When Kent of TASIS Bikes contacted us about reviewing his new handlebar tape made specifically for bike touring enthusiasts he mentioned "if you double wrap your handlebars, this product is for you".  Of course Kent got his new Fat Wrap product to us a couple months after I had just finished double wrapping the bars on my touring bike.  

Due to the long hours spent on a bike while touring having your bicycle set up properly is imperative in eliminating some of the most commonly associated miseries of a long bicycle tour. Even with proper bike fit, handlebar to saddle length and height adjustments customized for the rider's body characteristics certain types of pain tend to creep up on many folks while touring.  Second only to saddle soreness is hand numbness and/or wrist pain from maintaining and holding a particular riding position hour after hour day in and day out, week after week.  

Over the years I have used many products all of which I might add have provided solutions to hand numbness and pain.  Several gel pad products are available designed to be installed under handlebar tape and I found them to be most notably helpful while riding over rough dirt and gravel roads for vibration dampening.  Some of the fancier kits are designed to fit over the contour of the handlebars and are reusable when you need to re-wrap your bars.  

That having been said the gel pads are only so durable and if they get punctured the gel oozes under the handlebar tape consequently requiring the tape to be removed and very likely replaced. Also, some of the gel kits are a bit cost prohibitive and don't include bar tape.  Padded cycling gloves help to some extent but often are just not quite enough to accommodate the needs of some long haul touring enthusiasts.  There have been innumerable companies creating all sorts of gimmick products (particularly saddles) in an effort to provide more comfort or "implied comfort" by the less scrupulous.  So it is refreshing to receive a product to review that provides a simple, practical solution to one of bike tourings' most common complaints.

Introducing Fat Wrap, a simpler more cost effective method of getting the handlebar comfort and durability for bicycle touring and especially bikepacking where I have a tendency to be rougher on equipment than while road touring.  Grabbing, gripping, lifting the front wheel and throwing it about can cause the gel pads to wiggle about if not properly secured under the tape during installation.  Sweat, rain, any moisture that may seep in can contribute to some of the loosening effect over time.  

A simple solution would be to have a very thick, durable handlebar tape available which can be installed securely without added layers of other products.  That having been said how much thicker is Fat Wrap than one of my favorites from my shop supplier?  Significantly, photo at right illustrates how much thicker Fat Wrap is then the very durable cork synthetic blend shown in photo.  It's worth mentioning that the durability test of handlebar tape can be determined while wrapping gel pads.  I've had some tapes tear while getting the tight wrap necessary to ensure the pads stayed in place without feeling "squishy".  Perhaps it's due to the sheer girth of this product which contributes to such a nice durable feel when installing as while I pulled and stretched it tight to ensure the tape would cover the entire handlebar I soon realized I wouldn't have to be concerned about tearing it. 

If I have one criticism it's that the Fat Wrap didn't include bar end plugs, which although not an issue around here as I had plenty extras to choose from other folks may not.  However, a trip to your local bike shop might provide a set for free or very inexpensively.

Fat Wrap is so thick that when I attempted to begin to wrap the drop bars (photo at left) by tucking the initial portion inside the handlebar and then inserting the bar end plug like all other handlebar tape the Fat Wrap kept kicking the plug out.  All this is covered with the included product instructions but I had to test it out myself for this review.  

As barend plugs are designed to fit with bar tape tucked in I added a short piece of cloth rim tape to ensure it would hold securely.  Fat Wrap is designed to be wrapped flush with the handlebar end so the accompanying instructions which suggest using a short piece of electrical tape to secure Fat Wrap tape to the bar when beginning the wrap proved very useful.  

While adding some hand positions to my mountain bike for bikepacking I installed some inexpensive plain old foam grips (left photo) over the bar ends and then wrapped them with some extra tape from the shop.  

Although this provides more than ample hand comfort it is a bit squishy and I'm concerned it will wear out rather quickly as the tape flexes with the cushy foam.  

This is an excellent example for highlighting the textured surface of Fat Wrap which feels to provide a much better grip so important on the trail while maneuvering a loaded bikepacking rig over rough terrain.  Not only does Fat Wrap offer a better textured grip but the product feels sturdier simply due to the fact that it is applied directly to the bar surface eliminating slippage or quickly wearing out under rough handling.  We really like this product from Canadian based TASIS Bikes and their Fat Wrap and look forward to sharing other products that Kent might be coming up with for fellow bike touring folks.  Use any of the bold text links or photos for more information or to purchase.  

