The Last Winter Tour of the Willamette Valley
03-06-19, 10:49 PM
#51
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I now have enough energy to add a few notes to what’s been said so well already about this fun, hard, cold (weather), warm (friendships new and established) tour. What a wonderful experience to share with this great bunch. Wouldn’t you know that I had both “mechanicals” but they were certainly easily resolved.
@Andy_K described very well the experiences of our lanterne rouge gruppeto. Many huge thanks to all the encouragement and pushes both emotional and physical along the way. As he noted, I was the one that had to tap deep at the end, and pretty sure that I was coming down with a bug that day, judging by how I still feel. It was actually a great final day route (Thank you, @CliffordK!) that I’d usually enjoy immensely.
FWIW, here’s the closest I’ve got to a beauty shot of my black Miyata 912 with Gugificazione travel bike mods carrying the red panniers. The front load approach with reraked fork and racks by @gugie worked great, although the high winds on Day 1 and 2 when the road turned across them were ‘interesting’. And I was envious of the others’ minimalist loads when the road tilted upward.
@Andy_K described very well the experiences of our lanterne rouge gruppeto. Many huge thanks to all the encouragement and pushes both emotional and physical along the way. As he noted, I was the one that had to tap deep at the end, and pretty sure that I was coming down with a bug that day, judging by how I still feel. It was actually a great final day route (Thank you, @CliffordK!) that I’d usually enjoy immensely.
FWIW, here’s the closest I’ve got to a beauty shot of my black Miyata 912 with Gugificazione travel bike mods carrying the red panniers. The front load approach with reraked fork and racks by @gugie worked great, although the high winds on Day 1 and 2 when the road turned across them were ‘interesting’. And I was envious of the others’ minimalist loads when the road tilted upward.
Last edited by Dfrost; 03-06-19 at 11:01 PM.
03-06-19, 11:15 PM
#52
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Ok, my report, interspersed with random pictures....
Day 1 started with a repeat of the pre-ride @gugie and I attempted on Presidents Day, except this time the ferry was running. The roads between Wilsonville and the ferry were worthy of a scenic bikeway (though they aren’t officially part of it) but the hills were just as demoralizing as I remembered. Sorry, no pics of this segment. The ferry ride was a fun diversion.
Day 1 started with a repeat of the pre-ride @gugie and I attempted on Presidents Day, except this time the ferry was running. The roads between Wilsonville and the ferry were worthy of a scenic bikeway (though they aren’t officially part of it) but the hills were just as demoralizing as I remembered. Sorry, no pics of this segment. The ferry ride was a fun diversion.
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03-07-19, 07:33 PM
#53
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Bob and I drove down from North Bend, Washington on Friday. We picked up Bill and his bike in Ladd’s Addition in Portland and drive up to Marks house that evening to stage the bikes for the morning start on Saturday. My bike was already there having been so since last summer when Mark graciously offered to make a custom rack for it, replacing an off the shelf Compass rack that didn’t fit quite right.
The rack he’d made was beautiful and I was excited to see it and replace the front wheel with a newly built up one that had a generator hub in anticipation for the night ride at the end of the tour. Mark helped me with affixing the wiring, mounting the generator light and replacing straddle cables which I had some trouble with. What a guy!
When the bikes were sorted out, we took off for dinner.
Bob and I back to Bills house where we’d dine with his wife, the rest of the guys went out to a local pub. As I was pulling out of Mark’s driveway in the dark, I clipped his mailbox with my rear view mirror and it was too much for the rotted mailbox post.
It came crashing down. HORRORS!
Well I guess I’ll never be invited back to his house again!
When I texted Mark about me being the A-hole who knocked it down, he said they were all laughing after hearing 1st about if from his wife :-)
The next morning we stood it back up with a temporary fix. Mark was very gracious about it all and I think he enjoyed how embarrassed I was about the whole thing.
Sorry Gugie by NBend, on Flickr
We took a pre-ride photo before we pushed off, Mark leading us through Portland suburbia by way of his commute route.
Pre ride photo by NBend, on Flickr
It was quite c-cold and warming up the muscles took awhile. Neil, quite naturally, seemed unfazed by the weather. To him, being from New England, it probably felt downright balmy.
As we headed south out of Suburbia into open country of rolling hills and farmland. The air was clean and crisp, you could see Mt. Hood hovering in the distance clear as a bell even though it was over 40 miles away.
Mt Hood in the distance by NBend, on Flickr
Andy Mark and Bob by NBend, on Flickr
Dave by NBend, on Flickr
Crossing the Willamette by ferry near Canby was a new experience for me.
