Bicycle touring.

[bushwalker zane]

Hey guys and girls,

Does anyone here do any bicycle touring? For the past few years it has been one of my dreams to do a bit tour around Europe and get into the less touristy places. So, if anyone does do it, what kind of gear do you take/use? Any hints would be great because so far I haven't met anyone who shares this passion, so can only find info on the interent.

Thanks, Zane

[Area54]

Yep, I do do tandem with the wife and pet monkey, and solo - both bush and road. I prefer remote places with no people, but in no way can you get remote on a bike as you can when walking - off track riding is just not possible, but you can cover a LOT more ground if the terrain/route is chosen correctly. Adventure starts at the end of your driveway.

Start small, local overnighters, build experience and kit from there. A lot of your walking gear is suitable for cycle touring, if you travel light then you could go without panniers/trailer and bike-pack (ride with a pack). What you take really depends on where you are going and the terrain you'll encounter, research as much as possible on your destination and the journey and provision from there. Better to have the right gear than too much/little.

[highercountry]

Not sure I should be mentioning another forum but try BNA (Bicycle Network Australia). They have 2 forums devoted to touring Australia and another on touring overseas.
Everything you can imagine from route planning, gear, food, camping and all associated topics are covered in very good and practical detail.

[bushwalker zane]

Thanks highercountry, I'll have to look into that forum.

I have done a few overnight things on my mums 25 year old bike, managed to ride it over the back of Mt Arthur on an old track. I would love to get a nice kit one day though, and then just see where the peddles take me!

[WarrenH]

Touring off-road is most rewarding. My slow riding style suits the bush here in the SE and along the Divide. I don't ride up hills or into headwinds and I refer to my touring setup as the mobile kitchen.

Touring here in the SE is very good, because there is little road kill, compared to some places. The rural dirt roads and fire trails tend to be well maintained and mostly corrugation free. There are few vehicles to contend with away from the highways and I particularly like the unformed roads of the Travelling Stock Routes. The Bicentennial National trail is based on the TSRs. The BNT and I are old friends. There are many huts on the BNT to ride between.

I haul an Extrawheel Voyager Solo trailer. The panniers and bar box are Vaude Roadmasters. The gear I have and take, can keep me self-supported for up to eight weeks. It is good not having to resupply every few days.











Touring off-road is cool and a great way to have a pleasant walk.

Warren.

[bushwalker zane]

Oh wow, thanks Warren! It is great to hear how people do it and to see some of those great photos too! It is also great to hear of brand names for things like panniers because as I have not much of an idea of these things, it's great to get all the info I can!

Thanks!

[WarrenH]

Zane, you are most welcome. I'll do a 4 day tour with just a light pack and basically 2 minute noodles and some snacks. One doesn't need all the gear before getting out there to start tuning the system ... http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1 ... =7644&v=BD

Here are a few more off-road tours that you might find useful and inspiring. From four guys that I admire greatly.

Michael Rogers ... http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1 ... 8146&v=1LZ

Dong distance superstar GJ Coop ... http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1 ... 6271&v=14h

Two guys from Brissy, Simon and Bryn, who did a great week-long tour through the Jagungal Wilderness ... http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1 ... =1326&v=4N

Crazyguyonabike is the site for touring cyclists worldwide ... no worries.

Warren.

[Area54]

How do you find those Vaude panniers, needing to replace my aging set after many years faithful support, was contemplating some Ortlieb rollers, but drybag material is weighty...

Mate of mine fitted up his extrawheel for water carrying on a recent 10 desert expedition. Great little german trailer.

Ah, the BNT.

[WarrenH]

Area 54, I like the Vaudes because of the pockets. I'm pedantic where I put things. Everything in its place, so that I don't have to go searching. The dust/rain coats have been excellent. For waterproofing, the important things go inside garbage bags anyway. In the rear pockets I only put things that can afford to get wet. There are no shortages of river crossings here on the Divide.

I considered the Ortleib roll tops, as you know, people swear by them ... but I need pockets. The Arkel's equivalent panniers were too pricey at the time at more than double the price of the Vaudes.

