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Getting used to sink showers helps. A washcloth and a large toilet at a petrol station do a great job. Washcloths make having a wash using just a sink so much more viable. Iceland was probably the country where I had fewest showers but a decent petrol station every day or three got me cleanish. Longest without a shower on my trip was probably 2ish weeks but wet wipes/washcloth sink washes really made the difference.
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Sep 20, 2021 22:19
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Washlets at every convenience store in Japan was a godsend for keeping my junk clean and fresh.
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Sep 20, 2021 22:24
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gently caress, this is really lovely. https://bikepacking.com/plog/iohan-gueorguiev-1988-2021/ I've seen all his videos and he was basically the reason I bought a Surly ECR and started bikepacking.
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Sep 21, 2021 01:52
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gently caress. I've been watching his videos for years, I love how he was able to capture the beauty and tranquillity of the vast landscapes he rode through, but also the way he interacted with strangers and his positive outlook on life. His "See the world" series is so different from other bike touring videos and, in my opinion, much better for it. His channel is really my favourite youtube discovery ever, I'd recommend it to anyone even remotely interested in this kind of travel. May he rest in piece.
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Sep 21, 2021 07:53
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Any recs for spots to tour late Feb thru til the end of March? I'm leaving my job at the end of Feb and have to be back in California at the end of March so I'm looking for a 4-5 week tour somewhere around the globe. I have a lot of points saved up so the possibilities are endless but I don't really know where to go. Obviously Covid makes international travel difficult but the thing I'm most concerned with is what to do with my bike travel bag while I'm touring. I'm leaning towards Europe: Southern Italy to Barcelona, starting where the weather will be presumably tolerable and will get better as time goes on. I would like to travel internationally but I could do the East Coast USA: Miami to NYC, the weather will still be trash I think though.
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Jan 24, 2022 07:34
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Casual Yogurt posted:Obviously Covid makes international travel difficult but the thing I'm most concerned with is what to do with my bike travel bag while I'm touring.
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Jan 24, 2022 08:11
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kimbo305 posted:Wouldn't having to quarantine for 2 weeks be an equally big concern for your timetable? https://es.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/ https://it.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/ Neither Spain nor Italy are requiring US travelers with up-to-date vaccines and negative tests to quarantine. 
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Jan 24, 2022 18:23
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Safety Dance posted:https://es.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/ Filtering for the two countries Casual Yogurt named as possible choices, yes.
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Jan 24, 2022 18:51
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Casual Yogurt posted:Any recs for spots to tour late Feb thru til the end of March? I'm leaving my job at the end of Feb and have to be back in California at the end of March so I'm looking for a 4-5 week tour somewhere around the globe. I have a lot of points saved up so the possibilities are endless but I don't really know where to go. If you want to spend $$$$ I had a great experience with Trek Travel in Tuscany for our honeymoon. They take care of all the logistics and provide you with a Domane 7 to ride.
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Jan 24, 2022 18:53
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bamhand posted:If you want to spend $$$$ I had a great experience with Trek Travel in Tuscany for our honeymoon. They take care of all the logistics and provide you with a Domane 7 to ride. Too rich for my blood after getting fired.  gotta figure out everything on my own. Travel restrictions are constantly changing which makes it difficult to plan around. I would rather go to the Southern Hemisphere but Australia and NZ are closed to US citizens and I'm questionable about solo touring in South America or South Africa, which points me to EU as I should be able to get in and there is good infrastructure. I'm thinking I could get an Airbnb at whatever my destination is and negotiate with the host to DHL my empty bike bag from my arrival spot to the destination. I went to Albania last summer with my bike and it was sick but it did get damaged in transit and I'm too scarred to my dream bike via cardboard box this time around. Casual Yogurt fucked around with this message at 02:21 on Jan 25, 2022 |
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Jan 24, 2022 23:19
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I’ve put my Brompton into the overheads on British Air. It has the telescoping seat post (I’m tall) so by removing the seat (easy to do) and putting into the nylon bag they sell, I get away with that. Rode the bike in London, Brussels, and Amsterdam. The “T-Bag” is big enough for limited tours. I’m ok with up to 40 miles on it. Prefer the recumbent for longer rides.
