Tips and Tricks
#476
Harsh Adventurer
Cut the beads off of an old tires and then cut the casing into small sections (1 to 2"). These make excellent tire boots, useful for fixing tire splits, rim tape failure and large holes in the tires. Carry a couple of these with your spares. Make sure you carry boots that a the same width of smaller than your tires.
#477
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Spokane Area
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Bikes: 2021 Salsa Warbird, (Specially Love my) 2021 Salsa Cutthroat, 2012 Surly LHT, 2015 Surly Cross-Check, 2008 Giant OCR A1, 2005 Leader 735R, 2005 Gary Fisher Montare, 1991 Nishiki Pueblo,
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or one can singe the end of straws to seal and make them water proof, moisture proof, ... could also be used for carrying matches, fire starters, etc,
#478
Full Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Spokane Area
Posts: 312
Bikes: 2021 Salsa Warbird, (Specially Love my) 2021 Salsa Cutthroat, 2012 Surly LHT, 2015 Surly Cross-Check, 2008 Giant OCR A1, 2005 Leader 735R, 2005 Gary Fisher Montare, 1991 Nishiki Pueblo,
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#479
Harsh Adventurer
I wrap about 6' of duct tape around the barrel of my CO2 inflator. It fake up almost no additional space and is always east to find
#480
Newbie
Join Date: May 2014
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So many great tipps, but I couldn't find one answer: How do you guys handle rain?
I don't mean riding in the rain, I mean the effect of rain on your bike. It always bothers me keeping my bicycle out in the rain, for fear of lube washing off and rust. But is it worth the hassle (and weight, about 750g), to pitch a rain cover every night?
How do you do it, do you keep your bicycle dry whenever possible, or should a bike handle a bit of water?
I don't mean riding in the rain, I mean the effect of rain on your bike. It always bothers me keeping my bicycle out in the rain, for fear of lube washing off and rust. But is it worth the hassle (and weight, about 750g), to pitch a rain cover every night?
How do you do it, do you keep your bicycle dry whenever possible, or should a bike handle a bit of water?
#482
Flying and Riding
Yep, same as riding when it rains, or when I wash it. It's gonna get wet, relax and lube it afterward.
#484
Harsh Adventurer
Yea, the chain is a good place to start. Be sure to wipe the chain clean of all excess oil after you lubricate it. Bearings are unlikely to require any lubrication unless they have been submurged. Lightly lubricate the pivot points on the derailure and put a little lubricant at the orifices of your cables. A little oil goes a long way. Over lubricating just attracts dirt and grit.
#485
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Currently living in Oakdale, CA about 20 mi. NE of Modesto in the hot central valley.
Posts: 388
Bikes: Surly LHTD with a YAK trailer. I may have to ditch the trailer and go to panniers but I'll give it a try and see what happens.
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How do you guys handle rain? I don't mean riding in the rain, I mean the effect of rain on your bike. It always bothers me keeping my bicycle out in the rain, for fear of lube washing off and rust. But is it worth the hassle (and weight, about 750g), to pitch a rain cover every night?
#486
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Currently living in Oakdale, CA about 20 mi. NE of Modesto in the hot central valley.
Posts: 388
Bikes: Surly LHTD with a YAK trailer. I may have to ditch the trailer and go to panniers but I'll give it a try and see what happens.
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My approach is to lube it really good every week to ten days and then just run it 'til it wears out and replace it.
#487
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Southern California
Posts: 10
Bikes: 2013 Salsa Vaya 3, 2010 Surly Cross Check
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Want to carry salt and pepper but don't want to bring individual shakers or the packets you grab from restaurants are always saturated by moisture? Use a clean contact lens case. Your salt and pepper will always be together and it never gets ruined by moisture. You can ask waitresses at restaurants to refill them for you when you run low.
#488
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: east bay area,CA
Posts: 335
Bikes: Salsa Fargo commuter,Litespeed Ocoee titanium mountain bike cannondale caad9 105 road bike
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The best garbage bags I've found are turkey bags. They're practically indistructable, don't leak oder and are just about the right size for 1 person up to a week or more in the back country . Thats what I use anyway.
