I've toured quite a bit and have only one issue that I haven't figured out. Maintaining my chain on the road. My chain and rear changer get crazy dirty and mucky and overall junky. I bring a rag and lube and try to remember to clean the chain often, but once in camp the hunger usually sets in and I forget in the seting up and relaxing. So, what is the secret magic trick--and if you say just clean and lube every day I'll be a bit red in the face. Scott
On Apr 7, 10:41 am, Dave Craig <dcr...@prescott.edu> wrote: > Adam > > Loading - > > The first principle is to travel light overall - you'll have more fun. > > Ratios - I'm not super scientific about this, but Pamela and I both > like the way our bikes handle with heavy, dense stuff packed in low > rider panniers in the front, SMALL handlebar bags, and bulky lighter > stuff in the back. We always keep the heavy stuff as low as possible > and we avoid rack top loads when possible. As a starting point, let's > call the loading 60% front and 40% rear. The idea is balanced weight > while riding. By packing relatively heavy stuff up front, we balance > the rider weight that is carried more over the rear wheel. With both > wheels equally sharing the weight, the bike feels balanced on the road > and the rear wheel is less likely to have problems. My solution is to > mess with my packing system until the bike feels right - good steering > response, combined with a balance feel and the acknowledgement that my > rear wheel needs to be protected by sharing the weight more evenly > between wheels. > > I have no experience with extensive off road touring. For dirt roads, > the principles are the same as above. > > Dave > > On Apr 7, 7:17 am, Adam <oceanm...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > Could you speak to your experience of how it is most appropriate to > > load a bicycle for: > > a. strictly road touring > > b. mixed terrain (dirt and road touring) > > > What ratios of weight do you recommend in the front and rear? > > > Thank you! > > Adam > > > On Apr 6, 10:36 pm, Dave Craig <dcr...@prescott.edu> wrote: > > > > It is that time of year again. Many of us have probably started > > > planning or dreaming about a summer tour. I'd like to offer my > > > commitment for the next 5 days, until midnight on Sunday, April 11th, > > > to address questions from anyone who is curious about loaded touring, > > > has questions about gear, or other topics relevant to traveling and > > > camping by bike. Riv related content - I tour on my RBW bikes and I > > > don't meet many other Riv riders on the road! > > > > My motivation: I'm going through a difficult time right now with an > > > aging and ill parent and I'm seeing my own opportunity for a summer > > > tour slowly evaporate. I would love to have the productive distraction > > > of helping others to realize their own dreams of travel by bike. I am > > > not selling anything. > > > > My background: I work as a professor of adventure education at a small > > > southwestern college. My entire adult life has been dedicated to > > > teaching others how to enjoy and travel safely in the outdoors. I am a > > > League of American Bicyclists Bike Ed instructor. I have traveled > > > thousands of miles as a bike tourist and have spent years of my life > > > living outdoors in remote wilderness. I have a Quickbeam, a Bombadil, > > > and an Atlantis. I've toured with the last two. > > > > Rules of engagement and disclosure: Ask a question or questions via > > > this forum or via a personal message to me. I clearly don't know > > > everything and will say so when I don't know. If I don't have direct > > > experience with something, I'll also say so. No BS. I expect to learn > > > as well as share. As an open forum, anyone else with direct experience > > > on a topic should feel free to weigh in or answer a question. If I get > > > a question via email that I can't answer, I'll post it back to the > > > group after asking permission from the sender. Please, don't answer a > > > question with info that you've only heard or read about. Internet > > > forums are already too full of that kind of second or third hand > > > advice. That's one of the problems with getting good answers to bike > > > touring questions. However, if you know of a great resource that's > > > relevant (like RBW), please share it. I will try to check in on the > > > RBW Owners Bunch no less than three times a day in order to answer > > > questions. > > > > Moderator Jim: The RBW forum is the only internet forum I care to > > > participate in. I appreciate the quality of thought and the civil > > > discourse I find here. If you believe that my offer isn't an > > > appropriate use of this forum, let me know and I'll retract my offer > > > without a fuss. > > > > Professor Dave- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