Links Related to this Topic
Bike Fit Basics
Fit Well Bikes
Ergonomic Cork Grips
​Posture for Bicycle Touring
Treatment for Sciatic Pain

There are many different tire designs to provide excellent performance for a particular terrain or riding surface.  Some tires designed and promoted as all purpose tires fail at delivering a tire that's good at anything at all.  It was for this reason that a few years ago when Schwalbe discontinued their XR touring tire bike folks were left scratching their heads wondering what to do or where to go to find a replacement for such a legendary bike touring tire that had traveled the world several times over.

It was at about that same time my pair of Schwalbe tires had been all but used up.  There were small chunks of tire missing, a couple of small tears held together with tire boots (thank goodness I had those) but there was still a decent amount of tread remaining.  Those tires were so tried and true I decided to pull them off of my touring bike and installed them on a vintage restoration project which required a tough side wall for the bottle generator.  Since then I have tried the Vittoria Randonneur Trail II RFX and the Panaracer Pasela Tour Guard.  Although the Vittorias are good for trails and excellent for gravel or dirt roads they didn't roll as well as the old Schwalbe's for touring and are described as being suited for "poor surfaces".  The Panaracer's are lightweight, fast rolling and a word often used to accurately described the ride quality "supple".  Oh they're simply lovely but the suppleness, though a quality in handling is due to the soft, thin side walls and thus not ideal for bearing the weight of a loaded touring bike.  However, due to their being exceptionally lightweight in the folding bead version it's an excellent spare to carry for very long distance epic style bike tours that might require being prepared for anything.  

I enjoy the Vittoria's and the Pasela's each on their own merits and if I could take the best qualities of each of those tires and combine them into one all purpose tire what would that look like?  The Schwalbe Mondial.

It is difficult to near impossible to find one tire that performs well over most any riding surface.  On a day when the winds were all but having there way with me I noticed how my old Schwalbe Marathons were demonstrating considerable rolling resistance over some large chunk asphalt and after forty miles of riding into winds gusting to thirty miles per hour I tend to notice such things.

Fortunately I'm not alone in that conclusion.  It's a fact that having the puncture proof quality and durability of a tire like the Schwalbe Marathon still requires some compromise and at certain moments I miss the faster, lighter weight, supple and smooth rolling performance of the Paselas.  

All the tires discussed here are of the 700c x 35 or 32 variety and so to be fair while further comparing the ride quality or characteristics of the tires I reasoned out this way.  For a road specific touring tire which can easily handle some loose stuff a 700c x 32 is all that's required while touring with a load.  So when comparing the Schwalbe Marathon to the Panaracer Pasela Tour Guards I preferred the quicker lighter weight Pasela's for quickly getting around town while commuting and performed very nicely over gravel and hard pack dirt roads.  Although I only experienced one flat while riding at night it was no fault of the tire as a rather large hooked piece of metal penetrated the side wall in such a way that I had to remove the piece with a pair of pliers.  Would I have received the same flat with the Marathons which are constructed of a rather indestructible sidewall casing?  Possibly but while on another night ride with the Schwalbe's I smashed over an empty beer bottle and then crushed over some more broken shards of glass and debris and I knew I wasn't going to get a flat with those tires. And that's the difference between a heavier, slower rolling touring specific tire and a speedier tire for fast commutes or randoneurring, which the Paselas would be excellent for. 

For riding pretty much anywhere the road might lead or end without it being an issue the most narrow tire I feel comfortable and confident with is a 700c x 35. So when comparing the Vittoria Randonneur Trail RFX II with the Schwalbe Mondial it's a good comparison as both sets of these tires I own are of the thirty five width.  Both have excellent puncture protection systems under the tread with the Mondial getting the nod providing a thicker more resilient feel but the side wall construction of the Vittoria's are really tough.  That having been said I am a bit surprised by this but it genuinely provides a nicer feel in ride quality for the Mondials.  Bike touring folks often compare the Mondials to the Paselas which in my mind isn't in quite the same category.  Consequently the idea that that's the choice of getting better ride quality (Pasela) or puncture protection and longevity (Mondial) is a bit too extreme of a comparison.  I guess it's just the name Panaracer dubbed as "Tour Guard" but is actually more of a fun, lighter weight tire (especially folding bead) that kicks the Mondial's butt as a pure tarmac tire.  Another reason I'm not comparing the two, it's far more accurate to compare the Mondial to the Randonneur Trail tire.  Consequently I am able to describe the Mondial as actually having a more "supple" feel than other bike touring folks have given it credit for.  While the Mondials suggested psi of 55 to 85 has folks reducing tire pressures for off road or trail riding pursuits the Vittoria Trail II's not being much of a high pressure tire at all handle nicely at 70 psi over the rough stuff just fine.  The Trail II's grippy soft tread could be the reason why it handles so nicely on dirt and gravel and not so great on pavement creating a bit more rolling resistance than the Mondials.  That combined with the hefty 740g vs the 580g of the Mondials and it's no wonder one reviewer complained about having to get off and push his bike on a long bike tour that was mostly paved.  