#489
Harsh Adventurer
What is a turkey bag? And where can you get one? I like to carry a couple of durable, light weight bags when touring. There is always a good use for them.
#490
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: east bay area,CA
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Bikes: Salsa Fargo commuter,Litespeed Ocoee titanium mountain bike cannondale caad9 105 road bike
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Turkey oven bags..that you cook a turkey in...but marijuana dealers probably buy most of them..pretty much a standard way to store/sell a Pound..lol
#491
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: North Texas
Posts: 277
Bikes: Surly Disc Trucker, Ogre, Steamroller
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Something I learned in the military....
buy a pancho liner. They are made of silk and are extremely light and warm.
buy a pancho liner. They are made of silk and are extremely light and warm.
#492
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#493
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Course waxed nylon thread is a good alternative to zip ties for securing housing or cables. I already carry some with the awl I use for bag repair and modification.
#494
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Port Coquitlam BC Canada
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I was determined to carry my DSLR on my one week tour last year but could not find a handlebar bag and mount system (at least not one I was willing to pay for) that would work with the secondary "cross" brake levers on the bars. My solution: a Lowepro fanny pack camera bag and a cam strap. I ran the cam strap across between the front end of the drop bars, threading it through the tripod straps on the bottom of the fanny pack. This supported the bag and the remaining part of the loop ran across the back side of the bag and held it away from the brake levers. The cam strap helped to absorb the road noise and I felt much better about the camera being in a dedicated camera bag. If this explanation makes no sense and you are interested in how it works, drop me a note and I can make the effort to post a pic.
The the nicest thing about this setup was it only took seconds to unclip the bag from the bike and pull the belt straps out to use it as a fanny pack so I did not have to walk around with a handlebar bag in my hand. I also left the cam strap on the bike and re-routed it through the front wheel as a quick theft deterrent.
The the nicest thing about this setup was it only took seconds to unclip the bag from the bike and pull the belt straps out to use it as a fanny pack so I did not have to walk around with a handlebar bag in my hand. I also left the cam strap on the bike and re-routed it through the front wheel as a quick theft deterrent.
#495
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Mobile, AL
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Bikes: 2005 Fuji Touring, '93 Diamondback Outlook, '94 Diamondback Outlook
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I love this thread, hope to see more replies about things people do on tour, it's very helpful. My two favorites that I've used are the velcro strap parking brake and the tube being used as a hose pipe. I added a small hose clamp and carry it in a small nylon bag, use it to wash off the bike and can be used to shower with.
#496
Senior Member
There's a lighted cap for the malgene bottle fire fly works great and doubles as safety light it has blinking mode.
#497
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: North Texas
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Got a zipper that sticks on your tent or whatever? Just rub some chapstick on it.
#498
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So many great tipps, but I couldn't find one answer: How do you guys handle rain?
I don't mean riding in the rain, I mean the effect of rain on your bike. It always bothers me keeping my bicycle out in the rain, for fear of lube washing off and rust. But is it worth the hassle (and weight, about 750g), to pitch a rain cover every night?
How do you do it, do you keep your bicycle dry whenever possible, or should a bike handle a bit of water?
I don't mean riding in the rain, I mean the effect of rain on your bike. It always bothers me keeping my bicycle out in the rain, for fear of lube washing off and rust. But is it worth the hassle (and weight, about 750g), to pitch a rain cover every night?
How do you do it, do you keep your bicycle dry whenever possible, or should a bike handle a bit of water?
#499
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I've always used an extra produce bag from the store. What you do is put an extra bag in the bag you have the produce you're buying. Now you have a nice bag that hasn't been unfolded. Easy to pack away till needed too.
#500
www.Click-Stand.com
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Aberdeen, WA
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I did a quick check to see if this had already been dealt with, and was surprised to find that it hadn't - or at least not in exactly the same manner as my solution for a "parking brake", which involves using a Velcro™ strap looped through the front wheel and down-tube. It makes the bike much more docile when leaning it against a wall/bench/whatever… (see pic…)
- Wil
PS - this could be better described as a "hobble" than a brake…
- Wil
PS - this could be better described as a "hobble" than a brake…