September 2011 Bike Touring Newsletter

Welcome to September’s bike touring newsletter.

Here are some of the most popular posts on the blog over the past month:

Gear We Love – Wheel Locks

Wheel LocksA good touring bike needs a good lock, and in Europe the wheel lock is a seen on nearly every bicycle.

It attaches to your bike frame, above the rear wheel, and it functions like this: put the key in and push down on a lever so that a metal ring slides between the spokes of your back tire, locking the bike.

We have the Abus Amparo 4850 LH NKR locks on our touring bikes and we love them for brief stops along the way. They take only seconds to engage, and are always ready to go – no more rummaging around in your bags for a lock, or unwrapping a lock from your bike frame.

Of course, this isn’t a total bike security solution. For longer stops, overnight security or high-risk areas like cities, you’ll want another lock so you can secure your bike to a fixed object. For brief pitstops, however, the wheel lock is ideal. We use ours all the time.

When we started writing about wheel locks, we realized just how much we had to say, so we created a whole page full of pros and cons on these locks:

Wheel Locks: A Good Lock For Bike Touring?

Tip Of The Month – Do It Yourself Kickstand

Bikes With Sticks for KickstandsWay back in the first edition of our newsletter, we talked about how to make a bicycle kickstand out of a stick. Yes, a stick. That might sound silly, but if you don’t have a kickstand on your bike or if yours breaks en route, it’s a nifty thing to be able to do.

At the time, we didn’t have a good photo of this trick in action. Now, Emma & Justin have sent us a picture and a little description of how two sticks found by the roadside prop their bikes up, and perform many other tasks:

We broke the sticks off at a suitable height so they could be propped up against the bicycle frame. Good sticks usually have a bit of flex in them and are a little green – drier older sticks often aren’t strong enough. Benefits including being able to park your bike in the middle of fields, forests or on sand easily and we’ve even used them as part of sun shelters in the desert. They’re much cheaper than a stand but there’s an art to parking your bike using a stick and ensuring that it doesn’t fall over. They can be used as dog deterrents but I wouldn’t want to suggest anyone go out and hit animals with them. Waving around and shouting should do the trick.

Emma & Justin are currently in China, and heading for the edge of the Tibetan Plateau. Check out their great blog, Rolling Tales.

Featured Bike Tourists – Finding Sachi

Finding SachiFinding Sachi is the blog of Sachiko Takao and her bicycle tour around Japan, in search of wonderful Japanese food. She’s biking the country from south to north, from Okinawa to Hokkaido.

The first blog entry explains her reasons for the tour, and how she was a relatively inexperienced cyclist before starting the trip.

Just to give you an idea of what a challenge this is going to be for me, the longest cycling I have ever done in my life was up to two hours at a time, and that was just strolling along the beaches in Los Angeles, followed by a glass of beer and French fries.

And the most recent entry describes her ride along railway lines, lakes and through forests in the north of Japan.

Follow along on http://findingsachi.com.

***

Like this newsletter? Sign up to get it direct in your mailbox every month.

*100% spam free. May inspire you to quit your job and go cycling.

Comments

  1. off-white
    2nd July 2022 at 1:18 am #

    I want to express my passion for your generosity in support of individuals who require help with in this field. Your very own commitment to getting the solution all through has been exceedingly insightful and has all the time empowered somebody like me to arrive at their goals. Your new valuable guide indicates this much a person like me and even further to my office colleagues. With thanks; from everyone of us.

  2. off white hoodie outlet
    2nd July 2022 at 1:19 am #

    I want to convey my gratitude for your kindness giving support to visitors who really need assistance with this one situation. Your personal dedication to getting the solution all over has been surprisingly powerful and has always made others like me to reach their desired goals. Your personal valuable key points denotes a lot to me and far more to my mates. Many thanks; from each one of us.

  3. yeezy 500 blush
    2nd July 2022 at 1:19 am #

    I simply wanted to say thanks once more. I am not sure what I might have sorted out in the absence of those information documented by you about this concern. It actually was the depressing setting in my position, but taking a look at the very specialised avenue you solved it forced me to leap with joy. Now i am thankful for this advice and thus have high hopes you find out what a powerful job you are doing instructing many others thru a site. More than likely you have never encountered all of us.

  4. bape outlet
    11th July 2022 at 11:02 pm #

    I precisely desired to thank you very much again. I do not know what I would’ve followed without the tactics discussed by you on this situation. It was actually the frightful condition for me, but being able to see a specialized technique you dealt with the issue forced me to cry with gladness. I am just thankful for this help and thus sincerely hope you realize what a great job you’re undertaking instructing the others by way of your blog. I am certain you’ve never come across any of us.

  5. jordan 6
    11th July 2022 at 11:03 pm #

    I am also commenting to make you be aware of what a beneficial experience my friend’s girl experienced going through yuor web blog. She even learned a good number of things, which included how it is like to have an incredible giving mindset to make a number of people with ease know specific multifaceted topics. You undoubtedly did more than visitors’ expected results. I appreciate you for producing such priceless, healthy, revealing and fun thoughts on this topic to Julie.