Never been on a ferry this small before!
Ferry by NBend, on Flickr
We stopped for lunch in Canby. Bob and I were talking about Jack Taylor’s brother Ken having a birthday that day so I snapped a picture of Bob and posted to Ken’s Facebook page with a birthday greeting
Bob Freeman by NBend, on Flickr
The first two days were very similar in length and topography although the winds on day 2 played more of an adversarial role at times when the route would turn West and we’d get into some pretty cold side and headwinds.
The rollers often split up our group. Neil and Bill were often out front, our strongest riders.
Neil and Bill were usually at the front by NBend, on Flickr
The rack he’d made was beautiful and I was excited to see it and replace the front wheel with a newly built up one that had a generator hub in anticipation for the night ride at the end of the tour. Mark helped me with affixing the wiring, mounting the generator light and replacing straddle cables which I had some trouble with. What a guy!
When the bikes were sorted out, we took off for dinner.
Bob and I back to Bills house where we’d dine with his wife, the rest of the guys went out to a local pub. As I was pulling out of Mark’s driveway in the dark, I clipped his mailbox with my rear view mirror and it was too much for the rotted mailbox post.
It came crashing down. HORRORS!
Well I guess I’ll never be invited back to his house again!
When I texted Mark about me being the A-hole who knocked it down, he said they were all laughing after hearing 1st about if from his wife :-)
The next morning we stood it back up with a temporary fix. Mark was very gracious about it all and I think he enjoyed how embarrassed I was about the whole thing.
Sorry Gugie by NBend, on Flickr
We took a pre-ride photo before we pushed off, Mark leading us through Portland suburbia by way of his commute route.
Pre ride photo by NBend, on Flickr
It was quite c-cold and warming up the muscles took awhile. Neil, quite naturally, seemed unfazed by the weather. To him, being from New England, it probably felt downright balmy.
As we headed south out of Suburbia into open country of rolling hills and farmland. The air was clean and crisp, you could see Mt. Hood hovering in the distance clear as a bell even though it was over 40 miles away.
Mt Hood in the distance by NBend, on Flickr
Andy Mark and Bob by NBend, on Flickr
Dave by NBend, on Flickr
Crossing the Willamette by ferry near Canby was a new experience for me.
Never been on a ferry this small before!
Ferry by NBend, on Flickr
We stopped for lunch in Canby. Bob and I were talking about Jack Taylor’s brother Ken having a birthday that day so I snapped a picture of Bob and posted to Ken’s Facebook page with a birthday greeting
Bob Freeman by NBend, on Flickr
The first two days were very similar in length and topography although the winds on day 2 played more of an adversarial role at times when the route would turn West and we’d get into some pretty cold side and headwinds.
The rollers often split up our group. Neil and Bill were often out front, our strongest riders.
Neil and Bill were usually at the front by NBend, on Flickr
Last edited by northbend; 03-10-19 at 04:20 PM.
03-07-19, 07:37 PM
#54
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No one was left behind for long. Re groups were frequent.
Waiting for everyone to catch up by NBend, on Flickr
The crew at a regroup by NBend, on Flickr
The 3rd day was the shortest in length. Cliff as others had already stated, advised a welcome change to our route ensuring we’d get to the train station in Eugene with plenty of time to spare. He met us a few miles north of Eugene and led us on some nice roads and paths into town.
Cliff is a quiet unassuming guy with a big motor. I got a kick out of following him. Here we were, on constant lookout deftly avoiding ice and debris on the shoulder and there goes Cliff, powerfully motoring on a dead straight line unfazed by any of it plowing on through and he was on the smallest tires of the group!
Cliff the locomotive by NBend, on Flickr
Dave wasn’t the only one with mechanicals. He did get the only flat of the group 1 mile from the end in Eugene
Only flat one mile from the end of 160 miles by NBend, on Flickr
But about 20 miles in on Day 1, my non drive side crank arm came loose and I had to stop a few times over the next few days and tighten it as best as I could with my small multi tool.
We had lunch near the train station at the Wheel House Brewery. A bicycle themed pub with good food and beer.
At the Wheel Station by NBend, on Flickr
Andy and the photo in a photo by NBend, on Flickr
We loaded our bikes onto the train for Portland
To the Baggage Car by NBend, on Flickr
It takes a charismatic man of Mark’s stature to convince 7 grown men to follow him on a credit card tour of the Willamette Valley in the dead of winter. If it weren’t for him I am sure we would have all been safely indoors, insulated from the elements, growing belly fat and dreaming of warmer days. Thanks Mark for all the effort you put into this tour. It was a great weekend.
