choice- this wheel goes in the trailer, charging a "cache battery" (basically a big laptop battery) which goes in one of the waterproof panniers, whilst you ride to your next destination.

Once there you can plug all your electrical gubbins into it- Garmin, PC-7, iPhone, Exposure Diablo, Di2 battery etc etc.

Sounds high tech. And heavy.

Cache battery is, basically, a laptop battery- not the lightest thing in the world for sure, but it means you don't have to find a charging socket every evening.

It's a tradeoff, sure, but the reason I went for the trailer option is so that 100% of the heavy stuff detaches neatly from the bike when you get to the campsite, leaving you with a nice light bike to run around on.

In theory.

I wouldn't want to tackle Alpe D'Huez on a touring bike with front and rear panniers and the geo to handle them when I could do it on a lightweight bike with the same geo as my System Six.

Yup.
I'd never take a touring bike to the alps!

That said, the CDF geo isn't far off Caad10/super six. Few degrees slacker at HT.

Is that an exposure Revo? Surprised you didn't go for the Son Delux

It's a Shutter Precision, which Exposure re-badge.

I paid £65 delivered for it, which gives it the edge over the Son in my view- plus technically its more efficient.

My limited experience of touring has told me that anything more than 70miles a day swiftly loses the sense of fun/freedom, etc.
my 2p.

This very much.

Depends a bit how you ride. If you just sit and pedal, panniers on the back are not much of an issue. If you like to honk up the hills, and given your 'light touring' prospectus, fronts might be better. The handling with front low-riders is much more like an unloaded bike, and they spread the load better so your back wheel doesn't take such a beating.

And this too, low-riders mean your frame don't have to take any weight but your and thus bicycle feel nice and normal, especially since the Genesis' fork were build to take them.

army surplus can be good, but ime they are quite bulky. on the other hand a fleece liner inside a 2 season synthetic bag separates the bundles for packing and is good for a frosty night (-5). snugpak are a good make

I found the combination work well, with a -5 sleeping bag, Uniqlo ultralight down jacket and woolies socks (with merino baselayers and boxer), it was enough to keep me warm.

It's a Shutter Precision, which Exposure re-badge.

Bicycle Quarterly rode a bicycle with the Exposure and Shutter Precision - they claim it got quite a lots of drag due to the demand of the Exposure light.

I think i'll go for rear. As I never really stand up to ride. And would rather keep the weight over the rear wheel if going up a hill when it's wet.

As I never really stand up to ride. And would rather keep the weight over the rear wheel if going up a hill when it's wet.

I'm gonna sound rather picky but if you never really stand up to ride and have a rear load, wouldn't you be having too little weight on the front to prevent it from lifting while pedaling?

Your body already do a good job of keeping the weight on the rear wheel when climbing.

Fair point.

You think front would be better then?
I'd trust you're experiance.

In my personal opinion, yes, especially on the ascent and descent.

Way I do it, two small panniers on the lowriders, and a lightweight alu rack to put the tent/sleeping bag on the top.

Put tent and sleeping bag on a rear alu rack?

That sounds good. Would split weight well.