what would you do? HELP!?
- Thread starter iLB
- Start date
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Joe24
More serious cyclist than Bonj
- Location
- Nottingham
P clips.
If the driver is 18, he wont be able to drive over in Europe. I think you have to be driving for a few years before you can drive over there, unless you take another test(IIRC) which means you can drive over there before the few years(but i cant remember how many years at the moment
)
If it isnt the case though, get an old tranny van, and insure it for the minimum amount of time and use that? You could do with someone that has been driving a while though to make it cheaper.
Or, get an old estate car and do it that way?
Or just go and do it, take a sleeping bag each in a back pack and split a tarp between you and do it like that. Eat on the way getting cheap food. Maybe get a cheap small stove and a big pan, split that between you.
Just use a back pack.
If the driver is 18, he wont be able to drive over in Europe. I think you have to be driving for a few years before you can drive over there, unless you take another test(IIRC) which means you can drive over there before the few years(but i cant remember how many years at the moment
)If it isnt the case though, get an old tranny van, and insure it for the minimum amount of time and use that? You could do with someone that has been driving a while though to make it cheaper.
Or, get an old estate car and do it that way?
Or just go and do it, take a sleeping bag each in a back pack and split a tarp between you and do it like that. Eat on the way getting cheap food. Maybe get a cheap small stove and a big pan, split that between you.
Just use a back pack.
Tubus Fly would be my rack of choice for a racing bike. It is light, strong and narrow. At the front it is fitted to the brake bridge. The Tubus Vega is a heavier, stronger 4 point variant. If you are heavy I would feel less happy about the wheels. So really go ultralight if you can. Also fit at least a wider rear tyre (25, or perhaps even 28 mm if that will fit - probably not), to protect the wheel a bit.
Willem
Willem
RedBike
New Member
- Location
- Beside the road
the bikes we bought, spesh allez sport, mean that unsupported is also out of the question
A trailer. Mine cost me £26 new off ebay.
Edinbugh cycles have one in for about £150
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebw...f_SupersetQRY=Ktrailer&f_SortOrderID=-1&f_bct=
RedBike
New Member
- Location
- Beside the road
It would be a push but provided you're good at tetris and you each had a small rucksack aswell then you might get away with it.
Put your own clothes and sleeping bags in a rucksack then just use the trailer to carry the tent(s), cooking apps, food+water, sleeping mats.
I can't tell you how big the EBC trailer is but the bag for mine is 35 x 35 x 60 cm and it looks almost identical.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230338334201
Ten stone is indeed not much. With 15 kg luggage you would still be within the design limits of a bike like this (10 kg would be better). That topeak bag is small and not convenient. You want one that leaves the top free to strap a tent on. The Ortlieb backroller city (40 liter for two) is lighter and cheaper than the classic backroller, but still excellent quality.
As for traillers, I would not use a one wheeler like a bob or imitations with such light frames. Two wheelers keep themselves upright and that makes a big difference. The big Ortlieb Rackpack XL commonly used on trailers has a capacity of 90 liters.
Willem
As for traillers, I would not use a one wheeler like a bob or imitations with such light frames. Two wheelers keep themselves upright and that makes a big difference. The big Ortlieb Rackpack XL commonly used on trailers has a capacity of 90 liters.
Willem
ok, not wishing to sound too stupid, but how do paniers actually work? do they literally just clip on to the top of the rack, or sort of hook over?
also are they sold as a pair?
also as this completely changes the dynamics of the tour, would we need to reduce the daily milage- previously planned at a minimum 80 miles per day?
on a similar note what would we need to take, as with having a vehicle i would have taken loads of clothes, tools, spare parts, a very heavy camping stove and a proper size track pump - but this would not be possible with paniers ... so how do you decide what to take and what not to take?
thanks andy
also are they sold as a pair?
also as this completely changes the dynamics of the tour, would we need to reduce the daily milage- previously planned at a minimum 80 miles per day?
on a similar note what would we need to take, as with having a vehicle i would have taken loads of clothes, tools, spare parts, a very heavy camping stove and a proper size track pump - but this would not be possible with paniers ... so how do you decide what to take and what not to take?
thanks andy
Joe24
More serious cyclist than Bonj
- Location
- Nottingham
If you have a problem, find a bike shop and go ask for help.
I had a flat tyre when i was on holiday last year, and didnt have my teack pump. I was in Belgium aswell.
So i went to the LBS and got him to pump up my tyres. Very nice guy, and a nice bike shop.
I had a flat tyre when i was on holiday last year, and didnt have my teack pump. I was in Belgium aswell.