GugieMan by NBend, on Flickr
Even though it was cold, we couldn’t have asked for better weather. Mark credits Neil for the good weather karma. Thanks Neil! It was much appreciated by this weather weenie.
The instigators by NBend, on Flickr
We got into Portland that evening around 8pm and readied the bikes for a short ride to Bill’s house where we’d staged Mark’s truck that would be used to shuttle Andy, Neil and Dave back to Atelier Gugie.
In Portland! by NBend, on Flickr
This ride through the city turned out to be the highlight of the weekend for me! No one except Bill knew how to get to Bill’s house. We turned on our lights and sped off into downtown Portland, Bill leading us on a "Mr Toad's Wild Ride" thu the city. You see, Portland is well known for it’s cycling infrastructure. The paths and bike lanes were busy with riders in both directions. It was dark and you could only hope that the lights you were following were from our group with Bill hopefully at the front leading us. We bobbed and weaved around intersections, glancing behind, hoping those behind were keeping up but who knows for sure! it was DARK and one light looks just like another. It was beautiful, lights from the city reflected on the Willamette River. I place my bet on the rider in front of me hoping it is one from our group. The bet pays off when we arrive at Bills house in the Ladds Addition neighborhood.
Andy and Dave got separated from us. Mark calmly calls up Andy and tells him to ride to the center of Ladds and just like that we are together again.
Whew! Home safe.
We park the bikes and walk out of the neighborhood for one last celebratory dinner at Lardo’s.
The sandwiches are obscenely good. The beer, some of the best we’ve had so far.
The ride is officially over and I am still buzzing from it all.
Waiting for everyone to catch up by NBend, on Flickr
The crew at a regroup by NBend, on Flickr
The 3rd day was the shortest in length. Cliff as others had already stated, advised a welcome change to our route ensuring we’d get to the train station in Eugene with plenty of time to spare. He met us a few miles north of Eugene and led us on some nice roads and paths into town.
Cliff is a quiet unassuming guy with a big motor. I got a kick out of following him. Here we were, on constant lookout deftly avoiding ice and debris on the shoulder and there goes Cliff, powerfully motoring on a dead straight line unfazed by any of it plowing on through and he was on the smallest tires of the group!
Cliff the locomotive by NBend, on Flickr
Dave wasn’t the only one with mechanicals. He did get the only flat of the group 1 mile from the end in Eugene
Only flat one mile from the end of 160 miles by NBend, on Flickr
But about 20 miles in on Day 1, my non drive side crank arm came loose and I had to stop a few times over the next few days and tighten it as best as I could with my small multi tool.
We had lunch near the train station at the Wheel House Brewery. A bicycle themed pub with good food and beer.
At the Wheel Station by NBend, on Flickr
Andy and the photo in a photo by NBend, on Flickr
We loaded our bikes onto the train for Portland
To the Baggage Car by NBend, on Flickr
It takes a charismatic man of Mark’s stature to convince 7 grown men to follow him on a credit card tour of the Willamette Valley in the dead of winter. If it weren’t for him I am sure we would have all been safely indoors, insulated from the elements, growing belly fat and dreaming of warmer days. Thanks Mark for all the effort you put into this tour. It was a great weekend.
GugieMan by NBend, on Flickr
Even though it was cold, we couldn’t have asked for better weather. Mark credits Neil for the good weather karma. Thanks Neil! It was much appreciated by this weather weenie.
The instigators by NBend, on Flickr
We got into Portland that evening around 8pm and readied the bikes for a short ride to Bill’s house where we’d staged Mark’s truck that would be used to shuttle Andy, Neil and Dave back to Atelier Gugie.
In Portland! by NBend, on Flickr
This ride through the city turned out to be the highlight of the weekend for me! No one except Bill knew how to get to Bill’s house. We turned on our lights and sped off into downtown Portland, Bill leading us on a "Mr Toad's Wild Ride" thu the city. You see, Portland is well known for it’s cycling infrastructure. The paths and bike lanes were busy with riders in both directions. It was dark and you could only hope that the lights you were following were from our group with Bill hopefully at the front leading us. We bobbed and weaved around intersections, glancing behind, hoping those behind were keeping up but who knows for sure! it was DARK and one light looks just like another. It was beautiful, lights from the city reflected on the Willamette River. I place my bet on the rider in front of me hoping it is one from our group. The bet pays off when we arrive at Bills house in the Ladds Addition neighborhood.
