avole

Ās above. But without eating meat.... after all, you do live in a country (and I appreciate there are large regional variations) which produces some of the great vegetarian dishes of the world.

dabac

The thing about us humans is that our existence is so diverse, that similar to that Monty Python piece, there's always someone who've had it "worse", been more "straight edge", "true" or whatever.
I stopped trying to win that game long ago.
It's prudent to compare your own behaviour to your best impression of what's generally acceptable or expected. But once you're past that scrutiny, you're probably OK following your own judgement.
I dabbled a tiny bit in re-enactment BITD, and somewhere, there was always some sort of pissing contest going on.
The guy who'd sewn his own clothes looked down on the ones in bought outfits. The guy who'd sewn his own by hand looked down on those who had used sewing machines. The one who'd woven their own cloth looked down on the ones who'd bought theirs etc etc.
There was ALWAYS someone who'd pushed it a bit further.
I'd rather look for commonality than diversification and tend to stay away from people with an obvious elitist approach to things.

saddlesores

ah, you're still doing it wrong.


"real" touring cyclists practice an ultra-spartan lifestyle....it's not just no cigs, no booze, no sex, no electronics.....


to do it right, you've gotta let go of all the trappings of modern society that "they" insist you need, but in reality don't. next tour, travel light....one set of clothes, no stove, eat only raw organic roadkill, use no soap, use no toilet paper. enjoy!

avole

How do you get to meet these people, and more to the point, why?

indyfabz

Actually, there is some really good beer in Italy. (I went to college with one of the Peronis.) And the OP claims to be in NE Italy. He may not be that far from the Austrian border. Back in 2013 I spent two weeks doing day rides out of Borso del Grappa, which is not far from where the Italian front was in WWI. Lots of places serving German and Austrian beer and catering to the German and Austrian tourists.

indyfabz

He's from the land of Prosecco. When I was cycling in NE Italy the hotel bar had it on tap. We used to have Prosecco hour before dinner.

Leebo

All that is required for bike touring is liking to bike. Anything else is extra. I always carry some whisky, beer at the end of the day. Stove, fuel, some kind of shelter, change of clothes. In 8th grade I learned that only my opinion matters, not anyone else's. Just pedal, repeat as need. I try to plan my trips, there is always detours. Like in life. Be the wheel. I like to be resourceful, take advantage of the hospitality offered to you by good people, the weather and what nature provides.

bikemig 

I"m good with Italian beer but there is, IMO, better beer. There's pretty decent wine in Germany, especially in the SW, as well but not my favorite. Just sayin.

djb

kinda funny you guys arguing about what drink is better--when Im on a bike trip, if I drink alcohol it just makes me sleepy, especially with supper after a days riding. Memories of sharing wine with touring friends on some of my early trips, but getting so sleepy that I wouldnt have the oomf to clean up my supper stuff, and have to do it in the morning.
But then, Im not much of a drinker anyway, never have been.

alan s 

Rowan

am Nice post which really says most of it.

And what djb says isn't far from the truth for me, either... even more so now about no alcohol.

travelinhobo

The great thing about bike touring is that there are no rules (other than using a bike).

jefnvk

Do a search for bike touring videos on YouTube, which is not an uncommon starting point for someone starting out. LOTS of this sort of stuff there.

MarcusT

What do you need mondials for?
I found these beauties at Canadian Tire for ya

• Kenda K193 700c x 35c Urban Bike Tire provides dependable performance wherever you go
• Perfect commuter tire designed for city streets and country trails
• Smooth, rounded tread with large water dispersion groove
• Front and rear application
• Size: 700c x 28c

Of course, I will need to understand how they are called 700c x 35c, yet they're sized 700c x 28c

avole

Kenda?? I have them on my Brompton clone. OK, it could be coincidence, but they puncture regularly on every second trip. I would change them, but unfortunately the wheel size isn't common.

djb

Kenda over here generally is a cheapie sort of bike tire. They are probably ok, depending on the model, but I tend to see them on friends bikes who would think its nuts to pay more than 15 bucks for a bike tire. I know two people who have bikes that were built up for them by either someone they know or a store selling used bikes, and they have Kendas on them, and Im sure because it was the cheapest way to have "brand new tires" on the bikes for the buyers.

and if I were ever to tour where a much tougher,slightly more treaded tire is needed, I've always thought the Mondials look like the right choice. They have a 26x2 version that would have much tougher sidewalls than the supremes and would be better if going on much more dirt and rocky stuff.

jostan1

My kind of touring!

3speed

jefnvk

I had Kendas on my 26" bike until I cut a sidewall (not the tires fault at all). Heavy, slow, felt as supple as a granite slab, but never had an issue with reliability and can't say too much bad outside of comfort aspect. Price was certainly right.

FelipeCL

There is a book for you: "How to **** in the woods" by Kathleen Meyer, may be that helps - and the others who will find your flying papers laying around etc.
('Automatic political correctness'-spellchecker elimates the s-word, but the books title is as is).

mplee

agreed.

yukiinu

It is difficult enough to bike tour with your own kind of tourist ie. same little as possiable carry weight (tools, clothes, camping, sleeping equipment, shelter), food tastes, and same daily travel goals, with unavoidable differing pedal cadences and gear choices. Most serious bike tourists are long distance for more than a week, and choose not to have the "RVr ie, recreational vehicle" mindset that you have, steak, beer, luxery sleeping etc., So yes, sit there, in pre-dibetic fat, over dosing on meat protean instead of needed carbohydrates, half drunk, and denigrate real bike tourists with your other "rvr" "bike tourist" brethren from a distance, because your type is totally incompatible with serious bike long distance tourers.

yukiinu

It is difficult enough to bike tour with your own kind of tourist ie. same little as possiable carry weight (tools, clothes, camping, sleeping equipment, shelter), food tastes, and same daily travel goals, with unavoidable differing pedal cadences and gear choices. Most serious bike tourists are long distance for more than a week, and choose not to have the "RVr ie, recreational vehicle" mindset that you have, steak, beer, luxery sleeping etc., So yes, sit there, in pre-dibetic fat, over dosing on meat protean instead of needed carbohydrates, half drunk, and denigrate real bike tourists with your other "rvr" "bike tourist" brethren from a distance, because your type is totally incompatible with serious bike long distance tourers.

Happy Feet

I like to push myself sometimes and make certain dietary choices but don't share that POV at all. My wife, whom I quite fancy, is a carnivore, drinks and doesn't bike.

It's a hobby/pastime - not a competition.

Rowan

Just a little post to say that I do my touring these days with wife, Machka. We share a lot of views and ways of doing things. It's been like that for 10 years married and 15 years since first meeting firstly through Bike Forums, then on the Paris-Brest-Paris 1200.

Before that, I did various tours with other cyclists, and some of them are remembered for positive reasons. The options with questionable types are to identify if they can solve the issues, ride all by yourself and put up with nightly issue briefly, or pick an alternative route and destination on one day that will break you apart permanently.