The Concept Isn't Foreign Everywhere!

Just a quick blog today on the concept of families touring together. I have mentioned it before in an earlier blog, that it'd be great to see more families out doing this. Rather than being locked in a metal box. Making our holidays a cheap and affordable adventure rather that a speed and time focused destination.

The following link is of a Youtube video from a guy called Darren Alf. He has a website called Bicycle Touring Pro, and is so helpful, and genuine, when it comes to helping others undertake their adventures by pedal power.

This video is one of his recent trips throughout Norway, an amazing place that is for sure one that is on my bucket list.

But my main focus in putting this up is to show that touring as a family is not a foreign (pardon the punn) thing in many European countries. We have lost it somewhat here in Australia I believe, wouldn't it be nice to have it back again?

Quality Not Quantity!

Enjoy life, start with the smaller things

Let's face it, I'm married, I have three young daughters all of school age and still at home, one dog, seven chickens and three and a half guinea pigs. I have a job like most people and we have to admit that "real" life quite often gets in the way of our dreams. This can't be any truer than with bike touring.

We read blogs, graze through websites and drool with envy over the ultimate cycling experiences. The three months through France, throughout Spain and Southern Europe etc. Our visions are filled with endless miles of open roads, Scandinavian bike paths, the endless sights, then the alarm goes off and its back to earth we come, usually with a big thump...lol.

If you're like me, you see a Youtube feed up and go how awesome is that, jump on Google and start checking things out. But only to get about ten minutes in as the reality bug starts to bight. You look at your empty wallet on the desk beside you, your wife reminds you about the kids football game on the weekend. It is then the dream starts to be buried with all the others, the laptop closes and you drag yourself up from the chair disgruntled and disappointed.

But there is a bigger reality, a real way you can get out touring on your bike without crashing the credit card, without divorcing the wife/husband and kids, and without never reaching you goal of going on your ultimate bike tour. OK, admittedly it is not a three month stint touring the Mediterranean, but it can be quite the achievement and it can certainly satisfy the soul. A shorter more local trip.

Why spend years yearning for something that is continually put off due to commitments, or because of finances, or simply just because you think its out of your reach. It's like a miracle, why look for the big ones which we claim daily never to see, only to miss the smaller and more real ones right in front of us.

When you look at your local area closely enough, you begin to see the beauties that can be explored by bike. Whether it be a day, a weekend, a few days away, it's a start, and a great one. I, in reality will probably never get to some overseas cycling mecca to pedal contently away the miles in a euphoric paradise. But do I need to?

OK, I admit, I'm no bike touring expert, but it has become a real and profound passion for me. So much so that I am seriously contemplating selling my beloved Domane roadie and Hillbrick track bike. I have come to the conclusion that I would much prefer pedaling my days away in relax mode then everything being a training session or a race. So I have to find a reality in all this.

Shorter, more local trips are much more affordable and far more obtainable. They don't need the planning that goes into an "ultimate" trip. You can get to see your local area close up and personal like. Taking a few days away with the tent loaded up in the panniers can help calm the nerves and spitritualise the soul. It can mend the heart, clear the mind and it's just plain fun. The great thing about them is that they "can be as long as you can", what suits you and what compromises your lifestyle.

My first trip was four days long. I haven't long completed it, so again, I do not claim to be an expert. I just no that it works. I am currently in the process of planning my next one, possible a fourteen day stint out through to Kingaroy and down into Brisbane via the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. Then back home again possibly via the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. But my job allows this, I'm not sure if my wife does but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it...lol.

I am a school cleaner at present and this enables me to have the majority of all school holidays off. This permits me to be able to plan a trip for at least four to five days long, three times per year with a longer one at Christmas time. So you see, I am touring, and touring in a way that can fit in with all of my real life commitments. Now, because of these planned smaller trips, touring has become part of my real life too.

Shorter trips enable you to include the family as well. We don't have to leave the family behind although it is a very inviting thought...lol. Smaller trips can be started from home and with a little forethought cycling friendly routes can be found. There is always the option of making a cycling trip a family holiday, traveling by car, train etc to a particular destination. Then exploring the area either by day trips or touring on the bikes. Many areas in Australia are really getting behind the Rail Trail concept, these can be traveled to by various modes of transport, the camping gear packed and spend some days exploring the magnificence of the trails and the areas' rich history. I couldn't think of a better way to spend family time.

There are ways, we don't always have to go for the big is better scene. We can start and focus small and still meet our needs for the get away we just need in our lives. These things are common practice in overseas countries. I have my sights on Norway, and I was amazed at the amount of Norwegians tour Norway, I now I shouldn't be. Ironic isn't it? It's just that when it comes to bike touring it is always about going overseas, and I kind of thought that everywhere thinks the same, silly I know.

I strongly believe we have so much in this country worth seeing. Overseas visitors flock here in their droves. I'm sure if we look hard enough we will see what's worth exploring too, starting with our own back yards. We don't have to plan the once in a lifetime, epic trip to accomplish seeing it, we can do it piece by piece, little by little, weekend by weekend, holiday by holiday. Quality does not necessarily mean quantity.