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Jan 25, 2022 00:04
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Bike Friday 
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Jan 25, 2022 03:44
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e.pilot posted:Bike Friday Faster than the Brommie, but not as fast folding (Tikit comes close). And the airline trick? Naw.
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Jan 25, 2022 06:51
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Bit of a different tour. WWII soldier takes his wife through the sites of his combat experiences a few years after the war. https://imgur.com/gallery/fR4jdyx
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Feb 14, 2022 02:11
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kimbo305 posted:Bit of a different tour. WWII soldier takes his wife through the sites of his combat experiences a few years after the war. That was really powerful, thanks for sharing. One of my favorite parts of touring/bikepacking is seeing evidence of an area’s past up close and personal. My last bikepacking trip was in the Canaan Valley of West Virginia, and there’s tons of old rail/mining infrastructure that’s been repurposed into rails to trails paths or has faded into the mountains.
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Feb 14, 2022 17:41
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Two Years On A Bike: Vancouver to Patagonia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY0i2wUmIak Great journey beautifully captured
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Mar 16, 2022 00:34
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Bucky Fullminster posted:Two Years On A Bike: Vancouver to Patagonia: Oh hell yeah, I know what I'm watching at work tomorrow.
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Mar 16, 2022 03:13
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Reposting this in the correct thread: Has anyone done the trans-Virginia trail DC to Harrisonburg route? I'm trying to gauge how many days we'd need for that with one friend aiming to do it in three days, but I don't think the rest of us would be able to cover that much distance with packs in that time. The other question a friend had was how clearly labeled is the route? My guess is that it would be hard to get lost on it, but he wasn't so sure.
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Mar 23, 2022 17:09
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Anyone have experience with shuttle services for the GAP? Looking to get a ride from Pittsburgh to Cumberland. I tried contacting Bill's Car Service but haven't gotten a response or any kind of confirmation after sending over my details. Also recommendations for a rear rack for a Journeyman and a Stuntman?
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Jun 6, 2022 16:34
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I'd be interested to know what you find out, as I'd like to do the GAP one of these days. I had a bindle rack with a stuff sack on my Wolverine, but it's not a proper rack that's connected via braze ons. I put all my soft stuff in there when I did a lightweight Cumberland-to-Brunswick tour on the towpath. Everything else went in my small front basket.
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Jun 6, 2022 16:53
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Just called Bill's and was able to get a hold of him. Apparently he's just been swamped past week or so. It's $300 ($280 cash) for 2 people from Pittsburgh to Cumberland. That seems to be about the ball park for all the services I've seen. Another one was $275 and an additional $15 per person. https://www.billscarservice.com/
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Jun 6, 2022 17:04
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Does anyone have a good recommendation for some clip on aero bars that also have spacers/risers that don't break the bank? Obviously there are all the options from places like Vision or Profile Design, but they tend to be a couple of hundred dollars + buying spacers separately. Not looking for anything flash, have a TT bike if I want to get lowand fast, just looking for something to change up positions when touring...
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Jun 10, 2022 07:14
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Vagina Jones posted:Does anyone have a good recommendation for some clip on aero bars that also have spacers/risers that don't break the bank? I have a pair of Deda's that included the riser kit. Not sure it was this exact model, but if not something similar https://www.bike24.com/p2248288.htm...oken=anonymized In my experience, though, it's very rare to need risers for clip-ons on a road bike. The pads already add stack over your handlebar tops. I'm struggling to see a situation where you'd have the drops at a reasonable depth, and then also want risers up above the height they would naturally be at. I guess if you're trying to get a super-relaxed touring position on a slammed stem?
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Jun 10, 2022 20:31
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bicievino posted:I have a pair of Deda's that included the riser kit. Not sure it was this exact model, but if not something similar https://www.bike24.com/p2248288.htm...oken=anonymized I mean, if you look at any bike for RAAM, you'll see risers for aero bars for their road bikes.  My 600k setup from last week. I'm more using the aero bars for comfort than true aero though.
