This is my Jamis Aurora Elite 2010 only with my rear panniers on. The rear panniers are the Axiom Pro Typhoon tour. I also have the Monsoons in the mail. My buddy and I are doing a tour from Asheville, North Carolina to Andover, Maine. If you are wanting to follow our tour I will post a blog soon, or just message me if I forget. We leave July 31st and plan on getting there by the 21st.

I will post a picture of my bike fully packed when I get a chance.

on tour right now. was at the welcome to illinois sign.

Our loaded bikes while on a weekend camping tour this past weekend. The first photo is in front of a diner in Atco, NJ, the second at the campsite in Vineland, NJ.

i'm sure this has been discussed ad nauseum, so if there is another link, feel free to point me in that direction...

What is the general consensus on packing weight distribution. Is it better to load the back heavy and leave the front light, or balance the load?

I've never weighed my packing items, but if I had to guess, my weight distribution, judging by how it feels when I pick up the bike, is 30/70, rear biased.

Hey all, just curious how some of you with the large handlebar bags (posts #2633, 2667 for example) mount a front light? My front rack is a Tubus Ergo, so I would like to have a setup like in post #2707...but the diameter of the little bit that loops over the front wheel is too small for my light to clamp down on. I realize I could go out and buy a different light, but I was hoping someone out there might have some other ideas first. Light is a Mako 3.0. Thanks!

I used a piece of tubing from a radiator hose and zip ties to mount the light. And I perfer to load my bike with 40 on the front and 30 on the back. I broke 4 spokes on the rear at the beginning of a trip and quickly learned!

haha, good call, he stays home :/

On the edge of a cotton field just near Bacon's Castle, south of Richmond, VA. <3 my Surly...

I'm now ready to go on my tour, thanks mostly to help from this forum and several ultralight guides, including iik's and staehpj1's. This is my first, and I'm with two other guys. We're shooting for 3,000 miles around the Northeast including Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and New Jersey. This picture was taken in Massachusetts, it's the last dry run. The bags are now full of food and supplies, I'm going over checklists like a madman. Here's my gear list for those interested (Google Doc)


Final Test for 3,000 mile August tour in Northeastern U.S. (Trip in 3 days) by Max Roman, on Flickr

mdil, is it the photo angle, or the seatpost setback thingee, but it looks like you've put your seat all the way forward in the seatpost. If so, be aware that this isnt good for your knees, if not, ignore me.

mdil - that setup looks awesome; just enough but not too much.

My Trucker Deluxe packed for my Newfoundland tour.

With the bike loaded I want the front heavier. When YOU get on the bike you will load the rear wheel up. I try to shoot for 60/40 front/rear. You also want the weight as low as you can reasonably get it.

Aaron

Here's my Vaya2 (2.0.) For the latest tour I'd changed saddles, tyres and finally broke down and got a handlebar bag. The current low of 24 gear inches still seems to work well for me on pavement, but I'm changing out the cassette and RD to lower the gearing for an off-road project I'm planning.

another shake down ride....getting close to leaving....can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!



action photo!!!!!

1985 Trek 520 - Just finished a 1,700 mi tour from Seattle to Mexico via the Pacific Coast with this beauty...


1985 Trek 520 and 1986 Fuji Palisade


Taking a break before heading over the Golden Gate Bridge


Big Sur baby!


Now that's what I call FULLY loaded! My bike looks like a mobile grocery store.


The final day of the trip at the border of Mexico!

For those who are interested in reading our experiences from the Pacific Coast, please head on over to my blog to read all about our tour...

www.pausethemoment.com

Safe Travels!,

Ryan

From the top of the windmill.
https://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/on/windmill/index.aspx




On the Glenora Ferry in Prince Edward County, Ontario
https://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller/ferry/

Here's my new setup. I lost the front fender in an "accident" I it it with my leg when I turned and ripped it off. Also a recent upgrade is a proper Ortlieb front handlebar bag. Raleigh Sojourn with Brooks seat, and of course the B.O.B. Yak. The panniers are Ortlieb Classics. Here's a "mini" tour of Manitoba, Canada. (260km weekend tour)

@B200Pilot - That's a lot of stuff! And I thought I was an ultra-heavy tourer. Nice-looking setup, though.

First Tour. Went through the Shenandoah National Park on Skyline Drive from milepost 105 to about 32.

Looks great. Hope you had good weather. I see your camp set-up, and the more I see it, the more I'm thinking of ditching my tent and buying a hammock.

Thanks. Weather was great. I did have storms and rain but I was actually looking forward to getting bad weather and trying out the gear. It's all new stuff. It did work great. I stayed dry and cozy. I haven't done a lot of camping or used a lot of different setups; I go a few times a year and have a simple Eureka tent. So I can't speak from a lot of experience but I will say that I love the versatility of the hammock and I learned new tricks each night, from setup to sleeping/use. It's a lot of fun.

It's a Hennessy hammock. I picked it after much research. I can't say much about durability (just got it) though it does seem well made. Easy to setup, easy to take down. Don't need a flat/clear ground area. Compact and lightweight and comfortable.

Here is my Kellys touring bike fully loaded for a 700km / 6 days tour from Bratislava (Slovakia) to Zadar (Croatia)



The panniers are Sport Arsenal - a Czech brand, they are cheap. The rear ones are waterproof, the front are not, so I packed my clothes and sleeping bag in the waterproof ones, and the rest (chargers, repair tools, food, raingear) in the front.

The frame is a basic Aluminum, the front fork is steel Kona with lowrider mounts.