Cheers, and ride safe.

Biting The Bullet!

Well I have decided to bite the bullet. I purchased a new Touring Bike. I thought hard and thought long but in the end I have come to the decision that it was necessary to upgrade, that is my story and I am sticking to it. I purchased a new Kona Sutra.

The 2015-16 Model which I purchased

The newer 2016-17 model - only the colour has changed

What was wrong with the Merida you may ask? Well, nothing really. But it was more suited for shorter rides, commuting etc. The distances I want to go, I just don't think it would cut the custard.
I did many searches on upgrades, touring rims, gearing and all that, but in the end it was going to be nearly as much as what I paid for the Kona.

The Kona is touring ready, with the only exception being front rack and panniers which I needed to purchase anyway. It is a Chromoly frame and runs Alivio/Deore running gear, 9 speed with 3 speed chainrings on Deore cranks connected to Shimano BarCon bar end shifters. The WTB X19 wheels with 36 Sandvik spokes and shod with the Clement XPlor MSO 700 x 40c tyres make it one smooth as silk ride. Join this with the Brooks B17 leather saddle and the bike was just built to spend hours on the road. Stopping power isn't an issue, the Hayes CX Expert mechanical discs make short work of stopping.

As I said, the bike comes tour ready, with rear rack, 3 mounts for bidon cages and drop bars. It gives you as a rider a relax fit and although you are leaning forward there appears to be no pressure on the shoulders or the wrists. The frame is stiff, and when I first rode it I thought, "Here we go, this will be rough". But no, it's not. After riding a Trek Domane 5.2 for so long, and loving it, I was surprised at how the Kona rivaled the Domane for smoothness on the road. All the components work together, the Brooks saddle, the wide tyres, all gel so well.

It is not light, but lets face it, a touring bike needs to be strong, and when you are carrying twenty plus kilograms of gear, are you going to notice a little extra in frame weight. When riding, it doesn't feel heavy, its maneuverable and rather nimble for a large bike.

The ergonomics of the bike are perfect for touring. Whilst riding you maintain a rather upright position, but the road style drop bars allow to get down of the wind as well as giving you plenty of hand options on them.

The large 700 x 40c Clements X-Plor tyres cancel out any vibration really well offering a smooth ride on all surfaces, even gravel. The X-Plors are an on road/off road tyre meaning that they offer superb grip and handling no matter the road surface.

The WTB 36 hole rims with 160 mm brake discs are a good element to the bike. WTB are a world renown wheel maker and have a reputation for making their wheels tough. They seem sure footed and work well with the Clements, holding sure footed over gravel roads, as well as being able to handle the weight of your gear.

The Hayes CX mechanical discs do a great job. I am not used to discs as this is my first bike I've owned with them. But I am glad I made this choice, they do not struggle at all. My Merida had V-Brakes and I would notice significant brake fade a a steep decent when loaded. The CX's don't fade at all, controlling the bike, rider and load in a very sure manner. The brake levers on the Sutra also offer up a button that once pushed pops the brake levers out a little further. This option allows you to fit your whole hand comfortably behind the levers whilst grabbing hold of the hoods, great for climbing.

The Brooks B-17 Saddle is to die for. Before owning this bike I had heard many mixed messages about breaking in, hard etc. But no, this saddle is comfortable straight out of the box. I can ride a good distance commuting without the need for knicks and still suffer no SAS, Sore Arse Syndrome. I'm finding the more I ride it the more the saddle does comply to my butt and seat bones. As it softens it also becomes like a spring offering up a type of suspension, suppressing rough roads and vibration as only a Brooks Saddle can. The B-17 Leather Saddle was first designed in 1898 and is still handmade in the same way today. You know what they say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

The Shimano Deore/Alivio drive chain is fantastic, simple yet effective. The Alivio 3 speed (28/36/48) front derailleur with and Deore 9 speed rear derailleur (11-34) offer up a kaleidoscope of gearing options to make it loaded up the steepest of hills, or at least I hope so anyway...lol.

The Chromoly frame doesn't feel heavy when riding but has a wonderful way of joining all the components together to make a smooth and comfortable ride. The bike makes you feel safe and when push come to shove it can hold its own among my friends on their road bikes. It is easy to push the bike up to and beyond the high 30's and even over the 40 kph mark when needed. Or you can opt out, relax and enjoy the scenery, which is what I plan to be doing plenty of on this new steed.

The model I have is last years, and it ran out a little earlier this year. Not much has changed to the newr model only the colour. Being a run-out model I was able to score a good deal from my LBS Hoppie Cycles Bundaberg. I procrastinated over this bike for months, should I, shouldn't I, but in the end I am glad that I did...

It is one thing to see a bike and fall in love. It is another to ride it and know you were meant to be.

And as always Ride Safe...Cheers.