After riding the Vittoria RFX Trail II and the Panaracer Pasela Tour Guards, respectively I concluded that my preferred tire for bike touring would consist of combining the best qualities of each of those tires and that's why I chose to pick up another pair of Schwalbe tires but this time I went with the Mondial and glad I did. 
Use any of the links provided in content or click on photos for information or to purchase.

Links related to this topic:
Vittoria Trail Touring Tires 
Lighter, Faster Tires for Bike Touring
Best Budget Tires for Bike Commuting
Gravel Grinding Tire Tour

After a recent post regarding wheels for bike touring and commuting I decided to get a set of Velocity Chukkers.  Just received these wheels today, several days earlier than expected and wow! I really like this new beefier rim and of course, yay now I have serviceable hubs. With a front and rear wheel combination built with thirty six spokes there is a noticeable feeling of confidence for loading the front rack.  Twenty five pounds? No problem, not that I load that much weight over the front wheel but when and if I want to it's not going to be an issue. 

Most noticeable difference between the Velocity Chukker Wheels and my older Velocity Dyad Wheels is the rim depth.  Not a huge difference just needed a slightly longer stem for the presta valve to comfortably clear the rim with easy access for a pump.  Fortunately I had a couple of 48 mm stem length tubes in the shop. So, if you're someone interested in the Chukker Wheels note that you need a presta valve stem of at least 41 to 55 mm however I would suggest getting a stem no shorter than 48 for ease of pump use. For added convenience this is a common stem length found on 700c Slime Tubes with presta valves and are available at many department stores if you find yourself in a bind needing a replacement tube while bike touring or commuting.  

It's not that I like the Chukker rim better than the Velocity Dyad but I like the hubs much better than the sealed cartridge hubs of my '07 Dyad Wheelset.  Also, it's worth noting that because of the 135mm hub width I was able to change out the rear axle spacer for a nice easy fit with 130mm drop outs.  I'm not particularly fond of black spokes and the color of the wheels had nothing to do with my purchasing decision but the machined side walls were a better price on sale.  Although the thirty two spoke front wheel of the Dyad set never posed an issue when loading the front rack it concerned me when I found some lateral play in the front hub and took it to a shop in Colorado to have them look at it.  The shop had pressed in some new cartridge bearings and a few weeks later there was some (though not as much) lateral play. So, I have decided since then that having hubs I can use cone wrenches on is better for maintenance reasons.  Speaking of which due to the beefier rim design of the Chukker I know these wheels require minimal truing as I rarely needed to adjust the slightly less rugged Dyad wheels.  When combined with the Vittoria Randonneur Trail II RFX in the 700c x 35mm sizing it provides substantial durability for getting off road for some trails or off road touring.  

My touring bike has been a joy to ride for the past seven years and am looking forward to many more years of riding on the hand built, Made in the U.S. Velocity Chukkers.

Also, really like the retro look with the Panaracer Paselas providing a classic touring bike style and casual vibe.  Now it's a bike ready to go on vacation or bike touring, it's all the same in my mind. 


Links related to this topic:
Wheels for Bike Touring and Commuting
Velocity Dyad Wheels for Bicycle Touring

My original Selle Anatomica Titanico Watershed saddle was in need of a new top from having stretched over the years and the threaded adjustment bolt was on its' last bit of threads.  Considering how much it would have cost to get a new cover and after reading several reviews of how those older original models had problems with the rails bending I decided to get a new saddle with chromoly rails instead. 

I don't mind investing in quality particularly when it's something that can be rebuilt or repaired over the next several years.  Given the information provided by Selle Anatomica's new design methods I feel very confident in their new line of products particularly after having purchased the NSX model for my off road touring bike.

First of all the newer model Selle Anatomica X Series Saddle has a much nicer shape from the original design. Dubbed as their "Flex Fly" design the patented slot creates two separate wings which move or "flex" independent of one another providing a comfortable leather saddle which requires no break in period.  

Secondly, the newer design also supplies a longer threaded adjustment bolt which allows the saddle to continue to be stretched further than the older models for longer life of the leather.  It may have been possible to simply replace my old saddle's 44mm bolt with the newer 55mm bolt available direct from Selle Anatomica but as I mentioned I preferred to invest in the 4130 chromoly rails, another factor contributing to the saddle's longevity.  
I began to notice that the old nose piece design on my '07 Titanico saddle wanted to sort of pop off the end of the frame after the shorter 44mm adjusting bolt had been pushed to its' maximum limit of adjusting the leather.  The following quote from the Selle Anatomica product site is another reason I chose to invest in their new frame and nose design.