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Jun 10, 2022 22:15
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if the spacers aren't a dealbreaker for you, I bought some Platt brand """"carbon"""" aero bars off amazon for like $50 a while back for the same reason: I wasn't too concerned with efficient aero, just wanted the option to change up positions on long rides I have no other experience with aero bars, but these do the job and at a pretty unbeatable price point. I would recommend adding some friction tape to the part of your handlebars you decide to place them at tho
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Jun 11, 2022 01:15
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bicievino posted:I have a pair of Deda's that included the riser kit. Not sure it was this exact model, but if not something similar https://www.bike24.com/p2248288.htm...oken=anonymized Cheers for the recommendation - Yeah I guess it's not a case of needing the risers, rather just having the option already there to adjust fit. I do a lot of tri/ironman stuff and so am used to a 'slammed' TT bike, but that's also been fit to ride like that and not really for riding in and out of the aero bars - figure having risers will just allow me to dial in a more comfortable rather than aero fit on the gravel bike without causing my hips to rotate forwards too much when going onto the aero bars...
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Jun 11, 2022 06:33
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Vagina Jones posted:Does anyone have a good recommendation for some clip on aero bars that also have spacers/risers that don't break the bank? There’s always a ton of used aero bars on eBay/FB/CL. I like the Airstrykes with a 50mm riser which is super comfy but not particularly aero.
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Jun 12, 2022 15:00
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Currently planning an Airbnb tour of Dunkirk, FR ---> Amsterdam this fall. Ferrying over from the UK to Dunkirk and taking a week or so pedaling through Belgium/Holland. The bike path network looks amazing. I've only cycled around Amsterdam 5 years ago and badly wanted more time to explore the cities/region. Probably only mash 50-60 miles every other day and keep it chill. Curious if anyone's toured this area. Lots of beer and cheese will be involved.
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Jun 22, 2022 04:40
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Im currently heading to Amsterdam from northern Denmark, so coming from the other direction and cant help much with local knowledge  If you want to cover greater distance a day flixbus is is pretty great. They have bike racks in the back. Ive been sleeping in campgrounds with a tent which is great since theres usually some other people there touring that you can talk to for tips on routing.   
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Jun 22, 2022 17:29
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I find the bike touring companies can be good resources for trip ideas. For example, there's a route from Amsterdam to Bruges with itinerary. https://www.backroads.com/trips/BNB...fmc_id=50928238 Trek Travel has even more details for specific places to stay/eat/see on their trips.
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Jun 28, 2022 21:45
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This is great. Thanks.
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Jun 29, 2022 21:52
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    Went solo for my first bikepacking trip near Melbourne, Australia up into the hills. 140km and 1.5km of climbing, most of it at the end of the first day. I wasn't prepared for the big hill climb, 10km of around 10% average gradient, ended up hiking for a fair bit of the way because my legs were just gone. Awesome views and a beautiful campsite though, really makes me want to get back out soon despite it being the depths of winter here and close to snowing up in the hills where I was. I just need to practice hill climbing, my commuting technique is to apply the power and just go hard to the top of the hill, works great for short trips but less so when it's a sustained climb. I did my best to gear down but I still struggled, even when spinning at low speeds, to keep it going.
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Jul 12, 2022 07:54
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I'm shooting for a 150 mile trip in WV as the leaves change this fall, route below. It would be nice to have some backup. Anyone have some thoughts of how best to wrangle a posse? https://www.komoot.com/tour/843173076?ref=aso Nyyen fucked around with this message at 00:56 on Jul 15, 2022 |
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Jul 15, 2022 00:53
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The Warmshowers Facebook group might be a good way to find like-minded cycle tourists.
