Virgle

beautiful

X-LinkedRider

Yes, extremely nice. We'll done and well balanced backing as well.

sleizure

Here's my Thorn Nomad MK II as I ride around the world. More details on build here: https://www.tiredofit.ca/2011/03/10/thorn-nomad-mk2/

alexaschwanden

^Good luck with your trip, and have fun.

egear

Not loaded but this is my Origin-8 700CX

https://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...gin8Tour-1.jpg

neverwilted

Frame up build on my Trek 790. took it on a fairbanks to seward trip. Did awesome!!! have received a lot of comments on this bike. 100% pure custome baby
<a href="https://media.photobucket.com/image/trek 790/mse871859949/790.jpg?o=1" target="_blank"><img src="https://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z362/mse871859949/790.jpg" border="0"></a>

neverwilted

https://media.photobucket.com/image/t...49/790.jpg?o=2

djyak

I lived in Alaska for a while, loved mountain bikng up there. The ride from Fairbanks to seward must have been fantastic on bike, so much to see!

neverwilted

I can't seem to find a loaded picture

djyak

Now that is what I call packing the "essentials."

X-LinkedRider

What front rack is that? I am very interested. Awesome bike!

alan s 

Salsa Down Under rack.

mr geeker

looks "loaded" to me...

max5480

will be loaded in two weeks:

AsanaCycles

carries about 7 days of provisions.

PhilJohnson

Nice! I like it. What kind of bike is that?

PhilJohnson

Nice! I like it. What kind of bike is that?

AsanaCycles

Surly Big Dummy

rzldzl

Another roadside attraction - Harris Creek Spruce - Vancouver Island between Cowichan Lake and Port Renfrew.

M_S

sandulea

It's really nice to see some rackless setups, especially on a Big Dummy (or longtails in general). To me frame bags look and feel more "intentional", as opposed to racks+panniers, which in my book feel improvised and are lacking in key areas, with bad clearances and worse aerodynamics. With this rig, I'm sure you have/had a lot of fun on your tour. I'm still at least 3 months away from my summer tour, and I haven't even rebuilt the bike yet, but these pics make me wanna start spraying the parts even in the cold weather here and hit the roads as soon as possible!

AsanaCycles

well...
it is very interesting how racks and panniers have come about.
but then again... frame bags are nothing new either.

I have to admit that I've experimented with a handful of hauling solutions.
the key with frame bags is obviously to have cargo that can compress down, and/or be crammed into "non-standard" shapes.
panniers are so conveniently square. easy to haul a laptop.

frame bags are pretty damn cool, there is a skill in packing them, choosing what goes in them, how to use those items, etc...

in the past, people have gone round and round over the topic of Frame Bags vs Panniers.
its not the bags, but really what you choose to pack.
conversely the bags provide the means of hauling.

so for instance its easy enough to use the BD with 2 Bob Trailer Dry Saks
heck, add a front rack, and use 2 large panniers up front AND a handlebar bag.

it really depends on what you want to haul, how you plan to tour, etc..

for me; the latest iteration of the BD with its frame bags is what I consider to be medium light. the bike can be fairly fast, especially if I use WTB Vulpine tires.

the bags limit what I'm carrying, so I'm thinking maybe a set of CrossMax would work out.

blah blah blah

at the moment, its shod in 2.4" MutanoRaptors which are starting to be worn down a fair amount, which lets it roll pretty fast on the pavement, then of course when it comes to dirt, I just let reduce the pressure.

for me, the amount of packing space it provides is quite a bit. Honestly, I hardly ever need that much space.

sandulea

Yeah, you really gotta think about what you carry with you when using frame bags. I miscalculated the bags' space last year on tour and I ended up carrying stuff like bread and other high volume, low weight objects in bags on my handlebars half the time. That was the only time I missed having a rack and being able to bungee things to it. I have to integrate a small rack in my current rig, to prevent this kind of problem in the future. Otherwise, each bag had a specific category of objects inside that also contributed to the shape, because I integrated minimal structural elements in the bags themselves.

I went through the racks and panniers phase, also rode with a trailer once, but I hated the way the bike felt when loaded, regardless of the bike used. Sure, it was simple and practical, but the ride and the feel while on road matter a lot to me, so over time I moved towards a lighter load and frame bags alone. At the moment, the gear, including camping stuff, some food, water and the bags themselves, weighs in at 20-22 pounds. But more importantly, the bike rides exactly the same when loaded or unloaded. If anything, the suspension is a little softer if left unadjusted so it rides even better. Also, on descents I rest my chin on the big gas tank (tent and foam mattress) and get a wicked aero position for the ultimate comfort and speed. The frame bags also give a nice, solid feel when on the bike. There's a great perceived difference between a skinny, bare frame between your legs and a big frame bag nearly 4 inches wide. You know it's not structural in any way, but it feels safer and comfier. I loathe the test rides with the bare frame when trying out different pieces, so I end up using a triangle frame bag constantly.

Below are a few of my past setups. All of them feature the same veteran frame, an italian aluminium frame, Elios Energy, that went through a slew of different wheel size combinations and from fully rigid to fully suspended, with many other combinations in between. Currently it's undergoing a rebuild, to replace steel with aluminium wherever possible and to seal most of the steel parts, to weatherproof it as much as possible. I'm also redesigning most of the critical mounts and intersections, because I made a lot of compromises last year trying to finish it in time for the big tour.

alexaschwanden

^nice unique touring bike.

PauseTheMoment

Love this color blue! I just picked up the 1985 Trek 520 (Silver) and I'm about to take my first tour on it in May!