Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Touring
Reload this Page >

Tips and Tricks

Notices
Touring Have a dream to ride a bike across your state, across the country, or around the world? Self-contained or fully supported? Trade ideas, adventures, and more in our bicycle touring forum.

Tips and Tricks

Old 11-03-05, 05:55 PM
  #76  
TomM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Ville des Lumières
Posts: 1,044

Bikes: Surly SteamRoller

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 41 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 53 Times in 30 Posts
Commute to work by bike to work out the kinks encountered by new equipment.
TomM is offline  
Old 11-03-05, 05:57 PM
  #77  
Baz
pedalphile
 
Baz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 147

Bikes: For dirt: Brodie Climbmax. For touring: IF Independance. For Commuting: Reflecto-Fixie.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I don't know, Mr. Super Socks, I was always told that "If you shake more than twice you're playing with it..."

My other, super-secret tip:

Any piece of gear that's easily lost or forgotten, mark with reflective tape. Before you leave camp scan around with a headlamp or a blinky held near your eyes and it just jumps out at you.
Baz is offline  
Old 11-13-05, 05:02 PM
  #78  
Machka 
In Real Life
 
Machka's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Down under down under
Posts: 52,152

Bikes: Lots

Mentioned: 141 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3203 Post(s)
Liked 595 Times in 329 Posts
Originally Posted by gnz
Maybe if it became a sticky post we could collect even more tips and tricks.



I think that's an excellent idea ....


Who can create stickies around here? Koffee?? Anyone else???
Machka is offline  
Old 11-13-05, 06:17 PM
  #79  
chipcom 
Infamous Member
 
chipcom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Ohio
Posts: 24,360

Bikes: Surly Big Dummy, Fuji World, 80ish Bianchi

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by Mr_Super_Socks
that's the beauty. by morning it's all gone! absorbed into the ground! well, unless it freezes on some snow. that's not so great. also, be sure to jiggle aggressively before zipping up, esp. if you have a down bag.
Which brings up another very important tip - don't eat yellow snow!
__________________
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
chipcom is offline  
Old 11-13-05, 09:02 PM
  #80  
NoReg
Banned
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,115
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 1 Post
Peneten cream, nice package, great for any diaper heat you might encounter. A bllion babies can't be wrong.
NoReg is offline  
Old 11-13-05, 09:29 PM
  #81  
Bekologist
totally louche
 
Bekologist's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: A land that time forgot
Posts: 18,023

Bikes: the ever shifting stable loaded with comfortable road bikes and city and winter bikes

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times in 8 Posts
you don't have to sleep in a hammock to pee out the tent door, people!

And sleeping with a cooking pot as a pillow is inviting a bear to play paddycakes with your noggin mid-sleep.

You don't put food or cookstuff in your tent.

Bear, mice and other critters love those types of nocturnal challenges.
Bekologist is offline  
Old 11-14-05, 03:13 AM
  #82  
vosyer
WATERFORD22
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Seattle
Posts: 509

Bikes: Bilenky, Co-Motion, 1969 Paramount, Waterford Adventure Cycle, Waterford rs 22, 1980 Davidson etc.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I get mine for a buck as well they come in yellow or blue - I buy 10 at a time - many many uses. I also carry a fair selection of electical ties and I wrap electical tape around one of my tubes. Also probably everyone carries a chain tools and extra pieces of chain and a quick link. My parnter has to have a tube of - pardon my language but "butt Butter". Swears by it - just need a good broken in saddle and the right shorts.
vosyer is offline  
Old 11-14-05, 11:10 AM
  #83  
David in PA
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 228

Bikes: Cannondale C400

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
A couple of quick ones:

* Don't use bungee cords to secure stuff on your rear rack. Instead, use a bungee web. It's many times more versatile. You can always secure "one more thing" under it. Bungee webs are available from REI and other stores/websites. About eight bucks.

* When touring in out of the way places (which is just about everywhere on the TransAm), don't assume that the local bike shop has the item you need in stock, including common items. Call first. One shop I visited didn't have Halt! dog spray; another didn't have my tire tube! I wasted about twelve cycling miles to get to those places.
David in PA is offline  
Old 11-14-05, 01:02 PM
  #84  
sydney_b
it's my road too, dangit
 
sydney_b's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: nebraska
Posts: 216

Bikes: early 90's marin, 1969 schwinn collegiate, waterford, bridgestone rb1

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Machka
A sarong is a wonderful thing! It is small and light so it doesn't take up much room or add to the weight of the load very much and yet ... it can be used as a piece of clothing, as a pillow, as a blanket, and as a towel. It's very versatile!
Fabulous idea, Machka! I wouldn't have thought of this.

BTW, men wear sarongs too, just differently.