  6. supreme clothing
    17th July 2022 at 6:18 am #

    I precisely wanted to thank you so much all over again. I do not know what I might have sorted out without these ideas contributed by you about my topic. It has been a real frightful crisis in my view, nevertheless observing the expert technique you dealt with it forced me to cry for gladness. I am just grateful for your guidance and as well , believe you really know what an amazing job you’re carrying out teaching most people with the aid of a site. Probably you’ve never encountered all of us.

  7. cheap kd shoes
    17th July 2022 at 6:18 am #

    I actually wanted to send a simple remark so as to thank you for those awesome tips and tricks you are posting on this site. My rather long internet investigation has at the end of the day been paid with pleasant facts and techniques to share with my neighbours. I would repeat that most of us visitors are undeniably endowed to be in a really good site with very many wonderful professionals with great points. I feel somewhat lucky to have discovered your webpages and look forward to some more awesome minutes reading here. Thanks a lot again for everything.

  8. kobe byrant shoes
    17th July 2022 at 6:24 am #

    I want to express my admiration for your generosity supporting persons who actually need assistance with the subject. Your very own dedication to getting the message throughout came to be incredibly functional and have surely made employees like me to realize their goals. Your entire warm and helpful guideline entails a whole lot a person like me and much more to my fellow workers. With thanks; from each one of us.

  9. supreme clothing
    1st August 2022 at 3:06 pm #

    I simply wanted to say thanks once again. I do not know the things that I would’ve made to happen in the absence of these solutions provided by you over such theme. It became the frightening problem in my position, however , spending time with your professional way you dealt with the issue forced me to weep over joy. Now i’m happier for your guidance and believe you really know what a great job you are always providing teaching many others via your site. I am sure you have never encountered any of us.

  10. cheap curry 8
    6th August 2022 at 2:29 am #

    I would like to show my passion for your generosity for women who should have assistance with this concept. Your personal commitment to getting the solution around appeared to be rather beneficial and have in most cases helped somebody just like me to realize their aims. Your personal invaluable help and advice can mean this much to me and a whole lot more to my peers. Warm regards; from everyone of us.

  11. curry 6 shoes
    27th August 2022 at 10:56 am #

    I intended to draft you that very little observation just to say thank you as before for the amazing advice you have discussed at this time. This is really incredibly generous with people like you to give extensively all that a number of people would’ve supplied as an e-book in making some money for their own end, specifically considering the fact that you might have done it if you desired. The tactics as well worked to be the good way to realize that other people online have the identical fervor similar to my own to understand a good deal more in terms of this problem. I am certain there are many more pleasant occasions ahead for people who looked over your site.

  12. goldengoose shoes
    14th May 2023 at 5:34 am #

    I am just writing to let you understand of the fantastic discovery my friend’s princess had viewing your site. She came to understand a wide variety of issues, including how it is like to have a very effective helping mood to let most people completely understand specified advanced issues. You undoubtedly did more than visitors’ desires. Thank you for providing the interesting, dependable, informative and in addition easy tips on this topic to Sandra.

  13. giannis shoes
    16th May 2023 at 6:48 pm #

    I intended to post you that very little word to finally thank you very much the moment again with the splendid opinions you have shared in this article. It is certainly strangely generous of you to make publicly what exactly some people might have made available as an e-book to earn some money on their own, precisely seeing that you could possibly have tried it if you considered necessary. These suggestions likewise acted to be a great way to understand that other people online have the same dreams like mine to find out a good deal more related to this matter. I am sure there are a lot more enjoyable times ahead for individuals that check out your website.

  14. yeezy 350
    27th May 2023 at 3:13 am #

    I simply wanted to thank you very much yet again. I’m not certain the things that I would’ve accomplished without these techniques contributed by you regarding my subject matter. It seemed to be an absolute depressing dilemma in my circumstances, nevertheless seeing a skilled mode you treated the issue took me to leap over gladness. I’m just grateful for your advice and thus believe you know what a great job you are always getting into training others with the aid of your websites. I am sure you haven’t encountered all of us.

  15. yeezy gap
    19th June 2023 at 9:35 am #

    I would like to express my affection for your generosity for people who require guidance on that content. Your real commitment to passing the solution throughout had become rather important and has always allowed some individuals much like me to achieve their goals. Your useful guide entails a great deal a person like me and substantially more to my mates. With thanks; from everyone of us.

  16. palm angels hoodie
    20th June 2023 at 12:09 pm #

    I intended to send you a very little observation in order to say thanks a lot yet again with your amazing methods you’ve provided above. It’s certainly generous with you to offer freely all a number of people would’ve offered as an e book to generate some bucks on their own, particularly considering the fact that you could have tried it in the event you considered necessary. The ideas as well acted to provide a good way to be aware that many people have the identical dream like my very own to understand way more in regard to this matter. I’m sure there are lots of more enjoyable times up front for many who view your blog.

Leave a comment