Wiggle

My girlfriend and I are looking at doing a 3 day bike tour on the Magdelline Islands (north of PEI, Canada). She has some experience with this (she cycled across Canada several years ago) but I do not. Just want to make sure I have everything I will need. We intend to camp out there at least one night (B and B the other possibly).

I currently have two bikes, a Trek 7100 hybrid and a Jamis Ventura Sport road bike. I am leaning towards taking the Jamis as there are more positions for my hands and it is faster and more efficient. I am envisioning taking a larger set of rear panniers possible with a trunk bag and that should be enough I believe.

My first question is about weight: I weigh about 190lbs, I am currently cutting that down a little but will certainly still be 180+ by the time we go. Will this weight plus another 20-25lbs on the rear rack be an issue for a light road bike?

Second question: Currently the Jamis has stock 700 x 23s on it, is this too skinny for comfortable touring? I have 700 x 28 Schwalbe Marthons installed on my hybrid. Should I swap those wheels onto the Jamis for a little more versatility?

fietsbob

You could buy a Trek 520 .. Or .. use the 7100


A BoB trailer makes up for a Bike which is not so great with a rear rack

people use those riding the coast out here, towed by road bikes .

get your wheel tensioned and trued and have someone show you how to replace a spoke ..

sounds like the GF may already have some tools ..

bradtx

Wiggle, The Jamis, in all likelihood, is capable of carrying ~20 lb. of luggage (It looks to have provisions for a rear rack.) plus your body weight. I would use 25 mm tires or even 28 mm tires if there is frame and fork clearance.

The Trek is a more logical choice. If not equipped with bar ends, add a pair for extra hand positioning.

Brad

bikemig 

Concur that the Trek is probably the better choice. You can add European style trekking bars fairly easily; they're great as they'll add lots of hand positions and the cost is low since the shifters and brake levers you already own will work. I'd done a lot of touring and I like my drops but the trekking bars are a great alternative:

Dimension Trekking Bar 25.4mm Black - Modern Bike

hybridbkrdr

Some people on this forum have said they're comfortable with 32 or 37mm. But those who say they've passed in very rough areas said they couldn't survive even with a 38mm. So if I was going with a 700x42 or 26x1.75, I would consider the Panaracer Tourguard Plus Universal Cycles -- Panaracer TourGuard Plus Tire available in 700x42cc and 26x1.75 Universal Cycles -- Panaracer TourGuard Plus Tire
There's also the Michelin Protek Cross Max apparently available in 700x42 on bike24.com: Bike24 - Michelin Protek Cross Max 28 inch Wired Tire

*Disclaimer, I haven't tried these yet but just guessing based on size and tread patterns. They look "all-around" kind of tires instead of very slick or very knobby.

Of course, what's implied here is that you have a bike that can take these size tires.

There's also a Michelin Cross 37-622 here: https://www.xxcycle.com/michelin-prot...e-28-w,,en.php and in Canada https://cyclepath.ca/shop/product_inf...37a796e7510c1a

Ha, I found one on amazon in France even though I'm in Canada. (Michelin Cross 42-622) https://www.amazon.fr/Michelin-Protek...otek+Cross+Max

djb

Go with the trek, the gearing is better suited (it will be windy as a son of a gun) and you'll appreciate the granny, plus the wheels are better suited so you won't have spoke issues (I'd still get a bike store to check the spoke tensions beforehand, tell them you'll be putting on 25lbs + on the rear)
You won't be needing to do huge distances so I'd go with "more robust" and if you still have the original 35mm tires of the trek, that would help with riding on dirt roads and such (sandy obviously too), if you don't have them still, heck you could just buy some cheap 38s for the trip, will be easier when exploring back roads and lanes.

Have fun, you're from out east so used to wind but be prepared for having it.

PS another fan of bar ends if not on bike, cheap ones will work fine and as mentioned, will give another hand position.

Wiggle

An update:
As suggested here I have decided to fit up the Trek. I've actually turned the bike into a commuting and touring bike and kept the road bike pretty stock. I added a Filzer PR-4 rack, MEC Aquanot Panniers , Planet Bike Fenders and a trekking bar. The trekking bar still needs a bit of setup (want to add bar tape to it). The trekking bars seem interesting, from my time on the trainer it seems like many hand positions are available, I may be able to lay my forearms directly across them.

For tires, I forgot to mention that I had replaced the stock 700 x 35s with 700 x 28 Schwalbe Marathon. I assume these will be ok as the roads are all paved over there. I've also dropped between 5 and 10 lbs so less weight for the bike.

