In 1934 a group of young riders in France organized the first technical trials, conceived to determine the best touring bicycle. Over the course of three days the entrants were required to complete a very demanding 290 mile course. Bikes incurred penalty points for any equipment that malfunctioned or failed. Bikes had to meet some restrictions in geometries and tire size (minimum 35 mm width) and generator lighting was required. Every bike also had to carry the designated 3 kg load from start to finish. The idea was to promote the innovation and development of lighter, more responsive machines.
In 2009 a group in Portland, OR started the Oregon Manifest Constructor’s Design Challenge, a one-of-a-kind design/build competition, in which some of the country’s best custom bike craftsman and select student teams vie to create the ultimate modern utility bike. Now it seems as though the history of the bicycle might slowly be describing a full circle. In the last eight decades, and particularly the last two or three, there has been a frantic, headlong rush towards the lightest possible bikes and components with less emphasis on durability and practicality. The organizers may be looking back at the beginning of the circle yearning for useful, durable bikes that can also be beautiful and can perform at a very high standard even though they are not the lightest.
Bike Touring News will be at the 2011 Oregon Manifest Constructor’s Challenge in Portland on September 23-24 to see firsthand the latest developments from the best minds and hands in the business. Never mind that there will be beer, that has nothing to do with our decision to go. We will be bringing daily reports and updates and photos to this space. If you have specific questions for any of the builders or want to see more details about anything we post while there, leave a comment and we will attempt to address them. Hopefully we will have mad pod-casting skills by then.
(Update 2/20/2012 – The Bike Touring News store now has the Schwalbe Marathon Mondial tires in stock in 700 x 35c and 700 x 40c sizes in the folding version. The 26 x 2″ folding tire is due to hit North America in March,2012.)
The new (2012) Schwalbe Marathon Mondial touring tire
The Schwalbe Marathon XR is frequently hailed as the best expedition/long lasting touring tire out there. The ‘XR’ was synonymous with ‘Schwalbe’, in fact, along with the regular Marathon, some think the XR helped build Schwalbe a good name and customer base. Unfortunately, in 2009 Schwalbe decided to discontinue the model. Other tires stepped in to fill the void, namely the Dureme and Extreme and the Plus Tour, but none of those had all the features that made the XR so popular.
Recently I read about a new tire- the Marathon Mondial. According to Sean at Schwalbe North America:
“……the Mondial is not a direct replacement to the Marathon XR, more of the next step in the evolution of the tire. Compared to the XR the Mondial will have the SnakeSkin sidewall which is an additional rubber coated aramid layer which helping to prevent sidewall cuts and abrasions. The Mondial also gets a modified triple rubber compound which we call TravelStar, the compound will increase road performance while also increasing the durability.” For more information I went to the global Schwalbe website and found this about the TravelStar compound: The Marathon Mondial has “State of the Art” TravelStar Triple Compound. Under the tread centre lies an elastic mixture for easy rolling, while there is a grippy rubber compound, for cornering traction on the tyre´s shoulder. In the middle of the tread an abrasion-resistant, harder compound offers low rolling resistance for thousands of miles.
Unpredictable gravel roads and potholes, acacia thorns: these are the treacherous tyre killers. Protection may come down to the smallest of margins such as the durability of the rubber mixture. The lightweight extremely densely woven High Density puncture protection belt reliably protects against punctures and ruptures. The light but sturdy “Snakeskin” protection provides maximum reinforcement against sharp objects that would otherwise cut the sidewall.
According to the catalog cuts I have seen, the folding version of this tire will have the TravelStar compound and the Snakeskin casing while the wire bead versions will have Schwalbe’s “Endurance” compound and their RaceGuard casing which is a double layer of nylon fabric.
Look for the folding tire in sizes 26×2, 26×2.15, 700×35 and 700×40. The wire bead tires will come in 26×2, 700×35 and 700×40 sizes. Availability in the US will be October 2011 for limited sizes and 2012 for the complete lineup. Prices will range from $48.00 to $90.00 depending on size and version.
This thread at crazyguyonabike gets a little out of hand, but in a good, funny way.
Just what is the best saddle for touring??? Drum Roll, please. The best saddle for touring is the saddle that fits your behind and allows you to ride in comfort!!
