Miles2go

Hi DW. Yes indeed, much can be added but I want it clean and uniform on the gallery page. It's quick for me that way. The new website will allow notes from the tourer, including links etc.

Maintaining links, especially hundreds of them is a job unto itself. I had a links page on the original site. I may have another links page one of these days but for now something would probably have to give. I work, doing something else I love. I teach private self-defense. I'm a competitive athlete. I have a family. It's probably good that I can still manage on 3-4 hours of sleep when I need to. Nice PBase gallery BTW.

nun

You have a nice pile over the back wheel. We all have indiscretions in our past, but we should share them and learn from them. The OP's site has been very useful to me over the years and I hope he/she keeps posting examples of these fully loaded bikes along with some less weighty riggs.

Miles2go

Note that as per his request, his bike is long gone from the site and another bike is #245. ...so that wouldn't be his "pile over the back wheel." Just clearing that up. And thanks Clive, I will certainly continue as long as I can and have just posted 4 new bikes on the home page, with another 15 in the que, waiting for me to edit and post over time.

Bekologist

"his bike is long gone...."

pique isn't very zen; bike touring with as little as is needed, is.

what is the sound of a light bike touring? WHEEEE!

DW99

Miles2go, looking forward to spending time on the new site. I have spent many hours over several years viewing "Fully Loaded" just to see what people are doing with their bikes and loads, what equipment people are using and like Antokelly a little bit of drooling over some of the bikes(#335). If I want to change bars or put on a new rack or add a kickstand, that's where I go to get a visual on those possibilities. The quality and content of the photos is excellent, we get to see places from all around the world. What is not to like about that?

Thanks for doing what you are doing!

staehpj1

For what it is worth I was carrying about 45 pounds plus any food and water. The rig looked like this:

That is a big honking 10 pound, 4 person tent on top (shared by three of us). This was on our 2007 Trans America and I think the gold dredge was at Austin Jct. Oregon.

I will also add that I am more comfortable and just as self sufficient with the much lighter loads I am carrying these days.

I too would like to see the site show a balance of rigs from light to heavy, but that apparently is not what Ron wants on his site and that is certainly his prerogative.

staehpj1

I asked, "Am I correct in assuming that they would be rejected based on how they are loaded?" on this thread (post #17). I took your non response as an answer. On the chance I was making a bad assumption, I will ask again. Would the rigs in post #17 of this thread make the cut if shot expertly in a beautiful setting?

I commend you if indeed you follow through on that. I am curious how you define "more equipped UL rides"? Does that mean more bulk and weight or just capability?

I will say that my more recent and lighter rigs are quite capable. On my Pacific Coast tour I loaned out items to more heavily loaded riders quite a few times and borrowed something only once (a can opener that I usually carry but either lost or forgot to pack). I camped and cooked in reasonable comfort and was overall more comfortable than on previous trips when I was carrying more.

indyfabz

Assuming one purpose of the site is to give people ideas for loading bikes for self-contained touring, it seems to me the site would be more useful if it included a broad range of set ups.

As noted, "more equipped" doesn't necessarily mean more capable.

Miles2go

To answer your question. They probably would under the new guidelines, if the setting and photography were there. There's already a bike on the homepage with roughly the same amount of gear on it.

My general touring audience needs to believe that the rider is on an extended tour. That's subjective and I'll make the call but it has always been one of the criteria I've had in place. This keeps obvious commuter bike photos out of the gallery, as well as photos of bicycles hauling goods to and from the market, etc. A bike with one smaller bag on the front and one smaller bag on the back won't likely make the gallery.

indyfabz

What is an "extended tour?" And why the need to "believe" that? And what if they aren't but only appear to be because of the size of the load? And on that issue, it's quite conceivable that someone would carry roughly the same amount of stuff on a 3-day trip as they would on a month long trip.

john426

It seems like a lot of people got up on the wrong side of bed these past few days!

Dear Miles to Go:

I liked your web site. I am a "credit card camper" type of touring cyclist so I often only need rear panniers. However I did like to see how others loaded their bikes. As far as I am concerned the more press we get about touring will help counteract the racing "weight weenies" type of cycling. Keep up the good work. My only suggestion would be a section on what to bring or how to pack (to keep bike balanced).

John

Miles2go

Well there are always people who think their way is right and everyone with a different point of view is wrong. Look at all of those over loaded tourers! Yeah, they must not know what they are doing.

nun

Miles2go has a nice site and he should be left to make his own editorial decisions. If someone wants to submit a UL setup for extended touring go ahead, but remember you can always post to CGOAB or just do your own site.

https://wheelsofchance.org/

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/p...id=230673&v=1F

wiiiim

Its just that elitism is a huge turn off for me, it go's against the very nature of bike touring
Whether you are cycling with a crappy mountainbike without bike bags but having everything strapped on, or going big budget on a Surly bike with a Rohloff and all the works, or going lightweight, its all the same, we're all just pushing pedals out to see the world
However, the idea of a gallery dedicated to touring is nice, someone should make a more open system where images can be viewed per category, with a proper search function and so on

Bekologist

come on,can't you see the heavily overloaded touring ethos is the only true path to bicycle touring enlightenment!

