Cycling UK Forum

Thank you for all the information. It seems the frame is the XL size, which is too big for me. I'll keep my eyes open for an XTC in my size though (5'10" so probably a large model - I like a larger frame generally). The lugged XTC especially sounds like a great bike.

Hello,

I'm hoping that an XTC owner or two will be able to enlighten me. I am interested in a 725 XTC frame (have the opportunity to buy, but can't inspect in person), and would like to know a little more about tyre clearances. Thorn let me know that the clearance is good until about 1.6" with mudguards, but I'm wondering if that is a somewhat conservative figure?

Anyone running true 1.75" with mudguards (anyone running wider without?) on the XTC?

This would be primarily a quick commuter bicycle that would also be used for touring, keeping the weight to 17kg +/-. I have toured extensively, so pretty much know what I'm in for there. I'd like to be able to have 1.75 with fenders for rougher roads etc. I've considered a Surly LHT in 26" wheels, but am attracted to the Thorn frame for reasons of workmanship (made in UK in this case) and also the lighter gauge tubing offering a livelier ride when empty. The third potential use for the frame is as an alternative brevet bike, an area I'm also experienced in. So, I'm looking for an all-rounder and hope that this fits the bill. My main concern centres around tyre clearances.

Thank you,
Ian.

Thank you iviehoff for the great information regarding diet. I do indeed follow a vegan diet, so lard is definitely out! Bread is a minefield of animal products even in Canada, so I can imagine CA and SA would be tricky. Also, thanks all for the thoughts about wheel size and parts. I've been up and down both sides of this in my mind, but already owning the Marinoni and having spent so much time and money making it right for me, I think I'll try it and see. Probably a 26" wheel Surly LHT would be a good choice, but I've heard of people doing this trip on the Trek 520 and making it work.

The mileage aims mentioned are only for Canada and the US and they might be a little ambitious. It's just that I've spent a number of years in Canada with visits to the US and I think Mexico and beyond just sounds more exciting. I think the mileages for CA and SA will just be whatever they end up being. The high country sounds very interesting and I'm going to give that serious consideration. In the past I would just choose a general destination and work my way towards it, asking other travellers for advice, tips, recommendations, help etc. and I had incredible adventures as a result.

Thanks again.

I'm an ex-pat Brit, living in Canada these last few years. I now find myself 41 years old, divorced and free of any particular occupation (lots of freelance stuff) and it seems to me the perfect time to start my once youthful (20's) journeys again.

I'm thinking come June, I'll sell my flat full of stuff, load up my touring bike and start riding from Vancouver in the general direction of South. I'd be very interested to hear from anyone who has made this journey. I'd like to get myself down to the Southern tip of Argentina. I'll be on a tight budget and will probably take the Marinoni (Canadian made!) Turismo which is a fairly light framed touring bike with very strong 700 wheels and 32mm tyres.

The first leg of the journey would be the US coast and I'll aim to cover around 100 miles a day (I also ride Audax, so I'm used to long distance stuff). I know this area pretty well. The cross over to Mexico and beyond is where I really need advice. How "safe" is it to ride through Mexico, El Salvador (or Honduras) , Nicaragua, Costa Rica etc.?

On another note, I follow a vegan diet - any insight in surviving in these countries as a vegan would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any info or advice

In the last year, I've been getting into brevet riding. Up till now, I've been using cheap LED lights and have decided it is time to invest in some proper lighting. I'm drawn towards the B&M 6v Bottle Dynamo (Dymotec is the model name) and combining it with perhaps the LED version of the IQ Fly. Buying from people like SJS Cycles or Dotbike, I can put together such a system for somewhere in the hundred quid range (no pound sign on my NA computer) or less if I go halogen. Considering that I like to tour as well, a battery free system is attractive. My question concerns whether the 6v B&M dynamo would do the job and what would be the best light to combine it with.

I'm not too worried about drag from the dynamo as nighttime rides tend to slow me down, but would also like to hear any opinions based on experience with this system.

Thank you.

I've become interested in brevet riding this last year and want to continue my new found passion. I'm thinking about lighting options at the moment. I've been considering battery powered lighting, but have recently been wondering about using the 6v bottle dynamo from B&M (SJS Cycles carry it). Is this a good enough generator for night riding? I don't need to set any speed records for downhill descents at night and I really like the idea of not having to be reliant on battery lighting (except as a back up and helmet light). Wondering if anyone has experience with this set up and also wondering what type of headlight to buy? Is there a good LED light to go with the bottle dynamo? Or am I restricted to halogen lights?

Looking at the price of a reasonable battery headlight (say Cateye 600 series with AA's) compared to a bottle dynamo set up, the latter seems appealing from the long term perspective.

Any advice/wisdom appreciated.

