Fully Loaded - Touring Bikes

[niggle]

The Karrimors are attached to the rack by plastic hooks with red locking buttons (which you can just see above the panniers). They are pretty secure in use and quite quick and easy to attach and detach, but yes they do look a bit flimsy and are no doubt completely irreplacable, though possibly another hook system could be attached to the metal rails?

When your hooks break (I seldom had them break, only in an accident), you can fix the bags to the rack with zip-ties or a cableclamp.

Certainly to carry on with a tour etc., and I do always have a few zip ties with me, but a permanent fix would be needed eventually so that I can remove and replace the panniers.

[Ivo]

The Karrimors are attached to the rack by plastic hooks with red locking buttons (which you can just see above the panniers). They are pretty secure in use and quite quick and easy to attach and detach, but yes they do look a bit flimsy and are no doubt completely irreplacable, though possibly another hook system could be attached to the metal rails?

When your hooks break (I seldom had them break, only in an accident), you can fix the bags to the rack with zip-ties or a cableclamp.

Certainly to carry on with a tour etc., and I do always have a few zip ties with me, but a permanent fix would be needed eventually so that I can remove and replace the panniers.

It's indeed more something like, fix it at the roadside with zip ties, and replace the hooks at home. Last time I broke a hook on tour was 2002 I guess, when a Belgrade cardriver smashed his door into my pannier.

[clarion]

Not us, nor yet quite fully loaded, but we saw two unusually loaded bikes in East Grinstead

[Cudzoziemiec]

They must be Copenhagenistas or Amsterdammers or maybe even Doughnuts Berliners - from somewhere that riding a bike is a non-thing that you just do. Why else would they carry normal people suitcases on bike trailers? Unless they're Japanese, of course.

[Butterfly]

They must be Copenhagenistas or Amsterdammers or maybe even Doughnuts Berliners - from somewhere that riding a bike is a non-thing that you just do. Why else would they carry normal people suitcases on bike trailers? Unless they're Japanese, of course.

And are staring at the steps up to the Worth Way thinking 'Who on Earth puts steps on a cycle route?'

[Cudzoziemiec]

They must be Copenhagenistas or Amsterdammers or maybe even Doughnuts Berliners - from somewhere that riding a bike is a non-thing that you just do. Why else would they carry normal people suitcases on bike trailers? Unless they're Japanese, of course.

And are staring at the steps up to the Worth Way thinking 'Who on Earth puts steps on a cycle route?'

Welcome to Britain!

[Vince]

Croix de Fer prior to Auntie Helen's Joy of Essex 3 weekend.

[thing1]

Dobbin (Thorn Adventure, 2004 derailleur edition)

... in South America (Torres del Paine; El Chalten)





... in California (with Extra wheel trailer)

[Oscar's dad]

^^^ As Charlotte would say *little moment*.  One day we're going to do something similar with Tina the Tandem. I has plans you know.

[Tewdric]

We have a winner.

[Pingu]

I think something's missing.

[Thing2]

I think something's missing.

One of the minor issues with cycling in remote areas is the lack of other people to take your photo. 

[Andrew Br]

Unless I've got it very wrong, tandems are "bicycles made for two".
On that basis, at least one of you could/should be in the picture  .

It doesn't detract much from the awesomness though.
Deity/imaginary friend of choice, I'd love a tandem.

[drossall]

Unless I've got it very wrong, tandems are "bicycles made for two".

Technically, they don't have to be for two; the defining feature of a tandem is that the seats are arranged one behind the other, because "tandem" means "at length". By contrast, a "sociable" cycle has the seats side by side.

Of course, neither arrangement is possible on a solo, but you could have more than two seats.

[fhills]

It's not a touring bike so I'll make this brief.

But on the subject of "tandems" and the ilk there is this, the bibici.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/d_cherubini/3772975700/?rb=1



I have seen someone quite merrily riding one solo - in fact as I rode past them it took me a while to figure out what it was.

[Cudzoziemiec]

BiBiCi or Rai?
 

[LEE]

Dobbin (Thorn Adventure, 2004 derailleur edition)

... in South America (Torres del Paine; El Chalten)





... in California (with Extra wheel trailer)

Awesome (Literally, not in the American sense.  True-life example - "Wow, this spreadsheet is Awesome!")

Can I suggest a £5 bendy mini tripod for allowing Thing 2 to be part of your slideshow? 

[Pip]

Mini-tour in Kent

[thing1]

Can I suggest a £5 bendy mini tripod for allowing Thing 2 to be part of your slideshow?

yah... I think I was actually carrying one of those - at least in South America. Suggestion of actually thinking to use the damn thing taken on board... (Although these days cycling snaps are almost always done with the phone, so needs procurement of a new tripod solution)


And thanks 

[fhills]

Mini-tour in Kent

Brave man doing even a mini tour on a Speed Pro - you've instantly beaten all those souls crossing deserts in my book.

Is that the 21 speed version? (I have one - great fun when working but .....)

[Pip]

Thanks fhills, but I'm not worthy of the compliment.

The bike is about 9 years old, and I have never had a problem with it. The SRAM Dual drive hub gives a fantastic range of gears with an 11-28 + 7 speed cassette. The bike is as comfortable commuting in London, pottering about on a towpath or climbing a Spanish puerto.

On this trip, I returned home via Swains Lane in Highgate with two heavy panniers and a bar bag and stole the KOM on Strava!

(That's a terrible lie, for which I apologise )

[fhills]

Hi PIp



You've been rather lucky I think.

I agree totally about the DualDrive though I use mine with the SRAM 12-32 cassette which is what I think it came with - great gearing - been up mountains on it - don't need any more.

I may now and again, to avoid boring other folks, send you the odd PM on this topic, if it's OK with you.

Always useful to know other Speed Proers - to swop info etc.

[Pip]

That's cool fhills. I am so impressed with the Sram hub gear that I bought a Circe Tandem with a similar rear hub and 9 speed set up. It has seen action on the Stockeu and Redoute in the Belgian Ardennes.

[LEE]

Can I suggest a £5 bendy mini tripod for allowing Thing 2 to be part of your slideshow?

yah... I think I was actually carrying one of those - at least in South America. Suggestion of actually thinking to use the damn thing taken on board... (Although these days cycling snaps are almost always done with the phone, so needs procurement of a new tripod solution)


And thanks 

I got one of these off Ebay for <£5



They are very plasticky but they work and weigh very little.

[nikki]

The Clariflies about to depart Long Itchington this morning: