Time to move to the next level. Multi week touring. What do I need?
#1
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Time to move to the next level. Multi week touring. What do I need?
This is my Soma. In November I'm leaving Korea and moving back to New Zealand to setup for my family and re-educate myself. But, before that I plan on riding the Length of the North Island and perhaps even the whole country. The bike has done brevets, Fleches, 300km all night rides. I've got her setup with a Garmin, lights for 24 hours, Rear luggage with panniers. The geometry is perfect. The saddle is right, I have tools and spares. Is there anyway I can improve her?
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If you can ride comfortably for 3-4 days with her as is you don't need to change anything. Just buy more food as you run through what you have onboard.
#3
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krobinson103, I'll simply suggest some preventive maintenance for the bicycle and gear.
Brad
Brad
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I can go for 400km in 24 hours and still feel reasonable and no tour is going to need that long in the saddle in a single day. I think I may just get a few spare spokes, couple of masterlinks, and as suggested replace the pads, check the hubs, and makes sure the drive train is solid before I leave.
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For a multi-week trip, I bring more sunscreen, toothpaste and shampoo than I carry for a 5 or 6 day trip. Seriously, you really only need to bring a bit more of the expendable items that you consume every day. Otherwise you don't need to carry much more gear.
On my last trip we rode 21 days not counting rest days. I carried two spare tubes and brought more spare patches than I usually bring, but we never had a flat. It was a very hilly trip and my brake pads were pretty worn before I left so I brought along one pair of brake pad inserts, but did not change inserts on the trip although the inserts now are pretty much shot. I also carried much more chain lube (3 oz bottle) than I usually carry, but we had almost no rain and I think I only needed a fraction of an ounce for the whole trip.
If your bike is in good shape: cables are good, chain is not stretched, etc., you should be in good shape.
On my last trip we rode 21 days not counting rest days. I carried two spare tubes and brought more spare patches than I usually bring, but we never had a flat. It was a very hilly trip and my brake pads were pretty worn before I left so I brought along one pair of brake pad inserts, but did not change inserts on the trip although the inserts now are pretty much shot. I also carried much more chain lube (3 oz bottle) than I usually carry, but we had almost no rain and I think I only needed a fraction of an ounce for the whole trip.
If your bike is in good shape: cables are good, chain is not stretched, etc., you should be in good shape.