Search found 1575 matches

by vernon
14 Aug 2013, 9:07am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: SON 28 or SON Deluxe
Replies: 11
Views: 10422

Re: SON 28 or SON Deluxe

I would caution against using the SON delux if you intend to charge devices. Not all devices will charge from the output of the SON deluxe via an e-Werk.

I had a bike custom built with a SON delux hub last year. It charged my HTC Desire HD phone perfectly well last year but struggled to maintain charge on my Samsung Galaxy 3 phone this year.
by vernon
18 Jul 2013, 5:46am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Tyre volume.
Replies: 14
Views: 884

Re: Tyre volume.

I have toured on 25mm, 28mm and 32mm tyres. I weigh in at 23 stones plus luggage. There's not a lot of discernable difference between the three sizes in terms of ride comfort but the 25mm tyres, Specialized Armadillo delaminated on me twice before I switched to 28mm Panaracer Paselas.

I still ride unladen light tourer and audax bikes on 25mm and 28mm Panaracer Paselas with no problems.
by vernon
18 Jul 2013, 5:41am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Convert a Hybrid or an MTB?
Replies: 5
Views: 663

Re: Convert a Hybrid or an MTB?

If your gearing is low enough you will not need to get out of the saddle. If you do need to get out of the saddle get off and push. It's just as fast. All of the bikes that I have used for touring have had a 22 tooth granny ring and a 34 tooth largest sprocket on the cassette giving a 17" gear on 700c wheels. My current tourer has a Rohlhoff hub with a 19" bottom gear. I have had to dismount twice in the past four years.
by vernon
29 Jun 2013, 6:56pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: The Four Inns Cycle Tour
Replies: 19
Views: 5479

Re: The Four Inns Cycle Tour

What's happened to the Double Coast to Coast ride?
by vernon
29 Jun 2013, 8:53am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: solo or companion trip?
Replies: 24
Views: 3310

Re: solo or companion trip?

It al depends what you want from a tour.

I tend to tour solo and have never had problems finding someone to talk to when I stop anywhere. I enjoy my own company and the ability to do what I want, when I want, where I want.

I toured with a friend last year who loved to micromanage: ' We'll cycle for two hours before we stop for a coffee, then we'll do another couple of hours before we have lunch'. I soon disabused him of the need to plan and just take things as they come and if something interests either one of us, stopping to explore it is perfectly OK. Once he got to grips with that the rest of the tour went swimmingly.
by vernon
23 Jun 2013, 12:01pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Buying Bikeline guide in Budapest
Replies: 1
Views: 313

Re: Buying Bikeline guide in Budapest

You'd be better off asking the bookshops if they have any idea where it can be bought within Budapest. I have the book and a map set and the route does not look as straightforward as the rest of Eurovelo Six/Danube Cycle Route.
by vernon
10 Jun 2013, 10:59pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Getting to Stockholm / Helsinki - overland
Replies: 2
Views: 912

Re: Getting to Stockholm / Helsinki - overland

trevva wrote:Hi,

Does anyone have any suggestions/experience how to get a bike to either Stockholm or Helsinki overland (without riding it :-) ). Swedish trains aren't bicycle friendly as far as I can tell....

Best wishes,

Dorthe and Mark


have you tried www.seat61.com which has lots of advice on train services and bike transport?
by vernon
10 Jun 2013, 10:56pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Euro Velo 6 Mulhouse-Orleans
Replies: 1
Views: 621

Re: Euro Velo 6 Mulhouse-Orleans

Purchase the Huber Verlag map set.

It covers the route, indicates the presence/location of campsites, places of interest and bike shops. It overs a sufficiently wide corridor along the Loire to accommodate 'off piste' riding. There were no camp sites at the locations suggested by the map at Orleans. I stayed in a Formule 1 hotel and share a room with two others at a total cost of around €35. Orleans has a great restaurant serving horse burgers. Most large cities have a Decathlon store with a great cycle servicing department. Repairs are usually done on the spot and there's a clear tariff on display. You'll get the most boring stretch done first. Some parts of the route along the canals get a bit monotonous but things pick up once you get past Besancon. Keep an eye out for in line skaters, they are much faster than cyclists.
by vernon
8 Jun 2013, 7:52am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Something to cover the bike.
Replies: 31
Views: 2605

Re: Something to cover the bike.

stephenjubb wrote:
vernon wrote:
Dudley Manlove wrote:There's the security aspect I guess too - is a covered bike more likely, or less likely to attract unwanted attention? I don't know.

