Retrobike Touring.

[hamster]

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

Personally I like 50-60 for a day if with camping gear. Usually I won't just ride but will be seeing a few things and exploring. I'll do more if I have to, depending on terrain, decent places to stop etc. Terrain has a huge amount to do with any daily distance though. On my tourer I reckon on 11-14mph average (as indicated on the speedo, not including stops) for riding with camping gear, depending hugely on terrain.

Pick a route with the prevailing wind behind you. If I was doing a Winchcombe to Wales run I would consider going the other way to get the wind behind me...

Remember touring is about the journey, not some joyless grinding daily mileage targets. If you like the look of a side road, turn down it and explore. If you see something interesting, stop and look at it! One of my best touring moments was in southern Australia one September (so early spring) whne it had just rained, the sun broke through and there was the sound of millions of frogs croaking...a magical 5 minutes.

 

[The History Man]

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

Was just trying to work out where to look for rough stopping points. Looking at the route 41 maps down to bridge. Street view really helps. Looks fairly flat along the Severn so thought it might be a good place for a first trip. Then along the welsh coast or up to Tintern. Don't really know.

 

[Chris99]

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

I have done several trips to the Highlands of Scotland in the last couple of years. Staying in B&B's and Youth hostels. With such terrain I find 40 miles a day works for me. Gives time to investigate places of interest on route, and get to destination with plenty of time to look about. Wind direction and weather obviously make a big difference to what is a comfortable daily mileage!

Old Kona's make good touring bikes ! Even completed the Mull Sportive this year on the Kona (minus panniers)

 

[The History Man]

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

Oops. Just got this.

 

[The History Man]

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

And what is a good capacity pannier? Litres? Thanks

 

[hamster]

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

Around 30 or so.
Alternatively 5l less than your stuff, forcing you to ditch unnecessary clutter...

Seriously there is no right answer, it depends on where you want to set the trade-off between luxuries and lightness. When I rode the US Pacific Coast I camped with 13-15kg while I met some people with over 35.

 

[barry2017]

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

Hamster's right. Don't get the biggest ones you can.

The Carradice camper is enough for any camping stuff I would want to carry apart from a tent (strap it to the rack). Also no matter what you choose think about a little bar bag - you can keep little bits like a camera in there.

Also, now you have a proper touring bike, expect your distances to go up. For me, the differences between an MTB and a tourer on a tour is about 10-20 miles a day.

 

[The History Man]

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

He threw in a little oxford bar bag. :xmas-big-grin:

Looking at dsp's kit list. My tent is 2.8kg. Mat 1kg, bag another couple, other than cooking stuff I reckon that's the heavy bulky stuff sorted. If I get this right it could become a regular escape!

 

[Bobspoons]

Re: Retro MTB Touring.

EDIT: I made this post after reading page-1. Then realised there are 15 pages, so some of this may read funny or not be relevant. Gonna read the other 14 pages now like I should have done.
Edit2: Awesome thread. Most of my comments below are a little late and also not as advanced as most of the thread, but ill leave em there anyway. Awesome thread!!

I have a friend who backpacks light.

The trangia kits for cooking are awesome... but... the weight/bulk can be in the fuel you have to carry as well.
For 1 night Is it worth taking cold food, or maybe simply popping in the nearest pub for a pie-n-pint? Or a chippie?

If you can avoid the weight/bulk of food-stove-utensils then it gives you a much bigger scope for carrying whatever tent/sleeping-bag you can afford.

Dont forget the essentails: Credit card, phone, cash, medicines, inner-tube, tyre-levers, pump.
Charge phone fully before going.
Also, how out of the way are you going? Water is essential in long rides, so will you be stream-filling? If-so, a pack of water-purification tablets suited to your size of water bottle will be needed, or a lifestraw. If you will be near shops, then just buy water.

When I was (way back, 20-odd years ago) 17 me and a friend did a ride like you are doing.
Day 1: getting there and pitching tent
Day 2: MTB around the trails locally
Day 3: un-pitch and ride home

It was awesome
The biggest thing for us was the weight of the gear. We were penniless and didnt buy special gear.
We both had clothes, toiletries and sleeping bag.
But one of us took the tent, the other the cooking gear.
It seemed heavy.
Todays gear is so much smaller/lighter, but costs, so depends what you want to spend to do this.

Hope you have a great time!!!

 

[The History Man]

Re:

Eeek!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/361081195615? ... EBIDX%3AIT