"While the replacement tension bolt is compatible with older models, we recommend that you not tension the saddle past the point where the nose piece can rest fully and safely on the frame".

Yeah, I can concur that statement with the photo at left showing where the leather broke on my old saddle from having tension on the adjusting bolt at its' last threads for the past few years.  Photos below show the differences between the older adjusting bolt design on left and the newer, longer adjusting bolt of the X Series Saddle.

The X Series saddle is touted as Selle Anatomica's work horse saddle for both heavier riders of up to two hundred fifty pounds and for high mileage riders of a hundred miles per week.  You might assume then that this saddle would be stiffer and less comfortable with their product description of reinforced dual laminates and thicker leather, however like my other two Selle Anatomica saddles this X Series Saddle was also comfortable on its' first test ride. 

So far what I am really liking about the newer X Series model is the much more contoured shape.  My older Titanico shown at left needed to be sanded along either edge in order to prevent chafing on my inner thighs. During my last ride with this saddle I noticed it was beginning to rub again but only on my left side and was most likely due to the saddle needing to be adjusted again.  However, because it was so stretched over the years that's how I determined it was time for a new saddle. 

Fortunately for me I never had the problem of the rails bending on my older Titanico model but it always concerned me after hearing about it being an issue with several other owners of the same saddle model. 

Although the new X Series model is sixteen grams lighter for you weight weenies out there this saddle actually feels sturdier.  After changing the saddle frame materials to chromoly steel they also changed the geometry of the frame which is something that most likely lends itself to the new shape of the leather's top cover.

Upon receiving your saddle you are provided with where to find installation information regarding how to setup your saddle to achieve optimal comfort and performance from your saddle as well as where to register your saddle's warranty information.  Selle Anatomica Saddles are still made in the US and continue to offer innovative ideas and products to provide customer satisfaction.  Use any of the links provided or click on top image for information or to purchase your Selle Anatomica X Series Saddle. 

Links related to this topic:
Made in USA, Selle Anatomica Titanico
Selle Anatomica NSX Mountain Bike Saddle Review
Making the Hard Feel Easy, Having a Good Bike Saddle

I decided this year to replace my touring bike's wheelset for a couple of reasons.
1.  My experience with cartridge style bearings is that I don't like them.  I received a rather high quality wheelset from a company I won't say who and I was told that one to two millimeters of lateral play in the hub was normal.  Yeah, I disagree there shouldn't be any lateral play in the hub of a wheel and so I'm sticking with good old cup and cone hubs.
2.  Do I really need forty spoke wheels for my bike touring needs? No and this is mostly due to the fact that my experience with quality wheels is simply that a hand built wheel or "how" a wheel is built vs. machine built wheels provides a significant difference in wheel maintenance.  This translates as quality hand built wheels require less frequency of truing than a machine built wheel.   

A lot of information is available regarding this topic and I'm not going to venture into the philosophical kaleidoscope and never ending debate of wheel building, wheel engineering, or physics.  There's been plenty of banter about what is the minimum number of spokes for a solid bike touring wheel.  Forty on the front and forty eight on the rear has been a rule of thumb by a few wheel building experts.  I agree that if someone plans on hauling uh, how much weight are we talking about hauling on a bike with that stout of a wheelset?  That's how you find what wheelset is really necessary for your own bike touring and commuting needs.  Refer to previous post regarding Loaded Touring Bike Weight.

On the other end of the spectrum are road bike wheels with twenty spokes which have to be trued too often when used for bike commuting, let alone touring. I have heard folks complain about feeling scandalized by their local bike shop for selling them a bike for commuting that didn't have the wheels needed to meet the demands of pot holed roads and minimal load carrying.   These days the wheel size options for any bike that can be used for commuting in 650b, twenty niner, 700c and of course twenty six inch wheels provide varying strengths, weaknesses and efficiency differences.  For example a thirty spoke twenty six inch wheel is sturdier than a thirty two spoke 700c wheel but the 700c wheel provides better rolling efficiency.  Personally, for my commuting needs the efficiency variable between twenty six inch wheels versus 700c wheels has never been an issue.  For mixed terrain of dirt, gravel, pavement, potholes and load carrying capacity for commuting the twenty six inch wheel has always performed admirably with much less need of truing maintenance.  Tire selection of course also contributes to wheel maintenance as a larger touring style tire while providing load bearing qualities is also better at absorbing bumps and providing a type of suspension absorbing quality between the riding surface and the wheel.  Of course for longer miles of road touring the efficiency of a 700c wheel dominates.

