Kick Stand

Bike Kick Stand is another accessories that is under-rated by most cyclist. For the roadies, they like to rest they bikes on the wall or using the pedal to rest it on the kerbs. For them, it will do just fine for their lightweight bikes. Furthermore, kickstand will only add more weight to their bikes, But for touring cyclist, additional weight and aerodynamics are not their main concern. They want everything to be practical. Since their bikes are too heavy with loads at the rear, So it is very important to ensure that the bicycle is stable when standing. And this can be done by having a kick stand fixed onto your frame. Greenfield Kickstand like in the picture is fixed onto both seat & chain stays.

Source: vwvagabonds.com

Fenders

Fenders are probably the most underated bicycle accessories. Not many cyclist consider this gadget as important as others. Maybe some cyclist are trying to reduce the weight of their bike by minimizing its accesories.

Nevertheless, as a touring cyclist, fenders are meant to protect our bike & our clothing from dirt when riding on wet roads. It is so convenient to simply riding throught puddle of water rather than avoiding it especially when riding at fast speed or in the rain.

Photo from eHow.com

Butterfly Handlebars

Butterfly Handlebar is popular among the commuters & touring cyclist in Europe than their counterparts in the North America. Recently, there were quite a demand for it in Malaysia by budding touring cyclist.
What I like about the handlebar is its flexibility to raise its level to be higher so that I can be more upright during riding and also it has more space to hold on. These are importants as we touring cyclist will spent more time on the bike when on tour. It can be purchased via online from overseas bicycle stores or from local seller e.g. mudah.com.my.

Photos from flickr/ twospokes.com

Travelling with a bicycle (by Air)

Back in 2002 as I was walking in the Sydney Airport Transit Hall , I saw a guy pushing his touring bike. And I asked him whether he carry his bike just like that without boxed it up. He answered (with his French accent) Yes and told me to check with some airlines that allow bikes to be carried without box. And I did checked it out and found out that it is the Malaysia Airlines.

In the South East Asia, it is very convenient and inexpensive to travel with bicycle by plane. I have fly with Qantas, Air Asia, British Midlands, Tiger Airways, Jetstar and of course, the Malaysia Airlines. No hassle and no problem given by them. My only worry is how the airport staff handle my bike at the baggage area and when they unload/off load to/from the plane.

In my past posting (Jan 2009), I have stated that Malaysia Airlines as Cycling Friendly Airlines due to their baggage policy that facilitate cyclist like us. But there are also other airlines, for example Qantas, Jetstar & British Midlands that allows you to carry your bicycle without additional charges as long as the total weight of your luggage + the bike does not exceed the baggage allowance. However, you still need to box up your bike. But you must be warned that the charges for access baggage is expensive. It can be as high as SGD20 per kg in Changi and 20GBP per kg in Heathrow.

Jetstar is another airlines that offer you a good solution. They allow you to purchase your luggage allowance according to your requirements. What I normally do is to declare my bike as a sports equipments and pay SGD35 per sector for my bike. With that I have covered approx. 20kg of weight. Then I purchased 20kg of luggage allowance at SGD15 per sector for my bags, panniers, etc. In addition, I still have 7kg for my hand luggage. Again, I still need to box-up my bike as per their baggage policy.

So next time when you plan to travel with your bicycle, do your homework first. Check out few options on the internet before you choose to travel with which airlines.

Happy travel!

How to choose a good rack

If you are travelling with your panniers, choosing the right rack is very important. Pictured above is my rear rack recently fixed to my touring folding bike. I will briefly explain to you why I think this rack is a good rack.

Even though Steel is the best material for the rack because it is stiffer, mine is made of an Aluminium. It's lighter but to provide the same stiffness as the steel, the tube is thicker, i.e., 10mm in diameter. And it is less expensive.

The design of the vertical support of V-shaped stay will feed the loads of the panniers directly into the dropouts. The straight stay will provide effective trangulation therefore it won't flex.

