Search found 1711 matches

by andymiller
16 Sep 2016, 2:18pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: D locks on tour - advice please
Replies: 12
Views: 1511

Re: D locks on tour - advice please

To be honest the Kryptonite Evolution Mini looks to small to be much use either on tour or off tour. I have a Kryptonite with a D that's a smidge under 23cms and I find that this is just enough to go round a Sheffield stand and through the rear triangle of the bike (the most secure way of locking it)- anything smaller than that is too small IMO.

On tour I use a cable on its own. I find that a 2.5 metre cable will go round most trees and generally through the front and rear wheels.

These things are always a trade-off: the security of a d-lock versus the practicality of a cable. I definitely wouldn't leave the bike for any length of time in a city with just a cable. My theory is that small villages and towns are safer: not necessarily because people are more honest but in the cities you can easily sell a bike for cash with no questions asked, while in small-town America/Europe that's going to be more difficult. (I stress that this is my theory).
by andymiller
16 Sep 2016, 1:20pm
Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
Topic: Touring duvet for princess?
Replies: 21
Views: 4862

Re: Touring duvet for princess?

If you google 'camping quilt' you'll find plenty of choices. Backpackinglight.co.uk have a range:

http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/category-56.html

There are two different types - Alpkit and PHD do one that is rectangular while others do something that's more of a cross between a sleeping bag and a quilt as your feet/legs fit into a pocket (for want of a better word). There's a trade-off between the over-restrictiveness of the sleeping bag and being woken in the night when the quilt has come off you.

Don't forget that if you are using a quilt then you need to think about the insulation in the mat as well.

Fletch Jokey wrote: i am shocked reading that you are unable to get good quality quilts from UK.


You can get them without any problem.
by andymiller
14 Sep 2016, 10:07am
Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
Topic: What do you look for in a campsite
Replies: 108
Views: 9283

Re: What do you look for in a campsite

Vorpal wrote:4:00 am is a ridiculous time to empty the bins. And that process is noisy enough to wake many people in their houses, let alone tents. I donæt think they should be allowed to begin before 6:00 am.


That may be so (if it was actually 4am), but it's not something that's in the control of the campsite operator. I suspect if they were here to give their side of the story it would turn out to be something they had tried to sort out with the council - or that there was a valid reason for the early morning collections.
by andymiller
14 Sep 2016, 8:15am
Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
Topic: What do you look for in a campsite
Replies: 108
Views: 9283

Re: What do you look for in a campsite

les tocknell wrote:Please don't allow the refuse people to empty the bins at 4.00 am! An unnamed site in La Manche is the guilty party...


In fairness they probably don't get a choice about it - I doubt your council gives you a choice about when your bins are collected.
by andymiller
13 Sep 2016, 4:11pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Gorilla clips on P2 forks.
Replies: 1
Views: 423

Re: Gorilla clips on P2 forks.

It looks like a pretty secure fixing system - if you do up the cable ties tight enough the clips aren't going to go anywhere. Mind you it seems pretty pricey for what it is, and I did wonder whether you couldn't achieve the same thing using 25mm webbing tie-down straps or velcro tie-downs going directly round the fork. EDIT: on second thoughts there's the risk of the load twisting round and getting caught in your wheels.

For tie-downs check out this site:

http://adjustable-straps.com
by andymiller
11 Sep 2016, 3:48pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Lightweight rack options.......
Replies: 16
Views: 2885

Re: Lightweight rack options.......

The Tubus Fly weighs 330g, so the weight is hardly OTT. The the recommended maximum load is 18kgs, so reasonable, but it's not really an expedition rack.

Aluminium racks aren't necessarily lighter than steel - you have to use more material to get the same strength: for example the Standit weighs 687g - only 51g less than the Logo which will carry up to 40 kg. I can't see myself ever wanting to carry 30kgs never mind 40kgs but I'd rather have the extra margin.

You can get the Fly Evo for £55 (including delivery) from Rose Bikes. A pannier rack is a pretty fundamental piece of kit, and as you can swap them from bike to bike there's no reason why a good quality steel rack shouldn't last a lifetime.
by andymiller
11 Sep 2016, 10:43am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Lightweight rack options.......
Replies: 16
Views: 2885

Re: Lightweight rack options.......

I have a Tubus Fly as well as a couple of Cosmos - the stainless steel version of the Logo (new and old versions). The Fly is 7.5 cms across the top as opposed to 9cms on the old Cosmo and 11.5 on the new one. I use it on my fixie/utility/winter bike it's served me well for over a decade for things like shopping and trips to the tip/Oxfam shop. It wouldn't be my first choice, but I'd have no hesitation using it for touring if need be. Putting a bag on top wouldn't really be an issue as the pannier bags would in effect extend the width of the platform (yes, I guess you might have issues if you wanted to carry a to bag on its own).

