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Teen, First Tour, Need Various Advice

Old 02-15-11, 04:14 PM
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Teen, First Tour, Need Various Advice

Hey all, im new to these forums.
First off, im a mountain biker, i have raced in a series and one high school championship.

I am looking to do a tour from Bancroft, Ontario, around lake ontario and lake erie and back to Bancroft taking approximately 3 months and covering 2000km.

I currently own a Trek 6700, Link Here, which i use for mountain biking. I do not have the fund to purchase a new bike so i hope to use this for my tour. I will outfit it with a Bob Yak Trailer, a rear rack with two panniers, and a handlebar bag.

The only thing that i am concerned about is the frame material and the wheelset.
Im concerned about the frame because it is aluminum... it is nicely butted and i would assume that because it is suited for singletrack it can take some abuse, but will it hold up? and the wheels are bontrager ranger rims with 32 spokes.

I do plan on putting most of my heavy stuff in the Bob trailer.

also ive never had the BB regreased or the hubs serviced should i do that before my trip or will they be alright?
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Old 02-15-11, 04:25 PM
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Congrats on your touring plans, which seem well thought out. Welcome to the Forum.

The bike will likely be just fine as is. Sounds like a tough one to me. Trailer excellent idea for that type of bike.
As you're a bit concerned about the BB and hubs, have them looked at by a lbs you trust, along with the other components, including cassette teeth and chain. You don't want to start a tour worried about unserviced components failing. If you're running knobbies, might change to smoother tires for highway miles. Just make sure they are belted to resistent stickies.

Have fun and consider www.crazyguyonabike.com to journal your ride.
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Old 02-15-11, 04:34 PM
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What is your "heavy stuff"?

You should be able to get by with less baggage. I think two panniers, a rack top bag and a handlebar bag would likely cover most things, unless you are bringing a dog or something.

If your bike is built for off road, it sounds like it will be burly enough for on road touring. Keep in mind the heavier you make your bike, the more stresses it will encounter, and more failures will occur.
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Old 02-15-11, 04:45 PM
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i will definately be tenting so i think the heaviest items will be my tent equip, a small amount of camera stuff, and a small amount of cooking things

by bringing the trailer it will take quite a load off of my bike and whatever else wont fit in the trailer will go in panniers.. it was just a guess that i would use two, i may not need them.

the hubs and bb i can get looked at.. and i will probably ride the tires i have, which are well used bontrager jones which have a fine tread in the middle and a good but not big tread on the edges.. i figure the middle will wear away enough and i wouldnt mind finding a few bit of singletrack along the way.. i could just remove the traielr and giver.

im quite excited about this trip... ive been accepted to college but want to explore before i get in debt and need a full time job.. i figure ill do this once and will come back looking to save more for a bigger trip.

something you may find interesting too is to google Rob Cassibo. He road basically around the world and is a part time teacher at my local high school, ive had the priveledge of hearing a ton of his stories and he is truly inspirational.
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Old 02-15-11, 04:48 PM
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Originally Posted by quick_2
Hey all, im new to these forums.
Welcome!

Originally Posted by quick_2
I am looking to do a tour from Bancroft, Ontario, around lake ontario and lake erie and back to Bancroft taking approximately 3 months and covering 2000km.
Sounds like a nice ride.

Originally Posted by quick_2
Im concerned about the frame because it is aluminum... it is nicely butted and i would assume that because it is suited for singletrack it can take some abuse, but will it hold up?
It'll be fine. Lots of people tour on aluminum framed bikes.

Originally Posted by quick_2
and the wheels are bontrager ranger rims with 32 spokes.
As long as they are well built they should be fine. If you are concerned about them your LBS should be able to check the true and tension of them.

Originally Posted by quick_2
also ive never had the BB regreased or the hubs serviced should i do that before my trip or will they be alright?
How much mileage have you racked up and how are the hubs and BB doing? Generally these components will give some warning before failing catastrophically in a touring situation. If they are running smoothly now I wouldn't worry about it. Again, your LBS can probably take a look at them if you suspect a problem.
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Old 02-15-11, 04:51 PM
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I think a trailer and two panniers would be massively overkill for just about any tour.

I'd start with the standard advice; lay out everything you want to bring on your bed, and then pack half of it. If you can fit that into two painners and a handlebar bag, then you've just saved yourself the weight and cost of a trailer. If you're close, then see what you can pare down.

If you can't even get close, then I might suggest using the money you would have spent buying a trailer on some lighter gear.