Andy and Dave got separated from us. Mark calmly calls up Andy and tells him to ride to the center of Ladds and just like that we are together again.
Whew! Home safe.
We park the bikes and walk out of the neighborhood for one last celebratory dinner at Lardo’s.
The sandwiches are obscenely good. The beer, some of the best we’ve had so far.
The ride is officially over and I am still buzzing from it all.
Last edited by northbend; 03-07-19 at 09:46 PM.
03-07-19, 08:01 PM
#55
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Had my work schedule not kept me from doing so I would have loved to made the ride from Salem to Eugene .. Looks like you fellas were living the life of Riley...
03-07-19, 11:17 PM
#56
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As I was pulling out of Mark’s driveway in the dark, I clipped his mailbox with my rear view mirror and it was too much for the rotted mailbox post.
It came crashing down. HORRORS!
Well I guess I’ll never be invited back to his house again!
When I texted Mark about me being the A-hole who knocked it down, he said they were all laughing after hearing 1st about if from his wife :-)
The next morning we stood it back up with a temporary fix. Mark was very gracious about it all and I think he enjoyed how embarrassed I was about the whole thing.
It came crashing down. HORRORS!
Well I guess I’ll never be invited back to his house again!
When I texted Mark about me being the A-hole who knocked it down, he said they were all laughing after hearing 1st about if from his wife :-)
The next morning we stood it back up with a temporary fix. Mark was very gracious about it all and I think he enjoyed how embarrassed I was about the whole thing.
Watching Matt's beet red face in the morning: Priceless.
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If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
03-08-19, 04:10 PM
#57
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And finally, some of Bob Freeman's pictures.
First, the bikes:
Bill's bike, built by his son-in-law
Andy's Sequoia. Like Tin Cup's 7 iron, it's never failed him.
Dave's Miyata 912. Didn't get a stand alone glamour shot
Another from Andy's stable, the Motobecane Grand Record with pitch perfect powder coat, loaner ridden by Neal. Neal commented it fit him perfectly with almost no adjustment.
My Raleigh Grander Sportier. I've ridden it with this setup a few tours now.
Matt's Woodrup, the last one Kevin Sayles made. Oof! Real beauty. Built around 700c x 38 for speed and comfort. Same bike that Matt took from his doorstop to visit his son in Colorado last year.
Bob's 1969 Jack Taylor Tour of Great Britain. Note the old school Baycliff leather saddlebag. Only Bob Freeman would take a show bike on a three day tour.
First, the bikes:
Bill's bike, built by his son-in-law
Andy's Sequoia. Like Tin Cup's 7 iron, it's never failed him.
Dave's Miyata 912. Didn't get a stand alone glamour shot
Another from Andy's stable, the Motobecane Grand Record with pitch perfect powder coat, loaner ridden by Neal. Neal commented it fit him perfectly with almost no adjustment.
My Raleigh Grander Sportier. I've ridden it with this setup a few tours now.
Matt's Woodrup, the last one Kevin Sayles made. Oof! Real beauty. Built around 700c x 38 for speed and comfort. Same bike that Matt took from his doorstop to visit his son in Colorado last year.
Bob's 1969 Jack Taylor Tour of Great Britain. Note the old school Baycliff leather saddlebag. Only Bob Freeman would take a show bike on a three day tour.
03-08-19, 05:40 PM
#58
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A somewhat on topic question. I see Dave is riding with front panniers only. As I am getting ready to do my first, short tour, I've been talking to experienced tourers. The tend to dissuade me from carrying front panniers, if there is no need, due to the wobble factor on the downhills. Can any of you speak to that?
There are several problems with rear loading a bike. First, you already have 60% of the weight on the back wheel, which is almost certainly dished, and therefore is weaker than the front. This is an old problem and can be mostly overcome with modern wheels and wider spaced dropouts, which minimizes dish. Most road tandems are built with 135mm spacing nowadays, for example, as are many "expedition" touring bikes. Once you put more weight in the back, the bike tends to flop back and forth - "tail wagging the dog" is what it's often referred to. Try standing and climbing up a hill with loaded rear panniers and you'll know what I'm talking about. Framebuilders compensate for that with stiffer frames. The Surly Long Haul Trucker is built that way, and you'll see more of them on a long tour than any other bike. The problem is the ride like an oxcart, IMO. I want my touring bike to handle well as if it weren't loaded at all. By putting the load on the front, you can stand and pedal just the same as if it weren't loaded - and when you're loaded, you'll probably need to stand more often due to the additional weight! At least that's my experience.