I'm sure the recommended maximum loads will be on the Tubus website, IIRC the Fly has a lower maximum than the Cosmo/Logo. Apart from that the other major difference would be that the load sits higher which might affect the handling a bit - the Cosmo/Logo has a second rail which means the panniers sit a little lower.
by andymiller
10 Sep 2016, 9:02pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: android or chrome os offline map for editing gpx routes
Replies: 21
Views: 2518

Re: android or chrome os offline map for editing gpx routes

Sorry I know it's iOS not Android, but I've just downloaded the latest update to MapOut? and there is a really very impressive facility for drawing tracks (they call them 'tours'). I was expecting to be a little bit sceptical but even on my iPad Touch (and with my stubby fingers) it was very easy to draw a route. The most surprising/impressive feature was the fact that it shows an altitude profile that updates as you draw.

You can easily share the tracks by email/Dropbox/Airdrop etc but unless you have a gps with wifi then transferring to the gps is do-able, but a faff, but if you are somewhere mountainous and you are thinking 'should I go this way or that way?' then this could be really useful. Obviously if you use an iPhone/iPad for navigating then the transfer issue won't be a problem.

A couple of screenshots:

IMG_0401.jpg

IMG_0402.jpg
by andymiller
9 Sep 2016, 8:10am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Route from Amsterdam to Passau, Germany?
Replies: 7
Views: 1025

Re: Route from Amsterdam to Passau, Germany?

Maybe one answer might be *not* to start from Amsterdam.

The Inntal Radweg goes to Passau through Switzerland, Austria and Germany. So maybe you could take it from Innsbruck (potentially you could also pick it up from northern Italy). I've only ridden the southern section which was pretty varied, but I don't know what the section from Innsbruck north to Passau is like. Yes it's still a river route, but the landscape is probably going to be more interesting than a river route across a huge plain. Unfortunately I think the Austrians have banned Google Streetview as well.
by andymiller
8 Sep 2016, 12:10am
Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
Topic: Painful hip when camping
Replies: 32
Views: 5486

Re: Painful hip when camping

MrsHJ wrote:Not criticising the decision to get an inflater but do check that you need it


I thought the other major reason for using a pump is to stop your mattress going mouldy inside. But for all I know it could just be manfacturers trying to sell us more stuff.
by andymiller
7 Sep 2016, 1:44pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Buying French train tickets online
Replies: 10
Views: 1039

Re: Buying French train tickets online

jamesgilbert wrote:For me that means booking fees but maybe I'm being pessimistic...


I don't know how they get away with charging fees in the UK, but it seems hard to imagine how they could charge them in the rest of Europe, when they are trying to compete with DeutscheBahn, SNCF etc. In the UK it's sort of understandable why occasional train users, confused by the multiplicity of train operators, end up buying tickets on trainline, but elsewhere in Europe you're still looking at one, maybe two train companies. So I think Trainline will continue to segment the market (polite phrase for fleecing unwary British consumers while being more competitive in the rest of Europe) for as long as they can - even if the underlying system is the same. After all SNCF do the same thing with the UK version of its website..
by andymiller
6 Sep 2016, 4:40pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Buying French train tickets online
Replies: 10
Views: 1039

Re: Buying French train tickets online

I've just got another email from Captain Trainline. The new site is:

https://www.trainline.eu/

not to be confused with

https://www.thetrainline.com (Trainline UK). "I book in advance. I am train" (I am train?)

... although clicking 'European rail tickets' on the Trainline UK site will take you to trainline.eu.

The apps have also changed their names:

Our Android and iOS apps have also received a new paint job, in order to adapt to Trainline’s colour palette and logo. Though the functionality remains exactly the same. In the App Store and in the Play Store we’re now called Trainline EU. This helps us distinguish ourselves from the British app, which is called Trainline UK (and is for train tickets in the U.K.).


The last bit of that is interesting as it suggests that Trainline UK may continue as a separate thing from Captain Trainline (aka Trainline EU), and the Trainline management will leave well alone. (We hope).
by andymiller
6 Sep 2016, 1:01pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Getting the ride position for touring...
Replies: 14
Views: 2438

Re: Getting the ride position for touring...

I was once given the advice to support myself using the core muscles to reduce the weight on the bars. It's easier said than done, but I think it's right.

Also avoid gripping the bars too tight as you climb (or is that just me?).

As far as the advice to move the saddle backwards: it helps if you grow longer arms. :wink:
by andymiller
6 Sep 2016, 8:15am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Route advice please
Replies: 8
Views: 744

Re: Route advice please

Presumably you're going to be driving there sometime over the winter (Christmas?). Instead of bombing up and down your normal route why not plan a couple of routes (there and back) taking the sort of quiet roads that you might use as a cyclist, then use what you've learned as research for your bike ride next year?
by andymiller
5 Sep 2016, 12:48pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Getting the ride position for touring...
Replies: 14
Views: 2438

Re: Getting the ride position for touring...

Butterfly bars. Yeah yeah I know they're not trendy, but ...