A good rack also need to keep it from moving back and forth. To prevent this movement, it is fixed to the seat stay, i.e., the nearest to the frame. The shortest connection support the better for optimum stiffeness.

It is also important that the support prevents the rack from swaying from side to side. A single support, normally clamped to the seatpost has to resist both compression and tension within small width. While two supports that in line with the rack and fixed to both seat stays separate the compression and tension as far as possible making the rack much more stable.

In addition, I love the two tier horizontal supports because I can fixed both my panniers and the rack bag together.

A well design rack is stiff, lightweight and strong. It makes your load intergral with your bike, minimizing its negative impacts on overall handling. So, to choose a good rack, look for a large-diameter tubing, good triangulation and strong attachments. A good rack like Tubus meets all these design criterias but it is very expensive. So look for the one that comes closest to the deal.

Source: Adventure Cyclist Magazine- Mecahnical Advantage, Jan Heine.

How much stuff shall I carry?

Ok, I only do light touring because of my work commitment. Therefore, I can only do 1-2 weeks of bike tour.

I always remember Willie Weir said that the amount of luggage he carries for 3 days is the same for 3 weeks' tour. So, the key words here are 'travel light' and 'recycle'.

For me, a pair of medium size pannier at the rear + 1 handlebar bag is enough for my trip. Hence, there is no need for the front rack.

My bar bag is the 'tour control centre' as the late Sheldon Brown put it. It's where i keep my valuables- passport, cash, keys, camera, gps, road map, cellphone, and foodstuff e.g. chocolate bar, nuts, raisins etc. The rest of my stuff will be in my panniers. This bag is never out of my sight.

The heavy stuff will be put on the bottom (But no jeans please- it's bulky & heavy) and the lighter or things that I may need fast wil be on the top.

I usually store my stuff in large or medium size zip-on plastic storage bags for better organization & water-proof purpose. Whereas, the tools will be kept in small pocket of the pannier for easy access.

And the amount of clothing that I usually carry are:

1. cycling gear (2 sets- dri-fit/clima365 shirts, cycling thights, knee warmer) + rain jacket
2. sleeping/prayer attire (1 set- cotton t-shirt & track pants + sarong + light prayer mat)
3. sight-seeing/ casual clothing (1 set- shirt+track pants)
4. underwear (3-5 pieces- it's small & light)+ medium size towel
5. additional clothings (if required depending on the location)- sweaters/light weight jackets.No parka (thick and heavy)- i opt for layers of clothing instead.

I prefer Synthetic clothings because they are very light and easy to dry off.

So, in overall I will carry luggage of not more than 30kg (including my bike) when check-in. The heavy stuff (jacket + shoes + helmet) in small bag (exclude tools) will be hand carried (usually 7-10kg) and the rest will be checked-in- i.e. pannier + bike (in bag). So, I will board the plane with a small (but 'heavy) hand carry bag and my handlebar bag with shoulder strap (act as my camera bag- I usually carry my dslr) This is because some airlines only allow 1 hand carry bag but excluding laptop bag, handbag, camera bag, etc.

And it is advisable to carry a spare t-shirts/light pants/underware & toiletteries in your hand carry bag - I speak from my 'bad' experience after being stranded in heathrow during one winter blizzard - where all domestic fligts were cancelled and I had to spend overnight in the airport. The worst part was I only got my luggage 2 days after my arrival. I guess, this is common when you change your flight at last minute.

But hey, don't listen to me. This is just how I pack my stuff for a tour. It might not be suitable for you and your tour.

What you can do is to make your own list. Just remember not to overpack with stuff that you dont need. Actually, the less the better!

And if you tour with another cyclist, you can share some of the stuff like cooking utensils, repair tools, lubes, etc.

Bicycle Mirrors- Top 3 Deadly Mistakes Made When Purchasing Revealed

When it comes time to purchase Bicycle Mirrors there are things you should know. There are also some mistakes typically made when purchasing Bicycle Mirrors that if you are aware of you could avoid making. Let us take a look at what mistakes are typically made when making a purchase of Bicycle Mirrors.

