Mtroup

If you're planning to road tour, Ortliebs or Arkel panniers are a good investment. On gravel or off-road, bikepacking bags are great. And the good brands easily match Ortlieb/Arkel in quality. Bikepacking bags are very stable. They're designed for much rougher surfaces than asphalt.

Also, re: Ortliebs vs Arkel, I think the Arkel is more durable. Ortliebs uses plastic in their attachment system, while Arkel uses aluminum. I've seen broken Ortliebs on rough roads, I haven't seen broken Arkels. YMMV, that's simply my experience.

Edit: and good god, mre's suck. There are better options.

pdlamb

For a one-off, I think going with what you have plus a couple bags would be the way to go. Strap compression bags or stuff sacks with clothes, toiletries, electronics and food to your saddle, frame, and/or bars. Take the Silver Comet to Cedartown, get a motel; get back on the rail-trail to Piedmont, then take 278 over to Gadsden, another motel, then down U.S. 11 (or backroads) into Birmingham. $150 for motels is going to be cheaper than the top-dollar racks plus panniers we all recommend for dedicated tourists, and way cheaper than building a new bike. If you're lightly loaded, you can make the hills on 278 with minimal problems, and 11 with minimal stops. No need to re-gear for a weekend!


Now, if you want to extend it to the Natchez Trace and into Nashville, it might be time to gear up. Or if you want to ride to Knoxville, there's some mountains up that way.

Zerokreap

I like the way you're thinking here...

Brian25

Building up a whole bike for a two of three day tour trip? Anyone see something wrong with this picture??? You are likely to spend more time and money on the effort putting together a bike, than time actually riding it. If you see a future in touring that is a whole different matter. You could just borrow a trailer to "test the waters on this (short) trip, to see if you like touring.

jefnvk

I thought n+1 was religious gospel around here, and he was just looking for any excuse

tspoon

I use moustache bars exclusively. and would recommend them. One downside is that bikepacking type handlebar bag setups don't suit them all that well.

Zerokreap

You are correct, sir!

Zerokreap

I've probably ridden about 30k miles on my bike, so I don't think testing the waters is necessary. I have a good idea what this trip will be like. Also, I don't like to borrow things from folks...not a fan of owing anyone anything....perhaps it's a personality flaw, but I'm ok with that.

As I may have mentioned, I was planning to build up a new bike anyway (something in vintage steel), and this trip was just an excuse to think about it a bit more. It's something I enjoy doing and like most hobbies, it's not done for practical reasons....to the dismay of my wife. So, while you're correct that building the bike will take longer than the ride itself, that's not too much of a concern for me. Of course, I am concerned that what makes for a great racing bike might differ substantially from a touring bike. So I thought I would ask for everyone's thoughts. I suppose the ideal would be a bike that I can convert to a racer after this trip. However, I will probably just try and set up this Bianchi Sport SX I have laying around, which I was going to sell anyway. It has eyelets for fenders/racks, so why not throw one on there, change a few bits of the drivetrain, and take in on a little trip? I was never going to use it for group rides anyway. That's a fairly cheap option in my eyes....it's like I'm going to campy this thing out.

Brian25

Sounds like you have a pretty good direction you are thinking in regards to the bike. As far as what to take, I suggest that you break it up int a few possible categories that will have you covered. A)Clothing: on the bike, off the bike and night wear. Assuming you don't sleep in the buff. B) spare tubes, tools/ tire boot. C)Hygiene kit D) Start food, utensils (not sure if you plan to cook, or eat out?)

GamblerGORD53

How about a pic of what you have? I would just ride the Bianchi, put a rack on. A swept back bar is best for me too. Need a triple for 8% ??? Pffft. For 2 nights/ 3 days, just book a motel and ride.

Squeezebox

May I suggest test riding a triple first. In case you don't like it. It's not about manhood. It's about if your okay with the way it shifts.

jefnvk

Is there something special about triples that affects shifting? Half my bikes are doubles, half are triples, I don't really notice any difference beyond the obvious having an extra chainring to shift into.

bradtx

@Zerokreap, I have been riding roadies for a few decades and have toured for only about six years, mostly rides like what you are planning. I do have a couple of touring bikes I really like and they do make for versatile mounts. A tour like yours can be accomplished with a roadie, but there are some points to be ironed out.

1. Camping or no camping. This will greatly affect what you will need to carry.
2. Wheels. The more durable (rugged) the better because weight lashed to your bike can't unweight itself prior to a bump or a hole in the road.
3. Gearing. There are just days when you'll need lower than average GI, sometimes just for the last hill at the end of the day.

A couple of summers ago I experimented with using my distance roadie as a light touring bike carrying <20 lb. It worked fine using essentially a large handle bar bag. That bike is limited to 25 mm tires, has a GI range of ~32-100 GI, and a light(ish) set of wheels. Any more weight than that and I'll chose a touring bike.

