> Rohloff Speedhub 14 is the daddy. Got one on the trike,
> it's done 25,000km now and hasn't missed a beat. If you
> want extra range, get a mountain drive (internal bottom
> bracket hub which changes with a tap of a button with your
> heel - awesome bit of kit). If that's above budget, SRAM
> 8-speed hub and a dual chainring.
> > I will probably order a bike from
> bikesdirect.com and have it shipped ahead.
> Hmm. I'd be wanting to get it at home, and play with the
> set up on a couple of mini-tours (couple of hundred km to
> run the bike in and see how it all goes together) before you
> go for real.
> Swag-style 1 man cycling tents are cool - roll them out,
> shove a hoop in the head end, sling your sleeping mat in,
> and get in. Panniers - the Arkels I had for my tour
> (Canadian-built) are the absolute bomb.
> You *must* have front and rear lights, so either a battery
> set for bad weather/occasional after dark rides, or a dynamo
> so they're always available - I have a Busch & Muller
> 12V set which is car-dipped-beam bright, but that's 5 years
> old now and LEDs are brighter and way more efficent than
> halogens these days. Riding with a helmet light is at best
> frowned upon, and may be illegal (it's certainly illegal to
> dazzle other road users...). So a head-torch is vital for
> camping but I'd never ride with one.
> Books - loads of second hand bookstores, and all campers
> swap books about. Carry one or two and trade them! :D Carry
> the essential library as ebooks on your netbook/ipad.
> I don't ride with music most of the time - need my ears too
> much to listen out for cars and trucks. iPod was only used 3
> days on the road out of 181 days, but used in the tent a lot
> of an evening!
> Now you've got me thinking about touring again - I should
> get the trike roadworthy again (one of the brakes no work)
> and get outback for a few days.
> Charlie.
you certainly know your bike touring, charlie! i'll be careful and only listen
to music between towns where traffic is light; what do think of Bose
headphones? what sleeping bag and pad do you recommend for compact stowage?
i'm torn between the Rholoff and the SRAM (maybe a triple chainring for low
range?) whichever is lightest. i want to save every possible gram, so only one
pb book as a backup. i will definitely go for the one man cycling tents
(goretex?) w/hoop at the head. probably a LED for the rear light, and as
lightweight a dynamo as possible (to charge my iPad as well). is it easy to
get free wifi at libraries in NZ (so i can blog)?
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