[i12ride]

Today's theme is "Live 2 Ride 2 Sk8".......added sk8board rack to existing rack. Still room for trunk bag on top of rack and/or drive side pannier....for whatever. Added an extra strap due to length and weight of the board. Plenty clearance for pedaling. Sturdy and rides great. Heavy crosswind would suck tho, lol.

 

[newleaf150]

Alas, I am lazy. I did nothing to my bike today, save pick it up from the LBS. It is now ready to rock. I hope. Angling to give it a test ride tomorrow.

It is sporting new cartridge style brake pads and a new rear brake cable. Also both derailleurs were adjusted. Turns out, the bike originally came from this shop: it has a rather funky but effective cable wrap setup on the front. It's certainly unlike anything I've seen before on a bike. The wrench talked about buying the stuff in bulk and putting it on all his recumbents for a period of years. Seems reasonable.

I bought the bike from a local bike cooperative for $45. At the time it had flat tires and a dismounted chain but needed very little actual work. I think I got it on the road for another $15 and maybe an hour of work. With the 11-36 cogset out back, I hope it'll be back to the great climbing speed demon it originally was.

 

[newleaf150]

Today's theme is "Live 2 Ride 2 Sk8".......added sk8board rack to existing rack. Still room for trunk bag on top of rack and/or drive side pannier....for whatever. Added an extra strap due to length and weight of the board. Plenty clearance for pedaling. Sturdy and rides great. Heavy crosswind would suck tho, lol.

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Sweet setup! I hope that works out well. That's a great looking board. I naturally love the idea of hauling it by bike .

 

[maelochs]

I spent hours trying to fix a bike which remains unfixed. I sent a short time tuning up a bike which might be tuned up a little. On the whole .... ugh.

If I12 puts a caster in place of his left bar-end, he could just tip over and skate down hills while still clipped in.

 

[i12ride]

was already planning a knee pad on left knee and a rollin slide maneuver.......needs a folding pedal tho

 

[Dos_Ruedas]

Today's theme is "Live 2 Ride 2 Sk8".......added sk8board rack to existing rack. Still room for trunk bag on top of rack and/or drive side pannier....for whatever. Added an extra strap due to length and weight of the board. Plenty clearance for pedaling. Sturdy and rides great. Heavy crosswind would suck tho, lol.

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That triangle bag!!

I’ve been looking for something like that, but smaller & fits at the front.

Has anyone seen anything like that?

 

[newleaf150]

That triangle bag!!

I’ve been looking for something like that, but smaller & fits at the front.

Has anyone seen anything like that?

I see those triangular bags pretty regularly around here. Now that I've said that, I'll probably never see another . I became aware of them in the 90's thx to MTB Action Magazine and similar publications. I never used one because they always seemed to interfere with my bike's water bottle cages. I have seen a few similar bags which were intended to go to the front of the frame triangle rather than the rear. I can't speak to much more than that as I've never looked into that style, only run across some in the course of looking for other types of bag.

 

[i12ride]

I've had that one as long as I've had the bike.....over 30 yrs now. Never had issue with bottle and had camelbak so not being able to use rear cage was acceptable tradeoff....and best part is the lower strap that allows you to caryy the bike on your shoulder if need be. Came in real handy fording unrideable water crossings. Never needed it because of flat or mech issue luckily. Even flipped it upside down and used it on the wife's woman frame bike a coupla times.

 

[Dos_Ruedas]

I need it at the front and i had not even given consideration to getting bottles out. Thanks for bringing that up.

 

[maelochs]

There are reputedly some very good side-release cages out there.

 

[newleaf150]

Today I drove Robbyn the Ice Cream Truck across town for her post-purchase adjustment. Expected that to take 24hrs, but they called back less than 4hrs later to advise that everything was done. I wasn't looking to make the drive twice today, but my bike was ready. Out I went. It was too late to ride by the time I got back home, but with it back now, I may manage a ride tomorrow.

 

[newleaf150]

Today I finished installing Robbyn's new bags. After several test fittings, I remain convinced that the handlebar pack's mount isn't quite right. I think this is close to 'correct' but not quite there. Still, it works for pics, and I am able to shift through the full gear range and actuate the brakes.

Trunk bag and handlebar pack were both lightly stuffed with clothing. I should have thought to put something in he top tube bag, but I didn't until it was too late.

Time for a test ride!

Note the bulge in the trunk bag. That's less a fault of the bag and much more the fault of the packer. This thing came with a learning curve, and my inexperience is plain to see.

Ice Cream Trucks are known for the diminutive size of their center triangles. In this case, the bag is just a bit too deep for its length. I don't think this is a problem, but these are my very first bikepacking bags, so I may be wrong. FWIW, mine is in frame size Large. I doubt this top tube bag would work with a Medium sized frame. Moving in the other direction, I imagine it would work about perfectly on an XL frame.

 

[Dos_Ruedas]

That totally charged the look of the truck!!
I believe i like it better stripped down, but if I were going to bikepack for a few days, those things would be perfect!!!