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Jul 15, 2022 01:34
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Nyyen posted:I'm shooting for a 150 mile trip in WV as the leaves change this fall, route below. It would be nice to have some backup. Anyone have some thoughts of how best to wrangle a posse? Ooooh man. I knew that would be a hell of a fun trip when I saw Canaan Valley in there. I mean I’d consider joining you if it coincides with my other bikepacking plans for the fall; I did the Canaan Valley and Forks of Cheat route last year (which at first glance shares some terrain with this one) and had a blast. I really should post some photos from that trip but sometimes the Awful app makes big photo posts a real bear to handle.
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Jul 15, 2022 02:21
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pantslesswithwolves posted:Ooooh man. I knew that would be a hell of a fun trip when I saw Canaan Valley in there. I mean I’d consider joining you if it coincides with my other bikepacking plans for the fall; I did the Canaan Valley and Forks of Cheat route last year (which at first glance shares some terrain with this one) and had a blast. I actually stitched the two overnighters off bikepackers to make that one, and it includes the Forks of Cheat as day 2 and 3. I'd love if you could throw them into an imgur album or similar. I have done the valley and Dolly Sods backpacking but never on bike. I'm hoping to have a custom frame delivered in October but I might have to do it on my Wolverine if it gets held up. Either way, hitting the road when the temps drop but before the snow.
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Jul 15, 2022 02:31
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I'm looking to dip my toes into bike touring so that I can eventually join a good friend on trips. This might sound like an insane question, but how does one even find a bike these days? I went to two local shops and one said they didn't really have touring bikes in my price range, and the other said that maybe they'd be able to get their hands on a Kona Sutra SE. There are more stores in the area, but it was a disheartening experience. My budget is $2k (and wouldn't mind spending less than that), and I definitely don't know enough about bikes to feel comfortable purchasing a used one. I have a single speed that I've probably put a couple of thousand miles on commuting over the years, but am otherwise completely new to both cycling and touring. Are there any bikes you'd recommend with my budget?
Bark! A Vagrant fucked around with this message at 02:58 on Jul 15, 2022 |
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Jul 15, 2022 02:47
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Bark! A Vagrant posted:I'm looking to dip my toes into bike touring so that I can eventually join a good friend on trips. This might sound like an insane question, but how does one even find a bike these days? I went to two local shops and one said they didn't really have touring bikes in my price range, and the other said that maybe they'd be able to get their hands on a Kona Sutra SE. My budget is $2k (and wouldn't mind spending less than that), and I definitely don't know enough about bikes to feel comfortable purchasing a used one. I have a single speed that I've probably put a couple of thousand miles on commuting over the years, but am otherwise completely new to both cycling and touring. Are there any bikes you'd recommend with my budget? I'm asking you this because there are tons different kinds of great touring bikes out there now, it isn't just the Long Haul Trucker and Trek 520 as First I would narrow down a rough ratio of what kind of surface you would like to ride on. A recommendation for primary pavement/dirt road touring will be very different from primary singletrack/back country touring. e: One more big question is if you're a light or heavy packer.
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Jul 15, 2022 03:14
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If you have a community bike shop in your area a 90's mtb with rack mounts can be a bombproof tourer. There are a lot of the on the used market as well so with a bit of research you can find something that will work well for $500 or so. As CopperHound said though, a bit more background would help. If you aren't deadset on bike touring I would try before you buy so to speak. Long days in the saddle aren't for everyone so better to get something cheap and build up into overnight and weekend trips before throwing a bunch of money at gear and luggage. You will know pretty quick if it's your thing after a few 30-50+ mile days.
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Jul 15, 2022 03:45
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Question for the thread. I was looking at getting a computer since I don't trust myself to take the right turn and am always stopping to check my phone. That said, the Garmin eTrex is well regarded and as a general use GPS device is a lot better, but doesn't have turn-by-turn, but also doesn't have any of the performance tracking features which I don't care about and much longer battery life. Is turn-by-turn worth the extra cost and lower battery in anyone's opinion? I run a dyno so I could charge it if I get an additional charge unit, and I normally carry a battery bank on trips longer than two days.
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Jul 15, 2022 16:19
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