Brad

Zerokreap

It's nothing special...Japanese made Bianchi from 1986, cromoly frame...currently set up with all original equipment. I bought it to use as a beater commuter bike. And I say it's nothing special, but then again, it is an all original bike, down to the tires, that's in great shape and a somewhat rare color. Of course, I'm not running a museum and I ride my SL a lot more than than this one...

If I decide to go with the Bianchi, the only thing I will be using is the frame...

Zerokreap

Brad, thanks for sharing your experiences and advice. I'll spend some time hammering out the route this weekend or next and that will help me make a lot of the other decisions.

In terms of the wheels, I was just thinking some older alloy wheels?

GamblerGORD53

Pretty nice bike alright, and it's not green. ha
It will certainly work for a short trip like I said. It's still a good idea to load it up as is before to test the frame size and practicality. Gearing is the least of worries. IMO I'm now an IGH Rohloff guy myself.

Squeezebox

Yes

HTupolev

Every time triples are brought up, Squeezebox insists that they don't shift well.

In my experience, modern triples built with compatible parts if anything shift better than doubles, since the jumps between cogs are smaller. Modern doubles shift very consistently as well, but on wide cranksets the shifts take more time to complete because the chain needs to ramp into position.

The triple on my 1991 RB-T is probably my favorite front shifting in my stable, it's so quick and light-action that it's almost like rear shifting. It can even shift between the large and small rings very rapidly, not that I ever have much reason to do that on the road:

Happy Feet

Very nice.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words and a video is worth a thousand pictures.

elcruxio

I wonder why squeezy hasn't gone towards the 1x11 direction? That way you eliminate the front mech completely. No more sloppy shifting.

jefnvk

@Zerokreap - SEXY! Love the color!

Ah gotcha. Yeah, no issues on my end whatsoever with my two triples, one an old Acera connected to triggers and the other an old Suntour BL connected to Suntour ratchet bar ends, which is actually the smoothest shifting front I own.

djb

as someone mentioned, but seeing the photo probably confirms it, the short chainstays will mean that a rack will need to be one that sets back a good amount to avoid possible heel strike on bags.
Given that you may end up only using hotels, you wont have that much weight in the panniers, so the rack wont be all that important for sturdiness, ie any middling rack with longer horizontal bits/supports that go from rack to the frame will do. * you will have to use p clamps to attach these bits to the frame, no biggee as they dont take much weight, the bolts at the eyelets do.

there are light bags made by Arkel called Dry Lites, very light, look them up, about $100 Can. a pair, no matter what panniers you use, remember that you can always sell good panniers used fairly easily afterwards.

same with a handlebar bag or whatever, not hard to sell.
or frame bags.

example, recently I have bought nearly new Ortlieb panniers and an Ortlieb handlebar bag for my wife off the equivelant of Craigs list, and they dont last long, people jump at them.

sounds like you have the right attitude to using what you have and making the bike useable, you'll have as much fun on a 8 speed repurposed bike as on a brand new 2000 dollar bike....

ps, 32's on dirt and gravel can be fine if you have moderate bike handling skills, especially if the bike's load isnt too much, and if you go the hotel route, it wont be, or shouldnt be in any case.

have fun thinking up build ideas, I understand the fun factor of doing this, as much as the trip. It keeps us out of the poolhalls....

Zerokreap

Yes, I am really taking the point about the rear rack to heart. I will definitely look for a rack that sticks out a bit more so that I can avoid the heal strikes. That would annoy the crap out of me and kill what little efficiency I have in my pedal stroke.

I'm not Peter Sagan, but I am an above average bike handler I would say...so perhaps the 32s will work. I definitely hate gravel on 23s. Of course, I don't typically ride on gravel, but you hit patches on those country roads. On this trip, if I can help it, there will be no unpaved roads at all...but 32s will be nice just in case.

In terms of the build, I am just hoping I can get a fairly upright position. I think I have the legs and lungs to go as far as anyone on a bike. My problem is a bulging disc in my neck. That is what has always kept me in the 25-35 mile range. It's not too bad if I am on the flats, but if I am climbing, and my upper back gets tight from pulling on the hoods, a massive headache ensues. Some NSAIDs are all that's needed to keep all that in check. So I am expecting to just take Aleve from start to finish on this trip to keep the problem at bay.

Squeezebox

Because doubles with brifters are not sloppy. IMHO Maybe it's the bar ends more than the deraileur?
Plenty of times I've seen someone having troubles shifting a triple. When I asked about it they said it shifted perfectly. Not what I saw or experienced. You can do whatever you want.
But do drop the insulting tone.

jefnvk

I like my Axiom Journey (non adjustable height version), it keeps my bags a bit further back. Decently priced too.

32s can handle quite a bit of crap, they are what I regularly ride on the local broken pavement/gravel trail. We did a few miles in stuff like this on 32s, when I didn't know how to read a map. No real issues whatsoever, except for a girlfriend less than pleased she was riding through mud!