you say that like it's a bad thing - keep the masses wanting packaged holidays looking for salmon, deer and bear statues whilst those who can read a map enjoy more adventurous roads
Simon Weir’s basics of going away on your bike
- Thread starter Wapping
- Start date
you say that like it's a bad thing - keep the masses wanting packaged holidays looking for salmon, deer and bear statues whilst those who can read a map enjoy more adventurous roads
It wasnt aimed at anybody
Simon weir has planned a 10 day personalised European tour for me in July . Although already touring Europe three times last year we’re going where I not been before and what he’s charged for the information and routes is great value for money
It's a handy size and is full of maps but I'm not convinced you'll be able to follow a map!!!!
Just need our lass to read it to me.
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sven
Registered user
The "Don't take on too much" paragraph is good advice. I struggled with the heat and distance on my tour of France in July and actually nodded at one point on the second day! 
Luckily I awoke startled as the bike rapidly decelerated as I'd closed the throttle..... My wife wasn't impressed either
Luckily I awoke startled as the bike rapidly decelerated as I'd closed the throttle..... My wife wasn't impressed either
Absolutely...coupled with the paragraph before about drinking loads of water. If you don't need a pee for hours so 'Hey, I can ride so much farther'....you're drinking way too little.The "Don't take on too much" paragraph is good advice. I struggled with the heat and distance on my tour of France in July and actually nodded at one point on the second day!
Being hopeless with keys I’ve always stitched a key clip into my jacket pocket, so I always know where they are and they can’t fall out. I did the same to my wifes’ jacket for the spare set.
I’d been doing this for several years on my Rukka suits, but on buying a new Klim Marrakesh suit recently I discovered that they fit one in the chest pocket on a piece of elastic.
I’d been doing this for several years on my Rukka suits, but on buying a new Klim Marrakesh suit recently I discovered that they fit one in the chest pocket on a piece of elastic.
Agree wholeheartedly. Slapping about a town centre, following on in the restaurant is a big no no.My only comments: shorts and flip flops.
Have some decency pack a pair of small shoes (boat shoes of anything compact) and a pair of decent trousers.
Agree with Richard in his post above. A decent disc lock at least.
Whomever invented the hideous things....
. the stupid things never stay on your feet, give you sores and make hidiously annoying noise.On my last trip, I've packed Toms (Similar to Carlo) shoes. Lightweight, casual, wear well with pair of jeans, chinos, or shorts. As well as per of Birkenstocks.
I always pack a pair of compact slip on shoes of some sort, they weigh little, squash down - or if not you can pack something inside them if your one of those who tours on a compeltely unsuitable bike with nothing more than a tank bag.
Talking of packing, short trip coming up and the what Luggage dilema strikes, with the Mrs it is easy, she has one pannier for Hotel stuff (clothes etc), I have the other one and our top boxes are for whatever other crap we need (spare gloves etc)
Short solo trips and the options expand:
Roll Bag:
Pros: Light, compact, allows for easy filtering, holds plenty for a week or so.
Cons: Requires strapping on / taking off each day, never 100% certain it is gonna be there at the next stop, if it pisses down you end up with a bag with a days road shite all over it to take into Hotel room, if you need to get something it is a PITA - much worse if your trying to find your waterproof gloves in the pissing rain, and in the process you flood all of your stuff.
All the Boxes
Pros: Loads of room, inner bag for Hotel stuff in one, rooms for tools / puncture kits / spare gloves / waterproofs / provisions in 2nd pannier, empty top box to stow lid / nav / gloves etc when stopping.
Cons: You have added 20KG to the bike before you pack anything, you will massively over-pack, filtering more difficult (or impossible if you have 2 45L metal panniers out in the breeze - and noticeable increase in fuel consumption. On "non Transit" days you either need to drag panniers into the room or spend the day dragging all these empty metal boxes around.
Just the Panniers
Pro's: Nobody loves a top box, hideous things, placed in the worst possible place for handling and aeordynamics. Pannier have more than enough room, in theory handling improved and some fuel saved, you will certainly out-corner & outrun all your bikes mates now.
Cons: You will get pissed of carrying your lid everywhere, On "non Transit" days you either need to drag panniers into the room or spend the day dragging thema round - if you remove them you now have nowhere for your spare gloves and the puncture kit you would only ever need when not carrying it. You will still over-pack.
