Two Views (Can be Better Than One)


Instead of cycling the main highway in Southern Laos, we opted to pedal the tracks and foot paths along the Mekong. It was slow going, but the ability to be so close to people's daily lives was worth the effort.

One early morning we came upon a man who was busy mending a fishing net. I asked if could take a photo and positioned myself so I could capture his silhouette. He was such a master at his craft that his movements, rather than being abrupt, were balletic. Kat was on the opposite side and snapped a photo of the fisherman in the glorious morning light.

Two images of the same subject and moment in time. I love them both.


It is also what I love about cycling with a partner. You not only have another set of eyes observing the world you are traveling through, but also two different perspectives. What one of us overlooks, the other often zeroes in on.

I grew up watching birds, so my ears are attuned to chirps and calls and small movements in the trees. Kat was an art history major, so she often sees details and patterns in everything from fabrics to architecture, that I would completely miss. At the end of the day, even though we've been along the exact same road, we have plenty to talk about.

Traveling solo has it's own advantages, but sometimes, two views can be better than one.

Photos by Willie Weir & Kat Marriner

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SIGHTS AND SOUNDS is posted every other Friday. Willie Weir is a columnist for Adventure Cyclist magazine. His latest book Travels with Willie: Adventure Cyclist will inspire you to hit the road and just might change the way you approach bicycle travel. He lives in Seattle with his wife Kat. You can read about their adventures at http://yellowtentadventures.com/.

Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2013/02/two-views-can-be-better-than-one.html

nalini cycling

Fat Bike Custom Build Tips


Building up a fat bike from scratch is a unique experience. There are no serious standards that have been set for what they should look like, or how they should be used, so you pretty much have free rein to do as you please. However, when faced with so many options, sometimes your choices can become overwhelming. Here are some quick tips to help you on your way to your dream fat bike.

Wheels
Fat bikes have their own special range of wheels available to them, and the range is growing rapidly. The big difference from one rim to another is width. Wider rims tend to give you a wider tire footprint, and give you the chance to ride lower tire pressures. They are ideal if you're gearing up for rides in really loose conditions. Narrower fat bike rims are still super wide by most standards, but will give you a better all-around feel. These are perfect if you're hitting packed snowmobile trails in the winter and switching over to hardpack trails in the summer. If you have any fatbike racing ambitions, they also tend to be lighter.

Brakes
Disc brakes are the way to go when it comes to fat biking, and realistically, they are the only way to go, unless you know of a cantilever or caliper break that will clear a 3.7 inch tire. If you decide to run cable disc brakes, be sure you run housing all the way from the brake lever to the disc caliper. Chances are you'll be riding in some icy or muddy conditions at some point, and you'll want to keep your cables clean. I've heard concerns over the years about hydraulic brakes freezing up in extreme cold, but I've been down to -10 F with no issues. The freezing point of the hydraulic fluid used in disc brakes is around -40 degrees F, so most of us are going to be in good shape there.

Handlebars
Whether you plan on rolling flat bars, mustache bars, or drop bars, I've found that wider bars can really improve handling. When you think about it, you're turning a pretty heavy wheel in loose conditions, so getting a good amount of leverage over all of that really makes a difference. 

Pedals
There's nothing wrong with riding clipless pedals on a fat bike, but if you do, it's not a bad idea to go after a clipless pedal with a good platform around it. If you put your foot down in the snow or mud, chances are some of that will stick to your cleat, making it difficult to clip in. A platform will give you some good real estate to scrape some of that gunk off your cleat.

Crankset/Bottom Bracket
That 100mm bottom bracket shell you see on fat bikes helps your pedals clear the chain stays, but it limits you on crankset options. There are some fatbike specific cranksets hitting the market, but they can be pretty spendy. The best budget option is to take a time machine back to 1995, and grab a square-tapered bottom bracket, and mesh it up with a mountain bike crankset. If you see yourself riding this on pavement, or hardpack in the summer, a triple will give you a good high end for that. Otherwise, a double with a low- and middle-range gear is a great option.

Fork
Check out Paul Hansbarger's awesome post from earlier this week about the Salsa Enabler fork.

Between now and next winter, I'm sure there will be plenty of new advancements coming out on the fatbike scene, but these are pretty basic tips that I'm guessing will withstand the off-season.

Photo by Josh Tack.

