My Touring Bicycle /Setup, and Reasons Why I 'Dig' It

[NimlotArt]

Nice video. I'd like to know more about your tent. Can you give me the exact info because I'd very much like to view it on the web. Thank you.

[bim2x4]

Nice vid.

How can I install a trailer hitch on my touring bike? I want to attach an RV on my bike so I can pull my wife and kids along on my next trip but I can't think of any other way to do that except installing a trailer hitch on the back.

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@bim2x4 sorry mate, really cant help with that one as i havnt got one for my bike..all the best with your mish though.

[cyanidebreathmintz]

renting maybe a good option if you want to see if its your thing

[JogBird]

would it be better to rent a touring bike? i would only use/need one for a few weeks a year.. the other time i would just use my hybrid

[zaimazmi97]

hey guys, I've just uploaded a tour / overview video of my dad's new Carradice of Nelson bag on his touring bike. Help me to view it and don't forget to subscribe, comment and rate!

[rexcorkil]

Chain whip = weight. just take a wee bit of string (your shoe laces will do) to tie the cassette to the spokes - loop string back and forth over cassette and around spokes - and it holds it while you open the cassette tool.

[oldschoolwaverider]

I've got a question.. What boards have you got in those bags !! ? haha

seriously shows us your quiver please !

[oldschoolwaverider]

I've got a question.. What boards have you got in those bags !! ? haha

[Foxr6]

Thanks for the post!!!

[n7app]

What type of front rack do you use?

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@n7app its a 'Blackburn' one (same brand as rear rack also). cheers.

[Wutangspam]

I use my Cro-Mo frame / forked Vivente World Randonneur { The successor to your Girlfriends Mongoose Randonneur ! } for everything. A great set up...........40 hole front / 48 hole rear Velocity Dyad rims with THE BEST HUBS out there , the brilliant Phil Wood Touing hubs. I have gone flat MTB bars ith Deore triggr shifters. I agree with the saddle commnt.I hae a Selle SMP PRO.Not ceap bt simply briliant! Good video mate!

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@Wutangspam cheers mate! And sound like you've got a primo set-up there.

[Wutangspam]

@cyanidebreathmintz You are spot on fella ! Awesomely comfortable whether fuly loaded or not. I ws lucky to be able to spec her with exactly what I wanted as standard, the componenty is pretty average in my eyes. Safe riding mate !

[earthstick]

Nice video. A few years ago after watching zombie films I decided to go cycle touring for the self reliance thing. It was fun. I know just what you mean about packing the panniers. You start with all the related things together but then you have to move them about to get the weight even.

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@earthstick LOL yip, imagining a gang of zombies chasing you will definitely help with the hill-climbs :p

[wwood14]

I picked us a used T2000 today.. Nice bike!! My new city bike, that I could take anywhere... sweet

Nice setup..

[logicalzombie]

Nice t800, thinking of buying one second-hand, what year is yours for reference? I'm looking at paying £250 (British pounds) and was wondering if this seemed good, ceteris paribus with wear and tear of the bike.

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@logicalzombie well i guess it depends on its year of production and state of running gear etc but i dont thinkl you can go wrong for that price mate. go for it, and all the best with your purchase and futuring touring :)

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@logicalzombie oh, mines a 2002 i think.

[neist]

Have you ever thought about doing some brevet riding?

I've always wanted to try it, though I've never got around to doing it. If you like touring, it may be something you'd like, if you haven't heard of it before. :)

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@neist hey sorry about the waaay overdue reply!.. as for brevet, it sounds like fun but the real reason i cycle tour is to get 'away from it all' and soak in the sights..brevit seems pretty structured and competitive. thanks for giving a 'heads up' tho coz ididn't know about it before you mentioned it.

[techromancer1]

you made a video about a stupid bike are you kidding me ...lol ( just kidding mate ...i love cannodales there are awesome bike super lite to bad there built in america i used to own a lotus road bike back in the days i used to hit alot of cars back in the days i was a bike messanger hard times lol ..so you got an import ..lol i got a mongoose it's a combination of road bike and mountainbike there awesome for the city specially construction season i will upload a video when i have time cool :D

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@techromancer1 yeah mate, "hand built in the U.S.A"!!

that would be awesome if you showed your bike, and i always thought i would be cool to be a cycle courier!

[epohnopulse]

@techromancer1 Hahahaha! youre talking about a Mongoose in comparison to a cannondale or a Lotus. PFFFT. They sell Mongooses in WALMART.

[techromancer1]

@epohnopulse accually i pick it up in walmart but i heard it going for alot of money in ebay because it rare ..too shay mister pussy cat ..and beside i used to be a bike messanger so i owed cannondales,gary fisher and the list go on and on ...lol wait this post is like 7 months old were have you been at?? XP

[Drexus80]

Cool setup mate, I bet you see some breathtaking sites while biking, especially in such a great country for it as New Zealand.

