One bike to ride them all

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Thoglette
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Re: One bike to ride them all

Postby Thoglette » Sat Mar 26, 2016 11:12 am

I subscribe to N+1 but for those who like a quick change, the Rinko headset tool the Japanese use for quick assembley/disassembly might be of interest
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https://www.compasscycle.com/shop/compo ... dset-tool/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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il padrone
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Re: One bike to ride them all

Postby il padrone » Mon Mar 28, 2016 8:44 pm

Chris249 wrote:When you write things such as saying that allrounders are "often in practice a poor substitute for most riding variants" it appears to overlook the fact that for this particular riding variant, this particular type of allrounder (a CX bike) can be an excellent tool. What are the alternatives? Doing the MTB trails on a dedicated tourer? Sticking with a hybrid which (as you say) doesn't work all that well? Touring on an MTB with knobblies?
Ride MTB trails on a MTB. Tour on a suitable touring bike (there are many variants).

I stand by my comment that all-rounders generally make a poor compromise. Ride one if you wish, but do not expect miracles.

Chris249 wrote:There are many more points of difference between a galleon and a skiff than there is between a touring bike and a CX bike. Touring bikes are rarely 150' long with the capacity to sleep 100 people, for example. :D There are very definitely boats that can and are used for racing and for cruising or living aboard, and in the same way there are CX bikes and road bikes that are excellent for a certain style of touring.
Well let's just say then that Wild Oats XI makes a rather poor cruising boat :|
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cancan64
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Re: One bike to ride them all

Postby cancan64 » Tue Mar 29, 2016 11:25 am

I use my CX bike on single tracks....not as easy and a lot slower than when I use the MTB....I also use it in group rides and dont have a problem unless I am with a fast group and I cant pedal quick enough when there is a breakaway or massive tail wind.... I havent toured on it but I can fit my racks and mud guards on it...could not see a problem so my CX bike can replace my other bikes easy enough but it doesnt do each job as good as the designated bike
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Chris249
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Re: One bike to ride them all

Postby Chris249 » Sat Apr 02, 2016 6:26 pm

il padrone wrote:
Chris249 wrote:When you write things such as saying that allrounders are "often in practice a poor substitute for most riding variants" it appears to overlook the fact that for this particular riding variant, this particular type of allrounder (a CX bike) can be an excellent tool. What are the alternatives? Doing the MTB trails on a dedicated tourer? Sticking with a hybrid which (as you say) doesn't work all that well? Touring on an MTB with knobblies?
Ride MTB trails on a MTB. Tour on a suitable touring bike (there are many variants).

Sure. When we get to the places we want to ride an MTB, we'll just get one from the team car following us. Or would it be better to fly one in by private helicopter? If we don't have a domestique or valet, should we just ride on past a fascinating trail on our route, and then go back to that part of the world another year in a car with an MTB on the roof? Would it be better if we rode that trail on a touring bike with slower handling and a lower BB?

Maybe having a bike that can carry touring kit and do easier MTB trails isn't actually such a bad idea in such a situation?


I stand by my comment that all-rounders generally make a poor compromise. Ride one if you wish, but do not expect miracles.

No one said that all-rounders are miraculous. However, for the sort of riding some of us prefer, they are arguably an excellent option. I don't want to ride up HC passes on a 15kg bike every time, thanks. Nor do I really want to impair the thrill of high-speed descents down famous switchbacks by using a bike that is slower to turn. However, I do want to be able to carry lightweight camping kit and I do want to be able to slide down an easy trail if it looks fun. For doing such diverse activities in one trip, which is similar the OP's desires, a CX bike is an excellent machine, and it would also not be a "gravely misguided proposition" to use one in a roadie bunch ride.

