Category: No Stupid Questions
A rolling series of answers to real rider questions, usually long, meandering and unfiltered. Want your burning question answered? Drop me a line here.
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No Stupid Questions: How Best To Pack My Panniers For Cycling Round The World?
A reader writes: I’m keen to streamline my set-up and I’m curious to know what round-the-world pannier set-up you’d recommend… I’m thinking 2 × 12.5l front panniers, 2 × 12.5l rear panniers with an Ortlieb 31l Rack Pack and a 12l frame bag giving me around 93l storage. In addition, my front rack will enable me to carry a small duffel bag if needed. I’m considering possibly getting 20l rear panniers but I feel they’re too bulky and unnecessary. However, for long stretches where water and food might be scarce, they could work out well. I’ll be beginning in March/April ‘24… Continue reading →
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No Stupid Questions: How Can I Avoid Neck, Shoulder & Wrist Pain On Long Gravel Rides?
A reader writes: My biggest question/concern about my upcoming ride of the Carretera Austral (south to north, beginning in El Chaltén in 2.5 weeks) is: how do I deal with the jarring feeling of riding on packed gravel with my Surly LHT? In other words, without front suspension, what’s the best way to cushion my hands/wrists/arms/shoulders/neck from this chronic shaking/rattling/jostling? Thanks for such a timely question! Seriously – how to avoid wrist, arm and neck pain when cycle touring, particularly on gravel roads, has been a hot topic for me recently. Last summer – in an episode unrelated to cycle… Continue reading →
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No Stupid Questions: Should I Buy Touring Bike X Or Touring Bike Y?
Roughly ten thousand* people have written to me over the years with some version of the following question: Hi Tom,I’ve been researching touring bikes, and I’ve narrowed my choices down to Bike X and Bike Y. Both look perfect on paper, have great reviews, and fit my budget, but I can’t figure out how to decide between them. Can you help?Cheers,Roughly ten thousand people * this figure may be exaggerated Well hey, everyone, thanks so much for asking! Of all the big, scary dilemmas faced by the newcomer to the intoxicating world of bicycle travel, the question of ‘which bike… Continue reading →
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No Stupid Questions: Do I Need Special Hydraulic Brake Fluid For Winter Touring?
A reader writes: Thank you for bringing up these timely questions on the subject of winter cycle touring in sub-zero conditions! I myself rode to the Scandinavian Arctic back in the winter of 2011. It turns out that winter can be a source of fun and novelty for adventure cyclists, so it’s great to hear from someone planning a ride like this. Let’s start with the question of whether you need special winter fluid for hydraulic disc brakes on a touring bike (or any other type of bicycle, for that matter). Continue reading →