You've made that very clear. Snarking at an honest question about UL rigs really trumpeted the websites timbre.

FunkyStickman

I don't see the problem with miles2go wanting just fully loaded bikes for his gallery. I like looking through the gallery just for the wonderful photos, and the cool visual of a loaded bike... has nothing to do with my touring philosophy, I just like the pictures. His gallery doesn't have to suggest one certain type of touring over another. It's a photo gallery, not a touring manifesto. Why is that a problem?

Sounds like people are getting cabin fever...

nun

+1 people should back off a bit here. Miles2go can do entirely what he/she wants with the site. If people want a "fully integrated" touring site this might be a good time to set one up. Personally, I get a kick out of looking at all the "loaded" bikes and use them as an example of how not to pack for a tour. The only thing that bothers me slightly is that newcomers will be suckered into thinking you need 4x panniers to tour, but even that doesn't really concern me much.

Bekologist

I simply asked a very basic question about the dude's newly renamed site - 'where are the UL bike touring setups?' and instead of an explanation, was sniped that i had a lot of time to have started my own website???

-a curious way to garner goodwill about a website newly redesigned and dedicated to 'loaded touring' bikes.

I tour in trad, welterweight and UL style, and wondered where on the new loaded touring site the ultralite touring bike setups were.

Dude can, of course do what he wants with the laden touring bike gallery. I wish him zen blossoming.

skilsaw

Miles2go, what's your problem?
I recommend you use a bicycle seat.

DW99

Agreed! Personally I'm glad Miles2go let us know about the new format. He stated his intent and general philosophy concerning the website in the OP, it is his to do with as he wishes. I'm not getting the antagonism?

Niles H.

I enjoyed looking at the site. Must admit, though, that I enjoyed looking at the greater range and diversity in Kelly's (or Kelly and Jonathon's) compilation,

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?..._id=8000&v=2qz

And I would enjoy even more seeing something that also presented the full range and variety and alternatives among the UL setups, including SUL, XUL, SSUL, BXUL and other offerings, including the newer ideas, the cutting edge or edges, the lightened-up, and the more radical and experimental.

There is something about seeing the whole fantastic spectrum, the fullness of the diversity -- or just being aware of all these possibilities -- that is very appealing.

Some people may be feeling that perfectly good, in some cases even more advanced or evolved or thoughtful, touring approaches are being left out; and there is some truth or sense in wanting something more complete -- analogous to wanting the whole truth about something, or the full story, or full disclosure, etc., or something closer to it.

Thanks to all, though, for sharing whatever they have shared of all this.

Miles2go

Same broken record from conversions years past with you. Again, the people all over the world have it all wrong. I've got it all wrong with my website. You're obviously right, with whatever argument you wish to make. Dude this, zen that.... LOL.

- - -

I brought the news to this great forum to accomplish a couple of objectives and met them easily. Thanks everyone.

Tailwinds.

prathmann

True, but if he's going to come on here and request submissions I'd at least expect a return email indicating whether the submission was accepted/rejected and possibly a short explanation.

Miles2go

I've certainly been out of the loupe a couple of times, but life happens. See that bit I posted about what I do in my real life? In any case, I put forth a valiant effort by anyone's standards, but you'd have to be standing in my shoes to understand this fully. Also, there are some that clearly don't take the time to read or heed the submission guidelines, and If they didn't understand what I wrote the first time, they probably won't the second. I don't have time to respond to *all* of 'em.

People keep yammering about variety and the gallery has it. 11 million views wouldn't happen if it didn't. But more of it's coming; believe me.

Back to my website edits. That should about cover it and I'm turning the thread sub off. That's the last insight I'll be providing into ops of this gallery.

WalksOn2Wheels

Wow? What is going on here? So a guy wants "Fully loaded" touring bikes by his criteria for his personal site. There are UL sites. backpackinglight.com has a bike specific section and there is bikepacking.com for more offroad oriented "tours", but they don't mind a little roadie content from time to time.

As far as I'm concerned, Miles2Go has something of a photo blog with "reader" submissions. I wouldn't get all upset if I sent a picture of a nice sportbike in to a Harley magazine, only to have it rejected. Two schools of thought and two approaches.

I'm a UL style guy myself. Therefore, I won't be submitting any photos. I will still sleep at night and enjoy my days.