In my small pannier I can carry tookit, spare visor, waterproofs (extra waterproofing as my textiles are waterproof, but in biblical rain it helps having an oversuit to reduce how much finds its way through the gaps) inner liners (in case it gets cold) puncture kit, gaffa tape, cable ties, visor cleaning kit, bottle of water, half a dozen pais of gloves - and still have room to stash sat-nav when stopping. With a roll bag 75% of this shit would be left at home.
I often end up with 3 boxes to cover all eventualites and convenience, with one full pannier, one half empty pannier and an empty top box.
1st world problem for sure!
Talking of packing, short trip coming up and the what Luggage dilema strikes, with the Mrs it is easy, she has one pannier for Hotel stuff (clothes etc), I have the other one and our top boxes are for whatever other crap we need (spare gloves etc)
Short solo trips and the options expand:
Roll Bag:
Pros: Light, compact, allows for easy filtering, holds plenty for a week or so.
Cons: Requires strapping on / taking off each day, never 100% certain it is gonna be there at the next stop, if it pisses down you end up with a bag with a days road shite all over it to take into Hotel room, if you need to get something it is a PITA - much worse if your trying to find your waterproof gloves in the pissing rain, and in the process you flood all of your stuff.
All the Boxes
Pros: Loads of room, inner bag for Hotel stuff in one, rooms for tools / puncture kits / spare gloves / waterproofs / provisions in 2nd pannier, empty top box to stow lid / nav / gloves etc when stopping.
Cons: You have added 20KG to the bike before you pack anything, you will massively over-pack, filtering more difficult (or impossible if you have 2 45L metal panniers out in the breeze - and noticeable increase in fuel consumption. On "non Transit" days you either need to drag panniers into the room or spend the day dragging all these empty metal boxes around.
Just the Panniers
Pro's: Nobody loves a top box, hideous things, placed in the worst possible place for handling and aeordynamics. Pannier have more than enough room, in theory handling improved and some fuel saved, you will certainly out-corner & outrun all your bikes mates now.
Cons: You will get pissed of carrying your lid everywhere, On "non Transit" days you either need to drag panniers into the room or spend the day dragging thema round - if you remove them you now have nowhere for your spare gloves and the puncture kit you would only ever need when not carrying it. You will still over-pack.
In my small pannier I can carry tookit, spare visor, waterproofs (extra waterproofing as my textiles are waterproof, but in biblical rain it helps having an oversuit to reduce how much finds its way through the gaps) inner liners (in case it gets cold) puncture kit, gaffa tape, cable ties, visor cleaning kit, bottle of water, half a dozen pais of gloves - and still have room to stash sat-nav when stopping. With a roll bag 75% of this shit would be left at home.
I often end up with 3 boxes to cover all eventualites and convenience, with one full pannier, one half empty pannier and an empty top box.
1st world problem for sure!
I do exactly the same and have done for years.
I have two cords, one held by a safety pin to my right inner pocket. On this I have my front door key and the security key for my garage on the same ring. Nothing more. The other cord is also held by a safety pin, in my left hand inner pocket. This holds nothing more than the remote / central locking key for my 1600. I don’t touch either of them between leaving home and returning. Not touching them means I have much less chance of losing them.
Remote / keyless ride bikes only really make sense if you have centrally locking panniers, as found on the RT and 1600. If you need to use a key to lock and unlock the panniers, you might as well use it to run the bike as well.
Here endeth the lesson
Keyless on a GS/GSA with metal boxes that need a key, is a total waste of money
Here endeth the lesson
Keyless on a GS/GSA with metal boxes that need a key, is a total waste of money
Totally agree but the pain in the arse is - some useful items you cannot get without Keyless
I dislike keyless but do like some of the other items
Everybody was a first-timer once…
and if you need the key to run the bike, you won’t ride off into the wide blue yonder with it in the seat or pannier lock
I wear mine on a lanyard round my neck when not on the bike…
Maybe for those that only use their bikes for touring then I can see your point. For people who use bikes all year round then keyless can be a real benefit. As always it's nice to have the choice but I'd definitely go for keyless next time.Here endeth the lesson
Keyless on a GS/GSA with metal boxes that need a key, is a total waste of money
The author of the book gives a mention of riding on the right side of the road, which can be taken for granted and sometimes forgotten if having lapse in concentration. Ok this is a basic thing but Halfords do a sticker that's worth putting on your screen.
For little cost it's an aid memoir that my save a nasty moment.
For little cost it's an aid memoir that my save a nasty moment.
Mate of mine runs a well-known bike touring company in South Africa. He pinged me a note last week about an American client who had a head-on with a bakkie (pick-up) on a gravel road. The rider was on the wrong side of the road...