Then again, I'm a light weight kinda person, a kitchen sink tourer might come by and give other advice.
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Old 02-15-11, 06:07 PM
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For warm weather touring, anything over 35 pounds of gear is more than most would need. Add water and food to that.
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Old 02-15-11, 11:06 PM
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This is a relatively light , but not spartan, setup on a light aluminum frame road bike. This trip was about 1200 km, but it also made several trips in the 800 km range. I carried the same amount of gear on all rides, and probably would not have added anything for a longer summer tour.

Your bike is probably a lot stronger than this one, and should be just fine.
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Old 02-15-11, 11:40 PM
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Sounds like a really fun ride. Most important out of anything, is just do it. I can't count the times that friends of mine have planned long bike/backpacking trips, and they just never get around to doing it. Always come up with an excuse.

Your bike will be fine, although I dont think you'll need a trailer AND 2 full panniers. You would probably be able to fit everything in the 2 panniers if you packed carefully. I don't even use panniers, I just use a single large dry bag on the back rack and a handlebar bag. Most of my camping stuff is pretty lightweight though. I also tour on an aluminum bike, and its fine.
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Old 02-15-11, 11:52 PM
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I agree with the posters indicating that a trailer and two panniers is overkill. If you want the ability to offroad, a Bob Ibex trailer would probably be best. Some suggestions:
  • A handlebar bag is really more for convenience's sake; the trailer will be more than sufficient to carry all your gear. If you can afford it, the Ortlieb Ultimate is a great choice unless you have a carbon handlebar. (I think your bar is aluminum, which should be able to handle the Ortlieb mount. The Klickfix mount for handlebar bags fits the Ortlieb bags, by the way, and is easier to attach and re-attach to the bars.)
  • Now's the time to look at your saddle and decide if you want something more appropriate to touring. Are you comfortable with 50-mile days in your current saddle?
  • Some barends might not be a bad idea. It's a cheap upgrade, and increases the number of hand positions available. (They can also be removed after the tour.)
  • Since your front fork has the ability to lock out the suspension, I suggest using this feature liberally.

In the end, you can tour on any bike. Have a great time!
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Old 02-16-11, 02:34 AM
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Welcome, and great dream. Make it happen!

You have a couple of long weekends before the end of school. Easter and May 24.
Think about getting your gear ready by then and take a 3 day 2 night test tour. It will help you itemize your packing list and decide if you really want panniers, a Bob trailer, or both.

Your chainstays may be pretty short. 43 cm or less. When you have panniers on the back, the heel of your shoe can hit the panniers if the chain stay is too short. That may be a good reason to go with just the Bob.

2000 kms in 3 months is a pretty relaxed schedule. 66 kms per day for 30 days is 2000 kms. Add 3 or 4 rest days and you are still at just over a month.

The other travel detail is that you will need a passport to enter the USA. It can take some time to get, after you send your application so apply for it soon.
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Old 02-16-11, 06:58 AM
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Welcome to the forum!

I have a Trek 6500 with a BOB trailer that I tour with so virtually the same set up that you are looking at. My first recommendation is to have the rear spokes upgraded. After two one week trips with my 6500 I had to respoke the rear wheel as i was popping spokes like crazy. They are good for mountain biking, but throw the weight of a trailer on them and it is too much stress. After doing that the wheel has been great! The second thing is that you will wear through tires very quickly with a trailer. I get about 3 weeks out of the standard tire that came with the bike when I am touring on the road.Last trip I went with slicks like the ones that come on the Trek T900 tandem.They are standing up much better and I have never had a flat. The only drawback is you can't do some hard core single track with them.

I definately agree with everyone else that you will not need panniers with the trailer. I have a 17 inch frame and there is no way that I could fit tem without hitting them with the back of my foot. Also they would ad extra stress to the back wheel. I have opted for a seat post mounted rear rack with a simple bag on the top so that I can keep tools, camera and food readily available. I have found this to be one of the best ad on's to my touring gear collection.

With this setup I have toured up to 1200km in a week or so and pick up my needed food daily as I pass through towns.There is no need to pack to much stuff with you if you are touring in areas that can sell it to you along the way. I keep 1 extra day of food with me at all times just in case you don't make it to the next town that day.

I agree that bar ends would be a great addition to the bike as well. You will find the lack of bar positions a great problem when you are touring everyday. After my last trip, my hands were numb for a week after the trip because of lack of bar positions. So a cheap add on that will make the trip way more enjoyable.

