Being a non worrier I have a "Why would it"? attitude whereas others have a "What if it does"? one. My bikes are well maintained and I've never had a spoke break or a chain fail in my life and I think the last puncture I had was about 15 years ago although I do use M+ tyres. On my first major euro tour over a decade ago I went against my natural tendancy and took a lot of tools (weight) and in over 1200 miles never touched any of them, that was a lesson learned and I've reverted to type. Nowadays on tour I take the same as I do when I go out for a any ride and it all fits in a seat pouch, if I was setting out across the Nullaboor Plain then I'd do things differently.......
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Being a non worrier I have a "Why would it"? attitude whereas others have a "What if it does"? one. My bikes are well maintained and I've never had a spoke break or a chain fail in my life and I think the last puncture I had was about 15 years ago although I do use M+ tyres. On my first major euro tour over a decade ago I went against my natural tendancy and took a lot of tools (weight) and in over 1200 miles never touched any of them, that was a lesson learned and I've reverted to type. Nowadays on tour I take the same as I do when I go out for a any ride and it all fits in a seat pouch, if I was setting out across the Nullaboor Plain then I'd do things differently.......
- Location
- Inside my skull
Surely if it’s had a knock it’s likely to be badly adjusted and needs checking? Standard practice whether touring or not.
- Location
- London
Mechs, perfectly adjusted, can get knocked which moves them towards the wheel. May not be noticable until you change to the big cog at the back and so take a spoke out. So, yes, as i said, check all gears after a knock.
HobbesOnTour
Guru
- Location
- España
Ann Mustoe set off and cycled around the world apparently without the ability to fix a puncture!
The most important tools to pack are in your head 😊
Oh..... No matter how well prepped (or otherwise) my bike is pre-tour, it gets itself into some very unusual situations on tour.
The most important tools to pack are in your head 😊
Oh..... No matter how well prepped (or otherwise) my bike is pre-tour, it gets itself into some very unusual situations on tour.
Ann Mustoe set off and cycled around the world apparently without the ability to fix a puncture!
The most important tools to pack are in your head 😊
Oh..... No matter how well prepped (or otherwise) my bike is pre-tour, it gets itself into some very unusual situations on tour.
One day maybe something will go wrong but when it does I'll be grateful for all the tours I didn't carry a pile of unused tools (weight) around. My cousin must commute 5000 miles a year carrying just a multi-tool and a repair kit, but show him a 2 week tour and he'll start to plan tools/repairs/spares.
HobbesOnTour
Guru
- Location
- España
One day maybe something will go wrong but when it does I'll be grateful for all the tours I didn't carry a pile of unused tools (weight) around. My cousin must commute 5000 miles a year carrying just a multi-tool and a repair kit, but show him a 2 week tour and he'll start to plan tools/repairs/spares.
So…..your cousin does not see a two week tour as the same as a commute and thus treats it differently? Seems smart to me!
I'm not trying to be a smartass, although that's probably how it comes across.
I'm of the opinion that one of the biggest hindrances to people touring is fear or anxiety. If carrying those tools means that he actually goes on tour as opposed to just thinking about it, or enjoys his tour as opposed to fretting about every strange noise then fair fecks to him I say!
Given a choice between carrying weight on my bike or between my ears I'll plump for the bike every time!
It's better to be carrying things that you ultimately don't need than not be carrying things you ultimately do need.
That being said I mailed about a third of my stuff (mainly clothing) home on day 3 of my european tour, since I didn't have time to do a loaded test ride before leaving.
An itemised list of everything you think you might need is all good and proper but no luggage plan survives contact with the first long climb.
That being said I mailed about a third of my stuff (mainly clothing) home on day 3 of my european tour, since I didn't have time to do a loaded test ride before leaving.
An itemised list of everything you think you might need is all good and proper but no luggage plan survives contact with the first long climb.
How would a rider determine that?
My cousin prepares for every eventuality whereas I prepare for nothing other than a puncture or "something" adjustment. In all our tours, I can recall just 2 broken spokes (his) and his bottom bracket failing in Salamanca, it would be churlish of me to suggest these failings would be anythig to do with his panniers weighing twice+ as much as mine.......