The dust jackets aka rain coats have been excellent on the Vaude panniers and Vaude bar box. Not once has rain or dirt got into the panniers. The panniers still look new under the covers. Shame about the bright colour though, when in the bush. Although the terrible colour appears to keep venomous snakes and Dulugars away ... a big success. On the highway the bike certainly cant be missed. There is no need for the Extrawheel flag which makes a lot of noise, especially when off-road. I also take an MSR water filter.

A well balanced 2010 Giant Anthem X3 squishy, on the track to Caloola. The bike has been faultless. The day I don't take bike tools and spares ... will be the day I'll have a catastrophic mechanical.




The only issue with the Vaudes is tightening the sliding clips on the backing plate. This should be done with an Allen Key not just fingers. A small issue though.

The extra wheel is not as self parking like the Bob. I quickly learnt advanced bike parking techniques after dropping the bike a few times. I use a click-stand type thingo.

The heaviest the bike has been was my last tour, with 40 kg of cargo. 30 kg on the trailer and 10 kg on the bike. The bike has my snow gear, fishing gear and 8 weeks of food supplies, bike spares and tools, a good medical kit, camera gear, nextG phone with a high gain antenna. The cooking gear is a Kovea stove with Isopropane-Butane and Trangia frying pan and a billy.




Warren.

[michael_p]

...Dong distance superstar GJ Coop ... http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1 ... 6271&v=14h

Wow, that is impressive. I've read a few journals on crazyguy but not seen this one yet. Look forward to reading it. Thanks for the link Warren.

[Greenie]

How many K's do you do in 8 weeks Warren?

[WarrenH]

How many K's do you do in 8 weeks Warren?

Dear Greenie, I'm a member of the Slow Bicycle Movement Sydney. It is a fairly inactive group and the group's philosophy suits my riding style very nicely.

Last tour I didn't tour for the full 8 weeks, I gave up two weeks earlier than planned because it didn't stop raining. I saw 4 days when it didn't rain for most of the day. There were many days when I didn't ride because of the rain, it damages the tracks riding in the wet. I don't ride until the tracks firm up either. On the last day of the tour I rode 40+ kilometres, 30 kilometres was on tarmac in the rain. I usually ride for no more than about 3-4 hours in a day, not much by touring standard. I certainly don't want to traverse an area quickly. GJ Coop describes his routes like those of "a wandering ant." That's how I like to tour every day, twisting and turning never ending wandering. I am an anfractious cycle tourer.

I don't go touring only for the ride, I ride to go bushwalking. I guess I averaged about 13-20 kilometres on the days when I do ride. The longest distance last tour was about 70+ klicks on the first day, and 2 days at 40 kilometres and another day 26 klicks and several days at only 4-10 klicks. At one stage it took me 4 days to hike the bike 3.5 kilometres over the Clear Range in the rain. I do a lot of carrying and pushing my bike, so that I don't break National Park rules, which requires much portage at times. Make pain your friend, when it comes to portage.

With side trips and stripping the bike down and doing day rides, I did just over 480 kilometres. That says a lot about how often I didn't ride more than how much I did. I took a lot of photos of rain.

In October I'm going to join other riders on the Bicentennial National Trail for a few days. We will average 60 kilometres a day (6 hours @ 10kph is expected). This intensity will be a shock to the system. It is a supported ride raising funds for Acquired Brain Injury Research and for Outward Bound. No weight to haul next time, cool.

How wet has this year been?







Here come the leaden clouds, again, Naas River Valley.





Huts are good for drying tents.




Warren.

[bushwalker zane]

The thing I am finding frustrating is that no matter how many sites, forums, journals I look at, I don't get any of the info I'm looking for and the bits I do get, don't make sense! I only get more inspired to tour by bicycle, that's good though. I am a complete newbie to this and really need a few good pointers to get me in the right direction.

Things I am wondering first up is: what bike to take? And what panniers to take? If anyone could give me say, 3 good brands of each to look at that'd be great! I also want to see what other people take on their adventures. I know this stuff sounds simple to find, but I'm really struggling!

Not to mention getting worried! I am a teenager! I thought I was meant to be good at using the internet!