My own experience with a thirty two spoke twenty six inch wheel has kept me from "upgrading" or changing to a 650b wheel.  While riding my '93 Bridgestone MB 1 to run some errands this past winter I heard a front spoke break so I immediately stopped, quickly removed the broken spoke with my Leatherman Tool, spun the wheel and was pleasantly surprised to find that the wheel was still holding true!  I was able to finish my ride of approximately seven or eight miles without issue so I could repair the wheel when I got home at my leisure.  A broken spoke on my road bike with twenty spokes on the front wheel wouldn't have been as uneventful.   So regardless of wheel size here are the basic characteristics that contribute to a quality wheelset for bike touring and commuting.   There essentially four basic categories of a complete wheel and consist of a rim, spokes, nipples and hub.  That's it, so it's actually very simple to determine what is a good quality wheel set for bike touring and commuting.  

1. Rim:  Double walled rim construction.  Absolutely, I have heard of folks being happily content with single walled wheels being used specifically for gravel road riding but for tried and true commuting and touring purposes a double walled rim is a must.  Velocity, Sun Ringle, Sun CR 18 and Mavic Open Sport are a few examples of quality rims with established reputations for bicycle touring and commuting.

2. Spokes:  At least thirty spokes.  A quality built wheel set like those provided with a Mavic Open Sport Rim and Tiagra hubs have an established reputation of durability.  Sheldon Brown praised the Shimano Tiagra hub as rivaling even more expensive top of the line hubs at a modest price, not to mention the ease of servicing the hubs. This is the type of wheel that can be used for demanding commutes or light weight bike touring and can easily handle weekend bike camping getaways.  Stainless Steel Spokes.  Yeah, ever worked on a bike with galvanized spokes, hahaha, quality wheel sets are going to be built with quality spokes, duh.  DT Swiss spokes are worth making mention as they are commonly used on some of the finest wheels available.  Good stuff.   

3.   Brass nipples are common and many new alloys are making better spoke nipples than those qualities offered by brass.  Weight and corrosion resistance are the two most touted qualities of alloy nipples.  However, regular lubrication of brass spoke nipples when a wheel needs to be trued for instance, is enough to keep the corrosion from setting in on the spoke nipple for it to be an issue. 
 
4.  Hubs: As I mentioned there are two basic types of hubs commonly available today. Sealed cartridge bearings and cup and cone bearings.  Don't be fooled by a sealed bearing to mean cartridge bearing.  Some of the descriptions of a sealed hub does in fact contain cup and cone bearings. If you find some good wheels at your local bike shop and they have the tools to service the cartridge bearings and you plan to ride mostly for commuting or local touring then the hub construction wouldn't be an issue.  However, if you plan on servicing your own bike or want to be able to have the wheels serviced wherever you might be in the world then get cup and cone bearings for their serviceability.

Determining your needs for a quality bike wheel set need not become rocket science.  Determine your own personal needs or what you intend to use your bike for.  Reference some of the leading touring bike manufacturers and see what is being installed on their rides.  Thirty six spoke front and rear touring wheels can last for many thousands of miles of loaded touring.  Many folks who know how to appropriately pack and load their rigs for bike touring or bike packing are sharing their information online.    As we were taught years ago in Oregon to load more weight on the front wheel than the rear was based on the idea that the front wheel is not bearing the load of your body weight like the rear wheel is.  For that reason having a thirty six spoke wheel in the front as well is a good idea. Some folks don't like how a bike feels or handles when packed that way but for all practical considerations of wheel maintenance it is the preferred method.  Some of our favorite wheels for bike touring and commuting are listed below for information or to purchase.  I have only listed four wheelsets, two for 700c touring wheel size and two twenty six inch mountain bike wheels for touring and commuting that can be used for disc or rim brakes.  My favorite rims are from Velocity and I have been enjoying a rather maintenance free set of touring and commuting wheels for several years. The Velocity Chukker Wheels consist of thirty six spokes front and rear and are available with machined or non machined side walls.   