My longest day was 163km on my setup, and believe me my rear end was feeling it after an intense day, you may want to look at that saddle before you head out! I think you are being very conservative with your mileage. On most trips I plan to do up to 100km per day if the terrain allows. I usually split my day up, I ride for the first part of the day and then do tourist stuff and then ride later in the afternoon to my final destination for the day. I also take time to go swimming or just relax in the mid day heat.

What ever you decide for your final setup, make sure you do some weekend trips to try it all out and get rid of gear that you find you are not using.

I did my first bike trip solo when I was 19, over 20 years ago. I have to say that I have always enjoyed touring and am now touring with my 9 year old daughter on our tandem.

Here is a picture of my setup from a trip in 2009 which was a week long.
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Old 02-16-11, 11:54 AM
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wow thanks for all the replies.

Ill ditch either the trailer or the bags, im undecided as of yet, i make a trip to ottawa next week where ill be looking at trailers and bags which will help me with my descision

Ive decided that i will take a hammock instead of a tent which will save me weight, space and a mat.

I Will probably look at a longer route which will get me moving a little quicker.. i was just unsure as to how far i should travel in a day..

I have taken a few trips on my own, the longest being 130km in two days, two 1 day trips of 60km and some shorter 40km and lower.

I have a passport and it does not expire in the time of my trip so that is taken care of

The only thing i am concerned about is insurance. Should i get insurance? im not sure if i have the funds to get it and its not something i could see myself actually needing outside of really absurd things like being hit by a car or something. But im not taking any busy roads anyways, ill be sticking to as many backroads as i can.

also, Knuckleheads, how much do you weigh and what did your gear weight, im only 150lbs and i dont think my gear would weigh too much, ill look into different tyres and probably will get some bar ends, possibly two pairs, one for the middle and one outside.
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Old 02-16-11, 12:04 PM
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Originally Posted by quick_2
The only thing i am concerned about is insurance. Should i get insurance? im not sure if i have the funds to get it and its not something i could see myself actually needing outside of really absurd things like being hit by a car or something. But im not taking any busy roads anyways, ill be sticking to as many backroads as i can.
Since you will be riding the the States, I would definitely get health insurance. It shouldn't cost much.
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Old 02-16-11, 07:39 PM
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Quick_2

I weigh about 180lbs and my gear was at least 40 lbs. plus the weight of the trailer. I always travel so that i am comfortable. Nothing worse than not getting a good nights sleep. Definately check into the rear wheel re-spoking as well. It will save you a lot of hassle on your trip.

Good luck on your adventure!
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Old 02-16-11, 09:00 PM
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Originally Posted by quick_2
I currently own a Trek 6700, Link Here, which i use for mountain biking. I do not have the fund to purchase a new bike so i hope to use this for my tour. I will outfit it with a Bob Yak Trailer, a rear rack with two panniers, and a handlebar bag.

The only thing that i am concerned about is the frame material and the wheelset.
Im concerned about the frame because it is aluminum... it is nicely butted and i would assume that because it is suited for singletrack it can take some abuse, but will it hold up? and the wheels are bontrager ranger rims with 32 spokes.

I do plan on putting most of my heavy stuff in the Bob trailer.

also ive never had the BB regreased or the hubs serviced should i do that before my trip or will they be alright?
Don't bother with a handlebar bag that is cantilevered far out from the handlebars. it's worth having the wheels checked out and bearings repacked. 32 spokes is fine, it matters more if someone has gone over the wheels. There are a whole bunch of different tires good for touring. Aluminum is good, that's what your rims are made of. You could pile stuff on the bike or trailer, no need to pile on too much.
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Old 02-18-11, 10:47 PM
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This sounds like a great, worthy adventure. I'd say your bike should do fine, with a couple of tweaks. I'd also recommend having a good wheel builder look at your wheels - especially the rear, which is where spokes almost always break. Getting proper tension is important. I would think at your weight and with 26" wheels, 32 spokes should be fine. If it was me I might try and get a 36-spoke wheel built, because I'm 200 lbs. and have had a tour seriously hurt by broken spokes. However, it would be expensive and probably not necessary.

I'd recommend some good slick tires. I've put Tom Slicks on my shopping bike (they were cheap) but I don't know if I'd trust them on a tour. I presently have Schwalbes on my tourer and I really like them. I'd see what kinds of 26" road tires they have.

I took a tour with a Bob trailer and had plenty of room for all the stuff I normally bring - and I bring a lot. Plus, I'm 6'4" so my stuff is a little longer than "normal people" - long sleeping bag, long tent, XL clothes, etc. I had a set of small rear panniers and a trunk bag, plus a handlebar bag on that tour. I should have just taken the Bob. I like having some things within easy reach - wallet, camera, keys, sunscreen, snacks - so I like a handlebar bag, but it's not necessary to have one. One nice thing about putting some weight on the front wheel is it takes a little off the back.

I wouldn't tour with a hammock. I wouldn't want to depend on finding two trees or posts to hang it from. Plus, I don't like sleeping in them. I sleep on my side. Others have toured with them successfully.

After you've settled on a rig you think will work, go on some warm-up tours before you head out on "the big one." You'll adjust your packing list, equipment, etc. after every tour. It's nice to have some experience and know what kinds of things you prefer before you go on a big tour. It's a lot easier to change things between tours, than to try and make a change while you're out on the road.

Have a great time! My first tour was when I was in my early 20's, and I'm still doing it almost 40 years later. It's a great thing to do!
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Old 02-19-11, 12:53 AM
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ditto on the points put out already, I would stress that for travel in the states, IT IS SUPER IMPORTANT YOU GET BLUE CROSS travel insurance (or similiar) blue cross costs a few dollars per day or something, get your parents to get it for you.

seriously

a simple fall off a bike, busted arm or stitches, and the bill could easily be in the thousands. Whatever you do, dont screw around with no health insurance in teh states, it aint worth it. Look into Blue Cross, although perhaps your parents would know of others.

MEC sells Bob trailers, they are not cheap at $330, but it would suit your bike well. You could always sell it afterwards also if that was an issue.
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Old 02-19-11, 03:51 AM
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If you're going to tour with a hammock, make sure you have some experience sleeping in it in all weather conditions first.

Remember, the pad under your sleeping bag isn't really about comfort, it's more about warmth. This is even more important in a hammock, as you have a nice breeze flowing underneath you at all times. I've found in all but the balmiest of weather, I need some insulation underneath me in a hammock to prevent a cold bottom. If you don't want a bulky pad (understandably) you can use an underquilt, which packs much smaller.

As far as finding two trees, well, that's never been a problem for me when I've been hammock camping, it's really surprisingly easy. Certainly no harder than finding a nice 8X8 patch of level ground to pitch a tent. Of course this does vary a lot by your climate; some places the biggest issue might be finding two trees far enough apart (Redwood forests are an interesting challenge for hammock camping), and some places you might not be able to find two trees at once (Think desert).

As long as you're flexible in your site selection, comfortable enough with your kit to go to ground if need be, you should be fine.

And feel free to check out the fine folks as Hammockforums for more info
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Old 02-19-11, 07:11 AM
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Re the insurance thing:

Your odds of needing it is indeed tiny. And, in the US, emergency treatment at a hospital is mandated, regardless of your ability to pay. But, there will be bills, sometimes massive, depending on your illness/injury. Post ER care will depend on your ability to pay as long as you're in the US.

For your parent's peace of mind, and your own, secure some health insurance. That also will cover transport back to Canada. The higher the deductable, the lower the up front cost. Carry a credit card to cover the deductable.

Example of the unexpected: I was bitten by an insect while sleeping. Didn't even know it at the time. The bite turned into an abcess, requiring an ER visit. Bill: $350 for exam and Rx.

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Old 02-19-11, 09:04 AM
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Ill try to arrange insurance with my parents when the time comes, ill try out two rear panniers and will be sure to get the back wheel looked at by a wheel builder and have the hubs repacked by one of my buds. I feel pretty good about the hammock although i will be sure to take a few small tours before the big one, ive still got a few months beforehand so i should be able to get it all figured out
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Old 02-19-11, 11:56 AM
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Insurance: yes. While visiting the USA recently, I had a medical problem, and spent five hours in the Emergency ward of the local hospital. It wasn't too serious, and after I was discharged, I walked back to my hotel. The bill: $9100!

I have travel insurance that costs about $10 per month. If your parents already have a policy, they may be able to add your name at no extra cost.

Another way to get travel insurance is to apply for a Gold credit card. Mine costs $99 per year, and gives a lot of benefits, including travel insurance -- as long as I pay for some travel related expenses on the credit card.

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Old 02-19-11, 04:38 PM
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Another +1 on getting insurance.

It may seem expensive to buy but I have a 24 y/o brother in law who's already having to file bankruptcy because he thought it would be fun to race motorcycles on the street without health insurance. He crashed and while he is doing fine, he has ruined his credit for the next decade. Worth a little money up front to save a lot of money down the road.
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