3/31/2022 0 Comments Pannier Racks and BoltsWith Michigan’s unpredictable yet predictable Michigan winter weather, the roads were clear last week, yet there is a rain/snow/sleet covering the EUP for the foreseeable future. Snowy roads = non-guilty time spent indoors categorizing bike touring gear and planning how to fit it all on my bike. Last week, I met up with a bike savvy friend to figure out how to make my bike pannier racks work for the gravel bike. I bought an Axiom Journey Suspension & Disc Lowrider front pannier rack. They are flaunted as fitting V and disc brakes, and I happen to have a bike that they do not fit. :) The quick release lever on my front axle sticks out ~ ½ inch and the front rack did not fit on that side. Rather than buying a new rack, we made it work - added a few spacers and bolt extensions. The rear rack I had bought in 2018 and that I used for my UPCycle was specifically for V brakes, so I completely understood when that one did not fit the gravel bike. A Bontrager rear rack for disc brakes fit the gravel bike nicely and without complications. On a side note - - Did you KnoW that there’s american (imperial) and metric bolts/screws? Just like on a ruler there’s the metric and imperial system - there’s wrenches in metric and imperial that are just slightly different sizes but are essentially the same exact thing. (and ofc most bikes nowadays use metric bolts, my bike is the same) ANYWAYS, the same goes for bolts and screws, and they are not very compatible. Long story short, one side of my front panniers is american (imperial) bolts/screws and the other side is metric. Now that my pannier racks are all set, it’s time to start loading with gear I need for my trip across the United States. I currently have roughly 80% of my gear in piles around my room alongside my normal-precleaning-piles. Yeah, me too, I can barely handle the mess. Most items take me at least 3 minutes to find. I add ‘finding a certain item that’s definitely somewhere in my room’ time into my schedule if I have somewhere to be. As of right now - where I have not put everything on my packing list on my bike yet - I believe I’ll have enough space on my bike & bags for the essential gear. I’ll deal with that when I get to it, that’s for another day.
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3/25/2022 0 Comments Happy Birthday, RoryHappy birthday to the gravel bike, Rory!!
Today marks the third year of smashing PR’s and zooming on Eastern Upper Peninsula roads. I'm super excited to become one with this bike over the course of 3,800 miles across the United States. This gravel bike is a 2019 Raleigh Amelia 1, which has since been discontinued; and interestingly enough, Raleigh USA does not exist as a company anymore (according to a reddit thread), however, Raleigh retailers in other countries seem to still be operational. Below are photos from March 25, 2020 when I first unboxed the bike. 3/24/2022 0 Comments New and Old GearFor this trip, I have bought a considerable amount of gear, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Those starting out in a new sport or picking one up again might feel the societal pressure to get the fastest, lightest, and newest gear.
I’m here to tell you that you don’t need all the newest gear, the gear you have already is probably enough. I grew up camping, backpacking, and being outdoors. Naturally, I have accumulated quite the stash of outdoor gear. And I, just as anyone, cruises online outdoor retailers gazing at the newest sleeping bag/hiking boots/fall coat. Do I sometimes fall for their marketing schemes? Absolutely. Other times I recognize early on that I’m looking at the same exact sleeping bag that’s just slightly lighter and a different color. However, that’s exactly what the materialistic and consumerism based economy and US buying culture wants you to think about (or not think about) - replacing your gear every year to get faster. To get that season PR or FKT. To “fit in” with the others in your sport. Sometimes, buying new gear is essential. Zippers break, holes get burned through bags, out of style parts aren’t built anymore. That’s not the point I’m trying to make here. We live in a unique blend of materialism and capitalism that makes us think that what we have isn’t good enough and that we must buy a newer version to succeed in the world. You might recognize this as the culture we live in everyday, but I believe in close, specialized circles, this is even more evident. The increase of social media and up-close views of elite athletes turned influencers can show a false horizon of quick turnover of gear and promoted posts. I too, have felt like I wasn’t enough in the biking world because I don’t have the newest bike or lightest shirts. Overcoming this feeling hasn’t been easy. As my mountain biking technical skills have improved and I’ve competed in more races, I’ve come to realize that some people who sport fancy kits and new bikes, actually don’t know what they’re doing. In the past few years I’ve gotten more confident on and off my bike, and that has increased my aptitude in sidestepping the current bike culture. (the Radical Adventure Riders is a gr8 organization that is a total sidestep to the mainstream biking culture) This can be seen in other sports circles - last year I saw an ad for downhill skis where their message was ‘we want you to buy less skis,’ creating quality gear to last longer and combat replacing them every year. Much of the gear that I will be bringing with me on the TransAmerica Ride is gear that I already have. I’m not biking across the United States for a new fastest known time, I’m biking to have fun, see the country, and meet new people. The gear I have bought for this trip are items that have multiple uses - lightweight tent, raincoat - and a few bike specific items like front panniers. My outdoor gear philosophy is to buy quality items that will outlast me. Personally, I think I have seen the quality of outdoor gear decrease from historically good quality sites (looking at you, LLBean). There’s a good article by Laura Killingbeck talking about this entire phenomenon of the newest and lightest gear called “Packing Hacks for an Inexpensive Tour.” I’ve read a lot of blog posts from the Adventure Cycling Association and Laura Killingbeck. Her article “In Search of the Wild Reindeer” is an amazing, inspirational read. https://radicaladventureriders.com/ https://www.adventurecycling.org/blog/packing-hacks-for-an-inexpensive-bike-tour/ https://www.bicycling.com/rides/a34466128/search-for-the-wild-reindeer/ 3/23/2022 0 Comments March bikesI’ve been back in the Upper Peninsula for a little over a week. So much has happened so far in the month of March.
I started off March with a challenge that I’ve done before, 100 squats per day for a month. I lasted a week and a half. My excuse is that it’s hard to take the time for 100 squats when it’s your last week with the team you’ve spent the entire year with - and there’s a million things that had to be done before the flight home, from painting a ceiling tile, to cleaning the van, and presenting our round 4 project debrief to AmeriCorps staff. Now, you’d think I’d just restart my 100 squats/day calendar. Nope ~ I decided to cross country ski. There’s still 4+ feet of snow on the ground, and I am definitely going to get my money’s worth of skis. Last week I skied 10 miles, between bursts of sewing a quilt. Back in Michigan for a week, and still not on your bikes, you ask??? Long story short, last year when I joined FC our house was going to be sold, but then plans changed, and by that time I had already placed my bikes and bike gear at a friend’s house so they wouldn’t have to be moved & disrupted. SO, my bikes weren’t stored at my house. The weather was a little crappy, and on the next nicest day, I sped over, retrieved my bikes, and assembled them in the living room. Opening the box that held my gravel bike and outdoor gear was like receiving a gift at a holiday. Absolutely elated to just be able to visualize and hold my gear after being in cities all year! Putting my bikes together was a breeze. Well, the mountain bike was a breeze; all I had to do was re-attach the front tire with the quick release skewer and brakes. With the gravel bike, definitely had a breakdown because I thought I lost a part of the quick release skewer for the front wheel (newsflash, there’s different types and I didn’t lose anything). And, absolutely another breakdown ensued when the front and rear pannier racks I bought didn’t fit the gravel bike. If I had any brand loyalty, I definitely don’t now. Hey, I told ya I’d keep it real. I cry a lot. Today marks one month until I fly out to Richmond and start my bike ride across the United States. So much still to do, yet nothing at the same time. I’m super excited to finalize my gear and get biking more! |
Author: Eryn corinthCyclist. Feminist. Outdoor enthusiast. Tree hugger. Archives
October 2022
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