Chief out touring
Okay maybe that wasn’t the answer you were looking for, but it is the best we have to offer. No two people are shaped the same therefore no one saddle is going to be the end all saddle for every person.
The Bike Hermit used to tour on a Brooks B17, as to be expected, over time the saddle relaxed and had a bit of “splay” He punched holes in the sides (like the Brooks Imperial) and threaded the saddle with leather (from the Tandy leather store) and that solved the problem. About two years ago he switched to a Gilles Berthoud Aspin. This saddle was stiffer in the beginning and now has molded to his shape just perfectly. He easily has 3,000 miles on that saddle with no issues. Aha, you say, I will go research and purchase a Gilles Berthoud. Well, Sky King did her best to love the Gilles Berthoud Aspin spending hours adjusting height, position, angle etc but was never comfortable. Finally she measured her sit bones and realized between the shape and width of the Gilles Berthoud Aspin, it was never going to work for her. She went back to her older Fizik’s vitesse tri and problem solved. She is back to all day, day after day saddle comfort. She does plan to try the Brooks B17 Narrow as she misses not being able to carry her Zimbale 7 liter saddlebag but for now the Fizik’s Vitesse Tri is just fine.
Here are some very important things to consider when selecting a Saddle.
The Flyer does not narrow as quickly as the Zimbale
The width of the saddle across the widest area and how quickly it widens from the nose to the back will affect saddle comfort. Add to that the saddle position or the saddle tilt (nose down, nose up, nose level). Of course don’t forget to factor in the entire bike fit (see earlier posts)
Too Much Pear-Shape for your shape typically causes chafing in the inner neighborhood of the lower fold of the buttock, top-of-the-leg, panty line, hamstring attachment (however you want to describe it) because the saddle is too pear-shaped for the motion of your hip joints. If these are issues you have with your saddle, perhaps a T-Shaped style would work better. If you feel like you are sitting on a narrow, painful 2 X 4 a pear shaped saddle could be what you need.
Let’s get back to saddle width and length. The size of your hips or the size of your behind has very little to do with the size of your saddle, wide hips do not mean you need a wider saddle. The width between your “Ischial Tuberosities” ie) sit bones is what matters. Where those sit bones connect with your saddle makes the biggest impact in saddle comfort. Too wide or too narrow for your sit bones and the end result is pain and chafing. Sky King has a wider hip measurement than the Bike Hermit but he has a wider sit bone measurement.
Each saddle has “cheeks” on the wide back part. Sometimes the cheeks are even domed up a bit. Your sit bones are meant to land in the high part of that dome to take advantage of the padding and the overall architecture of the saddle. Saddle without domes still have a cheek area, the widest part of the saddle is where your sit bones should be resting. Measure the saddle from center of cheek to center of cheek. The saddle’s center-to-center should match the center to center measurement of your sit bones.
Next measure the saddle’s overall width. Generally the saddle’s overall width should be, at minimum, the same as the outside measurement of your sit bones OR slightly wider but NO more than 2 centimeters wider than the outside sit bone measurement. You want to be able to shift around to power up hills or use body-english around corners or just to give your butt a break, and STILL have the bones land on the saddle.
In the case of a many leather saddles your saddle must be about 2 cm wider than your outside sit bone measurement so you do not have bones contacting the metal cantle* plate.
(*rough description – the horseshoe shaped metal plate under the back of the saddle that holds the rails in place)
Measure your sit bones:
We could get all fancy and purchase memory foam or drop some dollars on a fancy gel seat specifically designed to measure sit bones and assist in determining the proper saddle width but we hate to spend money when things at hand will work just as well.
Three inexpensive options for measuring Sit Bones:
The Flour method
Take a gallon size zip lock bag, fill with enough flour for about a two inch flour cushion when the bag is lying on a flat surface. Place this bag on a hard flat surface – table or chair (we use a piano bench) Sit on the bag (preferably bare skin), mimic your bike position. Now stand up without disturbing the bag. Those two dimples/impressions in the flour are from your sit bones.
The Play Dough method
To make your dough:
One part salt, two parts flour, mix with water until it’s right for modeling.
Roll about an inch thick, cover with aluminum foil to keep it from being sticky, place dough w/ foil on a low bench, once again sit on dough (bare skin is best) and lean forward to approximate riding position since the sitbones become more narrow as you lean forward. Remove foil and allow to dry a little. The bones impression will become white first.
