How Heavy?

[Lightspeed]

(8 October 2012, 16:12)Scythe13 Wrote:

(8 October 2012, 16:01)Lightspeed Wrote: I only have a single GHB and that's carried with me/ is in 5 minuted reach of me at all times. I Don't have a separate Every Day bag

23Kg is standard airline weight. That's carryable. As I mentioned total BO load is approx 40Kg each. This is too heavy to carry up a hillside and in packed in separate bags ( bicycle high capacity Panniers actually)

That's cool. My misses is getting me well into cycling, but has banned me from having panniers.....for now.

What do you do about longer items, because most panniers are pretty shallow? Or is that in the high capacity part? (can you tell I'm new to cycling haha).

Have you ridden that route fully loaded yet? Does the weight take a lot longer, or do you adjust your gearing to make it easier?

High top panniers front and rear, rack to bag and bar bag

Very long items strap from rear rack along the cross bar.

Yes 3 fully loaded runs made this year, and three under canvas bug outs at the BOL to check cashes.

The extra weight only makes a speed difference on up-hill sections. Its most dangerous on decents as the load has to be ballanced to stop the bike from shimmeying on the road. By the way if you have to reduce speed on a fully loaded bike when decending do it on the straights and with maximum force. Absolutely do not apply the brakes gently for long periods of time to keep the speed down. Tsi generates huge heat on the rim ( assume rim brakes) and often will result in a tyre blow out. Not good.

We practice regularly. Weekend rides in the hills to local pubs and cafe. My main training aid is a wriggly 13Kg Cocker Spanniel who rides in a basket on the top of my rear rack. Her weight and continuous shifting of weight are good for keeping my strength up and also improve my reflexes!

[Scythe13]

Thanks LS, that's good feedback indeed!

What bike are you using? Misses has given me a sexy old Trek road bike. Skinny tyres and all that. Not sure it's going to be a great load bearer, what with me weighting about the 15 stone mark now.

[Lightspeed]

(9 October 2012, 09:22)Scythe13 Wrote: Thanks LS, that's good feedback indeed!

What bike are you using? Misses has given me a sexy old Trek road bike. Skinny tyres and all that. Not sure it's going to be a great load bearer, what with me weighting about the 15 stone mark now.

My bike's a 30 year old Diamond Back. True temper steel frame and heavy duty steel forks.

So many components changed over the years that it like Trigg’s Broom.

Your road bike if steel will be a thing to hang onto, and certainly it'll be good for keeping you fit. But it'll not have the load carrying capability of a mountain bike.

TIP: check e-bay / carboot sales / refuse tips for good brand really old school mountain bikes. Straight ( not bent) steel frames with braze-on's for racks and mudguards, and steel handlebar and stem are what you need. . Old thumb shift gear changers are good to look for as they will operate forever and are highly fixable.

Very often really good bikes get purchased for Christmas with an intention of getting fit and then get put in the back of the shed after it is found to be too much hard work!!! ( Bit like Gym sign-ups)….so ther are many as new bikes that show up.

Check that the saddle post and handlebar stem are not seized with rust / corrosion before proceeding.

Assunming you find a good candidate frame you'll need to overhaul it completely

Consider doing the following: remove and grease steerer, seatpost, and all braze on bolts ( Coppaslip is good for long life regreasing of these parts. Replace braze-on bolts with SS if you can) . Fit new bearings to headset and bottom bracket. Rebuild the pedal bearings or replace with good quality pedals. If the wheels are true re build the wheel bearings, fit new rim tape, tubes and tyres. Replace brake pads. Remove brake cables and gear change cables with good quality replacements. This will prob end up costing as much as a budget bike from Cycle King or Halfords but will give you a strong and reliable Bug out Bike and also the knowledge and tools needed to keep it running when there are no more repair shops…