Any Advice
06-08-11 | 03:40 PM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,206
Likes: 1
From: British Columbia, Canada
Start out with a couple of overnight or weekend trips. Keep them short and easy, just to get used to the experience of touring. Test every piece of gear before you go on the longer trips. Make sure you have everything you need to set up the tent. Make sure you can use the camp stove and cookware.
The bike will handle differently when it's loaded for touring and you won't be able to go quite as far or quite as fast as with an empty bike. Get used to this by doing short treks close to home.
When you're trying something bigger, plan for anything that could realistically go wrong because eventually something will go wrong. If you're looking at off-road touring, then you're completely on your own and that's not always pleasant. When you plan your trip, it's a good idea to be a little conservative or pessimistic. You'll probably have a wonderful trip without incident, but sometimes it doesn't work out like that. Contingency plans are good.
Be sure you're ready for multiple flat tires or a broken chain or other similar issues. If you've got to walk your bike 20 kilometres because you've got a flat tire and no way to fix it, that can be a real downer. Likewise, if you're stranded because of a minor mechanical mishap, you won't have a great day.
And while you're at it, make sure you've got the clothing and camping gear you need if a summer storm comes up. Being cold and wet is not fun, especially if you don't know when the rain will end.
Good luck and keep us posted on how it goes when you do your tours.
The bike will handle differently when it's loaded for touring and you won't be able to go quite as far or quite as fast as with an empty bike. Get used to this by doing short treks close to home.
When you're trying something bigger, plan for anything that could realistically go wrong because eventually something will go wrong. If you're looking at off-road touring, then you're completely on your own and that's not always pleasant. When you plan your trip, it's a good idea to be a little conservative or pessimistic. You'll probably have a wonderful trip without incident, but sometimes it doesn't work out like that. Contingency plans are good.
Be sure you're ready for multiple flat tires or a broken chain or other similar issues. If you've got to walk your bike 20 kilometres because you've got a flat tire and no way to fix it, that can be a real downer. Likewise, if you're stranded because of a minor mechanical mishap, you won't have a great day.
And while you're at it, make sure you've got the clothing and camping gear you need if a summer storm comes up. Being cold and wet is not fun, especially if you don't know when the rain will end.
Good luck and keep us posted on how it goes when you do your tours.
06-08-11 | 04:06 PM
#3
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
From: Southern New Jersey
Thanks, I'm from Southern NJ, and I intend to ride some of the Wharton State Forest Trails. I have a lake cabin about 25mi from the furthest point away I could ride, thats kind of my saftey net for this summer.
06-08-11 | 04:51 PM
#4
Banned
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 43,586
Likes: 1,380
From: NW,Oregon Coast
Bikes: 8
Consider a Tubus front rack.. they make one to work, attached to the top of the suspension fork.
so the suspension has no new mass hung on it.
then a seatpost rack , if you got a full suspension bike ,
should be able to tie a dry bag on top of it.
keep your load volume down to that.
so the suspension has no new mass hung on it.
then a seatpost rack , if you got a full suspension bike ,
should be able to tie a dry bag on top of it.
keep your load volume down to that.
