Originally Posted by kyselad
Where did you get that info? According to the Surly site, the Cross Check has a 6.6 cm bb drop vs 7 cm drop on the Steamroller. But really, I should think either is plenty high, and one should keep in mind for touring that bb height comes with the cost of a higher center of gravity.
I didn't get it from anywhere: I wrongly assumed it.
As for the "higher center of gravity," I don't see that as a bad thing.
At the cruising speeds the OP will experience, that "higher center of gravity" equates to agility.
The Crosscheck and the Steamroller both look like good choices.
When it comes to minimalism, though, I like the purity of a dedicated fixed gear frame.
In the balance, the Crosscheck offers more options at a later date.
I'd go with the Steamroller.
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Does gmacmt intend to use the Black Diamond Lightsabre bivy again; and, if so, because it works well or because gmacmt already has it, or...?
What makes of sleeping pad and sleeping bag did you choose, and what temperatures do you expect to encounter during the colder parts of your tour?
Does gmacmt intend to carry his gear on his body, in a pack, or on the bike?
When I think minimalism, the idea of a clean bike (except perhaps for water bottles) seems attractive.
I ride with an extremely comfortable custom newspaperboy bag setup that makes 15 pounds and more doable for my kind of rides, but, not having ridden with it for an entire day, I wonder.
What tires and gear ratio does gmacmt have in mind?
Over the past two years I have geared
WAY DOWN to 61-63 gear inches, and I have learned to spin.
I like spinning, now that I know how to do it, and besides not giving up much speed, the lower gearing gives me a lot more control and safety, especially downhill.
The lower gearing lets me save my brakes, and presently I ride brakeless because I just don't use my brakes anymore.
I would think, though, on a tour, especially with a lot of dirt, it would save rims and brake pads if one could replace a portion of his braking with resistance pedaling.
Anyway, at 61 gear inches, I can high speed cruise at 19 mph for awhile, and I can cruise indefinitely at 15 mph (a four minute mile).
Regarding fenders, I ride year around and at my speeds (see above) I have found that a rear fender only (no front fender) meets my needs.
However, I service my chain (which receives significant crud from the front wheel) regularly by wiping it down and oiling it.
Finally, I noticed a lock ring tool on gmacmt's list, and I wonder why he would carry this.
Does he plan on changing cogs for different portions of his ride?