26" Wheels for Bike Touring and Commuting:
Sun Rhyno Lite MTB Wheel Set 26" x 1.75, Deore 8/9-Speed QR, Black 32 spokes
Sun Rhyno Lite MTB Wheelset 26x1.5 Black Rim Brake 36-Hole Shimano M525A 8/9/10S

700c Wheels for Bike Touring and Commuting:Rims: 
Sun CR18 Rim, Hub: SHI M430 8/9sp BK 32H
Sun CR18, 36H, double walled, silverHubs: Shimano M430, 8/9-speed, quick release, silver


Links related to this topic:
Velocity Chukker Wheels for Touring and Commuting
Velocity Dyad Wheels for Bicycle Touring

When you hear bike touring folks run down their list of must have qualities in a tire for touring most common is durability and flat protection.  Schwalbe and Vittoria are perhaps the two leading tire manufacturers meeting those demands in a touring tire.  

Selecting a tire width for touring is where folks differ and this is mostly due to what the rider feels comfortable with in terms of performance and handling over their most traveled surface.  Another consideration is how much stuff gets packed into panniers which is another consideration for wheel stress.  Some touring tires bear the weight of loaded racks and panniers better than others.  When I rode with Schwalbe Marathon tires in the 700 x 32 size it felt as though the tires provided suspension between the road surface and the wheel's rims.  However with the same tire in the 28mm width the ride was so harsh that I was regularly having to true the rear wheel.  As the tire's casing was so robust and solid though hardly wider than my Velocity Dyad touring rims the tires seemed to echo every rough surface reverberating to my hands.  Over rough asphalt it was tolerable but over gravel and dirt roads was when the wheels took most of the beating.  Sure I never ever got a flat with those tires even when I rolled over a patch of goat head thorns for a quarter mile or so that had accumulated on the tire to the point where they were scraping on my fenders.  I still didn't get a flat!

I currently own a pair of very robust Vittoria Randonneur Touring tires with their Ultra Shield flat protection. They are thick, heavy tires that require a bit of pushing on most rides.  Over gravel roads or trails they are exemplary with more tread depth than my Schwalbe Marathons and really seem to roll faster on or off road.  It is also the widest tire I have ever installed on my road touring bike at 35mm and they just barely clear the full fenders.  When I ride over very loose gravel or rocks I can often hear the tires throwing debris around under the fenders.  During fall wet weather riding some times wet or partially wet leaves would get stuck in the narrow clearance between the tire and fender.  

There is a brick and cobblestone pathway near our house that is perfect for testing how a tire feels over an irregular surface.  It's not so much that it's bumpy it's that some tires actually feel that they grab and drop into each perpendicular groove between the bricks and rocks along the path which can feel very disconcerting.  Even the robust size of the Vittoria's felt that way and I attribute it more to the tread design than anything else as it is designed to handle loose stuff with dirt and gravel. 

As I mentioned most bike folks want ultra durability and unlimited flat protection.  Usually the trade off is a heavier, slower rolling tire.  So, if the topic of touring tires is all about efficiency isn't anyone producing a lighter weight, faster rolling tire with quality flat protection and enough durability to justify having a faster rolling tire?  

While packing my panniers for a regional bike tour I mindlessly tossed a Panaracer Pasela Tour Guard folding bead 700 x 32 tire that I have kept either in a pannier as a spare for long tours or in a tool box when not needed.   I rode with these tires more than ten years ago on an old mountain bike I used for commuting.  I remembered how fast those tires rolled although other tires offered better flat protection.  I decided to order a second tire to match my old spare to see how I would like the ride.

First thing I did was "hit the bricks" with them as previously mentioned and the Paselas rolled over all those grooves like they weren't even there.  Not once did the tires grab or get hung up in the grooves along the surface, not even in the curve where tires that don't perform well or perform even reasonably well always seem to grab.   Next I took the tires for a fifteen mile jaunt as the wind was kicking up pretty good and set a course that would best challenge the rolling resistance, or lack of resistance of the tires.  As with any tire review I simply fill the tire to the manufacturer's recommended pressure.  For the Pasela TG's it's ninety five, same as my old Schwalbe Marathons and both tires are made of 66 tpi whereas the Vittoria's are 30 tpi and run at seventy psi. Weight differences are 640 grams for the Schwalbe Marathon 700 x 32 and 360 grams for the Pasela Tour Guard in the same size.  Schwalbe has added a disclaimer stating that their flat protection technology does not increase rolling resistance, I'm sure that's true but the weight difference of the tires is significant enough to be noticeable.  I say this after having swapped the Vittoria's which weigh in at 760 grams, which is twice the weight of of the Paselas.

This summer I am going to enjoy riding these tires for increased speed on hot days and high winds.  When I feel the need to pack a lot of stuff for full touring rides I will use the Vittoria's for extra girth and added flat protection.  For everyday commuting in areas of broken glass and regular road hazard debris the Paselas are an excellent choice. This is an excellent light weight fast rolling tire for bike commuting or touring .  