The first and most common mistake made in Purchasing Bicycle Mirrors would have to be not knowing what particular pair of bicycle mirrors you want. Some people also call this costly mistake impulse buying. However, this is not truly impulse buying. It is just not doing the research that is required so that you know what your options are. If you go into a bike shop and simply grab any pair of Bicycle Mirrors then it may be a case of both not being aware of what you need and also impulse buying but they are not the same thing by a long shot.

The second most common mistake made is not doing a price comparison of the different Bicycle Mirrors or of the different brands and models that are available. With not taking the time to compare prices you could end up paying a lot more for a pair of Bicycle Mirrors than you have to. Why would you not take the time to compare a few different locations so you ensure yourself that you are getting a good deal on your Bicycle Mirrors?

The third and most silly of the mistakes that are made would be buying a pair of Bicycle Mirrors that attach to the helmet and not to your glasses. The types of Bicycle Mirrors that attach to helmets are not as smart of a buy as Bicycle Mirrors that attach to your glasses because they are not as sturdy or scratch resistant. Bicycle Mirrors that attach to your helmet are more likely to break or get scratched in an accident. The ones that adhere to your helmet also tend to fall off during an accident and then they are completely useless.

In conclusion, if you avoid the three mistakes mentioned above, you can get a pair of Bicycle Mirrors that are at a good price and will do the job you want them.

Source: Ezine Articles / by Marky Malsky

How to Fit a Bike - Is This the Right Size for Me?

Stand Over the Frame

For most riders, the first step in getting the right size bike is to stand over the frame with both feet flat on the ground. A properly-sized road bike frame will give an inch or two clearance between the top tube of the frame and your crotch. Not too much, not too little. A mountain bike should have more space - maybe the width of your hand across your fingers.

On women's bikes that don't have the high top tube going between the seat and the handlebars, you can skip this step.

Adjust the Bike Seat to the Proper Height

Notice on how this rider's leg is almost fully extended at the bottom of his stroke, with just a slight bend to the knee. You want your seat set to the height that allows your leg the same extension.

You want to have the bicycle seat set to a height that allows your leg to extend until it is almost completely straight when you are sitting on the seat. There should be only a slight bend to the knee when your foot is on the pedal in the bottom position. This will maximize power and minimize fatigue.

A common mistake is for people to think that they should be able to sit on their seat and still plant their feet firmly on the ground. Riders should come off their saddles and straddle the bar when stopping the bike. If you can sit on the seat and touch your feet to the ground other than on tippy-toes, your seat is too low.

Adjust the Level of the Bike Seat

For maximum comfort and pedaling effeciency, you want your seat to be pretty much level, so that you can sit on it and pedal without having to consciously monitor where you are on the seat. Too much forward tilt, and you'll feel like you're sliding forward. Too much backward angle, and you won't be able to get any power and you'll have the sensation that you're slipping off the back. Both of these situations are distracting and uncomfortable.

When on a bike seat, your weight should be borne by the same spots on your rear that you feel underneath you when you sit upright on a hard firm surface. In addition to adjusting the tilt angle, you can also move the seat forward and backward in relation to the seat post. This will help make sure you're comfortably centering your weight in the right places.

Proper Handlebar Adjustment

Notice the handlebar height on this woman's bike, set slightly above the level of her seat. The higher setting allows her to sit in a comfortable upright position.

The goal of handlebar height adjustment is to find the position where you can ride comfortably without putting strain on your back, shoulders or wrists. There is a lot of personal preference here, and a fair amount of variation between body types, so don't be afraid to experiment until you find the setting that is best for you. And remember, the staff at your local bike shop are always happy to offer advice on finding the proper fit.

Generally, the following guides may be used for different types of bikes:

• Road bike: on a road bike, the top of the bike's handlebars should be a bit lower than the top of the saddle, in the range of an inch or two. This allows for a definite forwarding-leaning, more aerodynamic ride.