The problem with just loading up the front with low riders is it can negatively affect your handling if it's a high trail bike, and somewhat if it's medium trail. It's hard for me to give you some numbers, but I'd prefer to keep your trail to no more than 40mm if you're using low riders.
Here's a picture of my setup the last time I went loaded touring (which I define as bringing a tent, sleeping bag, and cooking gear):
The green bag sticking out the back is my tent. It's only 3 lbs or so. I could have removed the tent poles and tied them to the top of the front panniers, I still had room inside them fro the tent.
Part of the route was through the Columbia Gorge, which has lots of ups and downs and almost zero shoulder. I was able to easily descend at speed:
Best of all, I could stand and keep my line easily - hard to do with loaded rear panniers!
There were 10 of us on that tour. 8 out of 10 were front loaded (pix because it happened!):
After WWII the French developed this type of touring when cars and gasoline were scarce. For some reason the English always put a big saddlebag in the back, but mountain climbing wasn't necessary in the British Isles. Perhaps American touring was influenced by the English?
If I'm credit card touring (minimal storage requirements) I'll bring just a handlebar and saddle bag, and put maybe 6-7 pounds in my saddlebag, which doesn't affect handling much, IMO. That's what most of us did on this short tour.
@Dfrost intentionally rode with front panniers more as a test for this setup, as he has plans to use that bike for overseas bike touring and needs the additional capacity. If you're camping, and want to bring a tent, sleeping bag, maybe cooking gear, carry food, and perhaps a lot of water if you're in a hot, dry area, you can fit it all in front panniers and a handlebar bag. If you're staying indoors along the way, a handlebar bag and saddle bag will be more than enough.
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If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
03-09-19, 02:39 AM
#59
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Adding to gugie’s erudite exposition, since I was traveling with rear panniers, I’ll share my experiences. My Sequoia normally only has the front rack and handlebar bag. I didn’t have a better solution to bring as much stuff as I wanted to so I strapped on a rear rack. The panniers I used are spacious but were lightly loaded, just a few changes of clothes.
i have no idea what the trail is on this bike. A few days before our trip I tested the rear rack using a trunk bag with zip out panniers, riding to work with a laptop in one side pocket of the trunk bag, various tools, a change of clothes, and a lunch, but with nothing on the front rack. In that configuration I definitely felt the tail-wagging-the dog effect that gugie noted. I was surprised because I use a setup like that on my 2011 Kona Jake for commuting all the time and it handles fine. Different geometry, I guess, and maybe that frame is stiffer. Anyway, I hoped that with a bit less weight on the rear (yes, my commuting load weighed more than my rear load on the tour) and a bit more on the front it would restore balance to the bike. And it did.
i have no idea what the trail is on this bike. A few days before our trip I tested the rear rack using a trunk bag with zip out panniers, riding to work with a laptop in one side pocket of the trunk bag, various tools, a change of clothes, and a lunch, but with nothing on the front rack. In that configuration I definitely felt the tail-wagging-the dog effect that gugie noted. I was surprised because I use a setup like that on my 2011 Kona Jake for commuting all the time and it handles fine. Different geometry, I guess, and maybe that frame is stiffer. Anyway, I hoped that with a bit less weight on the rear (yes, my commuting load weighed more than my rear load on the tour) and a bit more on the front it would restore balance to the bike. And it did.
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03-09-19, 02:43 AM
#60
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A somewhat on topic question. I see Dave is riding with front panniers only. As I am getting ready to do my first, short tour, I've been talking to experienced tourers. The tend to dissuade me from carrying front panniers, if there is no need, due to the wobble factor on the downhills. Can any of you speak to that?
When I’d ridden this bike in the past (unmodified fork) with a rear rack and less than a credit card touring load in a pannier, it behaved on the lower end of acceptable (it handled just fine with day-trip loads in a rear bag) and it definitely wasn’t happy when I rode out of the saddle. There was always, sitting or standing, a “tail wagging the dog” feel with any substantial load. But with the rerake and the extra weight in front, the handling is very good-excellent regardless of the amount of load. There’s very little sense of the extra load (until the roads tilt up) and it seems to encourage out-of-saddle efforts. There is NO downhill wobble! The only qualifier, which showed up on the rather windy (15-20 mph) trip described in this thread, was that fast downhills with a strong side wind required some caution, but I was never worried about a speed wobble. Without the low rider panniers, as I’ve been riding it for most of 1500 miles since the conversion, there is not even that concern. It is an absolute joy, and the convenience of the front bag is fantastic. BTW, I tried that same front bag with another of Mark’s very solid decaleurs on my mid-trail Marinoni Sports Tourer. It wasn’t nearly as nice handling at speed, reinforcing his comments about the importance of low-trail.