[WarrenH]

BZ, check out this site ... http://www.bicycle-touring-guide.com/bi ... niers.html

If you go to 'Crazyguyonabike', select the 'Tour Reports' by region, for the region where you want to tour. Often the reports have everything that you will want to know. They usually detail what gear was taken, what gear worked and what didn't ... http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/?o=RrzKj

On the 'Crazyguy' home page there is a section called 'Latest Review Posts' hit 'More Reviews' there are 21 pages of topics that review everything for touring. If you click on 'Touring Bikes Regular' all the great touring bikes are there and like wise if you click on something as simple as 'Handlebars' there is a wealth of touring styles and configurations, including ego grips, bar ends, etc, etc. On the home page 'Journals by Category' in 'Bike Types' the journals are specific to the style of bike ridden on tour.

The touring pages of Darrel Stone will give you info about, packing, tips and planning tours ... http://home.pacific.net.au/~dasmero/

In one of my posts above I've mentioned three brands of quality panniers and 'Carradice' is a fourth.

Crazyguy has it all Mate. No matter where in the world you want to ride your bike, there will be journals with a blow-by-blow report. There are many Aussies on Crazyguy too.

Tomorrow I'll photograph my touring bike tools and spares and post them here. If you don't have tools and spares, perhaps buy something each fortnight or each month, you will be surprised how quickly your kit will take shape.

Youtube has many informative vids that will make you feel confident if you have a mechanical issue. Like how to use a chain whip, cracking a cluster, replacing drive side spokes, truing a buckled rim, fitting power links ... all those sorts of things that touring cyclists need to be self-reliant about, when unexpectedly encountering the dreaded mechanical. You cant consider a tour to be an epic ride no matter how long it was ... unless you have at least three mechanicals.

Warren.

[climberman]

Touring off-road is cool and a great way to have a pleasant walk.

Warren.

Oohhh, fishy !

Roll on October !

[Area54]

Part of my job is to advise on bike selection for intended use. I've been around bikes all my life, it's in the blood as the passion has been handed down through the generations. I've always been drawn to self supported touring. Over the decades the bike collection has evolved, with some very refined machines in the stable to choose from. Dad always said to use the right tool for the job.

I would advise first to identify where you want to tour - on road, off road or a combo of both. Choose a bike to suit the desired terrain. What gear do you want to carry? How long are you going for? What's your budget? Very important questions to keep in your mind, but don't be daunted for your first few trips on getting caught up in details. A reliable bike and shove everything you need in a pack. This will be one of your first lessons in learning - do I really need to take that? I must say it easy to get carried away with what to take when you consider the bike as your mule. As you gain experience, you'll learn what works for you.

I still remember a trip I did with dad when I was about 9 or 10, we rode out to a nearby dam. He was on his old footbrake upright, I was on some Dr. Moreau thing I'd built. We rode all day, got to the dam, it rained heavy all night, we bivvied under a bbq shelter with all the mozzies (our tent wasn't worth a cracker in the rain). Another time a mate and I (must have been 10 or 11) rode off to a local weir, just our sleeping bags and a few metres of black plastic as a bag cover. I still recall the howling winter southwester that buffetted us all night, no moon, just a quintillion stars against a black sky.


Every xmas a few mates of mine get together for a week riding on Fraser island. Bikes and sand don't really mix, but they've refined their kit and bike selection to suit. One guy religiously rustproofs his steel single speed for the annual pilgrimmage, another goes to a recycle mart, buys a $50 mtb, does the trip, then gives the bike back to the recycle mart - it then becomes fodder for reverse garbage or an art student project. Pretty cheap trip.

Get a job in a local bike shop to learn some skills in bike repairs and maintenance. The invaluable hand skills you'll learn will carry over into other aspects of life - a bicycle is just a machine with intricate, inter-related parts. Fix a bike, you can fix a car, a tractor, a door lock, a kids toy, a conveyor belt, a factory packaging machine, a D9, a coal loader - basically it's amazing where riding a bike will take you...

[bushwalker zane]

Wow, it sounds like bikes really are in your blood! The kind of trip I want to do is mainly on road. I want to travel everywhere, I've got such an itch for it. I have done a few rides here and there, just put a pack on and see where the road will take me. This was however, using a 25 year old bike and a bunch of old camping gear. I guess I just want to get a whole new kit and head off. My plan is to get everything, pull it all apart, put it back together, get to know my gear. I will indeed try to get a job at a bike store.

