Comments for The Wheels of Chance

Comment on My “Loaded” Touring Gear by cstandley

cstandley — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:59:03 +0000

I simply sewed them on using some heavy cotton thread and couple of lengths of webbing. I had to attach them behind the side pockets
so the bag tips forward a bit when I pick it up, but it makes carrying it far easier. There’s a range of Korean bags that come wit D rings for carrying that Harris cyclery sells.

Comment on My “Loaded” Touring Gear by Jay

Jay — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 05:35:57 +0000

Hopefully you still check comments on this old post

I was wondering how you attached the D rings on the Nelson bag? I got one recently and definitely need to work out how to attach a removable shoulder strap.

Comment on More Pictures of the New Ride by cstandley

cstandley — Wed, 05 May 2010 12:10:57 +0000

Thanks, how are you going to build your frame up?

Comment on More Pictures of the New Ride by Joe

Joe — Wed, 05 May 2010 04:19:21 +0000

Very sweet. I have the same frame on order…eagerly awaiting its arrival.

Comment on Gear by cstandley

cstandley — Sat, 01 May 2010 12:51:58 +0000

Hi Henry,
It’s great to read your comment and thanks again for that blog. I read it maybe five years ago and it got me off the four panniers, fully loaded bandwagon. Back then I was getting back into touring and and your blog was inspirational. Technology keeps moving on and I’m a bit of an equipment geek so tweaking my setup is something I enjoy. I was going to test it out in Iceland this summer, but those plans are on hold because of the volcano.

Yeah Tai Chi shoes are a great second pair of shoes. When I as in college I did some kung fu and we would go running around the city parks so they seemed like the obvious choice for shoes to wear off the bike.

Comment on Gear by Henry

Henry — Sat, 01 May 2010 04:53:24 +0000

Nice setup! Especially like the big water bottles. Also, thanks for the link to the Koopman story. Good one!

On that ride (Vancouver Island to SF), all of that stuff (Rambouillet, 2-lbs tent, handlebar bag, etc… ) except maybe the sleeping bag and shortwave was borrowed from Grant, a very generous guy. It was about the nicest rig I ever toured with. Grant always has the best things, the niftiest tents, the nicest wool. The (old style, no longer available) Walrus Zoid tent was really snazzy (if coffin-like). But, the $30 China-made tent I later bought from rivbike.com is (almost) just as good!

Me, I’m lucky to start each tour with a functioning bike. My tour prep list usually goes, you know, rebuild rear wheel, replace bottom bracket, new chain and cogs, replace tires and pedals… then, I’m leaving in an hour, and still need to pack. Sigh.

Fortunately, I’ve found “Oh well, I’ll buy one on the road” usually works out ok. The last tour, I stopped at Wal-Mart on the way out of town and bought an $8 child’s backpack to use as a saddlebag, with the straps laced through the saddle rails. (The Carradice didn’t fit my full-sus rig.)

I remember another tour in the early 90s where I took some Tai Chi shoes as a backup to full Look road shoes. Wound up walking all over Europe in those things… wonderful minimalism!

-Henry

Comment on An Iconoclast with a Happy Butt by cstandley

cstandley — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:44:42 +0000

Thanks for the comments. It was either going to be downtube or barend shifters, I never considered STI. I have very little use for fast gear changes and I intend to use the Neo Primato on long weekend rides and for some fast credit card touring too so the reliability of the barends seemed like a good way to go. I can understand that the look is not classic Italian racing machine, but that’s not exactly what I was going for. My choices are very individual and I suppose I’ve ended up with a build and parts mix that is influenced by my previous bikes and riding style, so a DeRosa/Rivendell hybrid………..so is the result something from the Island of Dr. Moreau or a Dutch tulip field?

Comment on An Iconoclast with a Happy Butt by Sean

Sean — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:33:39 +0000

While I’m a fan of bar-end shifters for economy, touring and daily commuters – I would’ve stuck with integrated STI levers on a racing style bike.

I have a bike with bar-end shifters and understand the reliability argument for them. Unless that’s a randoneurring bike (I don’t see fenders or lights), not ideal in my opinion.

Good call on the japanese parts and saddle

Comment on Everything comes to he who waits by cstandley

cstandley — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:45:33 +0000

Thanks, I agree that MA is not great for riding in the Winter. I don’t mind a bit of snow, but the single digit F temps and all the salt on the roads are the big problems. I’m setting the De Rosa up with an “Eddy Fit” rather than the “French Fit” of my Rivendells and I’ll use it for fast weekend rides.

Comment on Everything comes to he who waits by Sean O'Bryan

Sean O'Bryan — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:26:44 +0000

Woops. I just read your previous post about the build specs (shifters and tape). That De Rosa is going to be a fantastic ride. I enjoy all the performance differences and ride qualities of the 3 main bikes I ride: LHT (grocery hauling, commuting, rough stuff), Rambouillet (all around, fast brevet riding, commuting, long rides carrying some gear), and the Tommasini (shorter, race-style riding, speed, minimalist outings). Love the account of your Woods Hole trip too (just read it!). Makes me yearn to be back in Mass (not during the winter though!).

Cheers,
Sean O’Bryan
(Masshole ’til death)
Austin, TX