You said earlier that people find their own tool for their own particular style. For this style of riding, the CX bike is a good tool.


el padrone wrote:
Well let's just say then that Wild Oats XI makes a rather poor cruising boat :|
Of course WOXI makes a poor cruising boat, but since I never claimed she did it seems that (as in your previous examples of a galleon and a skiff) you are simply choosing to create an argument by taking my point to a ridiculous extreme. The point was that there are a wide variety of boats that very experienced cruisers choose to cruise on (and a wide variety of motorised vehicles experienced people choose to tour on) and there can also be a wide variety of bikes to tour on. That is obviously the case, since many people have racked up an enormous number of touring miles on road bikes as well as on tourers, MTBs, CX bikes and just about everything else.

To answer the OP's point, yes one clearly and definitely CAN use a CX bike for what he wants to do. That doesn't mean it would be ideal for the touring you do, but that was not the question.
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il padrone
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Re: One bike to ride them all

Postby il padrone » Sat Apr 02, 2016 7:28 pm

Not sure exactly what is with all the aggro tones being expressed??

I was simply stating my opinion. You disagree with it. That's cool. I however know what sort of ride is my 'one bike to ride' - surprisingly it is >15kgs, but has been ridden all over in the past 5 years. Not on fast bunch rides much though ;)
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outnabike
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Re: One bike to ride them all

Postby outnabike » Sat Apr 02, 2016 9:38 pm

[quote="baabaa"]Things have changed quite a bit in the past few years.
Forget about racks and panniers and start by looking at frame bags and bike packing and then work back to the type of bike that you consider that you could commute on one day and then ride 200 ks in comfort over both tar and double track for the weekends.
The loaded tour bike is really a different beast as it needs racks and panniers.While they are wonderful beasts for multi week tours this type of touring really is not for everyone and really just for weirdos.
http://tomsbiketrip.com/planning-your-f ... ign=buffer" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hi baabaa,
Thanks for that link, I enjoyed the different point of view. I also reckon the man has a sense of humour. :)
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Leaf T
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Re: One bike to ride them all

Postby Leaf T » Sun Apr 03, 2016 11:12 am

With all the bickering that often goes on here at BNA it reminds me of the characters in Flame Warriors :D http://www.flamewarriorsguide.com/warri ... itpick.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

tmac100
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Re: One bike to ride them all

Postby tmac100 » Sun Apr 03, 2016 12:55 pm

Leaf T wrote:With all the bickering that often goes on here at BNA it reminds me of the characters in Flame Warriors :D http://www.flamewarriorsguide.com/warri ... itpick.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
An entertaining website and thanks for sharing. However, wrt your intro about the "bickering ... BNA", you should watch the goings on on eslcafe.com and in particular on the Saudi, UAE etc forums at http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Some trolls and funny remarks there too - but some sage advice as well. 8)

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Leaf T
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Re: One bike to ride them all

Postby Leaf T » Sun Apr 03, 2016 2:07 pm

Surprising. Must be the stress of teaching. :)

Holesy
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Re: One bike to ride them all

Postby Holesy » Tue Apr 05, 2016 3:09 pm

I was considering getting into some touring, but didn't want to buy a new bike. After reading this thread I guess I'll look into bikepacking on my carbon roadie.

Chris249
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Re: One bike to ride them all

Postby Chris249 » Wed Apr 06, 2016 1:23 pm

It seems that the bickering may be caused by the problem of working out whether people are expressing an opinion, or making statements about facts - and maybe in an area that is as open to individual preference as touring, the difference can be harder to make out that normal.
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wqlava1
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Re: One bike to ride them all

Postby wqlava1 » Mon Jan 29, 2018 6:04 pm

Thoglette wrote:I subscribe to N+1 but for those who like a quick change, the Rinko headset tool the Japanese use for quick assembley/disassembly might be of interest
Image
https://www.compasscycle.com/shop/compo ... dset-tool/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Does anyone know where to get one of these other than at Compass? Theo (at Compass) told me in email that they are out of stock, and that these are made by a one man shop in Japan. I'd like to make one existing bike able to knock down in rinko fashion, and my other alternative, a VO Rinko headset (still available at not too bad a price in Japan), has too tall a stack height so I need to keep using the old headset.

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