Oh by the way, I didn't notice any weapons in you pack there, what do you do when some crazy serial killer wanders upon your tent when you're out camping? ;)

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@Drexus80 yeah mate, you see, smell, and hear a whole lot more than you would in a car!.

I just take Baked Beans for protection..i 'hot-box' the tent so any intruder will get knocked out by the stench mate ;p

[Drexus80]

@cyanidebreathmintz I don't think the bean idea is quite going to sell the idea of biking and camping to your gf mate, although a very creative solution all the same. :D

[ianwilson1978]

Really interesting video mate, looks like your pretty much ready for anything when it comes to your bike set-up! I love the idea of just sodding off somewhere, it's the complete feeling of freedom.

I've just got a mountain bike that I use for cycling locally, around down the quayside and local parks etc... Just to try to keep fit more than anything.

I love the idea of what you've got going there but I'm not the most practical of persons when it comes to stuff like that!

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@ianwilson1978 I'm not the most practical guy either but i cope.. and yes, it is the ultimate feeling of freedom, just buggering off for awhile and it's very cathartic!

Atleast you know the joys of cycling and use it to commute / exercise! I am not going to 'jump-the-gun' just yet, but i would like to document my tour that i want to start around Nov this year (on camera) and share it with you guys on here ;D

[ianwilson1978]

@cyanidebreathmintz That would be interesting mate- here's hoping it works out :)

[AmidstStorm]

thats a nice bike there mate. i guess you wont be able to take the cam on this tour will you?

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@AmidstStorm yeah bro!..i'm definitely going to take the cam.Other than for youtube it was the main reason for buying it. I then send the footage to you, and you could work your magic and splice it with 'Jakob' etc..i can see it now! lol ;)

[LurkingCrassZero]

Love your setup mate, spot on ;-) I have an 07 Giant Yukon Trail, and I love it. Not a touring bike, but I rarely bike more than 6hrs at a time anyways. I have a Dahon Espress which is a folding/hybrid, I added touring handlebars to, and that was great on the roads. Still have it, but have not used it for ages now. I would like a proper touring bike like yours though. I live on the outskirts of the Lake District, so it's quite hilly around here. Keeps you fit, but sapps your energy.

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@LurkingCrassZero Cheers!.. 6hrs at a time is plenty, i wouldn't do more than that in a day. The cool thing is though you don't need to turn back. just pitch a tent :)

That is a great brand of folding bike and i really want to get one for touring overseas as they are the most practical way to go eh. I don't like hills much myself mate, but it's so worth the torture when you get up into a nice crisp alpine area with no other bastard around eh ;)

[LurkingCrassZero]

@cyanidebreathmintz I get where your coming from why take in the view at the peak of your climb! To be honest I don't really rate Dahons that highly. If your going to get a folder, get a Downtube. I tried one and loved it, but before I could get one, Downtube pulled out of the UK market! Now you can only import them, which cost a a bomb! Search user: downtubeY on Youtube, there beauitiful bikes. Prof Yan Lyansky who is behind Downtube is really down to earth, and I've spoke to him in the past.

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@LurkingCrassZero Will check thos bikes out!..if you want to see some other really sexy touring bikes check out 'Surly' bikes, especially the one's in the 'Trucker' series.

[LurkingCrassZero]

@cyanidebreathmintz Will do marra ;-)

[wesgrosscustoms]

haha thats a nice bike mate! i bet touring on that bike is alot of fun.. ive never done anything like that haha

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@wesgrosscustoms yeah mate, it's a wicked feeling of freedom just pissing off on your bike for a mission!

[jboypacman]

Ben it must just be so much fun being out on the road traveling on your bike like that and all the things you get to see while out there....Just wow!

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@jboypacman hit the nail on the head there mate!.. The feeling of total freedom, the intrigue of the 'unknown' and the things you see, smell, and hear which you otherwise would not whizzing by in a car is incredible.

[jboypacman]

@cyanidebreathmintz I have this image of you riding through the countryside somewhere or by the water with a blue sky. : )

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@jboypacman mate, i'll be honest, there have been a couple of occasions where i've almost shed a tear.

Once i was cycling on a road flanked both sides with thick forest, it was early morning, not a breath of wind, not a single vehicle came past nor another soul (for miles). There was like this hypnotic 'buzz' from the insects in the forest, and from birds talking, along with a light mist which was enveloping everything..it was almost a spiritual experience which i will never forget!

[jboypacman]

@cyanidebreathmintz I have had a moment like that the first time i went to my inlaws house on the lake and woke up early and sat on there dock and watched the sun come up it was so quite outside yet so beautiful and i thought "How lucky i am to be alive and to be here" you need moments like that.

[poptartlove2010]

You brought a SHMUP! LOL :o) Cool bike dude. Cannondale is the bees knees. Nice set up.  Looking forward to some touring vids.

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@poptartlove2010 thanks!.. look forward to showing more. :D

[narox]

Very interesting. I actually know what those tools do because I repair my own bicycle. I own a cheap $300 Giant brand mountain bike which I ride for exercise workout purposes. How much does one of those touring bicycle go for if you don't mind me asking.