Thanks for your advice!

[Greenie]

Thanks Warren for your description. I would love to do something like that. I really like that last photo in the hut. This is your job I take it?

[WarrenH]

This is your job I take it?

Greenie, thank you for asking.

Yes, I have some work of sorts. I'm a landscape painter. I like flicking paint on slithering snakes. Throwing rocks at snakes is better fun though ... throwing rocks is performance art.

It is hard to paint when it rains. It has rained a lot this year. It is raining now.



On the fringe of Royal National Park.

Warren.

[bushwalker zane]

Woah, wait. Is that one of your paintings?

[WarrenH]

Zane Cheers, it is mixed media. It is a photo and a drawing and painting, layered together. The image is to prompt you to catch a train to the start of your tour and then ride. Starting a tour from home, is not good mentally ... put a good distance between yourself and home quickly, when you are first starting. You want a reason to ride back, not find an excuse to turn back. Think about it ... especially if it is raining.

These are my touring tools and some spares. Some things aren't in the photo, like waxed line and needles for repairing panniers, or tools for boxing the bike and a spare front quick-release, a pump and shock pump. Did you know that if you are not boxing the bike for bus travel, taking the pedals off, turning the handle bars lengthways and putting a clean rag over your chain, some bus lines will give you a good discount for the bike travelling.

The inner tube is a Foss acrylic tube. You can put 50 nails through it and it wont go down.They are 30gms heavier than featherweight inners but for riding in places like Devil Thorn country, they are unbeatable. I use them on the trailer. The tube on the left carries drive-side and regular spokes, I don't like hiding spokes in handle bars. There is a spoke key, a cluster cracker, a chain whip and multi-tool and a sacrificial Derailleur hanger and the bits, spare SPD cleats. The roll of blue tape at the top, is spinnaker repair tape you can get that from a boat chandlers, I use it for repairing panniers and the dust jackets for the panniers or any thing that needs to be waterproof. The orange and grey crescents are two different sizes. They are extra inserts for the pannier hangers. When it comes time to buying panniers and possibly a bar box, make sure your pannier hangers fit your racks snugly or have the appropriate inserts to instal.The two red bird shapes are spreaders for keeping the hydraulic brake pads apart, used when boxing the bike or doing spoke changes and maintenance.



Warren.

[Area54]

Those Foss tubes look great, can even repair them with a ciggy lighter, made from TPE, same material an S2S map case is made from to give you an idea of material feel.

[WarrenH]

Area 54, do you take tools or spares, additional to what I have?

I'm still to enjoy doing my first Foss repair. I've had the Foss tubes for over a year ... and I'm feeling cheated. The Maxxis featherweight inners, they puncture just by looking at them. I still like them, they weigh nothing.

I keep meaning to shorten the handle and drill several holes in the chain whip, I should be able to halve the weight.

Warren.

[Area54]

No whip or lockring tool, I have Mavic Crossmaxs' on my 26 dually (SC Blur alloy) and crossmax 29ers on my ultralight tourer (Kona Dew Drop), benefit is no need to carry whip or lockring tool, or remove the disc to replace a spoke - hub design allows for easy spoke removal. The HD offoad Fargo ti 29er is slated to have Chris King rear hub, I MAY redrill the hub and build with DT Alpine spokes, the front to have Schmidt dynamo hub. I'll have to carry a lockring tool then, but more than likely of my own design and build from alloy flatbar and hollw pin chain. I generally don't carry spokes, I hand build my own wheels and am confident of their longevity - build with a high spoke count and you have redundancies also.

Extras for me is electrical tape, small bolts and washers, chain pins and short length of chain, citriwipe (to clean hands) old socks to keep new tubes in and protect them from rubbing on other items (plus you can wear the sock over your hand that is doing the dirty work) a tyre boot, leatherman instead of shifter, Crank Bros multitool has 8/9/10mm open ender, emergency derailleur hanger, 5 dollar note (to use as a tyre boot or spare money for a cuppa in town)