I think I’ve found the perfect bag for a bike commuter. I wouldn’t use it for bike touring, but for day-to-day commuting to work or school, it’s perfect. The Woodward Convertible from North St. Bags is a very well-thought-out convertible backpack and pannier. Use it as a pannier while riding your bike, then open a [...]
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RockiNoggins helmet cover: A review
I love this thing! I will be the first to admit that I’m not into fashion. Nobody would ever accuse me of being stylish. But still, I get tired of wearing that boring ol’ bike helmet all the time. RockiNoggins is a new company based out of Seattle that is making the coolest helmet covers [...]
Clothes for bike touring
What do you need in terms of clothes for bike touring? It’s hard to say. One thing I’ve noticed consistently is that each cyclist has his/her own preferences for clothes, so it’s hard to say what you should take with you. All I can do is give some idea about what we packed (and each [...]
What kind of shoes do I need for bike touring?
The shoes you wear while touring on your bicycle will dictate a lot of your tour and will be one of the most basic decisions you will need to make. Do you want dedicated, hard-soled cycling shoes? Or will regular sneakers work for you? Depending on what kind of tour you are planning, you might [...]
Steel or aluminum bike frame for touring?
One of the current debates about touring bikes is whether an aluminum or steel bike frame is a better choice. In the end, it comes down to personal choice. Aluminum is more rigid, which some people prefer. Steel flexes, which leads to a more comfortable ride for many. There is, however, another consideration that needs [...]
In search of the perfect steel water bottle
You’ve heard the reports. I’ve heard the reports. Plastic may be bad for you. I resisted the change at first – I liked my old Nalgene bottle that’s been with me for ages. It was the perfect size, I knew how to handle it, and… well, we had developed memories together. But health comes first, [...]
Which is better for bike touring: a trailer or panniers?
While bike touring, we needed to carry everything on our bikes. Everything. If we had it with us, it had to be somehow strapped, lashed, and buckled onto our bicycles. One of the most common questions potential cycle tourists ask is: which is better – a bike trailer or panniers? My response is – it depends [...]
About those folding bikes…
I’ve seen those funny-looking folding bikes around, and some of my friends have actually sworn they’re great for touring. Given that I’ve never even ridden one, I turned to someone who had. Here’s what the folks from 30traveler.com had to say about them. 1. Why did you decide to get a folding bike? The inspiration [...]
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Of Bike Racks
I’ve had quite a few people write to ask me about bike racks to use to transport your bike on the back of your car. And my response has always been that I know next to nothing – we either ride our bikes to our destination or box them up and fly with them. Knowing [...]
Bike touring: Do you really need waterproof panniers?
I’ve heard from cycle tourists the world over and many feel that waterproof panniers (saddle bags for a bicycle) are essential. I feel that maybe those cyclists are simply on a bandwagon that may be better left alone. It seems I’m the lone voice of dissent – I don’t like Ortliebs waterproof panniers. I don’t [...]
Review: Overland Equipment Donner shoulderbag
It’s no secret that I adore my panniers from Overland Equipment. I love how they had an intuitive sense about exactly where I wanted pockets and what size they needed to be. Each pocket was truly functional and wasn’t dependent on the panniers being nearly empty like so many other pannier manufacturers seem to do. [...]
Rodriguez tandem: A review
Ah, the tandem. I will always have fond memories of riding our Rodriguez tandem 17,300 miles down the length of the Americas. I developed a unique relationship with my son, the stoker, as our lives were inseparable for almost three years. Together we faced the trials and tribulations of this wonderful adventure, but this is [...]
REI Novara Randonee: A review
I love my bike – I really do. My REI Novara Randonee served me well for 17,000 miles from Alaska to Argentina. It got me there through thick and thin, over mountains and through valleys, through blowing sand and pouring rain. It carried an enormous amount of gear and barely uttered a moan – well, [...]
REI Novara Transfer: A review
I stepped out of Rediscovered Books in downtown Boise the other night to discover a crowd around my brand spanking new REI Novara Transfer commuter bike. I had ridden it to the bookstore to attend a book talk by Rob Penn, author of It’s All About the Bike – a story about his love affair [...]
26″ vs 700c wheels for a touring bike: The definitive answer
Over at Families on the Road, they are looking at mistakes they’ve made over the years. My first reaction was that we didn’t make any mistakes – uh uh – not us! But that may not be entirely true… Maybe we did make a mistake or two at random points along the line… As I [...]
Pannier Review – Overland, Jandd, Ortlieb
One of the first things any bike tourist discovers is that we all do things differently. Some of us like large panniers, others small. Some want lots of pockets, others prefer one big bag. Waterproof or not… Easy removal or made to stay on… heavy and durable or lighter weight but won’t last as long… [...]
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