Tho if I had a 5 grand Ti custom framed Rolhoff jobbie I might want to a tarp to keep it out of sight.


I have a four grand belt drive Rolhoff jobbie and I want everybody to see it.... :wink:

I don't lose sleep over its lack of covering apart from the aforementioned carrier bag Brooks seat cover.


that's because rohloffs don't usually rustlike exposed derailleurs and chains! :oops:

look after it sounds like a great bike :D


I've toured for eight years with derailleur drive trains and was never concerned about rust. A well maintained and lubricated drive train shouldn't suffer from rust - my drive trains didn't. The only rusting that took place on my bikes has been with the allen head fasteners used for things like mudguard, rack and bottle cage mounts.
by vernon
7 Jun 2013, 11:25pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Weekender Touring From Wigan
Replies: 6
Views: 900

Re: Weekender Touring From Wigan

On my solo tours I've:

+ Been fed on countless occasions

+ Had beer bought for me here and on mainland Europe

+ Had a bottle of wine given to me by a camp site owner to celebrate my arrival at Montpellier having cycled the length of France

+ Had a tab opened for me at a pub camp site when I arrived and discovered that I'd lost my wallet. My wife drove over the next day with cash and when I went to settle the bill I was charged a tenner all in for a night's heavy drinking (18:00 - 02:00), a bar meal and the pitch and when i protested that it was too little the manager upped the bill to fifteen quid.

+ Had my rear dropout brazed up free of charge by Bill Nickson the last English winner of the Milk Race
by vernon
7 Jun 2013, 7:39pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Weekender Touring From Wigan
Replies: 6
Views: 900

Re: Weekender Touring From Wigan

Don't let the lack of a companion stop you getting out and about. The vast majority of my cycle touring is done solo and it will remain that way. Last year and this year I'll have had a companion with me and we'll have a laugh get drunk eat excessively and put weight on on the tour. It was a blast last year and will be this year if Prague and the Elbe cycle route dry out in time for the start of the tour.

Don't let the notion of loneliness put you off. Most folk are curious and have found that I've never been short of a conversation while out and about.

When I get round to doing my big 4,000 mile tour I will definitely be on my own as I will have maximum flexibility in what I do and when i chose to do it.
by vernon
7 Jun 2013, 7:20pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Something to cover the bike.
Replies: 31
Views: 2605

Re: Something to cover the bike.

Dudley Manlove wrote:There's the security aspect I guess too - is a covered bike more likely, or less likely to attract unwanted attention? I don't know.

Tho if I had a 5 grand Ti custom framed Rolhoff jobbie I might want to a tarp to keep it out of sight.


I have a four grand belt drive Rolhoff jobbie and I want everybody to see it.... :wink:

I don't lose sleep over its lack of covering apart from the aforementioned carrier bag Brooks seat cover.
by vernon
5 Jun 2013, 11:55pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: were do big cyclist buy waterproof trousers from
Replies: 8
Views: 1147

Re: were do big cyclist buy waterproof trousers from

In the summer wear shorts. There's less to get wet.

I've never bothered with waterproof trousers and use bib longs, bib shorts and conventional shorts.

I am a 4XL shrinking to a 3XL on the lycra front.

Prendas cyclismo stock large size in lycra.
by vernon
5 Jun 2013, 12:22am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Minnigaff Youth Hostel
Replies: 11
Views: 1523

Re: Minnigaff Youth Hostel

cooper_coleraine wrote: We treasured the network of hostels for their simplicity and the comradeship there was. I appreciate it is a different world but a lot has been lost.


There's only a minority affected by the loss. Hostels close because they are not being used enough. I remember being in Keld YHA talking about the shrinking YHA estate and being sad that Keld was going to close. The warden revealed that there'd been only six bookings through in the previous week and asked the question - 'Would you continue operating this hostel on that occupancy rate?'

The folk who bemoan the loss of hostels are the very folk who have contributed to the shrinking network by not being regular users. Folk who have never used the network will not have suffered a loss of service.
by vernon
4 Jun 2013, 11:53pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Something to cover the bike.
Replies: 31
Views: 2605

Re: Something to cover the bike.

I stuff a carrier bag between the rails under my Brooks saddle and use it to cover the seat overnight.

There's little point in covering the bike. It will get wet during the day when it rains and a well maintained and lubricated bike will shrug off water -that's what paint and oil does....

If you are totally paranoid about things going rusty, you could go for stainless steel fasteners and belt drive transmission.