The Measurement
Take a millimeter tape measure and measure the impressions, recording your findings.
1. The inside edge to inside edge
2. Center of depression to center of depression, if easier, place a marble in each depression and measure the marbles.
3. Outside edge to outside edge
Center-to-center measurement correlates with the spot on a saddle that bears the weight of the sit bones. The saddle “cheeks”.
Outside to outside measurement is a consideration for some types of saddles, such as the Brooks that have metal rails, you do not want to have your sit bones resting on the metal rails. General rule of thumb – your saddle width should be about 2 centimeters wider than outside sit bone measurement. Again, you want your sit bones resting on the “checks” of the saddle and you want some wiggle room for movement as you are touring.
Inside to inside may be necessary if you plan to use a saddle with a cut out, to ensure the sit bones clear any large center cutout in the saddle. The inside bones falling into the ‘moat’ so to speak, causes a lot of pain in the bones surrounding the “soft tissue” area. To clear the cutout, you need about 20 mm extra space in between the inside distance of the sit bones. So, if the cutout is 60 mm, your inside distance is 80, then you have just enough clearance.
The Hand Method(s) of measuring
Sit on your hands, and feel for the two bones of your butt. They feel like elbows poking down into your hands.
Put the tip of your index fingers right under the part of the bones that is pushing hardest into the chair. (squish the very tip of your fingers between the chair and your sit bones)
Lift your butt from the chair leaving your hands on the chair, and have your assistant measure the distance between your fingertips. This is pretty much your center-to-center.
Then put your fingertips against the outsides of the bones. Push them right into the bones so they are on the outside of the bones. Lift your butt from the chair and have an assistant measure the distance between your fingertips. This is pretty much your outside.
Some people have sit bones that angle a lot from front to back. The “sits” are heavy thickened portions of the rami area of the pelvis and can have unique personalities of their own. You can measure again on the forward part of the heavy “elbow” bit if you can feel that yours have a definite angle. The forward portion of the heavy thick part of the bone is what your weight rests on more when you are in a more aero position. DON’T measure the thin blade like portion that is in your crotch, that is the rami and you do not want a saddle there. Measure from your backside.
Repeat your measurements a few times, average them out if you want.
You can also get these measurements by lying on your back with your knees to your chest holding a measuring tape and poking around for landmarks.
The Cutout
Cut Out on a Brooks B17 Imperial
Purchasing a saddle with a cut out can be beneficial if you have soft tissue pressure. An easy way to help determine if you might be a good candidate is to sit (commando or in thin underwear)on a very hard surface, feet flat on the floor, pedaling distance apart. Lean forward from the hips, keeping your back straight and place your elbows on your knees. If you soft tissue is feeling overly squished you may want to try a saddle with a cut out. Do some forum research, some people love them, other’s find the edges of the cut out equally irritating. Assuming you have a good bike fit and proper saddle height, consider adjusting the angle of your current saddle as well to see if that relieves soft tissue pressure.
Length
Years ago some saddle manufacturers started adding a short version to their line. Historically the short version came about for women riding in skirts and dresses, the longer nose would catch on the dress, making mounting and dismounting more challenging. Now a short version is more about personal comfort. Reading Forums and blog post about saddle fit there are numerous opinions about both. Sky King’s Fizik Vitesse Tri is a “woman’s” saddle but it isn’t any shorter in the nose than a Brooks Swallow.
Conclusion
We agree that finding the right saddle can be tough. Sometimes despite the best research, trial and error ends up being the answer. Taking your measurements and understanding your riding style are the beginning of your quest.
For more great info on choosing a Saddle read other blogs and forums. Sky King took the measuring suggestions from posts on the Team Estrogen Forum. Great resources can be found on sheldonbrown.com, team estrogen forums, bike forums (touring). Most of all don’t be afraid to ask questions. We both ride day in day out without saddle pain on two entirely different saddles.
Somewhere I’ve heard the sentiment that youth might be wasted on the young. Sometimes I wonder if that doesn’t apply to pure dumb luck as well. When I was a good deal younger than I am now I was touring in New England. Just outside of a small Vermont town, as I started up a longish grade, and as the sun was starting its descent, I heard the telltale snap of a spoke in the rear wheel breaking. Then a moment later, because of the added stress on the remaining spokes, a second one snapped. My wheel was distorted but not too much to prevent me from wobbling back into town.
