Improvements and disimprovements over time

[oldwheels]

Bike packing vs. touring - What’s the difference?

Luggage quantity.

 

[All uphill]

a series of steel rods and 'Bell cranks' operate the brakes, still available I believe on 'Traditional' bikes, none of this sticky cable malakey

View attachment 624140

My first bikes had these. Lots of steel and engineering to make a pathetic scraping noise with no effect on speed.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Luggage quantity.

You haven’t seen some of the so called bike packers I have. They make it look like using panniers would be a minimalist option.

 

[Svendo]

I just wonder how well a 18 spoke wheel would hold up if one or two spokes went. Would it still be rideable or a complete Pringle?

I the past I’ve had a snapped spoke on a 20 spoke front wheel, I was able to open the brake calipers enough to get home. I don’t recall if I had to loosen the cable bolt or if the trim barrel and quick release were sufficient by themselves. I did have a functioning brake albeit a bit squiffy due to the buckle in the rim.

 

[raleighnut]

My first bikes had these. Lots of steel and engineering to make a pathetic scraping noise with no effect on speed.

Yep I had one of those too.

 

[Dogtrousers]

My modern trike has drum brakes but not seen any on a two wheeler for a long time.

Aren't coaster brakes drums? Very common on Dutch bikes. Or am I talking rubbish as usual.

The only tandem I've ever ridden had a drum brake I think. But it was about 40 years ago. So possibly more rubbish

 

[oldwheels]

Aren't coaster brakes drums? Very common on Dutch bikes. Or am I talking rubbish as usual.

The only tandem I've ever ridden had a drum brake I think. But it was about 40 years ago. So possibly more rubbish

I think yes coaster brakes are drums but not knowingly seen one for many years. I did ride one once sometime in the 1950s I think and it seemed very good at the time.
We had a tandem for a short while with very inadequate braking. Took a while to get used to it as my wife kept trying to steer from the back seat. She was not generally a back seat driver but was sometimes critical

 

[oldwheels]

You haven’t seen some of the so called bike packers I have. They make it look like using panniers would be a minimalist option.

I thought the idea of bikepacking was to be as light as possible. When a teenager we sometimes went off with a pot and primus for two people and cycle cape and I think a bit of soap and a bit of towel each. Two of us toured that way quite extensively. That was lightweight.

 

[Ian H]

We had a Arai screw-on drum brake on the back of our touring tandem. Drum brakes are really ideal for utility bikes, being impervious to weather and virtually maintenance-free.