Hot answers tagged touring
34
Oh... where do I even start? I love dogs, I am crazy about them, too. I have 3 labs of my own. I am from a place where street dogs are very abundant. If you don't see any dogs in the next 100 yards, consider yourself lost! :D
I am barked at often, chased often, even confronted sometimes. I used to run away before, because it is what a normal guy does.
I ...
23
It's more or less a math question. A way from Athen to London without using a ferry if not absolutely necessary (Canal), it is approximately 3200 kilometers.
So if you have an average speed of 15 km/h (mountainbike) or maybe 25 km/h (racing bicycle) it would take approximately 214 respectively 128 hours to cycle the route.
As always for such rough ...
19
Get a printed map and look for the 'postal roads'...
There are 'postal roads' in Switzerland that are closed to normal cars. These go over some high passes that are just not wide enough for regular traffic. They are called 'postal roads' because only the post bus goes on them. What is amazing about them is the descents - you can ride 'TdF' style without ...
12
I bring enough to dress small cuts and stop bleeding, at least until 911 could get to me. If you're riding in areas you might not be able to be reached by emergency services, or if you have particular medical issues that need specialty supplies, a kit like this would insufficient.
Bandages/band-aids of a few different sizes
Gauze -- usually a small roll
...
12
Mountain bikes have been pressed into service as touring machines for a long time. Old hardtail mountain bikes make great, bristly touring machines, and they're fun to ride.
Tires
The first thing you'll want to look at are the tires. Most mountain bikes come with knobby tires for riding on dirt and gravel. A set of slicks or semi-slick tires will decrease ...
11
Doesn't address your question with regard to maps, but I've found it easier to work from turn-by-turn cue sheets instead. I almost always ride a predetermined route, even if it's just something quickly charted up pre ride. Luxury is of course having access to google maps and being able to print out directions. I print out (or write out, sometimes you have to ...
10
Probably what you want is a "hybrid" or "commuter" bike. Flat handlebars (like a mountain bike), smooth road tires (but a bit fatter than on a racing bike), usually the right stuff for mounting a rack and fenders.
Go down to your Local Bike Shop and look at what they have. Make sure it's a store that basically just does bicycles, not a department store that ...
10
(Separate answer, because it's a separate story, and I'll claim "point of personal privilege" to go off-topic a bit.)
I wrote a letter to the Adventure Cycling magazine about 2 years back about a dog that I used to "run with" just about every morning. We had fairly well established rules -- he would come charging down out of the yard to the left of me, ...
9
No!
Treat yourself to some basic Shimano SPD shoes. Consider getting the pedals too. A popular entry model shoe is the M087 model, shown here with a basic SPD pedal:
The Shimano shoes are reasonably wide, the sizes are as per your trainer size, available in EU size increments. The M087 has a ratchet mechanism for doing them up, you can adjust this whilst ...
8
If you're doing mostly commuting I'd look for strength above light. Go for something with more spokes and with a 3 cross lacing pattern. You want something that is reliable. Of course you weight is a consideration so there is always a trade off between that and durability.
Going with something with radial (straight) lacing up front can save weight and ...
8
We can generalize the main areas where one can load weight as such:
Front rack vs. Rear Rack
High (on top of rack) vs. Low (in panniers)
The most commonly accepted points for load distribution are as follows:
Keep dense, heavy items low to the ground. The lower you & your bike's center of gravity is, the more easily you can keep yourself upright. ...
8
If you are on an unfamiliar route or completely surprised by an encounter with a chasing dog, you basically have two tried and true options:
Sprint Hard: You will likely exit the dogs territorial boundary in just a few seconds (though it will feel a lot longer). Once outside their perceived territory they will give up the chase.
Dismount: If the animal is ...
8
My preference is for SPD clipless pedals and "walkable" clipless shoes. But I still have a pair of lightweight "tennis shoes" in my gear for campsite, days off, etc.
Another option, if you can still find them, is the old-fashioned "touring" shoes and regular toe straps. "Touring" shoes are (or were) quite walkable, and it's reasonable to walk miles in ...
7
I have seen some handlebar bags that have a slot for maps on the top. The map pocket is usually clear plastic designed to keep the map dry. (Hopefully this isn't what you meant by "pannier-attached map things" -- I have never heard of/seen those; maybe you were thinking handlebar bags?)