Here’s where the luck came in. There was actually a bike shop in this little town and they had a couple spokes in the right length. For whatever reason (I seem to remember it was closing time) I didn’t have them replace the spokes for me. Instead I walked across the street to a service station (told you it was a long time ago) borrowed a hammer and a screwdriver and sat on the concrete floor in an empty bay.
This was before the days of cassettes and I had a 5 speed freewheel on my Peugeot PA10, but I had no way to unscrew it from the hub. So I used the hammer and screwdriver to take off the top race in order to take the freewheel apart to access the spoke heads in the hub. I still can’t believe I was able to do it and get the spokes replaced and the freewheel reassembled without losing any of the 36 little ball bearings or the springs or pawls inside the freewheel.
Nowadays on most bikes the freewheeling part, or cassette body will be part of the wheel’s hub and the cassette, or group of cogs, will slide over the cassette body and be held in place with a lock ring.
The cassette body is attached to the hub. The cassette cogs are slotted on their inner suface and these slots mate with the ridges on the cassette bodyThe cassette cogs are held down with this lock ring which screws into the cassette body.
You can see that if a spoke breaks on the cassette side of the wheel, the cassette needs to come off in order to get the broken end out and the new spoke in (did I mention I now carry spare spokes when touring? Here’s a way to do it).
Normally this requires a special tool with splines to match the lock ring, a big honkin’ wrench to turn the tool and another big wrench called a chain whip to keep the cassette cogs/body from turning. The Unior 1669 cassette lock ring tool weighs just a few ounces and can loosen the lockring and tighten it again with minimum fuss and save your bacon.
The Unior 1669 cassette lockring tool, all folded up.The tool incorporates a spoke wrench. The little plastic plate is held between the tool and the bike frame to protect the paint.
Using this little beauty to loosen a cassette lockring is not exactly intuitive. The first step is to remove the wheel and the nut on the quick release skewer. Then the tool can be slipped into place with the teeth of the tool meshing with the lockring teeth. Now the outside of the tool is flush with the end of the hub axle cones or adapters and the wheel can be put back on the bike and the skewer tightened to hold it in place. The tangs on the tool need to be pointing down in order to slip in between the derailleur hanger and the chain stay.
The cassette lockring tool in place. Note how it is flush with the hub axle adapters. Now the quick release skewer can be put back in and the wheel re-mounted on the bike.The tool is in place, the wheel is secured and the plastic, paint protector plate is ready.
Now, giving a mighty effort with both hands on the crankset, the lockring can be loosened. When re-installing, the rear wheel is manually turned backwards while holding the plastic plate on the opposite side to protect the paint on the chainstay. Brilliant, really.
We do our best to be educational and to not rant about bike issues. We wear helmets, always. When our kids lived at home not wearing a helmet was a capital offense that resulted in loss of bike privileges and being grounded. I still tell them “I already did diaper duty with you and don’t desire to do it again”
This past Sunday a section of our ride took us on the local MUP, referred to as the Greenbelt. Being a Sunday we saw several bike riders, adults, kids, families with bike trailers and tag-a-longs. For the most part they all had helmets HOWEVER, the way the helmets were attached to the noggin was downright scary.
A helmet set way back on the head isn’t going to provide much protection if you pitch forward in a crash. A helmet that is so low on the forehead that the rider can barely see isn’t safe either.
A helmet so far back like this could actually break your neck in a crash
Then there are the chin straps – they do need to be strapped and the do need to be in the vicinity of the area underneath the chin, not on your chin, not dangling 4 inches below the chin, securely under the chin, no they don’t have to strangle but the idea is to have the strap help keep the helmet on if you crash.
Like Goldilocks, adjust your helmet to fit just right
There are some great step by step informational websites about proper helmet fit. Helmets do not have to be expensive, granted a nice feature is the adjustable locking system that allows for a snug fit but even simple helmets using padding to adjust the fit provide great coverage. This simple guide on NHTSA is a good one.