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Grab a free issue of Adventure Cyclist magazineTOURING GEAR & TIPS is written by Joshua Tack of Adventure Cycling's member services department. It appears weekly, highlighting technical aspects of bicycle touring and advice to help better prepare you for the journey ahead. Look for Josh's Fine Tuned column in Adventure Cyclist magazine as well.


Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2013/02/fat-bike-custom-build-tips.html

cycling magazine

2013 Tours Season Begins in Florida


We recently kicked off our 2013 guided tours in the first week of January with the Florida Keys Winter Escape. Over the course of 11 days, this group of sixteen self-contained cyclists pedaled from Hollywood, Florida, to Key West, acclaimed margarita capital and southern-most point of the continental United States. From Key West, the group traveled to Fort Myers by ferry, then pedaled back across the state through the communities of LaBelle and South Bay to complete a loop of Southern Florida. 


Along the way, the group took in opportunities for snorkeling, a kayak tour in the Everglades, a fresh beachside seafood feast, and other memorable moments. From the comments we've heard so far and pictures we've seen, it looks like it was quite an adventure and a pleasant respite from the cold, blustery weather of the north


Here are some nice comments about the tour from some members of the group:

"The Everglades tour was an exciting off the bike experience and the opportunity to go snorkeling on the coral reefs was great. There was plenty of exploring to do on the shorter mileage days." - 2013 Tour Participant

"The daily rides were a lot of fun through great scenery. The tour leaders were great, very professional and always on top of things." - 2013 Tour Participant


If you're interested in taking the Florida Keys self-contained tour, there are still spaces available on the fall trip:

Florida Keys, November 9 - 19, 2013

Or, if you're looking for other guided cycling tours in the beautiful Southeastern U.S., here are some great trips to consider:

UGRR: North to Niagara - Van, April 14 - May 24, 2013
Southern Sampler, May 11 - 22, 2013
Southern Tier, September 14 - November 17, 2013

If you have any questions about any of our guided tours, please don't hesitate to contact our office at 1-800-755-2453 ext 3. We're here to help!

Photos by Phillip Cook, Adventure Cycling member and 2013 Florida Keys Winter Escape tour participant

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ON THE ROAD is written by the tours team -- Mo, Paul, Madeline, and Arlen -- tours specialists and intrepid bicyclists, covering all things related to Adventure Cycling's tours Department. Check out our 2013 Tours!


Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2013/02/2013-tours-season-begins-in-florida.html

cycling clubs

Klöden Ignites Another Fire in Trentino

No matter how many times I write it this spring, I’ll never tire of typing the name Klöden and the word ?WIN? in the same sentence! Team RadioShack‘s 35-year old German wonder bested another field of quality contenders in the opening 13.4-kilometer Time Trial of the Giro del Trentino today, clocking 15:24 on the course [...]

Source: http://www.teamradioshack.us/kloden-ignites-another-fire-in-trentino/

schwinn indoor cycling

The Hungry Cyclist Podcast - July 2011 - I is for Iran

Choosing a restaurant fro I in our alphabetical culinary quest was not easy. There were of course plenty of calls for India, a strong shout went out for Israel and with the current Nordic trend in cuisine many thought we...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/thehungrycyclist/~3/1pqTiB9XQY0/the-hungry-cyclist-podcast-july-2011-i-is-for-iran.html

cycling events

Team Radioshack Line-up in Tour of Austria

Team Radioshack is ready to ride in the 63rd edition of Tour of Austria (Internationale Österreich Rundfahrt), which takes place July 3-10, 2011. Team Radioshack will start with a team of relatively young riders: Matthew Busche, Robbie Hunter, Ben King, Michal Kwiatkowski, Geoffroy Lequatre, Tiago Machado, Gregory Rast & Jesse Sergent Director: José Azevedo Go [...]

Source: http://www.teamradioshack.us/team-radioshack-line-up-in-tour-of-austria/

cycling plus

Interior department nominee understands bicycling issues, says bike industry

President Obama’s choice of  REI CEO Sally Jewell as his nomination for Secretary of the Interior should be good news for bicycling.

If approved by Congress, the top exec of the Kent, Washington-based company will head up the department that oversees the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management. Bicycling issues — especially regarding …

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Source: http://www.bikingbis.com/2013/02/07/interior-deparment-nominee-understands-bicycling-issues-says-bike-industry/

cycling clubs