 

[newleaf150]

That totally charged the look of the truck!!
I believe i like it better stripped down, but if I were going to bikepack for a few days, those things would be perfect!!!

They sure did! It ended up being a lot of purple, but in for a penny, in for pound. I'm happier with the purple for this rig than I would be with black, I think. I also recognize that this is a color scheme most people will either love or hate. Fair enough either way.

I'm interested in camping with it, but have to admit to some trepidation at the capacity of bikepacking bags relative to the touring rig I'm used to. On my touring bike with Arkel B-54 panniers out back and Ortliebs in front plus my Arkel trunk bag, I have few capacity based worries. I know right where my tent and its difficult to store poles can go, for example. Also gear, food, and water.

I've read that bikepacking is much more minimalistic than is touring, and thought I understood that. I didn't. On first blush, I'm fairly confident I could pull off a 3-season overnighter with the purple bags, but only if I use my hammock or a not-yet-purchased bivvy sack. On the tent front, I now see why a lot of bikepackers don't use them.

I think the rig will be perfect for events in terms of bringing extra food and water. I hope to figure out the minimalist camping thing. We'll see.

 

[newleaf150]

Plenty of effort with no discernible results. I ordered and received a 'Burley Ballz' thru-axle and 16x3" '+' wheel for my Coho XC trailer. The specific thru-axle size was ordered per the shop which sold me the Ice Cream Truck. I'd initially hoped to have them do the ordering and installation. The shop's supplier was back-ordered and they didn't seem all that interested in any event.

Now I understand why: when I went to install the new thru-axle, it ran out of adjustment range with more than an inch remaining between the threaded piece and the bike frame against which it is supposed to clamp. This despite the fact that the Burley thru-axle is marked as being the same size - M12, 197mm - as the Surly thru-axle it proposed to replace. Apparently the shop's wrench isn't as familiar with Burley products as he claimed when I asked.

For a bit of salt in the wound, where the stock thru-axle requires a single 6mm Allen key to install and remove, the Burley axle requires not one but two 17mm open ended wrenches. Two of them. Because one such wrench, useless for most any other field adjustment, is just not heavy enough? This complaint from someone who generally isn't worried about weight, but come on: is two 17mm wrenches seriously the best they can do? Apparently so. It's starting to feel like Burley's Coho XC trailer is as well engineered as its bike-side attachments are not. That's sad, because the trailer is superlative.

Unfortunately, the tool-free QR skewers which influenced my original purchase have fallen to safety concerns, to be replaced under warranty with a new part. That part requires tools to install and remove while also being heavier than the original. I suppose I should be grateful that it only requires an allen key rather than the pair of 17mm wenches needed to play with the thru-axle. Still, I only ever considered the trailer because it was offered with a tool-free QR skewer for regular (non-fatbike) applications. That having failed, I'd hoped to transition it to the fat bike. Or not so much. Perhaps I still will, or maybe it's time to explore alternate solutions to transport canine companion Chip. The Coho XC is great. Those of its bike attachment solutions I've dealt with, aren't.

 

[newleaf150]

I finally swapped the new 16x3" wheel into place on my, well, canine companion Chip's, Burley Coho XC trailer. Also tried without success to find an LBS with direct experience with the Coho XC. The wrench at the place that sold it to me isn't the one. Neither is the wrench at the shop which sold me the bike.

I would really prefer to pay someone else to do this. Though there's no question in my mind I can figure it out, it'll take me forever. Not because it's that hard, but rather because my frustration level is just short of expressing my displeasure toward the trailer with a sledge hammer. Such vexation is not conducive to productive thought, much less any sort of problem solving. I am well aware of this. It is why I want to pay someone else to pick the right size part, order, and install it for me. Alas, I've so far failed to find anyone who does more than stare blankly when I name the trailer model. They know the brand, may have dealt with one or another of its two-wheeled trailers, but that's it.

I like the beefy look of the new wheel. If I ever succeed in connecting it to the bike, this trailer will become a fat bike only item while I use something else behind the touring bike.

On the thru-axle front, finding the right size axle will mean I get to haul a pair of 17mm wrenches along any time I'm towing and face the possibility of a flat. Yea, that would be all the time. This as opposed to an allen key. Ugh.

With the bike-side hardware sorted, the trailer pops on and off the bike with zero thought and about as much effort. It tows flawlessly and handles wonderfully on pavement, hard surface dirt, and mild singletrack. Since the towing arms are themselves articulated, it should be quick and easy to swap between a wide range of bikes.

Unfortunately Burley's idea of bike side hardware has thus far been every bit as bad as their trailer is, good. That sucks, because the trailer is very good indeed. I think that if the next try at a thru axle fails to fit I'll be putting the trailer and all its accessories up for sale. I love it and remain deeply impressed by its build and engineering quality, but I've had enough of dealing with Burley's frankly crappy bike-side towing hardware. Despite 5000+ very happy miles and zero real problems with the trailer, I'm sorry I ever bought this thing.

