speculative tossing and turning

My wife and I are, now that I have my touring bike, planning to do some camping this summer off of our bicycles.

We are, however, missing some kit.

Like all of the kit. Except the bikes, clothing, a small back packing stove, and an interest in camping off of our bicycles.

We cannot wait!

This year, all we are planning on purchasing are things like dishes, back pack sleeping bags, something to sleep on, and some panniers. We shall be relying on our friendly neighbourhood outfitters (and anyone willing to chime in here with some actual experience) on what a good sleeping bag would be for bicycle touring. A tent we will rent from the afore mentioned outfitters for the times we need it. This will allow us a chance to try a few out before plunking down what is likely to be a fair chunk of change on a tent. Tent advice from the experienced is also accepted. Chime in if you wish!

The part that I am actively thinking about now though are the panniers.

My wife is riding an Optima Orca recumbent which looks like this:

The amount of carrying space on this bicycle is fairly large, and that rack on the back is huge. At one point, there was custom luggage made by Optima (or at least sold through them) which fit this bicycle perfectly for touring, but that ship has sailed. This means sourcing some standard panniers for the bicycle.

I have a trunk bag made by Arkel already which fits perfectly on the top of the rack. I think it is this one, the trailrider. It is pretty big for a trunk bag, and is broken into two compartments with two side pockets which are perfect for a toolkit. The bag comes with a rain cover.

Interestingly, Optima built the rack on this bicycle with extra bags in mind. Besides the normal, 60L touring type bags made for a diamond frame bicycle mounted high on the back of the rack, there are tabs to attach low-rider front racks to the underside of the rack below where the rider sits. Perfect. An extra 20 or 30 L of storage should we need it. Don't know if we will, but it is nice to see that this is an option should we decide it is necessary. Mostly what it means is that this bicycle can carry as many bags as a conventional diamond frame touring bicycle can when bags are mounted front and back.

So, we have the option to put on standard bags, or, we could put a pair of these Arkel bags. They are made for recumbents and would likely fit and balance better. Also, they come with external tubes for thermarests. Nice. Worth investing in perhaps although in truth, I know nothing about balancing things on a recumbent since I don't ride the bike. It is my wife's bike, and I don't ride it. A bonus for us is that Arkel is a Canadian company and at $400, they are reasonably affordable. I am not sure if extra bags could be mounted on the front part of the rack with this bag design. It may not matter if they cannot since these things are pretty big.

It looks like the trunk bag we have will fit on the bicycle with these recumbent specific bags and if it doesn't, a tent can be carried on top of the rack between the panniers.

For my bike, I was thinking of either the modular Axiom stuff I have referred to before or perhaps some of the Arkel bags. We have some in stock at the shop and I can attest to how well made they are. The mounting mechanism is fantastic and looks very very solid. The ones which appeal to me are the GT-54's. They are plenty big, and have a significant number of external attachments, including pouches and a thermarest tube. These would go on the back of the bicycle. Cost compared to the Axiom stuff is a wash since the tubes and extra stuff that the Arkel bags come with are an extra cost item with the Axiom equipment. Since I want the extra anyways it comes down to which would suit better. I think the Arkel would.

For the front, I was thinking something like the GT-18 pannier from Arkel. These come as single units and run somewhere around $145 each. I need a pair of new commuter bags since my old ones have gotten a bit chewed up over the last decade or so I have been using them and have been relegated to winter use only. Getting these first and using them for hauling stuff back and forth to work is likely a good way to go.

And lastly, a high quality waterproof handlebar bag is on my list. Being a photographer, and one who shoots with a micro mirrorless system, a solid handlebar bag is all I would need to tote about good quality camera gear on a bicycle adventure. The small Arkel handlebar bag looks like it would work fine. Domke makes camera inserts that I could use to pad the lenses and camera body, or I could just pack them with wash clothes... The bag appears big enough for extra batteries and chargers for them and cell phones. Good deal.

Anyway, this is the ruminating thus far. What to do and how far to get into this will depend on how much we commit to taking trips on the bicycles. Right now, from the warmth and security of home, it seems a great idea. We will have to ride together lots, and perhaps do some "credit card" tripping, before plunking down the cash for a full on touring set up.