Here are two photos, one of me after a crash, going very slow (maybe 5 mph) in town wearing my helmet, the other I found on Flickr. Finally here is a link you may chose to look at fair warning it is a nasty looking photo so I opted to do the link instead of posting.
Yes, this crash broke my helmet but not my headriding a "cruiser" or upright bike does not mean you shouldn't wear a helmet
The Alliance for Biking and Walking in Washington DC invites you to enter your best photos of biking
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You can also win great prizes from one of their sponsors! Winners will be announced in early 2012.
Guaranteed on any bike tour, you are going to sweat. Ending the day with a shower is one of the ultimate rewards on a bike trip (ranks right up there with a cold beer). On our recent tour on the Olympic Peninsula we spent each night at a campground but still ran into unexpected issues with using the showers. Many campgrounds have “pay as you play” showers so be sure to tuck quarters into your pannier. We arrived at one site “afterhours” and discovered they didn’t take quarters but used tokens that needed to be purchased from the camp host… Well hell, what to do. From previous trips we have devised a great technique for impromptu showers, we call it the two water bottles and a camp towel trick. Simply heat water, pour into two water bottles. At the campsite that had the shower but needed tokens, I took my water bottles, Dr Bonner’s liquid soap, my camp towel and my bike shorts into the shower stall. I wet my hands, applied a small amount of soap and lathered all the priority body parts that need attention. Then I used my two water bottles of warm water for rinsing. While not as deluxe as a 3 minute shower, it takes the sweat layer off and I can sleep comfortably.
Why the bike shorts in the shower? We travel with two pairs of shorts and every night apply a small amount of diluted Dr Bonners to the chamois of the shorts worn that day and rinse well. The shorts hang off the hammock for the night and if still damp in the am are securely draped over my sleeping bag for the days ride.
As noted we travel with hennesey hammocks so no tent for a private spit bath, No worries, the rain fly makes a nice shower curtain for the two bottle shower.
A rainfly can double as a shower curtain
In addition to the camp towel and Dr Bonner’s, two other must have items I tuck into my pannier – Nutrogena Face Towelettes and baby wipes. Both have travel packs. It is nice to grab a face towelette and get the grime off and baby wipes … well let’s just say what did we do without them.
Sky King snapped this after crossing the Agate Pass Bridge. The bifurcated "shoulder" doesn't leave room for a cyclist. One option would be to walk across on the elevated portion, but there is not much room even for that. The other option is to "take the lane" as though you have the right...which you do.
Riding across the Agate Pass Bridge between Bainbridge Island and the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State on a fully loaded touring bike is one of the most frightening experiences I have had on a bike. The “shoulder” of the road way is divided by elevation, half is at road level and half is raised about 8 inches. So what is left is two unusable strips about 18 inches wide.
As I watch my wife ride over I choke down my fear of the unimaginable. She actually timed it perfectly by starting off just in front of a big box van which would have difficulty passing her with the heavy traffic in the opposite direction and “took the lane”, in other words, she rode in the depression the right tires of innumerable cars have left in the pavement. So every vehicle behind the box van just had to take a deep breath and use the big pedal beside the gas pedal.
Expert that the bike hermit is, he decided he could ride on the elevated part. Which was no problem until a gust of wind almost blew him off the curb and into oncoming traffic. When his heart rate slowed sufficiently and there was a break in traffic he continued across….. taking the traffic lane.
Sometimes you have to hold up traffic to avoid dying. Just remember, you have as much right to use that section of the road as an automobile does. And remember that most people are not psychopaths and they will not run over you. If you act predictably and make sure that motorists see you, without being obnoxious, then you can co-exist. Just assume that the motorist doesn’t see you and ride very defensively. Every state has different laws governing bicyclists and a tourist can’t be expected to know all of them, but I think common sense and riding with confidence, as if you belong, can go a long way.
Of course, this was a relatively short bridge and I don’t recommend this for every situation. You should check local conditions and if a road or bridge appears to be too dangerous then find another route or another way across.
Crack….Thump….Whoomp
I’m flat on my back on the ground.
“Are you OK?”
“Yeah, I’m OK…….are you OK?”
