What is your ideal adventure bicycle?

efuentes

Explorer
After riding for years on a dual suspension Hammerhead (There was a time when I could afford such a thing) . I tried the same trails on a rigid with 700cX38 just like most of the crazyguyonabike.com guys do, and now I am hooked, Less is more for sure.

Kind of remember the long afternoons of my BMX days.

Saludos
 

dieselcruiserhead

16 Years on ExPo. Whoa!!
Amazing how the 29ers are popular with this group. (very cool). I would have said rigid or hardtail and by far have the most time on them... But I think a full suspension similar to some of the links I've posted, Mike Curiak in Colorado and that Alaska trip, especially for comfort and lack of back pain. I rode I think 6 or 7 days straight for the RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa) and remember feeling sore, so I could only imagine the same on a MTB. I rode about 30% of an epic Solstice ride on the 21st, some guys who were riding from before dawn to dusk. They were on hardtails (one was on a single speed) and they did fine and made it, but collapsed for about two days afterwards. So my orientation is towards comfort and probably a nice reasonably light bike. The Lenz Leviathan 29er I have coming would be a perfect example...
 

Christophe Noel

Expedition Leader
dieselcruiserhead said:
Amazing how the 29ers are popular with this group. So my orientation is towards comfort and probably a nice reasonably light bike. The Lenz Leviathan 29er I have coming would be a perfect example...
I think it's cool how everyone has their own interpretation of what an "adventure bicycle" would look like. A Leviathan would be pretty sweet. I agree with the notion that these bikes should be reasonably light. It's definately not much fun to slog along day after day riding a bike that has all the handling and performance qualities of a bloated water buffalo.

So how would everyone rig their gear to these beasts? Racks? Trailer?
 

ini88

Adventurer
My Brooklyn Machine Works TMX. Just drop me off at the top of the mountain and i'll see you at the lodge for a drink 20 minutes later :)
 

dieselcruiserhead

16 Years on ExPo. Whoa!!
This occured to me on the ride home from lunch on this bike after I posted up...

I also have this old Trek probably early 90's steel "Multi Track" bike that is sort of like an old cyclocross. Curved granny bars, these big fat grips similar to Ergons, cantilever brakes, through the stem up front. Super comfy, big fat seat. Been to Burning Man twice, electrical taped seat... The thing is a tank, probably 35 lbs. I use it as a cruiser around town with its big 700c wheels.. It hauls ***, great all around bike. And its a "steal me not" I hardly have to worry about locking it up.. Nice and fugly.. LOL, it is a "29er" too, even from 1992 or whenever.. I bought it for $15 a few years ago at a thrift shop as a beater. Little did I know it was and would always be in perfect mechanical shape no matter what I threw at it. Anyway, fully geared, I have literally done *ABSOLUTELY NOTHING* to it other than preventatively changed the chain maybe 3 years ago, and that is literally it. Shifts absolutely perfectly, everything works 100%... I still have two schrader tubes for it waiting for a flat someday. It was my first MTB again a few years ago. So it has seen some decent trail time, I have done some amazingly technical stuff... Toe clips and everything :) It is so damn comfortable, extremely upright. Anyway after I typed up the Leviathan (which I still agree with) it occured to me that this would be an awesome bike too. Other than the weight, literally the only complaint I have about it. And even 45 cyclocross tires that would sink in the sand, could probably fit a narrow 29er tire in there... I'll post up a pic when I get home. It would never occur to me to post up. If it weren't a nasty climb or ride, this would be a sick bike... It never occured to me but other than the single speed (and it would be a close top up), I would say it is hands down the most reliable bike I own, period... :)


PS Christophe I think your PM's are full.. A
 
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Christophe Noel

Expedition Leader
dieselcruiserhead said:
PS Christophe I think your PM's are full.. A
Good to know. I thought I was just really unpopular all of the sudden.:(

The Trek Multi Track series of bikes were pretty standard "Hybrids" for their time. This is prior to the geriatric-ification of today's hybrids. Back then, even as geeky as hybrids were, they had cajones and could handle the occasional throw down. Today's hybrids are intended to decorate your garage and would crumble popping a curb.

I'm not a huge Surly fan, but a Cross Check is more or less a Trek Multi Track.

So, you bring up a great point. If you need to knock down big miles with a teeny bit of technical riding tossed in the mix, a Surly Cross Check with 45c tires and mustache bars would be pretty awesome. That set up would accommodate 20-40lbs of camping gear no problem.
 