If you want to learn how to tie one:
https://www.tropicalhulahut.com/pilot.asp?pg=video

sydney_b is offline  
Old 11-14-05, 03:00 PM
  #85  
Mr_Super_Socks
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 881

Bikes: Gilmour lugged steel, Bianchi Volpe, Bike Friday Pocket Rocket

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Bekologist
You don't put food or cookstuff in your tent.
+1
Mr_Super_Socks is offline  
Old 11-14-05, 03:14 PM
  #86  
paul2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Toronto
Posts: 464
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Bekologist
You don't put food or cookstuff in your tent.
Unless you are in New Zealand.
paul2 is offline  
Old 11-14-05, 03:20 PM
  #87  
gnz
Being there, doing that
 
gnz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 141

Bikes: Avanti Pioneer Hybrid

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by paul2
Unless you are in New Zealand.
...AND you don't mind opossums roaming around your tent at night!
gnz is offline  
Old 11-15-05, 10:14 AM
  #88  
akarius
~
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Posts: 162
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
One thing I always bring with me if I am going to carry food is Pita bread. I do not have to worry about it getting squashed. Actually any flat bread if good.

If you find you are being too picky about camp sites, wait until you are too tierd or it is too dark and then you may not bee so picky.

Always hang your food in trees if there is the remotest possibilty of bears in the area, and especially if is raining. Animals tend to have a keener sense of smell when it rains.
akarius is offline  
Old 11-15-05, 12:11 PM
  #89  
supcom
You need a new bike
 
supcom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 5,433
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by akarius
One thing I always bring with me if I am going to carry food is Pita bread. I do not have to worry about it getting squashed. Actually any flat bread if good.
Four tortillas also pack well.
supcom is offline  
Old 11-15-05, 07:07 PM
  #90  
Machka 
In Real Life
 
Machka's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Down under down under
Posts: 52,152

Bikes: Lots

Mentioned: 141 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3203 Post(s)
Liked 595 Times in 329 Posts
Originally Posted by akarius
Always hang your food in trees if there is the remotest possibilty of bears in the area, and especially if is raining. Animals tend to have a keener sense of smell when it rains.

A task which is not as easy as it sounds!!
Machka is offline  
Old 11-16-05, 07:29 AM
  #91  
stokell
Senior Member
 
stokell's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: On the Road
Posts: 1,260

Bikes: Custom built tourer, custom electric bike, beaters everywhere

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by David in PA
A couple of quick ones:

* Don't use bungee cords to secure stuff on your rear rack. Instead, use a bungee web. It's many times more versatile. You can always secure "one more thing" under it. Bungee webs are available from REI and other stores/websites. About eight bucks.
I'll also add that I find it easier to mount the web under the pannier rack with the bungee clips facing up. When it comes to doing up and undoing it is much faster and much easier to remove a single item from the web when it is done from the top.
stokell is offline  
Old 11-16-05, 10:25 AM
  #92  
Mr_Super_Socks
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 881

Bikes: Gilmour lugged steel, Bianchi Volpe, Bike Friday Pocket Rocket

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Machka
A task which is not as easy as it sounds!!
put food in a sack. tie long string to sack. tie rock to other end of string. throw rock over a tree branch. fetch rock from the ground. pull the rock end of the string until food bag is dangly safely out of reach of critters. tie string to a low branch. sleep deeply, confident that your food will be there in the morning and so will all your limbs.

(b/t/w - was the NZ point that there are tree dwelling critters who will steal your food? if so, i think the bag on a string may work, but more importantly, it's only partly to protect the food - mostly it's to protect you from getting attacked by jackals, bears, etc.
Mr_Super_Socks is offline  
Old 11-16-05, 11:37 AM
  #93  
paul2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Toronto
Posts: 464
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Mr_Super_Socks
(b/t/w - was the NZ point that there are tree dwelling critters who will steal your food? if so, i think the bag on a string may work, but more importantly, it's only partly to protect the food - mostly it's to protect you from getting attacked by jackals, bears, etc.
The New Zealand point is that there are no large predators in New Zealand. So the goverment pamphets recommend keeping your food inside your tent to keep it away from the small predators, such as the Weka; a small flightless bird that made a mess of our bag of garbage.
paul2 is offline  
Old 11-16-05, 11:41 AM
  #94  
Matthew A Brown
this bike is an aqueduct
 
Matthew A Brown's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Gainesville, FL
Posts: 1,073

Bikes: Villin custom touring, Medici Pro Pista, KHS Alite1000, Windsor fixed commuter

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 1 Post
Originally Posted by gnz
Maybe if it became a sticky post we could collect even more tips and tricks.


....
__________________
Villin custom touring | Raleigh XXIX | Medici Pro Pista | 1978 Schwinn Stingray
Matthew A Brown is offline  
Old 11-16-05, 12:28 PM
  #95  
supcom
You need a new bike
 
supcom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 5,433
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by Mr_Super_Socks
put food in a sack. tie long string to sack. tie rock to other end of string. throw rock over a tree branch. fetch rock from the ground. pull the rock end of the string until food bag is dangly safely out of reach of critters. tie string to a low branch. sleep deeply, confident that your food will be there in the morning and so will all your limbs.