“Yeah”
For all of the trees around here, most of them are massive cedars and they are too big to tie the hammock straps. Earlier, I had tied one end of each hammock to what turned out to be a rotten stump of a tree, with the other ends going to separate trees. The weight of both of us in our hammocks was too much for the remaining roots and the whole thing pulled out at ground level and fell neatly in between us. Sky King had retired before I did and I tried not to think about what might have happened if her weight alone had been enough to pull the tree over, because I imagine it would have fallen on top of her. A rude awakening to say the least.
We scuttled around with the headlamps on to retrieve our sleeping bags from the wreckage and we spent the rest of the night under the stars. I felt dumb, but I don’t think that will happen again!
It’s less than 20 miles to the Clinton ferry from South Whidbey Island state Park, and US 525 has a nice shoulder. A short diversion on Newman Road from Freeland provided a quite ride until the junction with 525.
A few miles outside of Clinton a parking lane appears which is meant for vehicles waiting for the ferry and we coast past a long line of cars which, according to the signs, will still not be on the ferry for another hour. And when we get in line to buy our passes the woman in the car behind us tells us it is free for bicycles going back to the mainland. So we roll right to the front, rejoicing in one of the very few moments when a bicycle has more rights than a car.
In Texas they call them courtesy lanes. I don't think they had cyclists in mind but they are nice riding.
I would give directions to the multi use path, or MUP, system from Mukilteo, but I’m still not sure how we found it. I had directions printed off of Google Maps but after talking to a driver at the fruit stand where we stopped who said, “I’ve been delivering here for 15 years and I’ve never heard of Natures Path Road” we abandoned those and used the Droid to find another route. But after getting well and truly lost again we stopped at a fishing tackle store where we were told how to get to the Burke-Gilman trail. We got a few miles closer using his directions but still had to rely on the Droid for the last few miles.
We finally crossed Bothell Drive and were on the trail. A chatty Seattle cyclist lady gave us directions to the Sammamish Trail, but by thus time I was having none of it and decided to trust the Droid from here to Bellevue.
Finally, we are on the Burke-Gilman Trailmaking up some time......Please, Seattle, if it's not asking too much, more signs!The shiny, happy town of Bellevue
I have to give kudos to Seattle for their MUP system but I wonder if they could scrounge a few dollars more for some signage. Once we got on the Burke-Gilman we still were confused and took a number of wrong turns before we got to the Sammamish Trail and ultimately to the 520 Trail. But not before a detour over the Bridal Crest Trail, which is dirt and very steep. And then we literally were ejected onto a suburban neighborhood street with no idea where the trail went until we saw a bike rider appear from a barricaded abandoned road which was the access to the 520 Trail continuing toward Bellevue.
Once back to our starting point in Bellevue we both had to agree that this tour was a success. No mechanical failures and no major physical problems presented themselves. This is a spectacular part of the country. I really didn’t realize the extent of the rugged mountains and wilderness which exist so close to Seattle and which we could see in the distance every day of our ride. We plan to do some more bike touring here in the near future.
August 2, 2011 Each decision we make when bike touring is meaningful and can have an impact that is more significant than it might be if we were traveling by automobile. I have developed a habit of stopping at produce stands, grocery stores and restaurants if they look decent whether or not I need to right at that moment. I don’t know when the next opportunity will come and backtracking on the bike is often not an option.
That habit pays off this morning when we stop at the Boatyard Coffee Shop in, you guessed it, the boatyard in Port Townsend. A small loaf of made in house raisin and nut bread, sliced in half and served with cream cheese and jelly would supply the glucose drip I needed for the next few hours.
I did not follow my own rule when on Whidbey Island we passed by the Red Apple Market. We did not see another store the rest of the day. Not a major problem because we had planned on eating our emergency ration of food tonight anyway since it was to be our last night, but it was an inconvenience because we had no beer. As we were explaining our predicament to the campground host in South Whidbey State Park a fellow camper (who had a car) overheard us and offered to buy us beer in the town 6 miles down the road when they went later this evening. I made the exchange with the beer fairy later in the parking lot and we both felt as though we were doing something illegal. Pretty funny. Thanks, beer fairy!
Another ride on a big boat over to Whidbey Island. The landscape is a little different over here and the traffic seems a little lighter. Really nice riding on Whidbey Island, probably my favorite so far. Apparently this is a popular place for Seattleites to come ride. There is a nice 80 mile or so loop around the island from the Clinton ferry terminal. For us this was about a 28 mile day on the bikes.