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dieselcruiserhead

16 Years on ExPo. Whoa!!
In all her glory.. :)

I got a great comment today about her, someone said "if they want that bike bad enough to steal it, they have got to be in pretty bad shape and probably deserve it" :)
 

riverfever

Adventurer
Well I built this one to be as comfy as possible but still be able to handle the rigors of 530 miles of mostly singletrack that I'll be attempting on the 28th. If this goes well then next year I may have a go at the Tour Divide. For that I'd still run this bike but I'd probably flip the stem and then add aero bars due to the amount of fire roads and pavement. I have toyed with the idea of adding a drop bar to the Alma for a Tour Divide ride though. Zabriskie has a Niner that is exactly what I had in mind for that type of ride although it did have some quirks to work out with the DA triple setup.

Anyways...here's mine ready to roll the other day for an overnighter on the CT.

b3k5mc.jpg
 

Christophe Noel

Expedition Leader
Riverfever,
That is a beautiful set up. Jeff at Carousel Design Works is currently working on a bag system for myself and another buddy. I really like the simplicity of the bar/seat bag, but Jeff really wants us to embrace the frame bag, so we'll give'er a whirl.

Nice set up.

Colorado Trail? I'd be grateful for some beta on that trail. I've never done the entire stretch, but would like to knock out a chunk of the southern end this fall.
 

riverfever

Adventurer
Jeff is a super nice guy. He just made Matt Lee (Tour Divide rider) a new set of bags this year and they are hot looking. I'll find a pic of them.

2pzfpnb.jpg


Technically, I do think the frame bag is the best way to go as it keeps the COG low and doesn't mess with the handling of the bike as much. People say the Reba fork is flimsy as it is but I for sure notice it being whippy with that bag loaded up. I'm sure that any fork on the market would act that way though (maybe not the Lefty as much). I was a little worried about having stuff just thrown in the frame bag kind of loose. I like the seat/bar bags b/c things are kept tight and in place.

I've never even seen the CT south of Buena Vista Flounder so I'm in for a surprise. Are you planning on riding it? I will definitely be doing a big post ride write up on my site when I'm done with lots of pics. I'll yell your way when I'm done.
 

sinuhexavier

Explorer
When I rode the Telluride to Moab (270 miles) hut system I had my Blur and it was a great steed for the job. Being able to lock out the suspension for some of the climbs was so nice, while having the plushness of 4-5"s of travel.

2075940347_9d985a8964_b.jpg

National Geographic Adventure 2002
 

Grim Reaper

Expedition Leader
My Daily driver and weekend adventure is a M400 Cannondale that has been made into more of a Hybrid. Not looking to do full on Mountain biking more light trail riding and cross country. Is is working out pretty good for that so far. Working my stamina up and hope to do some sort of trip soon.

Still playing with handle bars. The 2 inch risers are nice for low speed and in heavy traffic but I am finding I make quite a lot of wind drag. May get a raised stem and a set of drops for it and see how that feels.

Looking for a front rack for it so it can have front and rear panniers. The Topeak is nice for day to day commute but I will get something more like waterproof Nashbar's
http://www.nashbar.com/results.cfm?...ype=&estoreid=&init=y&pagename=Category: Bags
Or Novara Safari Panniers front and rear.
http://www.rei.com/category/4500129
 

Twenty-niner

New member
My ideal bike, for adventuring or any other purpose, is whichever bike is in the basement at the time. I'm a simple man. So for our upcoming ultralight excursions I'm outfitting my usual rig, though I'll drop the gearing from 34x21 to 34x23 to save my knees.

No racks. No trailer. Some nylon webbing and a few dry bags and we're off.
 
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Christophe Noel

Expedition Leader
Twenty-niner said:
My ideal bike, for adventuring or any other purpose, is whichever bike is in the basement at the time. I'm a simple man. So for our upcoming ultralight excursions I'm outfitting my usual rig, though I'll drop the gearing from 34x21 to 34x23 to save my knees.

No racks. No trailer. Some nylon webbing and a few dry bags and we're off.
That is just stupid. You can't "adventure" on a bike like that. You need one'a'these:View attachment 21540
:)

And people thought Flounder and Twenty Niner were the same guy. Clearly we are wildly different. You ride a black Spot with a red king hub. I ride a green Spot with a blue King hub. Waaaaaay different.

Boobies. :)
 

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