• Mountain bike: on a mountain bike, the handlebars will often be set even lower, perhaps three to four inches below the saddle. The point in this is to provide a low center of gravity, particularly if you're going to be riding off the pavement. so as to give a lower center of gravity. Also, mountain bike riders often come out of the saddle to negotiate bumps, logs and other obstacles, and the lower handlebars provide a better, more balanced position in distributing the rider's body weight across both wheels.

• Hybrids and Cruisers: With these bikes, where you're sitting much more upright (in contrast to road and mountain bikes) the handlebars will be raised correspondingly higher, approximately an inch or two (or more) higher than the seat. This means much more of your body weight will be borne by your rear, instead of your shoulders, wrists and arms.

Setting Handlebar Height - Do What Feels Right

Remember, when setting the height of your handlebars, personal preference and variations in physique will have an important effect. You should feel free to make adjustments until you find the position that allows you to ride comfortably for extended periods of time. In general, the higher the handlebar is set, the more upright you will sit.

NOTE: All handlebars have a minimum insertion mark. Make sure you don't raise your handlebars into a fixed position so high that you pull this mark up out of the frame. Below this point, it means that there is less than two inches of the handlebar stem remaining inside the frame, and the handlebars are susceptible to breaking which will cause a mean crash.

Source : About.com : Bicycling

Carrying Soap on a Bicycle Tour

Soap can end up having a considerable weight penalty on a trip if one carries 1) hand soap, 2) shampoo, 3) dishwashing detergent, 4) soap for washing clothes, and 5) a degreaser. To save weight and yet have all the soap I need, I carry a single bottle of concentrated dish detergent. It is an excellent hand soap and has anti-bacterial properties and seems to clean my hair just fine and of course works on dishes. A small amount washes my clothes without being harsh on them, and I will explain how to use it as a degreaser in the next tip.

One environmental note of warning: never discard soapy water into or use soap in a stream or lake. Instead, wash yourself and your pots away from the water and rinse away from the water too. I have found that a good swim in a creek or lake will clean the body fairly well without the use of soap. All that soap does, anyway, is to dissolve grease, and there is only a small amount of skin oil on our bodies.

Source : Ken Kifer's Bike Page : Tips and Tricks for Bicycle Touring / Photo from Bike Nerd.

Hubs, Spokes & Rims

Folks devote a lot of attention to frames and gears but if you are going to suffer a tour-ending mechanical failure, the overwhelming odds are it will be a wheel problem that turns you into a pedestrian. From a simple flat tire, to a broken spoke, to a potato-chipped rim, your wheels are the most vulnerable parts of your bike.

To read more, please download the article here.

Source: The Adventure Cyclist – by Sheldon Brown.

DIY Bike Rack

2 'U'-bolts + brackets & an old hubs = voila!!....a Bike Rack.

Source: Blue Collar Mountain Biking

Fend For Yourself

Self-made bike fenders made of 24" x 18" coroplast advertising sign & few dozen of 8" nylon zip ties.

Source: Ken Peterson's Rendonneuring Page

Use Tennis Ball Grips to Ease Soreness, Numbness

Touring cyclist Christopher Madden lives in Washington, D.C., and was out riding recently when he spotted another cyclist with two wooden balls mounted as grips on the ends of his bar end extensions. The cyclist told Madden -- who has had problems with numbness and soreness in the palms of his hands and fingers on longer rides -- that these wooden balls, about the size of tennis balls, allowed him to maintain a more comfortable hand position that had eliminated hand numbness and soreness for him.

This got Madden thinking about how he could replicate the set-up for himself, and while riding the next day, he found two tennis balls alongside the path. He took them home and voila! 45 minutes later, the tennis balls were installed on the bar extensions of his own bike.

"The tennis balls are the perfect size and shape for a secure but relaxed and comfortable grip," says Madden. "Plus, there are many different comfortable grip positions as I rotate my hands and wrists around the tennis balls. I do most of my riding with a relaxed grip on the tennis balls and only drop back to the bars when I need to brake or shift."