Links related to this topic:
Vittoria Touring Tire review
Best Budget Tires for Bike Commuting
Favorite Gravel Grinding Tires

Bike packing seems to be gaining more popularity particularly with off road enthusiasts wanting to explore gravel roads and trails.  It's a different method of implementing bike bags and gear typically with the use of frame bags, seat packs, and handlebar bags.  Smaller front racks are often used to help stabilize the handlebar load but not always.  It makes sense for those riding conditions described that having low rider panniers on conventional front touring racks might inhibit ground and cornering clearances for particularly rugged terrain.  My purpose of pointing this out is that it might make more sense when converting a mountain bike for touring that setting the bike up for bike packing would be easier.

Not necessarily. Regarding bike handling characteristics for me it's knowing how the bike's steering characteristics and overall feel of handling with a load as being more or less predictable that determines my choices in bike packing.  So, is this a touring bike for bike packing?  Of course it is I just prefer to use a tried and true low rider front rack with the steel construction of the Minoura FRP 3000.  This is essentially the only additional bike accessory needed to convert a commuter bike to a fully loaded touring bike.  This helps shed light on the process of converting an old mountain bike as it goes through it's first phase as a commuter bike before making it to touring bike status.
Links related to this topic
Bridgestone MB 1 Threaded Fork Reviews  
A Bike for All Seasons
Handlebar Favorites 
Build a Touring, Trekking, Commuter Bike

Riding a bike consists of two basic functions, stopping and going.  Whenever I go about building a new bike and I can pretty much select whatever brake system I want I choose Avid for stopping the going. 

My seven year old touring bike was built with Avid Shorty 4 Cantilevers and other than replacing brake pads as needed they require little or no spring adjusting. 

For my expedition touring bike I knew I wanted to install the Avid BB7 mechanical disc brakes and top them off with Speed Dial Levers.  While working at a shop in Colorado for a few years of all the assorted hydraulics and other disc brake systems the Avid BB7's required the absolute least amount of maintenance of the rental fleet. If they were set up properly of course, which seems to be the biggest gripe most folks have with the BB7 system.  

I have tried a few different methods of installing the BB7's to get the best performance from the system other than using their own specific cable housing.  It hasn't been an issue at all, however when the cable housing needs replacing I will probably install Jagwire Ripcord Compressionless Housing. Only reason being that to get the best feel from the BB7 with Speed Dial Lever system so that it is just as "nice" as hydraulic system.  It's not something I need at all for the type of riding I do but would be fun to have. 

Avid BB7 mountain disc brake shown in photo at left was installed almost two years ago and still using original pads. Another consideration in providing good braking performance and less noise it's preferable to use organic rather than sintered pads. Avid OEM pads are sintered though last much longer than the organic pads. When shopping for replacement pads both types of brake pads are typically available with sintered being slightly more expensive. 

Folks who prefer the BB7 brakes have shared information on how to get the most out of the system for various riding applications such as downhill riding by using different rotors 

 I noticed there is some old information at reviews and how to installations for the BB7's so I thought I'd mention this for folks who might mistakenly expect to have to unnecessarily upgrade the brake rotors. In 2012 Avid replaced the Roundagon rotor on the BB7's with the cooling qualities of the G2 Clean Sweep Rotors. 

If you are shopping for a disc brake system consider the Avid BB7 Mechanical Brakes and consider the fact that many serious bike touring experts ride with an Avid brake system.  It's the system consistently installed on many high end touring bikes.  It's a very dependable system, preferable to hydraulics with bike touring and commuting for their ease of service and quality feel rivaling any hydraulic system when set up properly.  

Links related to this topic:
Best Disc Brakes for Long Distance Touring 
How to Set up Avid Disc Brakes

I have been a bit surprised by all the hubbub regarding gravel road riding, gravel grinding, gravel grinders and whatever other groovy terms are being popularized in the ever clever trend setting circles of cycling.  While selecting tires for riding in Colorado my experience with riding dirt and gravel roads of Pagosa Springs came in handy.  

In order to access the Colorado Trail Head outside of Durango there is a long rather steep road which eventually turns to gravel.  Leaving the gravel road to that portion of the Colorado Trail one is met with loose dirt over hard pack and many of the short burst climbs have loose rocks with gravel like conditions.  Many mountain bike tires have been designed to meet the needs of cross country mountain bikers which not only meet the demands of the Colorado Trail conditions described but are also an excellent choice for gravel roads.  My tire of choice for just such conditions were and are the Kenda Small Block Eights.  Visit the following link where the folks at Bike Smart regard the Small Block Eight as a very versatile tire for gravel and is available in a vast range of sizes.

