re tires and cushioning.
I've really found over the years that overinflation is a much bigger cause of a harsher ride than anything else, and conversely, wider tires with proper pressures make a really big difference in making life easier for rims and spokes. Just a more cushioned layer in general and when going over bumps and potholes and whathaveyou.
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Reading your post reminded me of the old 15 percent tire drop theory.
https://www.adventurecycling.org/def...SIRX_Heine.pdf
Around home, I always run higher pressures than this. But touring, I run a rear pressure pretty close to the 15 percent drop when using 35 or 37mm tires. The weight on my rear wheel was greater than the chart, but it was pretty easy to print it off and draw straight lines to extend the data further for the weight I had.
I find that the 15 percent tire drop theory has too little pressure in the front, instead I usually run the front pressure about 65 to 75 percent of the pressure that I have in the rear. However when riding on some really rough West Texas chip seal, I lowered my front tire to 55 percent of the pressure I had in the rear.
I hope the OP is still reading this thread now that his decision as been made.
Originally Posted by
Russ Roth
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For myself I prefer a tool that puts a Z-bend in the end of the spoke. With 5 bikes using 10 different wheel lengths although I don't like the added weight I prefer to carry a few extra long spokes, a cable cutter and the spoke bender. Also means I don't have to carry a chain whip, large wrench and cassette tool to change a busted spoke, the bend just laces into the empty spoke hole. Wheel fanatyk used to sell the tool which is used for lawn mower repair. Nice thing is its a permanent fix.
Cassette lock ring tool is small and light. Using a hacksaw and file, I "adjusted" a cone wrench to fit on the cassette tool, that saves some volume and weight. And several years ago I wrote up a post on a substitute for a chain whip, that post is at:
https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/8...ip-travel.html
That thread also listed some other options to the standard lock ring tool and wrench.
Nothing against the Z bend, but since I built up most of my own wheels, I had spare spokes from when I built them. I bought my road bike as a complete bike, thus did not get spare spokes for it, for that I bought a Fiber Fix emergency spoke.
Originally Posted by
Jeff Neese
Am I the only one that noticed bike plus gear are over 100 lbs, plus 180 for the rider?
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I noticed. He has not toured yet. I assumed he would find out that the big pile of stuff did not fit in the panniers and would need to cull out some stuff. And likely will try a few short tours near home where he learns how heavy that bike is.
And he is a road bike rider, thus I expect him to cull more weight than most people that are new to touring.