Lawrie9 wrote:Not for me staying at camp sites with all the rowdy, drunken idiots and rubbish toilet facilities or b&bs with the inevitable blocked showers.. no for me I much prefer to rough it. Ive roughed it from Milan to Athens, from the Isle of Skye to a park bench in the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris. Probably the most impressive place was the train station in Milan when the railways were on strike. I've also slept on the Italy to Greece ferry which was fantastic waking up with the sun rising as the boat sailed around all those small islands and arriving at the Greek port of Patras for breakfast.
Often on beaches around the Med you will find showers so you can keep clean and refreshed. Another advantage is that you don't really need to take a tent as its warm enough in the open air and can travel very light. All you need is a small plastic woven tarp sheet to throw over your bike if its raining, an inflatable air bed and thin sleeping bag and your away.
Have you roughed it anywhere interesting or exotic or any interesting roughing it experiences?

I've done the roughing it style through parts of Australia, Africa, various places in Europe, the odd spot here and there in Canada and USA. In Almata (Kazakhstan), I couldn't afford a hotel and slept in the lobby for free. In Moscow I slept in the bursar's office in a university until I met an ex-pat who lent me a piece of floor until I could get my expired visa sorted out. I find that I never really sleep that deeply when I'm rough camping (always one ear open), but I abhor car park style campsites (in North America, RV parks - cement pads and TV reception) and I really prefer my own sleeping bag and tent to a hotel's linens. I find it interesting that it seems to be becoming increasingly difficult to sleep "rough". I now live in Western Canada and a lot of areas specifically prohibit overnight camping. I remember when I was in Sweden, there was an old law called something along the lines of "Common Man's Right to Land", which seemed to allow you to sleep just about anywhere. I like that.

Hi,

I'm interested in hearing if anyone has done adventure touring with 700c wheels. Routes like the Karakorum Highway (Pakistan to China, through Xingxian (Western China), Central and South America, West Africa etc.

26" wheel bikes seem ubiquitous in these areas, but you know what's it's like when you have a bike you really like and that fits well and that seems to sit in the corner saying "let's go somewhere really interesting"?

Is it completely daft to take a 700c on tour through these areas?

Thank you.

Thank you all for the advice. I've decided to leave the crankset as 52/39/30 and carry on with my 13-34 7 speed cassette. I looked at changing to 13-34 in 8 and 9 speeds respectively (Harris Cyclery (SheldonBrown.com) carry both cassettes), but after looking at the gain ratios, the 7 speed set up doesn't seem to be at a noticeable disadvantage to an 8 speed set up. The 9 speed gives a slightly wider range on the 39 ring and would be nice to have (if I was building new, would probably go 9 speed), but I like the idea of the slightly thicker chain that the 7 speed affords. I'll save a few dollars on not buying new bar cons etc., but I'll leave myself that option for the future. Luckily, new 13-34 7 speed cassettes still seem readily available - maybe I should stock up?

Thanks again and happy trails.

Just a thought here. If you can find someone in Toronto who could receive goods for you, the Surly LongHaul Trucker (LHT) is available online from Jensonusa.com for US$985.00. It's a complete bike, except for pedals and the stock seat is junk (you could always bring yours with you - probably a good idea whatever you decide to do). These are pretty good bikes - steel frame, XT hubs, XT rear derailer, Tiagra fd, Alex rims (fair quality), bar end shifters etc. etc. Jensonusa give a free build with the bike, you just need to take it out the box, fit handlebars and front wheel and you're basically on your way. (http://jensonusa.com/store/product/BI40 ... +Bike.aspx)

You'd have to pay shipping to Toronto (about $95 + taxes would be around another $100.00). If you were able to pick the bike up in the US (free shipping with the US), you could avoid the delivery charges and possibly the sales tax as well. You might also dig around on the net and find a new complete Surly in Toronto from a bike shop, thus avoiding import issues (which are not really a big deal).

As a rule of thumb, the LHT fits on the large side, so if you normally ride a 58cm road bike, order a 56cm LHT. (If you need a 54cm or smaller, it comes with 26" wheels instead of 700 wheels. The 26" wheel LHT is a good all round tourer styled along the lines of the Bridgestone XO1 or Rivendell Bicycle Works Atlantis).

The rationale behind this idea is that you bring the bikes back with you to the UK on your return. There seems to be a small cult following for Surly in the UK and you could potentially cover all your costs of temporary bike ownership this way.

The other option is to look on Craigslist (http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/bik). You might be lucky and find something like a Trek 520 or a Miyata 1000! Aluminum Cannondales come up every now and then can be a good deal. Unfortunately, you have to be fairly lucky finding a bike this way. Again, if you have a friend in Toronto, ask him to keep an eye for you. Good deals go fast - normally within an hour!

Here is a link to the Toronto Bike Network (TBN). They claim to be the friendliest. http://www.tbn.ca/ Perhaps you could make a contact or two there.