There are lots of bags that have this (google "handlebar bag map ...
7
While I many many respects the anti-clipless guy around here, I do recognize that a lot or people love clipless shoes. While this question is not about clipless pedals or cleats, the stiff sole of a bike shoe is exactly what you want when cycling.
However, they're not for everybody; I dislike the idea of having to bring extra shoes along on a tour.
I ...
7
Give yourself a week to follow the Loire down to the Alps, a couple of weeks to cruise around lake Geneva, through Interlaken, Liechtenstein (to add an extra country to the bedpost), Graz, Vienna and on to Budaspest. Remember that it is one Alp a day unless you are a TdF rider, so be prepared for some astoundingly steep climbs and low mileages if you go the ...
7
This may depend on what you enjoy doing. For me, the very act of exercise will stop me being bored, and cycling wins on so many fronts. But if you need to actively do stuff, how about:
focus on the weather, on a good day
feel the breeze
watch the scenery
talk to others in your group (I'm less keen on this, as I like a quiet cycle)
give yourself challenges, ...
6
I think that it is generally true that any "all-purpose" tool is less-than-ideal for most purposes. There are trade-offs for everything.
If you are just looking for a bike that allows you to ride fast and long while carrying a load, though, I think you are looking for a light touring bike. Get something with drop-bars and road-y geometry. Get a ...
6
I recently flew to Europe with my wife, and we brought along our bicycles. Our solution was to disassemble them the night before and place them into cheap Nashbar bicycle bags. We wrapped pipe insulation foam around just about everything to avoid damage from handling. For extra protection, we then stuffed these into the standard bike boxes provided (at a ...
6
That is a reasonable estimate, however there is more to it than that. First of all, you are not going to be cycling the way you would drive, i.e. on the Interstate. For your particular plan you are most likely to be wanting to follow Highway 1 up the coast. This road is bicycle friendly whereas the Interstate is not. This comes at a price - more miles and ...
6
I used to have a bike with a good pump peg, so that my frame pump would stay put without a strap. When a dog got threatening I could reach down, grab the pump, and wave it at the dog. From the dog's point of view it was black and menacing (even though the thing was actually all lightweight plastic and aluminum and couldn't hurt a flea) -- a mean dog knows ...
6
I have been chased by dogs countless times while riding solo or with a group. In all cases I have never been bitten. I may be wrong but in most cases the dogs just want to frighten you away. What works for me is not to panic, try and maintain a steady speed, and most importantly, make sure not to hit/run over the dog if it is coming towards you. Here is a ...
6
The Canine Aggression FAQs from the RSPCA has some useful general advice about aggressive dogs. If you encounter an aggressive dog while cycling it recommends the following:
If you are cycling, dismount and place the bike between you and the dog. This allows you to slowly wheel it far enough away to remount. Do not try to outpace the dog as this may ...
6
Your bike is definitely fine for this trip. I've ridden further on a cheaper hybrid bike fully loaded, and I saw a few guys who rode the same distance on scavenged department store bikes.
For a 10 hour trip, I would try to pack light. You should be able to fit everything in one pannier or a rack-top bag. Make sure you have a few water bottles and food ...
6
i have been using the Supernova e3 Triple for night-time singletrack missions for the past two winters.....all I can say is awesome, completely awesome. 870 Lumens. bright.
I used a Shimano Alfine dynamo hub and built a complete 'night wheel' with a DT 4.2d rim, it has rubber and a rotor mounted so swap-over time is very quick. We have months of mud, ice ...
6
For cycling across China you want a reliable bike that is unlikely to give you trouble, and which can be repaired with "local" resources if it does.
Forget about "lighter" wheels -- you want reliable wheels, and a pound less weight (if that) from a lighter wheel will not make any difference. And I'd stay away from a geared hub, unless you can find one that ...
5
I usually make my map before and upload it on my garmin, i have the same map on my phone via google map in case i need more details (which I keep in my backpocket).
If i don't want to go to a certain location but just want to ride, I let my garmin goes and use the "return home" feature when it start to get late.
5
Roflcopter already tackled the actual route planning more completely than I ever could. I thought I'd add a bit about the time you can expect to take.
This depends mainly on the following:
The amount of cycling you do in regular life
Regardless of how fit you are, your body needs to adjust to the cycling if you are not a regular cyclist. Plan trips of ...
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