God dude, I hope you are planning to SLEEP some time before you leave.

RE: Loaded ride characteristics - the 520 feels just exactly riding a bike when it's loaded (45 pounds). A big, heavy bike. With a trailers, my other bike felt like there was someone standing behind me, pushing me around. YMMV. And downhill, that guy standing behind me tried to kill me, and it almost worked. "Tail wagging the dog" is a phrase that has been used by multiple people.

I'll try to answer your flock of questions:


1. will change the front rings. using replacement 11-34 on the back. Using a 22 on the front gives about 18 gear inches using a (replacement 11-34) 34 on the back and a top end of 108. . the 520 comes with 50-39-30 shimano r453 crank - can i just change the rings, or i need another crank? if so what crank?

26 is as low as you can go with the stock crank, you get 22 by swapping to mountain bike crank, your bike shop should be able to do this when they build it for you, for only the price difference between the two crank sets. I'm using a Shimano LX crank, stock derailleurs, 34tooth big ring, and I'm happy with it.
You might add a shift guard to keep the chain from popping off the small ring - i think it's called a 'chain watcher' or something like that. Just get the stock mountain bike crank, it's fine. And yeah, you don't need much on the top end.

2. is 22/32/44 a good combination with close enough shifting under loads uphill? I dont give a rip about top end, I typically spin OK, like a cadence 70-90. what will I get with 108 gear inches at 80 cadence?

It doesn't get much lower than 22x34, and that is fine. sometimes you will still not be able to spin, and will be pushing hard at 3 miles an hour. C'est la vie.

3. i use a 172.5 crank on my other bikes. go with same? does it matter since geometry is so different than racing bike?

same as what works for you already. Also this is true for saddle & pedals - move those from your race bike.

4. Shop thinks i need a 19"in the trek 520 (am i 5'10", short 30" pant leg inseam, longish torso ride a felt f1 racing bike in a 54cm). nobody has touring bikes in stock around here. LBS guy says 'relax' he's done this a lot of times, talks the talk but i am just testing.

no comment

A. I ALWAYS use assos chamois cream. never tried a long ride without it so I dont know how I'd feel without it. seems worth the space and weight to me.
bring it

D. here's another dumb one. anyone know how to wash a sleeping bag? mine is like OLD, never been used much since I camped when it was usually always warm enough not to need it. I mean I know you can wash down pillows so long as you tumble dry thoroughly. same for down bag? temp during wash cycle? use a fabric softener sheet in the dryer or not? seems like probably not, i bet those sheets leave an unwelcome residue. i dont use them on my shorts.

laundromat style front-loading washing machine with no agitator, warm or cold water, woolite or special down-wash product you can buy in an outdoor store (rei), dry on air or very low heat with clean tennis ball to break up down lumps (I put this in after a few drier cycles, not immediately), and keep drying it until it's dry, forever.

E. i'm using a dragonfly stove, how much fuel do you think i should carry on the bike. I have the tank that comes with the stove, also have an additional 11 oz fuel bottle. is it overkill to carry both bottles? i think the fact that i am asking this question means the answer is yes, but checking anyway. is white gas sold in less than a gallon? i know you can get small bottles of kerosene. of course there is unleaded gas but it seems a hassle to fill a teensie bottle with a huge nozzle.

One bottle, you can only buy the gas in huge containers in any normal place, but it's like $5 for the huge container, so just donate it back to the shop after you re-fill. you'll probably only have to refill 0 or 1 time in 4 weeks. gasoline burns dirty and stinks, so don't do that unless you really need to.

F. A minimalist approach would suggest bringing one spare tire and one tube, maybe two patch kits. The guy in my LBS (a seasoned tour guy) says "oh no, I bring THREE tubes. flats come in clusters, spend time patching tubes at the camp, not on the road.

I take 2 tubes, 1 folding tire (avocet), 1 patch kit

G. my LBS guy says in his early touring he discovered he prepared for too many unlikely scenarios, and managed to always not have enough food. How much is enough? what food. how much? i am a believer in steel cut oats for breakfast so will carry enough for a few days breakfasts.

Enough food is: look at the map, find the next town that has services (ask people what's there), figure out how many meals in between, carry that many meals plus a few granola bars, PBJ, bananas, newtons... or whatever you eat while riding. (usually this means you are carrying lunch plus a box of granola bars) Plus I always carry one "emergency dinner" - backpacking meal or couscous or packet of tuna - just something so that if I mess up and end up camping in the middle of nowhere, I have a meal. If I eat it, i replace it at the next opportunity. If the area is very remote/long distances between towns, I carry a little extra, just in case the riding takes longer than planned. Never had to carry more than 1.5 days food in the USA.

H I am aware of nutritional need while riding to sustain output. I use hammer gell (in bottles), sharkies, cliff shotes when doing cennturies. I'd imagine NOT stocking much of that stuff and refueling on the road unless no towns coming? or DO you carry a few days of gel packs and whatnot? what about electrolyte powder? (I like hammer HEED?), or drink gateraid when available?

I carry gu if I can find it, but sports drinks goop up your bottles, and if you let them fester you get sick. SO if you can't wash your bottles well, drink water, buy gatorade at gas stations/whatever.

I. what about recovery drinks? I am a believer in Hammer recoverite. rather than carry enough to make a difference, how does one eat after a days ride to help the legs? high carbs (pasta stuff) and protein - what travels well?

I don't use that, so no comment

J. bike has room for three water bottles. carry extra water?

take 3 bottles, fill 2 unless it's really far between towns. if it's really really far, buy an extra bottle of bottled water, strap in on somewhere/put in a pannier, recycle bottle when no longer needed.

K. carrying a topeak roadmorph pump - it seems like also carrying CO2 violates the minimalist rule? Ok, i get it. of course it does.
i just carry that same pump

M. seems like the headlight would suffice for a flashlight too. I think a blinkie on the back makes sense. is this correct? on helmet or on bike?
i carry both, have only ever used the headlight about 2ce.

N. I carry a mintyboost to power the garmin 305 for more than 7 hours. I am starting to get it, take the recharger for the batteries in the mintyboost off the list. use non rechargeable AA cells. mintyboost is emergency power for cell phone too. its built in the small altoids tin, so rides in bento bag with the cell and road food.
if you can stand it, ditch the garmin, get a simple bike computer that the battery lasts forever.

O. spare cables?
brake yes, der no.

wow that is a LOT of questions. i guess we should be alarmed at my level of experience here. is everyone so dumb about the first tour?

I don't think you are being dumb, you are excited and want it all to go well, and you are preparing, which is smart.

Don't overload yourself, because that can ruin it, and make sure your gear is being carried in a way that won't get loose/get into your wheels/make you crash. watch for flapping straps, tuck them in.

All your questions will sort themselves out after a few days on the road. I was just as excited/stressed/OCP as you before my first solo tour, and I had already done 3500 miles of touring with a friend. Settle down. It will be really fun.

Oh, at the beginning, expect to not sleep at all the night before your first ride, maybe not be able to eat, etc., from excitement. Plan a VERY short first day - like 20 miles. You will have to stop a bazillion times to adjust stuff, find stuff in your bags, change your clothes, go to the bathroom, etc.

You're gonna be fine. It's just like riding a bike and going car camping at the same time

anna