I have been riding a bike on gravel roads for as long as I can remember. To the extent that when my bike commute routes forced me onto gravel roads I praised the quiet riding asphalt and cement and was happy to put the gravel road sections behind me.    

While touring I never went out of my way to look for gravel to ride but didn't mind so much as gravel road riding sort of adds to the adventure of a bike tour if I'm in the mood for it.  That having been said when I asked "honey, want to go do some gravel grinding?"  Lisa is so good at answering a question with a question "is that a thing?"

Good question and now that it's becoming more and more popular over the past few years gravel specific tires, races and tours can be found with several listings for each.  

After checking reviews it turns out that we just so happen to have some excellent tire choices available in our bike stable.  Two tires that receive excellent reviews for grinding it out are the Kenda Small Block Eights, we have 'em in the lovely 2.35" diameter and the Vittoria Randonneur Trail II RFX, 700c x 35mm puncture resistant trail tire. 

After considering the cushy ride offered by the Kenda SM8's, she chose to ride her Peugeot commuter bike (cute).  So rather than hopping on the Vittoria's for fast tracking it I rolled out on my tried and true "Mumbo Jumbo".  Not due to the tires that are on the bike but because the term best deflects trendy noises.  I suppose we just weren't feeling all that "special" about having some special need met for gravel conditions and opted for our rather nondescript 26" x 2.125 Cheng Shin CST tires.  Yep, it sounds silly but that's what we did and I love the tires on my Mumbo Jumbo, smooth and quiet and performed very well on the loose over hard pack gravel conditions we encountered for most of our ride.  This tire is offered in two different types of tread and the smoother tire (photo above) was able to quickly shed the slight mud conditions we encountered.  Lisa has the knobbier tread which although it rolls very fast the tread on my bike cleaned off quicker. 

We took our time on this ride found some fun photos to get and though we packed a lunch we were having so much fun we decided to stay out for awhile getting some night photos.  Heck, we didn't even go to the nubi public house for craft beer and a salad so we had to be doing something right, gravel grinding! Yay!

Links related to this topic
Review of Vittoria Trail Touring Tires
Best Budget Commuter Tires
Mountain Bike Trekking, Touring Tire Review

We haven't returned for another gravel grinding experience for six months now, so I can't say that we miss it.  In fact we celebrated by getting a photo of smoother roads ahead.

For handlebar tape on drop bars cork tape is preferred by many avid cyclists.  So why would that be different for bike grips?  

A big turn off for some folks was assuming they would have to use spray adhesive to install old fashioned cork grips.  While that style of cork grip is still in use there are many cork grips available including all the features specific to virtually any other grips being made including ergonomic shape, locking grips or integrated bar ends. 

Last year I found some locking ergonomic molded rubber cork grips.  I hadn't heard of the EVO SL1 Cork Grips or read any reviews but was excited to try them for the very decent price based on the description.  One of the reasons for my wanting such a grip was due in large part to the hot humid climate and wanting a grip that didn't feel gooey tacky like so many other grips tend to do after being weathered for a few months. 

After a solid year of casual trail use, mostly commuting, bike camping and lots of exposure to the weather the EVO SL1 mountain bike grips have seasoned nicely.  With a look and feel that resembles leather more than cork the grips not only look good and feel good but have developed a very protective sheen very similar to putting shellac on all natural cork grips like those pictured in the next grips reviewed. 

On the practical side of things since I was looking to relieve hand numbness and tendinitis pain these grips have played an important part in mostly eradicating the pain associated with that.  Putting these grips on a mountain bike built for bike commuting and off road touring with a steel front rack has provided a nice solid feel to the sweeping handlebars while pedaling with a front pannier load.  

Considering there are three points of contact between a rider's body and their bike (hands, butt and feet) resolving pain while at the same time adding a confident feel to a bike is a nicely added bonus. 

Click on links provided or photos for information or purchase or continue reading for some all natural cork grips from Dimension.

So called all natural cork grips are made with a synthetic foam and cork just as many of the popular synthetic cork bar tapes.  This pair from Dimension is a very natural looking cork grip that wears and holds well. 

After applying a few coats of shellac and allowing it to dry completely I used Loctite Spray Adhesive to ensure a good bond without slippage.  These are very comfortable grips and I like the looks of them as well.  After clear coating them they feel very durable and will be interesting to see how they look after a year of riding them unless I decide to sell the old Specialized Rockhopper.  

There are of course several other natural cork grips but the Dimension Cork Grips have been around awhile and are well reviewed.   Use link provided above for information or to purchase. 

Links related to this topic:
Four Favorite Cork Grips