Category: european bike epic

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bikes european bike epic general

the bike ride

The Surly LHT went out for a test ride today, from town back to the farm – a distance of just 45km which seems much further psychologically, but realistically is fairly similar in length to most other segments of 45 kilometres, and so didn’t take much more than two hours, even with my loaded panniers on and an unpleasant headwind.

 

 

In the end I got distracted with the riding and did not take many photos. Well, not only distracted with the riding, I also developed a gripping fear of getting catheads (or caltrops, or whatever you want to call them) stuck in my tyres, so I couldn’t leave the road to prop my bike up anywhere, as anywhere that wasn’t road probably had catheads. Not that the road was free of suspicion either. But the reason I was so anxious not to get a puncture is all due to the war of the wills I’m currently engaged in with my cantilever breaks, which I’m learning to hate with a vengeance. Yes I KNOW they’re simple. So simple that the relatively obvious act of un-doing them so you can get the wheel off, or re-connecting them so you have brakes again, seems almost impossibly for me and invariably ends with me wanting to kick them in frustration, but instead I just glare and beg a passer-by to help me.

 

 

So all photos were taken while standing over the bike, or while holding the bike with my spare hand. Combined with a fixed 50mm lens to shoot with, photo opportunities were rather limited.

 

 

I rode with both front and rear panniers on for the first time, plus the handlebar bag which is really really handy, and I’m not sure why I as so keen on avoiding getting one previously. Probably the fact they tend to look quite dorky, and my bikes have always been far too fashionable to stand bearing such a thing.

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bikes canada european bike epic general

surly long haul trucker: i has it

Thanks to the guys at Campione in Calgary, I’m now the happy owner of a very shiny Surly LHT.

 

 

It went for its first test ride today, and seems to work. And aaahhh, the smooth gear changes of a brand new bike. All stock components on it so far, no upgrades to fancier parts. I’ll probably keep it that way too, until things actually need replacing… except perhaps the saddle. A comfy saddle is always good.

 

 

(And yes, it is green)

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bikes european bike epic general

planning for europe

As I’ve been whiling my time away looking at accounts of bike tours, it suddenly occurred to me that my two rear panniers (Deuter Rack Pack I think they are) probably wouldn’t carry enough stuff for cycling round Europe for four months. Even if I lashed things on top of them. There would be water and food and camping gear, and maybe, just maybe, tying everything to the back of my bike would be do-able, but would not necessarily be very rideable. Lots of people seemed to have front panniers. Also, I would really need somewhere to put my camera bag. I could get a basket and tie it to the front of my bike, and put the camera bag in that. This solution wouldn’t be very waterproof though. Or dustproof. Or shakeproof. So I got all consumeriffic and started looking for things online. Then somehow managed to order everything, just like that…

So I’m soon to be the proud new owner of a small Ortlieb rackpack/duffel bag:

 

 

Ortlieb Classic Front Roller panniers:

 

 

A Tubus Tara Lowrider Front Rack Black to carry them:

 

 

And an Ortlieb Ultimate 5 Classic Bar Bag – to be padded with foam to provide a nice solid camera carrying case:

 

 

The plan is not to fill these all up, just because I’ll have the space now, but instead to have spare room available for extra things like food and water – so we don’t always have to be reliant on food shops being open, or water being where you need it. So now I have all the bits I need for cycling wherever I want. Hurrah! The most horrifying part of all of this is that my order came to about AUD$340 (with postage free) – but pricing these things at Australian shops comes to around AUD$700.

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bikes european bike epic general

surly

Well the planning is in motion for cycle touring round Europe for a few months next year. There’s a vague plan of the first couple of weeks of June cycling round Hokkaido in Japan, and then on to drop off extra luggage in Ireland, then ferry to France, and away. I’ve been trying to work out which of my bikes to take – the road bike, the Green Giant:

 

 

the mountain bike, the Blue Giant (with slicks on):

 

 

or some weird combination thereof, or maybe going single speed?

But yesterday I had an epiphany and instead I’m probably going to sell my road bike and buy a Surly Long Haul Trucker (or something similar, probably Surly though). With it’s nice steel frame and general suitability for touring it should be perfect for the job – with the added benefit that I can actually get one that will fit me, unlike the Green Giant, which has always been a bit on the large size.

 

 

I’d also stumbled across Epic Designs, all sorts of exciting bike bags and bits, made by Epic Eric. I’ve currently got a set of rear panniers, but a triangle bag with a gas tank probably wouldn’t go astray for creating some extra room (and I’ve fallen in love with the idea of the gas tank – all of my food within easy snacking reach… if it wasn’t too warm I’d contemplate just filling the thing with M&Ms…. yes, I might just have to do that).

Anyone want to buy my old road bike? $550, it’s a bargain. Look, the tyres even match the bar tape!