Experience, whether your own or someone else's. As it stands, your own experience is more valuable when you have a bad time. Having only good experiences make one complacent.How would a rider determine that?
My cousin prepares for every eventuality whereas I prepare for nothing other than a puncture or "something" adjustment. In all our tours, I can recall just 2 broken spokes (his) and his bottom bracket failing in Salamanca, it would be churlish of me to suggest these failings would be anythig to do with his panniers weighing twice+ as much as mine.......
While bad experiences can make one overcautious - on the CC Lochs and Glens North tour I was insistent that people carry lots of water over the Drumochter Pass, because I had a very bad time when I ran out of water there on my "sod this, I'm off" bike tour over a decade prior - I'd still argue that it's better to carry too much than not enough.
I am not complacent, just realistic, I prepare and ride for a tour like I would for a day out in the Dales, being abroad makes no difference to me.
I ran out of water once, it was after a night on the piss in Fuente de Cantos and before the mountains into Seville, 40c, I didn't die.
andrew_s
Legendary Member
- Location
- Gloucester
You can get bits larger than base ~ I've got 8 mm allen, and 8 & 10 mm sockets that don't use a square adapter. I've even got a philips 000 bit for the arm of my glasses. They are rare though.
However, screwdriver bits aren't usable in some cases as the holder is too bulky - try tightening a loose brake lever clamp using one, for example.
Spokes:
Rear mech in the spokes: it happened to a mate as we were riding back from the pub one evening about 4 months ago. No spoke damage, but the mech and gear hanger were too badly damaged for use. My chain tool was deployed to convert to single speed, but I would comment that this is strictly to get you home. Cassettes are designed to allow the chain to derail easily, and with vertical dropouts and no rear mech, it does so too frequently to allow a tour to continue, and even getting to the closest bike shop wouldn't be easy.
Having said that, I would point out that the rear mech isn't the only cause of broken spokes. I've had them from someone else's pedal, a rock disturbed by the front wheel rolling over and hitting the back wheel (on the back side of the Veleta), and a batch of bad spokes that started breaking in the middle after a couple of years use.
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HobbesOnTour
Guru
- Location
- España
I'd tend to agree with this, except to be slightly pedantic and say that good experience tends to make us complacent unless we seek out alternative experiences.
Then to be really obtuse and play both sides of the coin, other's experiences are only of limited use to us because we don't know their total experience. The fact that I rode from A to B with zero punctures and you had 10 could just be down to dumb luck!
Again, I'd reinforce the point that we should do whatever we need to do to get us on the road, first of all, and keep us on the road (and in good spirits) no matter what happens.
HobbesOnTour
Guru
- Location
- España
This is where we're different. A bike tour (for me) is all about being different from my usual life. It doesn't have to be exotic destinations (but they help!). I can throw on my "touring head" and go away for a day or two and be away from the usual - even if I'm never that far from "the usual". A part of that is treating this bike ride as different to that bike ride. I'll go out of my way to make that happen - including packing differently.
(As an Irish guy living in the Netherlands I'd often pretend to be a tourist as opposed to a resident - it was a different experience!
)It's a bit of a conundrum because I'd often say to (non-touring) people that a bike tour is just like a bike ride - and most people can ride a bike. However, the value of a bike tour (for me) lies in the differences between bike touring and bike riding.
Not dying is not my personal guage of success or enjoyment
I'm sorry if it appears that I am trying to poke holes in what you are saying. The fact is that I feel for your cousin and they're not here to defend themselves
.If you think that your cousin's excess weight is slowing the two of you down you could always offer to help by carrying some of their gear
Not dying is not my personal guage of success or enjoyment
I'm sorry if it appears that I am trying to poke holes in what you are saying. The fact is that I feel for your cousin and they're not here to defend themselves
Actually, he had left me few days before my Fuente de Cantios episode, as I was often getting back to our room from my nocturnal activties as he was packing to ride out..................
