gauvins

Just back from 8 weeks+ on tour. In case this would be useful to someone, below are a few observations WRT 2022 modifications to my kit


ELECTRONICS

• +++ Gamin Enduro used for navigation. Remarkable battery life. 10+ days with TBT and display always on, 14+ days with display activated manually (10 seconds) on. And more than a month (estimated) if the nav app is set to "resume later" and sporadically activated. I started the trip with always-on TBT and progressively moved to "resume later" for occasional glances.
  
• +++ Cables. 4" USB-C <> USB-C cable + micro-USB, USB A and Garmin adapters. Much much smaller and convenient (no more softball-size cable mess).
  
• ++ Hisense A5 e-ink phone. Imagine a Kindle the size of a smart phone, running Android. Difficult to assess battery life, which depends on the type of usage. Probably 2 weeks for offline reading. Several days if used as a navigation device. Overall, 4x the autonomy of my S10.
  
• -- Solar panel, located on top of my handlebar bag. 2W nominal. No discernible energy acquisition. I'm done with the idea of solar (for now). Modern battery banks routinely capture 18W (some go up to 60W!) and my electricity requirements being minimal, there's no point in pursuing this avenue.
  

SLEEP

• -- My ThermaRest XLite busted a few more baffles a week in the tour. I've purchased a closed-cell ZFold mat for a fraction of the price and there's no going back. Other than looking like a dork with the Z tied to the rear rack, (1) it deploys/stores in an instant; (2) will not go bust; (3) will not alert the entire campground because I toss at night (inflatable pads are surprising noisy...)
  

COCKPIT

• +++ I've transitioned from butterfly to flat bars with back sweep and inner bar ends. MUCH better. I'll add some padding to the inner bar ends, but this is a minor thing.
  
• ++ Ultimate free handlebar bag. Does what it is supposed to do. Considerable improvement over the Compact with its front facing flap that had an annoying tendency to fly open at high speed.
  

MISC

• -- TPU tubes. 3 flats in a week, which is highly atypical (1 flat over the previous 5 years riding on butyl). While it is not possible to rule out bad luck or the very large quantity of glass shards lining Montana roads (where "passengers" apparently like to drink their beer from a bottle), slow leak flats suggest that the thinner TPU is more vulnerable than butyl. AND an Aerothan patch didn't hold (whereas butyl repairs always seem to work). I'll probably still carry a TPU spare in the saddle bag -- TPU is much more compact -- but on tour, butyl feels like a more viable option.
  
• +++ Salsa rubber straps. Faster and more reliable than the tie down I used before.
  
• ++ outlery modular flatware. Very small, fits flat inside my tumbler. Very minor improvement, but improvement nonetheless.
• ++ Hiplok Z lock. A plastic coated steel locking zip-tie. Very lightweight and convenient. Ditched the 3/8" cable.
• ? Leather saddle... Popped a rivet (still possible to ride) and stretched some more after 48hrs of continuous rain. Mixed feeling. I've considered a rubber top (Selle Anatomica or Brooks). Yet, leather is supposed to conform better. Next move is under consideration.
  
• ? pump -- worn o-ring renders the pump next to useless. Trying to get a replacement is no simple matter (zillions of o-ring sizes). I've ordered a replacement and will consider options.
  
• ? fuel tablets - my preference goes to Coghlan's or Esbit. Problem is that resupply options are very limited, vs ISO canisters

staehpj1

If the Zfold works for you that is great. That said I found that the baffle issues I had with my first Xlite were probably the result of sleeping on it directly with bare skin on it on hot nights. I figure the body oils were bad, but the sunscreen and DEET likely were worse. After Thermarest replaced my first one (despite the fact it was out of the wrranty period), I started wearing a tech tee when sleeping and never had any more baffle issues.

I also found that the noise issues were mostly the result of sticky bare skin on it on hot nights. My tent mates said it was never a problem again after I started wearing the tech tees to sleep in.

Not knocking the Z-lite or similar,if they are comfy enough for you though. It does have advantages.

Edited to add that the only time I sleep directly on the pad these days is if I either am using the sleeping bag zipped wide open like a quilt or expect I might. I didn't know the baffle problem was happening with current models. I remember it with the very early models. My warranty replacement has a ton of troublefree use.

Thulsadoom

What pump and what saddle?

headwind15

I discovered that as far as cushions for bar ends go, that if you cut two 1" x 2.5" pieces of inexpensive rubber flip-flop and electrical or duct tape them to your bar-ends and the put some handlebar ape over them, that is a class A set-up.

