Originally Posted by
KC8QVO
One more example to hit on - your spare rim. You carry, or at least did on that trip, a spare rim??? Obviously that trip it probably paid off, but how do you justify that as part of your stuff you carry on a trip? Its not like a tube or tire that can compact so I am curious what your reasoning is. Also - what size rim? Theres a big difference between a 20" folder and a 700c rim, for example.
I didn't start out on that trip carrying a spare wheel. It was more a mix of circumstances:
1) My rim cracked when I was cycling on the Alaska Highway near mile marker 500. Prior to internet being as prevalent as now - I called to a bike shop down the road and had them build a new wheel and send it up via the greyhound bus. The new wheel was a 32-spoke, not as durable as my original but was sufficient to get me down the road.
2) Once I reached Edmonton, I replaced the temporary 32-spoke wheel with a more solid 36-spoke wheel. The 32-spoke version was still good enough that I carried it with me as in photo below.
3) As I neared Corner Brook, Newfoundland I again noticed my rim was now cracked. I replaced it with the spare wheel I had with me and finished the ride in St Johns.