 

[newleaf150]

Good news: I installed the new seat rail clamps on my BikeE recumbent. They offer far more clamping area than the originals. I am happier with the seat clamps than I've ever been, and looking forward to a road test. Alas, neighborhood streets remain covered in hard-packed, frozen, bumpy nastiness that I'm not trying to ride on 100psi, 1.5" diameter tires that are all but slicks. Soon. The BikeE's tires are now inflated to their proper pressure for the first time in months. It appears ready to roll as soon as the streets clear up a bit more.

Bad news: I tried installing the new Old Man Mountain Divide Fat rack on Robbyn the Ice Cream Truck. Turns out the bike-side threaded eyelets I had planned to use for the operation are too narrow for the rack's standard sized eyelet bolts. It appears that I can mount the rack easily enough on the bike's front where the eyelets are normally sized, but getting it on the back has turned into a problem 🥳.

I could easily order the thru-axle mounting kit, but using that would preclude towing canine companion Chip's trailer. Not that I've succeeded in connecting that to the bike just yet, but hope on that front has yet to die. I would like to be able to run the OMM as a rear rack concurrently with the trailer. If that proves impossible, the rack should mount easily with the thru-axle kit, and using it will boost the rack's rated capacity from 55 to a whopping 70lbs.

Naturally, by the time I undertook the rack mounting effort, it was too late in the day to chat with OMM online. I understand they offer a plethora of alternate mounting options. Hopefully I'll be able to figure something out. Worst comes to worst, the OMM can mount up front and I'll pick something else for the back.

Sorry, no pics. I took the camera out with me, but ended up working in bad light in the crowded bike shed. I could see well enough, at least until the afternoon light began to fade, but trying to shoot pics wasn't happening. Today.

 

[maelochs]

I finally swapped the new 16x3" wheel into place on my, well, canine companion Chip's, Burley Coho XC trailer. Also tried without success to find an LBS with direct experience with the Coho XC. The wrench at the place that sold it to me isn't the one. Neither is the wrench at the shop which sold me the bike.

I would really prefer to pay someone else to do this. Though there's no question in my mind I can figure it out, it'll take me forever. Not because it's that hard, but rather because my frustration level is just short of expressing my displeasure toward the trailer with a sledge hammer. Such vexation is not conducive to productive thought, much less any sort of problem solving.

Not really laughing, but a grim rictus like a grin of pain .... I keep an 8-pound sledge in the garage across from my bikes, just to remind them of the alternative .....

I still haven't found the right headspace to approach any of the bikes I need to fix ... the hammer is louder than the wrench.

 

[newleaf150]

Finally, some movement in (I hope) the right direction: today I finally installed the Old Man Mountain Divide Fat rack that Mrs. Newleaf gave me for Christmas. Long story short, on this bike it is considered a front rack only until and unless I give up on the idea of towing canine companion Chip's trailer using this bike. In that case, a thru-axle mount makes plenty of sense. Until then, it's a front rack.

Note that the shooting angle is responsible for the canted look of the rack. It sits dead flat when the bike is upright on its wheels. Also, I used the rear extenders on the front because the front extenders supplied are too wide to mount on the upper fork eyelets as called for in the instructions. I could use a file to remove material for clearancing purposes, but it seemed easier to take advantage of the fork's mid level eyelets and call it good.

Does this bike need a rack or racks? I'm sure many would say no. I may end up being one of them, but for now, I appreciate having the added cargo capacity. It seems you can take me off the touring bike, but you can't take the touring ethos out of me. Also, I admittedly have a lot more fears to pack than do most cyclists .

During this process, I realized that none of the bike's eyelet bolts had been greased. Now, they all have been. Plus the rack's hardware, of course.

No pics, but I also added Slime to the Coho XC trailer's new 3" semi-fat tire and got it ready for towing. When and if.

Finally, some catchup pics from installing the replacement seat clamps on my BikeE recumbent a few days ago.

The new clamps are hard to see here, but evident.

Better shot of the front set of clamps, plus my next project for this ride: replacing the very tired seat upholstery. The seat itself is almost sinfully comfortable. Doesn't look so good these days, but boy, is it comfortable.

From the back.

The 'clamps' are the big squared blocks of material which clamp to the seat rail when the QR is actuated. The old parts were not even half the size of the new ones. The QR feels much more solid at reasonable tightness now. In the end, I'm just happy to have found the parts I need to repair a bike that hasn't been manufactured in significantly longer than my nieces and nephew have been alive. These things seem to still have quite the niche following.

 

[newleaf150]

Now for the bags:

All but the front mounted 'trunk' bag are loaded with something, albeit nothing like the supplies I'd take bikepacking. Enough weight to affect handling and let me get an idea of how loaded cycling feels on this rig. I don't expect to keep the 'trunk' bag as is, but wanted to see if it fit. Easily. Too bad it's the wrong color .