In the mean time, it is fun to ride together and just hang out on two wheels. Something we both miss, and have not been able to do for way too long.

daydream believers

My wife and I have an idea.

She loves camping.
I love bicycles.

Seems like a marriage made in heaven, no?

***

She got into riding when we met, and really enjoyed it. Due to various health concerns and an injury, she has been unable to ride much in recent years. However, she acquired an Optima Orca recumbent bicycle which she can ride. This machine is not made anymore, but Optima still makes bikes similar to her orca. Basically, the orca is a very competent touring recumbent. The kind which can be used to complete a self supported world tour over such gentle terrain as one might find in Mongolia.

It is a tough bicycle.

Now she likes to ride it, but does not love to ride it like I do my own bicycles.

But she does love to camp...

***

I am the first to admit that I do not really like to camp. The biggest problem is not the dirt, the sleeping outside, the food, or anything else. It is the quality of sleep. I simply don't sleep well and this makes me somewhat crabby. Ok ok, really crabby. I need my non-ugly sleep.

Last summer, we improved this for me by getting a nice cot for me to sleep on. Bad sleep conquered, I really enjoyed camping. At last.

I have been on trips where I slept well on the ground, but they were trips which lasted typically longer than we have been able to take since we got married. I had a chance to get used to it. It became "not so bad" after about a week.

So I don't love camping as my wife does, but I do like it.

But I do love my bicycles...

***

Due to a rather nifty series of circumstances, I am zeroing in on making my love of bicycles and my wife's love of camping meet and form our very own version of that grand old thing known as bicycle touring.

It will take a while to get this show on the road - likely next year at the earliest - due to basic fiscal realities, but dreaming is free.

So let's dream...

***

It would not be my blog without a picture of a bicycle.

So tada!

This is the bicycle I am thinking of getting. There are several reasons for me to get this bicycle. I present them to you in a list:

1. It is a bicycle. That is explanation enough, no? n+1 theory.
2. Happy circumstances make this delightfully affordable.
3. It would get use beyond the rather specialised function that is touring.
4. Seeing as it comes fully kitted with useful things (racks, fenders) and my current bags will fit with ease, it makes for a superb long distance commuter bicycle; handy since we are moving in two months much farther from one of my current jobs. Yes, I have more than one job.
5. My Brooks saddle (the chocolate brown one) will look dead sexy on it.
6. I want to mix bicycle riding with photography very very very much. My Jake the Snake gets ridden my version of hard and fast and is not great to carry a camera on. Add a handlebar bag to this one though and hey presto! A bicycle suited for a long distance photoroam.

It would not be my bicycle without me making some changes to the basic as you see it bicycle. I likely won't Frankenstein it like I have my other bicycles, but a few things need doing. I present changes to you in a list (I like lists tonight):

1. The seat has to go. I have a lovely, dare I say delightful, brooks saddle which will fit quite nicely on it and match the paint of the bicycle perfectly. How handy is that.
2. The handlebar tape will be replaced with drop dead gorgeous brooks leather handle bar tape hopefully in a colour which matches the saddle. Yummy. I realise I risk being overcome with a bad case of smug, but I think it worth the risk...
3. I need a kickstand. This bike is not about fast. It is about practical. Kickstands are practical, and I need one which will hold up a fully loaded touring bike. And, it can be done. Enter this lovely thing from Pletscher. The double bipod one. I have one on my commuter and have used it for years in all sorts of crap and it still works and does not wobble. It is awesome. Very awesome. Get one if you ride a bicycle you load up with bags. It is worth it.
4. Luggage. Oh yes, luggage. This luggage in fact. I have used axiom stuff for years on my commuter and it is very very tough. When they say it is waterproof, believe them. It is.
5. I own lights. They will fit and help me see cool. Yeah, that's it.
6. Pedals would be nice. I was thinking some Shimano all mountain type pedals like these. A cage around the clip in bit would be good to add stability since I want to use touring shoes vs my race ones.

 So there you have it.

A bicycle dream all wrapped up in fun riding and vacation time. Believe the daydream; it will come true.