Other Positive Features of this Set-Up

Madden has since ridden over 150 miles with the new grips and had no problems with the tennis balls coming loose. He noted the following other features about this set-up:

• Contact is spread over a large smooth curved area so you won't get any numbness or soreness.
• When you hit big bumps the tennis balls collapse because they have no air pressure in them but instantly spring back to provide excellent shock absorbsion.
• The surface of the balls don't get slippery when wet and provide for excellent gripping.
• In case of a crash the tennis balls will cushion any contact with the bar end extensions.

Source: About.com: Bicycling- by David Fiedler

Tire Rotation

It is common for a front tire to outlast a rear tire by as much as three to one. Rear tires have more weight on them, and also have to deal with drive forces. This disparity in tread life is exacerbated in the case cyclists who rely on their rear brake.

Well-meaning cyclists, even some mechanics who don't know any better, sometimes try to deal with this by swapping tires, putting the less worn front tire on the back wheel, and moving the worn-but-usable rear tire to the front. The idea is to equalize the wear on the two tires, but this is a serious mistake, don't do it!

The only time tire rotation is appropriate on a bicycle is when you are replacing the rear tire. If you feel like taking the trouble, and use the same type of tire front and rear, you should move the front tire to the rear wheel, and install the new tire in front.

The reason for this is that the front tire is much more critical for safety than the rear, so you should have the more reliable tire on the front.

If you have a blowout, if it is on the rear tire, you have a very good chance of bringing the bike to a controlled stop. If your front tire blows, you can lose steering control, and a crash is a real possibility.

Source: Harris Cyclery- Sheldon "Put the good one in front" Brown

Cover your headset on the roof rack

If you transport your bike on the top of your car then wrap a rag around the top and bottom parts of your headset before you start driving. Otherwise, the high velocity of the car will flush the grease right out of your headset.

Source: Bikyle.com- Cycling Tips

Clean your helmet

"To make a stinky helmet fresh again wear it in the shower! Get a good shampoo lather going on your head, put your helmet on and massage your scalp with the helmet for a few minutes. Then, give it a good rinse."
Tom Smith, NY

Source: Bikyle.com, Cycling Tips.

Correct Tire Pressure Improves Your Ride

How much tire pressure should you run? Start by trying the manufacturer's recommended pressure, which you'll find printed on the tire sidewall (it's often on a small label but it might be molded into the casing, too, so look closely). This suggested inflation range is a good starting point. If it's a wide range, for example 40 to 60 psi, experiment to find which pressure works and feels best.

Pump Road Rubber More, Knobbies Less
The most common mistakes are riding with too little pressure in road tires and too much pressure in off-road rubber. The former happens because road treads don't have a lot of air volume. Sure, road tires are pumped up to high pressures. But, because they're skinny tires, there's hardly any air inside. Consequently, even if only a little leaks out (most bicycle tubes are made of butyl rubber, which is porous and naturally seeps air), the pressure and volume are greatly reduced. To prevent this, check tire pressure on a road bike before every ride. If you don't, you'll be riding on soft tires, which is asking for trouble. More about this in a minute.

Off-road rubber is inflated to lower pressures and because the tires are much wider than road models, there's considerably more air inside. These differences mean that fat tires don't seep air very quickly so they don't require frequent inflation the way skinny tires do. Unfortunately, the tendency is to over inflate off-road tires. By all means, if you're riding your fat tires exclusively on pavement and smooth surfaces, inflate them as hard as you like (don't exceed the manufacturer's maximum recommendation).

Go Low
If you're riding off road, however, seriously consider lower pressures -- in the 35- to 45-psi range, depending on the terrain and your weight. This will greatly increase your control and comfort over trails while improving traction and handling. Indeed, if you've been riding off-road on 50 to 60 psi, you'll be amazed at the difference.

