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Urban Touring with a carbon fiber road bike?   Message List  
Reply | Forward Message #1552 of 1749 |
Re:Urban Touring with a carbon fiber road bike?

Blue,
I don't think your crazy at all.
My typical summer base pack
 weight ( all my stuff sans food, fuel, water ) for backpacking is 4.8 lbs.
Bike touring tends to be heavier because your carry bike tools, may need more privacy or weather protection than a poncho tarp offers if you stay at public campgrounds and can't be as choosy about where you pitch your shelter, and may require a thicker sleeping pad ( Which you didn't mention ) since most public campgrounds tend to have hard surfaces to camp on instead of deep forest duff.
I wouldn't worry about the cost of your bike.
Some of the most popular lugged steel touring bikes are quit expensive..over $3000.00 for a Rivendell Atlantis. My own '91 Bridgestone RB-T may even prove to be irreplaceable.
Just take a good lock, maybe replace your wheel QR with a regular nut if wheel theft worries you. There are gadgets on the market for wheels, seatpost, et al.
Be careful where you put your bike. Place it where it can be seen by non-thieves or where you can easily see it from the store you are in. Check on it frequently. A system that allows you to carry your valuables with you,,like a  CamelBak pack, is a good idea. 
You aren't crazy to not use panniers with an ultralight load.
I use a 21 liter saddle bag and a Wald medium basket up front and that's all I need for a week of un-resupplied touring....many do well with less and lighter than I.
A high center of gravity is not the big issue it becomes with conventional touring loads so panniers aren't necessary and may even cause handling problems if you have to mount them far back of the axle for heel clearance ,which you may be lacking on a short chain stay road bike.
 One difference I have from you is I use a solo tarp-tent that weighs in the neighborhood of 1.5 lbs.
Either a Henry Shires Contrail or a Six Moon Designs Lunar solo.
Single wall...but well ventilated  and more privacy in a public CG than a tarp.
 Thermarest  has  a new mattress this spring called the NeoAir that is 2.5" thick, very light for that much thickness, around 3/4 lb. in a 20" x  72" or 20" x 66"....9 oz. in a 20" x  47" and packs down to less than the size of a 1 liter water bottle. Gravel or hard packed tent site..no problem.
Expensive though. 
I'd say your set to go.
Have a wonderful trip!!
GND



Thu Mar 5, 2009 2:57 pm

gndoggett
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Message #1552 of 1749 |
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Hello all, In two months I am leaving for a 7-9 day cycling trip around south florida. I will probably do the 100mile+ keys route there and back, then putter...
blue yin
blue_yin
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Mar 5, 2009
4:44 am

if you are traveling alone.......i would be taking that bike in the store with me...... i have a trek fuel   all out fitted with ultralite packs........that...
j.a. tackett
conifir1
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Mar 5, 2009
12:18 pm

Blue.......it is hard decision to make....to go or not to go....because of the investment you have made....i am in the same boat as you are.....i live up north...
j.a. tackett
conifir1
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Mar 5, 2009
1:23 pm

I guess if you want ultimate security you could put your bike on a trainer and ride it behind locked doors. Seriously, though, I've toured thousands of miles...
David Thofern
thofern
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Mar 5, 2009
3:18 pm

Blue, I don't think your crazy at all. My typical summer base pack  weight ( all my stuff sans food, fuel, water ) for backpacking is 4.8 lbs. Bike touring...
Greg Doggett
gndoggett
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Mar 5, 2009
3:14 pm

Just to be clear, this being a tarmac I'll assume you've got no rack mounts. First, I'd highly recommend a touring bike in the long term. The Tarmac is way to...
Mike Meiser
mmeiser8
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Mar 7, 2009
6:47 am

I heard this story about a guy who stopped in a small town to buy some groceries and when he came out half an hour later, his bike was gone. He went across the...
Jim Foreman
bajajim_99
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Mar 5, 2009
3:28 pm

Hi, blue-- I would not use a really good bike for a solo tour. If I were contemplating a tour like yours, I would take my beater bike, put good wheels and...
Ken Skier
kenskier
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Mar 5, 2009
4:13 pm

Here's a couple of makers of small, light tents. http://www.tarptent.com/ http://www.warmlite.com/tents.htm ... From: Ken Skier To:...
Dana Kilalps
danakilalps
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Mar 6, 2009
12:49 pm

Hello Blue Yin, <<In two months I am leaving for a 7-9 day cycling trip around south florida. I will probably do the 100mile+ keys route there and back, then...
Miles Whelen
cyclestore2
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Mar 5, 2009
4:40 pm

hey blue, I did a tour last June that included the entire east coast of Florida to key west. I was on my Specialized Tricross with panniers. Obviously not as...
bigaura
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Mar 6, 2009
12:29 am

Actually... I think the Specialized Tricross is probably one of the best touring bikes out there from the major brands. I highly recommend it. It can be gotten...
Mike Meiser
mmeiser8
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Mar 7, 2009
6:47 am

That sounds like an awesome trip. No, you are not crazy. Seriously. You are part of the "normal" ones. Taking an expensive carbon fiber road bike for a road...
Iuliana and Adrian St...
astingaciu
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Mar 7, 2009
12:54 am

comments below On Fri, Mar 6, 2009 at 7:01 PM, Iuliana and Adrian Stingaciu < ... LESS IS MORE... this is above all the case with bike touring. Remember if you...
Mike Meiser
mmeiser8
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Mar 7, 2009
6:45 am

blue, Since you are going in two months, i.e. in May, and Florida is pretty warm to begin with, you might want to go without sleeping bag and tent. That's how...
Iuliana and Adrian St...
astingaciu
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Mar 7, 2009
5:42 pm

Hello again blue, Not trying to pick a fight here, just offer some perspective. I posted my earlier response to a friend and after reading the other responses...
Miles Whelen
cyclestore2
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Mar 8, 2009
8:53 pm

"Never let equipment keep you from adventure. Life is to short and time too precious to put off a great experience" Best advice around here. A word about...
Mike Meiser
mmeiser8
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Mar 12, 2009
10:06 pm

I agree with that last post 100%. Use what you have, bring light weight everything and have no regrets. My friends and I went on a 800 mile, 7 day tour of the...
Tom Clementi
tomthecyclist
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Mar 9, 2009
7:40 pm
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