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@narox Nothing wrong with 'Giant' bikes..i used to have one of their 'flat bar' commuter models in the 'CRX' series. was a good bike.

I gt this bike secondhand, and got the Ortlieb bags with it (bags, front & back go for around $450nz). It was a bargain at $1,250.

Brand new the bike alone goes for around $1800, so in the U.S it may be around the 1300 mark? not sure. But keep your eyes peeled on the secondhand market and you may get a ridiculous deal on a touring bike! :)

[markvergeer]

Cool, in my neck of the woods a lot of people are doing this too. The Netherlands are very flat and excellent tour-biking country.

Your bike is a bit of a hybrid - it is a bit too heavily kitted for our flat country but in your area it needs to be more kitted out.

Excellent stuff.

Tried this once in Ireland but we got so wet that we ended up crashing in a B&B to dry up. :P

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@markvergeer I would LOVE to tour through the Netherlands!..i may be into touring but i'm not a masochist and do like lots of hills lol!

That is the beauty of it, you can pack light or heavy, and having all the gearing there is handy. if it's flat you may be packing alot so that it why you would have a more 'kitted' bike.

Speaking of the Netherlands, one of my subs 'Shaurz' visited a retro game shop in Amsterdam (latest vid). looks right up you alley mate :D

[markvergeer]

@cyanidebreathmintz Bike Touring is a nice thing to do. I used to do it a little but now I just lack the time or so I say.

That game shop is quite famous and so are its prices. You can get just about anything there though provided you're willing to pay. It's a genuine mecca for any retro game enthusiast.

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@markvergeer So that's the catch with that retro store eh..you'd have to 'high' to pay those exorbadent prices..oh, wait a minute, it's Amsterdam, so you would be ;p

[JerryTerrifying]

Oh and I'd like to see a lot more cycle touring videos. It's actually been two years since I've seriously considered touring. But I really do want to someday. So naturally I'd like to see and hear more about it.

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@JerryTerrifying It will be my pleasure to show more tour related vids..

That would be awesome touring sections of the U.S. I sub to a guy from the U.S called 'bicycletouringpro' check his vids out, he has got some handy info and will be sure to inspire.

thanks for the interest and watch this space in around November when i start packing my bags for the real thing! :D

[JerryTerrifying]

Awesome! Another cyclist. I've haven't been on any tours but I do long distance rides. I've been dreaming about going on a cycle tour across the States someday.

[lostSUND4Y]

LOL @ Musha Aleste!

I can see why bicycle touring is something worth doing if you live in a place like NZ. Since it's so beautiful there. Here it wouln't be that fun, Sweden is like woods, woods and after awhile...more woods. Also, there's some woods after that. But on the flip side, don't you guys have GIANT spiders in NZ? I could never sleep out in the wild if i new creepy bastards were lurking about'. ;)

BTW, Whats the longest tour you've been on?

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@lostSUND4Y lots of 'Woods' sounds cool to me. It's all about unfamiliar environments though eh. Besides, there is the stereotype that Swedes walk around naked all the time which would be interesting lol.

My images of Sweden mainly come from the great 'Steig Larrson' novels, but he didn't mention the spiders! We don't have any venomous creatures in NZ which makes for great peace-of-mind!

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@lostSUND4Y 670km was the longest and did it in 9 days (2days break).

[LurkingCrassZero]

@cyanidebreathmintz That averages out at 60 miles a day? Kinda slow going mate! lol. Seriously though, I also love to take my time, stopping off to take in the view, going down back roads and dirt tracks, get completely lost and maybe have to double back, I'm sure it's the same for you mate? Maybe your a better route planner!? lol It's like the adult equivalent of those adventures you'd have as a kid, such as exploring the woods, making a camp, getting a little fire going, all good boys stuff!

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@LurkingCrassZero Yeah mate, i take it slow. that last tour(and my biggest-670km) i crossed the southern alps twice in different sections and i had to walk my descents because by front brake was torn out by a bungy cord. Instead of spewing about it i took the view that i will see even more lol.

That scoping a camp site, exploring, making a fire/cranking the stove (like we did as kids) are such great things that we should never lose the excitement for eh! :)

[LurkingCrassZero]

@cyanidebreathmintz It's quite difficult to hold on to that feeling you had as a kid. I don't get it as often as I'd like to, but I know where your coming form mate. When you do get that felling it stays with you. Biking is a good way to find those breathtaking moments. Sounds soppy, but I don't give a shite! I just read your reply @jboypacman, so I know YOU know where I'm coming from mate. lol ;-)

[LurkingCrassZero]

@cyanidebreathmintz ....and of course I know where your coming from ;-)

[therealAgerbon]

are those travel bags or are you happy to see me O.o

[cyanidebreathmintz]

@therealAgerbon Nah..you just grind my gears ;)

[therealAgerbon]

@cyanidebreathmintz a good oil job will fix that! lol