(b/t/w - was the NZ point that there are tree dwelling critters who will steal your food? if so, i think the bag on a string may work, but more importantly, it's only partly to protect the food - mostly it's to protect you from getting attacked by jackals, bears, etc.
Putting the rock in a small stuff sack makes it much easier to tie to the end of the rope. Also, the PCT method of bear bagging will prevent a smarter than average bear from chewing through your rope to get your food. https://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...technique.html
supcom is offline  
Old 11-16-05, 12:36 PM
  #96  
Mr_Super_Socks
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 881

Bikes: Gilmour lugged steel, Bianchi Volpe, Bike Friday Pocket Rocket

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by paul2
The New Zealand point is that there are no large predators in New Zealand. So the goverment pamphets recommend keeping your food inside your tent to keep it away from the small predators, such as the Weka; a small flightless bird that made a mess of our bag of garbage.
wow. I (obviously) know extraordinarily little about NZ. I just know I enjoyed whale rider and intend to visit one day. thx for the info.
Mr_Super_Socks is offline  
Old 11-16-05, 12:57 PM
  #97  
Mr_Super_Socks
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 881

Bikes: Gilmour lugged steel, Bianchi Volpe, Bike Friday Pocket Rocket

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by supcom
Putting the rock in a small stuff sack makes it much easier to tie to the end of the rope. Also, the PCT method of bear bagging will prevent a smarter than average bear from chewing through your rope to get your food. https://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...technique.html
yeah - better than tying to a tree. obnoxious article, though. the only real difference of the PCT system is in the tie-off step - i.e. fixing it to itself rather than tying to a tree.

also - you don't need a carabiner for this. just a loop tied in the rope small enough to catch the twig. and you could use sand, dirt, etc. instead of a rock with the bag.
Mr_Super_Socks is offline  
Old 11-16-05, 07:00 PM
  #98  
akarius
~
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Posts: 162
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Machka
A task which is not as easy as it sounds!!
No, but as a fellow Canadian you should know that it is essential, and worth the effort. I had a very scary expirience with a bear one night and was thankful that the food was high up in a tree.

There are little pullies that take up almost no room that work great. I tie the rope to a full water bottle and throw it over a branch. I am very paranoid about bears I have had too many encounters with them. Heck in the city of Ottawa we have had moose come into the city.
akarius is offline  
Old 11-16-05, 07:26 PM
  #99  
Machka 
In Real Life
 
Machka's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Down under down under
Posts: 52,152

Bikes: Lots

Mentioned: 141 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3203 Post(s)
Liked 595 Times in 329 Posts
Originally Posted by Mr_Super_Socks
put food in a sack. tie long string to sack. tie rock to other end of string. throw rock over a tree branch. fetch rock from the ground. pull the rock end of the string until food bag is dangly safely out of reach of critters. tie string to a low branch. sleep deeply, confident that your food will be there in the morning and so will all your limbs.
Have you ever actually tried this? I have read similar instructions and thought to myself, OK, that's simple ... and then this year I actually tried it. Here's how it really goes ...

-- Attach something heavy to one end of the rope (i.e. rock, lock, etc.).
-- Look for suitable branch.
-- Discover that the pine trees around your campground all have short, spindly little branches about 20-30 ft above the ground.
-- Knowing that you not only have to have your food in the air to keep it away from the bears, but also away from any surrounding trees because black bears will climb trees and will try to reach the cache, choose the longest, most substantial branch you can find.
-- Lob the heavy end of the rope toward the branch. Miss.
-- Lob the heavy end of the rope toward the branch. Miss badly.
-- Lob the heavy end of the rope toward the branch. Get it caught another branch. Struggle to retrieve it.
-- Lob the heavy end of the rope toward the branch. Miss, again .......... and repeat. Get everyone in the camp to give it a go. Eventually someone will get it over the branch ... but it will be too close to the tree. Pull it down.
-- Lob the heavy end of rope toward the branch .....
-- When you finally get the rope over the most suitable part of the branch - high enough and far enough out from all surrounding trees ...
-- Tie the bag full of food, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, gatorade, and anything that remotely has a "nice" smell to it to the other end of the rope.
-- Start to haul it up.
-- Leap out of the way when the branch breaks because it was too spindly, or the bag of stuff was too heavy, or both.
-- Divide the stuff up into two bags.
-- Find a second rope.
-- Repeat from beginning, hoping that this time the branches you have chosen will hold.

This can be an entire evening's entertainment!!
Machka is offline  
Old 11-16-05, 08:23 PM
  #100  
Bekologist
totally louche
 
Bekologist's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: A land that time forgot
Posts: 18,023

Bikes: the ever shifting stable loaded with comfortable road bikes and city and winter bikes

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times in 8 Posts
I hang my food every time i camp, machka, and have done it every time for the last three decades. There's a happy medium to hanging food. its still a pain in the ass. Sometimes it takes 30 minutes to find the right tree branch or trees and do it right if you're camping in grizzly country.

No offense, but I'm shocked a Canadian would have such little woods sense.
Bekologist is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.