So i went to the LBS and got him to pump up my tyres. Very nice guy, and a nice bike shop.
The mechanics of panniers are simple. They come in pairs, and they have self closing hooks with which you attach them to the top rail of the rack. Pice of cake. They have a strap that serves as a handle and if you lift them by that strap, the hooks open and you can lift the bag from the bike's rack. A standard size for a pair of rear panniers is 40 liters. I think Ortlieb are the best. They are extremely rugged and from my expereince good for at least ten yeras of daily use. And they are waterproof, really. This particular model lacks some niceties, but in return it is rather cheaper - and lighter.
As for the rest of the gear, there are quite a few discussions here, but ultraliught means ultralight. So: two cycling pants, one pair of light trouers for in the evening, a few cycling jerseys, a sweater/fleece, and somethin glight against the rain. If you riude in spd shoes, you don't need other shoes. If you ride on racing shoes you obviously need light walking shoes as well. A Trangia 25 UL (for ultralight) is a nice meths stove for three. The alternative would be a gas canister stove, plus separate pans and a windscreen (same price altogether if you do not have light pots, and same weight).
Tents: good tents like Hilleberg are expensive. Do you have anything yet?
mattress: Thermarest Neoair is lightest and most compact and comfortable, but expensive. Closed cell foam is even lighter, cheap, but uncomfortable (good enough for the young).
Sleeping bag: PHD down bags are very light, good and expensive. What do you have?
In short try to make do with as much as possible with what you have, unless it is gigantic. Rear paniers and 15 kg each is possible without dramatic investment, and probably even less (there are three of you to share a few heavy items). Just don't take any unnecessary junk like chairs, extra shoes, extra clothing etc etc. The best luggage is the lugage you leave at home. Just google ultralight camping and you will get the idea.
You don't need to have punctures. I rarely do these days. You will need a good frame pump for high pressures: Zefal HPX is the classic choice. Finally borrow some accurate scales and use them mercilessly. You will discover that from the things you have like for example some shirts may be twice as heavy as other shirts. Use that knowledge.
Willem
As for the rest of the gear, there are quite a few discussions here, but ultraliught means ultralight. So: two cycling pants, one pair of light trouers for in the evening, a few cycling jerseys, a sweater/fleece, and somethin glight against the rain. If you riude in spd shoes, you don't need other shoes. If you ride on racing shoes you obviously need light walking shoes as well. A Trangia 25 UL (for ultralight) is a nice meths stove for three. The alternative would be a gas canister stove, plus separate pans and a windscreen (same price altogether if you do not have light pots, and same weight).
Tents: good tents like Hilleberg are expensive. Do you have anything yet?
mattress: Thermarest Neoair is lightest and most compact and comfortable, but expensive. Closed cell foam is even lighter, cheap, but uncomfortable (good enough for the young).
Sleeping bag: PHD down bags are very light, good and expensive. What do you have?
In short try to make do with as much as possible with what you have, unless it is gigantic. Rear paniers and 15 kg each is possible without dramatic investment, and probably even less (there are three of you to share a few heavy items). Just don't take any unnecessary junk like chairs, extra shoes, extra clothing etc etc. The best luggage is the lugage you leave at home. Just google ultralight camping and you will get the idea.
You don't need to have punctures. I rarely do these days. You will need a good frame pump for high pressures: Zefal HPX is the classic choice. Finally borrow some accurate scales and use them mercilessly. You will discover that from the things you have like for example some shirts may be twice as heavy as other shirts. Use that knowledge.
Willem
Joe24
More serious cyclist than Bonj
- Location
- Nottingham
Just take cycling clothes, dont bother with normal clothes.
currently i have a 2 season sleeping bag which weighs 970g, and packs up fairly small, it seems fairly light would you consider that to be light?
and a 2 man tent which weighs a smidge over 2.25kg as i do a fair amount of camping, its a mountain warehouse viperine 2... and i think thats fairly light for a tent as well
i also have a tiny wee stove that screws on to the top of a gas canister, although i guess that isnt suitable? unless we take two and are patient
and a 2 man tent which weighs a smidge over 2.25kg as i do a fair amount of camping, its a mountain warehouse viperine 2... and i think thats fairly light for a tent as well
i also have a tiny wee stove that screws on to the top of a gas canister, although i guess that isnt suitable? unless we take two and are patient
Joe24
More serious cyclist than Bonj
- Location
- Nottingham
ilovebikes said:at all? not even a pair of shorts and a t shirt?
Nah, dont bother.
Whats the point? Just go around in lycra.