03-09-19, 07:47 AM
#61
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Yeesh, I disappear from the forum for a couple of years, and come back to find that you guys passed right through my town on tour, just a week ago! 
Looks like it was a great trip, love seeing the pics of familiar places and people.
Looks like it was a great trip, love seeing the pics of familiar places and people.
03-09-19, 11:35 AM
#62
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You gonna stick around the forum now?
03-09-19, 11:50 AM
#63
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Yes, I'll be around. Hey, it's almost Monster Cookie time again, are you guys in for this year? Should be warmer and drier than early March, haha.
03-09-19, 03:26 PM
#64
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As @gugie stated, I used this tour as an opportunity to check out front loading for longer tours. It was 120% successful! The extra 20% account for how I’ve fallen in love all over again with this 1979 Miyata 912, owned since new, thanks to the low trail conversion and racks that Mark added to the front fork of this otherwise rather sporty bike. As he stated in his earlier response, the key is the low trail of the fork, which he accomplished by reraking the stock fork.
When I’d ridden this bike in the past (unmodified fork) with a rear rack and less than a credit card touring load in a pannier, it behaved on the lower end of acceptable (it handled just fine with day-trip loads in a rear bag) and it definitely wasn’t happy when I rode out of the saddle. There was always, sitting or standing, a “tail wagging the dog” feel with any substantial load. But with the rerake and the extra weight in front, the handling is very good-excellent regardless of the amount of load. There’s very little sense of the extra load (until the roads tilt up) and it seems to encourage out-of-saddle efforts. There is NO downhill wobble! The only qualifier, which showed up on the rather windy (15-20 mph) trip described in this thread, was that fast downhills with a strong side wind required some caution, but I was never worried about a speed wobble. Without the low rider panniers, as I’ve been riding it for most of 1500 miles since the conversion, there is not even that concern. It is an absolute joy, and the convenience of the front bag is fantastic. BTW, I tried that same front bag with another of Mark’s very solid decaleurs on my mid-trail Marinoni Sports Tourer. It wasn’t nearly as nice handling at speed, reinforcing his comments about the importance of low-trail.
03-09-19, 08:59 PM
#65
aka Tom Reingold
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Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
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Very nice, folks!
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
03-09-19, 09:31 PM
#66
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Location: Eugene, OR
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Because it’s on the way to Eugene’s co-op, I walked past the Wheel Apizza restaurant this afternoon. I reflected back on this thread, and really regretted not rendezvousing with you all as someone had suggested I do. However...
I’ve really enjoyed reading about the experience, as well as seeing photographs of local, and regional scenery. You all obviously had a great time. I particularly like the account of CliffordK just plowing through the terrain. He would!
Thanks fellas for sharing the tour with the rest of us!
And those bikes... !
I’ve really enjoyed reading about the experience, as well as seeing photographs of local, and regional scenery. You all obviously had a great time. I particularly like the account of CliffordK just plowing through the terrain. He would!
Thanks fellas for sharing the tour with the rest of us!
And those bikes... !
03-10-19, 01:00 PM
#67
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Seattle WA
Posts: 2,841
Bikes: 2009 Handsome Devil, 1987 Trek 520 Cirrus, 1978 Motobecane Grand Touring, 1987 Nishiki Cresta GT, 1989 Specialized Allez Former bikes; 1986 Miyata Trail Runner, 1979 Miyata 912, 2011 VO Rando, 1999 Cannondale R800, 1986 Schwinn Passage
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Looks like an awesome time in the cold March Willamette, thanks for all the pics - @Dfrost glad to hear the 912 worked like a champ.
03-10-19, 03:41 PM
#68
Bike Butcher of Portland
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Bikes: It's complicated.
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Wait, we were near a co-op and ate instead?
There were 3 unused hooks on the train!
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If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
03-14-24, 06:36 AM
#69
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Location: Soviet of Oregon or Pensacola FL
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After downsizing, I settled in South Salem, OR. We Winter in Pensacola, FL/Summer in Oregon May thru Sept., hoped to do the "Monster Cookie" but its April 28th this year! Will lobby for an earlier return so may see you then. Could join any Spring/Summer tours passing thru and ride with Andy for at least a day or 2. Don