JDFLood

Before you go. Load it up + maybe and extra 10 lbs. Do a couple rides on the weekend. Make sure the frame isn't flexing too much. I an 6'3" and weigh 250, I can't load a standard road bike without overloading it. Smaller frames tend to be more ridged, so hopefully your ok.

bradtx

Wiggle, Thanks for the update, enjoy the bike.

Brad

Lone

I recommend 36-spoke wheels and 28mm tires.

Wiggle

Got my trekking bars all setup now. Initially had the shifters flipped over close but after trying it out on the trainer decided to orient them further away instead. These bars seem to offer lots of options and with the adjustable stem on my bike I was able to get it setup well for me. Almost all set now, just need to trim up those fender rods. Quite happy with it though, it should make a good touring, commuting/city bike. Panniers not shown in this shot, anything else I am missing to make this tour ready?

axolotl

As djb indicated above, be prepared for some fierce winds. The Magdalen Islands (Iles de la Madeleine) are very pretty, but they are up there with Patagonia for the worst winds I've ever encountered. The wind completely changed directions while we were there, but it never let up. Ile d'Entree is the only inhabited island that you can't ride to, but it's well worth taking the ferry there to go hiking on it. On a sunny day (which we had), it's gorgeous. Grosse Ile up in the north of the archipelago is the other anglophone community besides Ile d'Entree, and there is an interesting accent there. BTW, the roads were fine.

Wiggle

Thanks for the info. Any tips for dealing with wind? I assume just wearing snugger fitting clothing, nothing baggy.

axolotl

We drafted each other a lot when we had a stiff headwind.

Wiggle

For tools and parts I was going to bring the following, let me know if I'm missing anything:

Allen keys
Philips screwdriver
Tire levers
2 x tubes
Chain lube
Spare brake pads

bikemig 

Keep calm and carry on. There is nothing you can do about wind other than put yourself in the right mind set to deal with it.

staehpj1

Good point. When I have toured with companions I found that made a huge difference. I tour alone more often than not though, so usually it isn't an option.

Oh and knock out most of your miles early in the day. Start in the dark if necessary. Most places the wind seems to usually kick up in the afternoon, knocking out most/all of your mile before then helps. If necessary do some mile in the evening when/if the wind dies down.

fietsbob

Just noting they are to my eye backwards , standard set up is brakes and shifters on the back, near side ..

Maybe the stem is too Low **. perhaps add a stem riser the stepped tube quill type ?
or a quill to threadless conversion type ?

I have mine set up a skosh higher than the saddle..

See:https://www.cyclofiend.com/working/20...clark1008.html


Front grip with bent elbows Then gives the low, bend over into the headwinds, posture .
as if using The drops of that bar style..

** or you have too small a frame size for your size, have showing, a lot of seatpost out..

may not have enough left in the frame (danger!)

nfmisso

A plan for dealing with a broken spoke - usually drive side. Something like this: Amazon.com : FiberFix Emergency Spoke Replacement Kit : Bike Spokes And Accessories : Sports & Outdoors At least one for each bike.

Wiggle

Thanks for the input. I actually initially had the bars installed the way most people do it but experimented with many stem positions and wasn't able to get a setup I liked. Once I reversed it felt more comfortable.

That frame is about at the limit for my height. Went with that because I have long legs and stumpy torso. The seat post is past (lower than) the joint between the different tube sections and I see no signs of fatigue in the area.

fietsbob

but did not consider changing the stem it self I suppose.
[(IDK much more than zero about your Trek dealer In NS), Ours may have done better.. ]

Others have shown .. Marked limit line on the post may still fatigue crack the frame ,

it is a Long lever.. Perhaps the suspension on it may reduce some bending.


Yes if it physically does not insert down past the bottom of the top tube .
.. People have broken frames.. & said so here..


you may have been better suited to a frame with a level top tube.. good luck ..

at least Trek will replace the frame , if you have the Sales receipt.

Wiggle

It drops below the bottom of the top tube, just not by a whole lot. For the bars I may try flipping them upside down though and see if that feels better.

Wiggle

Will consider it, but as the trip is soon I probably won't bother now. It is quite useable as is and the islands are not huge so I will not be covering a ton of miles.

fietsbob

Stem raiser? consider the threadless stem conversions

Ala Stem Raisers & Adapters : Alloy Threadless Adapter

This is what I used on my cut too short fork steerer , shown on bike I linked to ..

BHP-21 - Headset parts - BBB

Wiggle

Thanks. I'm not too familiar with threadless to threaded adaptors. Which option is the best if I just want a bit more vertical raise and keeping the adjustable stem? I'd like about 50mm raise or so. That would be enough to flip the bar around and keep the brakes close rather than far.