Tourist in MSN

Thanks for posting. We do not often get good detail from a long tour on what worked well, what failed, etc.

On electric power supply, if I recall correctly you used to use a Forumslader. If so, not sure why you quit using it. If you are looking for a dynohub powered USB charger other than the Forumslader, I recently bought a Cycle2Charge on Amazon.de. No customs fee to receive it in USA, I have no clue how imports from EU works for you in Canada. The US Dollar and the Canadian Dollar have been very strong against the Euro for several months, the Cycle2Charge is priced in Euros. Thus, it was a lot cheaper when I bought mine about a month ago than it was a year or two ago, considering that I was paying in US Dollars.

Pump, I usually use a Road Morph G for near home riding, on tour more likely to use Lezyne Micro Floor Drive. I regularly clean my Road Morph G as dust on gravel road gets inside and makes a mess. I cover teh chuck with a piece of electric tape so dust does not get into the chuck, the last thing I want is to get dust in the chuck and then transfer that dust into my valve stem valve seat. I have considered packing my pump in a pannier on tour, but usually do not. That said, in a pannier is the best way to keep it free of dust. I only rarely have cleaned out my Lezyne.

Thanks for the warning on the Xlite Thermarest, I have one and usually have used it for backpacking. Unfortunate that it did not work so good for you. Bike touring, I usually carry a heavier REI branded one instead of the Thermarest.

Stove fuel, I am curious how often you saw the tall skinny butane canisters for sale. On my last bike tour (2019) they were more common than the threaded short squat ones that most of us typically use, some RV campgrounds sold the tall skinny ones. I have bought a couple adapters to allow using the tall skinny camosters on the stoves that thread onto the threaded canisters, I plan to test those adapters on a backpacking trip in a few weeks. By tall skinny ones, I mean these types of canister.
https://www.rei.com/product/172458/k...-canister-8-oz

Yan 

Wow that phone blew my mind a bit. Very interesting.

gauvins

Topeak roadmorph.
Selle Anatomica

Both are excellent products. I am replacing the roadmorph with a mountain morph. I have another Anatomica in the shed that will replace my failing saddle. Considering their R2 (rubber) and/or X2 (modular with leather top).

gauvins

Yup. That's the plan

gauvins

​​​​​​Two reasons.(1) By far the most significant is that two years in a row the system failed (my mistake in both cases). First failure when flying the bike - removing the front wheel destroyed the connector (pinched between the wheel and the fork, probably because I ride on 2.1"). Second failure when I reinstalled the forumSlader. I over tightened the stem bolt, which crushed the USB connector.

{2) I push a measly 100W. IIRC, the forumSlader outputs a remarkable 8W. Sounds great, but also means that it takes 10W of leg power... A more definitive analysis would have to consider that at low speed, very little power is diverted. Still...
There is no doubt in my mind that a forumSlader is a great device for commuters. Perhaps not for touring. Then again, now that I know better, not clear. Let's just say that two (redundancy) small power banks appear to be foolproof.

Good point. I'll clean mine from now on.

Never, as far as I recall... But since I had all the fuel I needed, I never shopped for fuel. I simply noticed that fuel tablets are a rarity compared to ISO canisters, in the part of Canada and USA that I've traveled. Not a big deal, but may require a bit of planning.

saddlesores

Local bmx or motoscooter shop should have inexpensive cushion grip sets, couple bucks or so.

Includes a bar/throttle grip that fits nicely on bar ends, and a brake grip can cut in half to fit standard brake levers.

Tourist in MSN

Sounds like an epic trip. Glad to have you back. Thanks again for posting.

Thulsadoom

I've had similar experiences with the Road Morph. Excellent pump until that o ring breaks and then you can't find a replacement unless you order it. By the time you pay shipping you might as well just buy a new pump.

My Anatomica had rail issues. Both of them bent and eventually broke. It was a good saddle, probably 10,000 miles, before that happened.

IPassGas

If one must have the pump mounted to the frame, find something like an umbrella sleeve to encase it, otherwise grit will infest it and cause o-rings to fail.

robow

This summer when I was touring up in Minnesota, my 10 + year old Thermarest did the same thing. It's seen a lot of use and until this time has been great. Sent an email with photo to Thermarest to see if it could be repaired and they said send it to them as they hate seeing these things end up in landfills. Lo and behold they sent me a brand new mattress at no charge, for which I was not asking. Excellent customer service.

Pratt

Tourist-
Around here, northeast, we have a wasp that likes to lay her eggs in the ends of pumps. she then seals them up with mud. A couple of pumps are needed to dislodge her nursery.