Unfortunately touring bikes hold their value really well in Canada. There weren't many made during the mid eighties and 90's and have only recently become popular. For years "ten speeds" and "mountain bikes" dominated the market. Few people understood the versatility of a touring bike and the bike companies were too busy making people buy "faster, lighter, wheels with no spokes etc."

If you ever come across a Marinoni Turismo, snatch it up. I found one in Portland (a nine hour bus ride away). Marinoni is a Canadian company (Quebec) and their bikes are handbuilt. Also, they're the fastest bikes available because they're French Canadian of Italian ancestry. English people shouldn't really be allowed to own them.

I recently bought a used touring bike that was set up with a 7 speed 13-34 rear cassette and 52/39/30 crankset.

I wasn't happy with the wheels on the bike, so I found a set of 36h good quality rims with Ultegra hubs, used but in good shape and a fraction of the cost of new. Wheels are 700's (32 tyres).

So, now I'm trying to figure out the best set up for a long distant tourer. I live in Western Canada, so I have mountains to play in. However, most of my riding seems to be fairly normal - not too excessive elevation change, roads, gravel roads, logging roads etc. I weigh around 160lb and carry around 50lbs of gear (+water and food as appropriate). The bike weighs about 25lbs unloaded.

As the Ultegra hub is 9 speed, I have a choice to go 8 or 9 speed. I have bar end shifters and an old school LX rear derailer, so compatibility is not a big problem (I can run friction or pick up a new rear shifter on eBay or the like).

Essentially, I have three questions:
1) Should I go 8 or 9 speed?
2) what range of rear cassette should I go with (11-34 looks attractive, but there seem to be big jumps between ratios)?
3) Should I change the crankset for something like a 48/36/26, or is this unnecessary?

I would appreciate any and all wisdom.

Thank you.

Can't speak for the Oxfordshire ride, although I know the landscape having spent time there. Now living in British Columbia, Canada with the beautiful scenery and long steep hills north and west of Vancouver (not to mention the odd mountain). I've regularly done 100 km plus rides (60 miles +) around this area and there is some serious elevation gain. I would say that it is a ride that is nice to build up to, although if you have general fitness (say a jogger or rower etc.) it should be no problem, just don't race it from the beginning. A 30 mile ride would be a bit on the short side and probably won't feel like much of an achievement. A lot of riders will knock off 30 miles in an hour and a half over elevation gain/loss (that's a pretty good clip, but not exceptional).

Do the 60 mile ride, but if you've a been a bit slack with training, just take it easy and let your body warm up before you push yourself (i.e. no racing start).

The motion of the machine. The aching muscles at the end of the day. The taste and feel of a cup of tea when you've really earned it! The fact that everyday on the road leads to a stronger body. Sleeping in a tent. Freedom baby, yeah.

I have an older 8 spd (mid 90's) road bike. It's a lovely bike, hand built frame etc. I've recently started to ride with a group who have 10 speed set ups (wider gear range) and those guys are fast. I live in Vancouver, Canada, so we get to ride up mountains and gain and lose lots of elevation in a short distance. Our last ride averaged almost 18 mp/h over 45 miles (this is fast for me) riding in a six man group. I run bar end shifters (the integrated shifters wore out and I also have a touring bike, so indexed bar end shifters work great for me). I have Shimano 600/Ultegra cranks with 53/42 in the front and an 8 spd 13-23 cassette in the back. On hills, I push hard to keep up, let alone attack. I have a Shimano 600/Ultegra short cage dérailleur. I'm wondering if I should try and squeeze a Sram 870 11-28 cassette on the back wheel. I could still use my indexed shifters and as budget is a concern, I think this would be an inexpensive way of giving my bike some climbing gears. Is this too radical of a change? Will it work? Any advice appreciated.

Thank you.

Healthy and tasty. I'm vegan and cycle a lot, so I've developed a high energy porridge breakfast. Prep time

Ingredients:

1/3 cup of 7 grain porridge (includes exciting things barley etc.) I buy it in bags marked "7 grain porridge".
1 Cup of water
Half an apple
2 dates
A few walnut or raw almonds or whatever else you have
Pinch of sea salt
1/3 cup flax seeds (raw)
1/3 cup sesame seeds (raw)
1/3 cup hemp seed (raw)

Preparation:

Heat water
dice apple and de-stone dates and allow to poach in the water for a minute (throw the nuts in at this point too). Add a pinch of sea salt and the porridge and let it simmer. (Good opportunity here to jump in the shower). Allow the porridge to cook for 10 mins approx., remove from heat and let stand covered.

Grind the flax, sesame seeds and hemp seeds in a spice or coffee grinder. Put the porridge in a bowl, throw the ground seeds on top and enjoy. You'll tear up the road like a three speed mangle. (I like to let the porridge cool a little before I add the flax seed, sesame seed and hemp seed because apparently heat breaks down the nutritional value).