How Low Is Too Low
Just, don't go too low. That'll increase the risk of a flat two ways (this holds true for road and off-road rubber): First, softer tires pick up more debris, which may work into the tires popping the tubes. Second, when you hit holes, ruts, rocks, etc, soft tires can deform to the point that the rim hits the ground or rock so hard that it pinches the tube (between the rim and obstacle) and cuts it in two places, which is what's known as a pinch flat or snakebite puncture (because the holes in the tube resemble a snakebite). Besides damaging the tube, this impact can bend the rim, leading to an expensive repair. Under-inflated tires also lack the sidewall rigidity needed for hard cornering. And, too-soft tires wear quicker.

Road Rating
But this doesn't mean you should always inflate road tires to the maximum pressure. Roads in the real world aren't billiard-table smooth. The jarring effect of bumpy pavement on over-inflated tires robs energy and makes for a bone-rattling ride. Properly inflated tires will roll over bumpy roads smoother and faster and get you home without shaking loose your dental work. On ultra-smooth roads, however, when rolling resistance is critical, such as in a time-trial or triathlon, go as high as 140 psi if your tires are rated to take it. Stay at the lower end of the pressure zone for comfort and rough roads.

Check Our Chart
Which pressure you use depends a lot on your weight. So we've put together this handy chart to help: (road listing is for 23c tire, off-road is for 2.0-inch-width tire).

Source: Bicycle Planet: Cycling Tips- Equipment Know How

Choosing the Right Handlebar Width

Part of a perfect fit is having the right-size bar.

For road handlebars, have somebody measure the distance between the "points" on the front of your shoulders. This is the basis for finding the bar width that allows your arms to be straight while in the drops or on top of the hoods.

Then you have to find out how the handlebar you want is measured.

There's no set standard on how road handlebars are measured. Most are measured from the center of one drop to the center of the other. If the bar you're interested in is measured center to center, simply add 2cm to your shoulder measurement to find the right size--so if the points of your shoulders are 40cm, you want a 42cm handlebar.

Some bars are measured from the outside edge to the outside edge of each side of the bar. For those, you add 4cm--so a 44cm bar would fit 40cm shoulders.

SHOULDER MEASUREMENT
Measure the little pointy places on the front of your shoulders, because the arm radiates from these points. Add 2cm to this measurement for a center-to-center measurement, 4cm for outside-to-outside.

CENTER TO CENTER
Cinelli, Terry, Profile Design, Ritchey, Dimension. Salsa
These brands are measured from center to center--buy the size that's 2cm wider than your shoulder measurement.

OUTSIDE TO OUTSIDE
ITM, TTT, Deda
These are measured outside to outside, so add 4cm to your shoulder measurement to find the right size.

Source: Bicycling Magazine Website

Crank Length

The right crank length, like any other part of fitting a bike, boils down to body size and riding style. Longer cranks provide more leverage for pushing large gears at a low cadence in climbing, time trialing, and the like. Riders who sprint or otherwise use a high cadence will do better with standard crank sizes.

Longer cranks tend to cause a sharp bend in the knees at top dead center, right when power begins to be applied. Cranks that are too short won't be as efficient, as sticking to higher cadences involve the leg mass moving around more than with a shorter crank.

For general road racing and touring, those with road frames smaller than 21" (54 cm), or people less than 5'9", will want a 170 mm crank. Frames from 21.5" to 24" (55 to 61 cm), people from 5'9" to 6'1", will probably want cranks from 170 to 172.5 mm. Those with frames over 24.5", typically over 6'2", tend to want cranks of 172.5 to 175 mm. Be sure to read our article about your optimal frame size.

The story isn't over, of course. If you are a track races, reduce this estimate by 2.5 mm, more if the races are short or the track is steep. If you have frequent knee problems, shorten the cranks by 2.5 to 5 mm, and adjust your gear choices downwards to reduce the stresses your knees have to endure from mashing a crank with more resistance.

If you're calculating this to use an a mountain bike, use cranks 2.5 to 5 mm longer than on a comparable road bike. If you ride time trials or hilly races, add 2.5 mm to your crank. For pure hill climbs, add 5 mm.

Source: www.bicyclesource.com