The Self Sufficient Bike Camping Thread.

dynamitedread

dynamitedread

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The forks in the picture are the regular steel forks that come with the karate monkey. I figured that the more basic the set up the less to go wrong. Allthough after 1200k's of corragations I might be begging for suspension. The one bad thing about the set up is the drop outs at the back,slot drop outs gives lots of options but means rear wheel puntures are a thing to dread.First remove quick release then loosen brake and finally unsrew rack bolts, sweet baby jesus 30 mins to fix a punture.
Thanks for all the advice people
 
S

Snuffy

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dynamitedread said:
The forks in the picture are the regular steel forks that come with the karate monkey. I figured that the more basic the set up the less to go wrong. Allthough after 1200k's of corragations I might be begging for suspension. The one bad thing about the set up is the drop outs at the back,slot drop outs gives lots of options but means rear wheel puntures are a thing to dread.First remove quick release then loosen brake and finally unsrew rack bolts, sweet baby jesus 30 mins to fix a punture.
Thanks for all the advice people
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I like your style :)

http://www.rotorburn.com/forums/sho...op-bar-29ers&p=2526068&viewfull=1#post2526068

And yes, I know what you mean about the dread of getting a rear wheel puncture. Add to that - I have bolt up skewers (since I park outside sometimes)....

I'm dread it so much that I'm running Marathon Pluses, with thick tubes and Stans in the tubes. Only one puncture so far (barb from a fence) which self sealed and I was able to ride on for 60km before I got around to fixing it. Also, I just got Freeload racks (yet to install), which will hopefully be a bit easier to deal with
 
droctagon

droctagon

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Nice Monkey...

As a fellow Karate Monkey owner (red one too!), It's great to see other takes on touring setups etc. It looks good to me. As for seat posts, Thomson make a good layback that I have seen others use on the Karate Monkey that would place the seat in a much better location. At least then you would have the seat mounted evenly towards the centre of the seat rails. This can become a major bummer if you put excess force on the seat and bend or snap the seat rails or the seatpost mount. I used to have a frame that was too short, and I used to compensate by sliding the seat right back as far as possible. Ended up going through a few seats and a post. The Thomson layback looks good on the KM too as it kind of matches the bend in the seat tube.
As for the fork, The stock Surly KM fork is bomb-proof touring reliability, I would stick with it and consider a bigger front tyre and experiment with lower pressures. (this all depends on how much your packing in the front panniers of course). Corrugations are going to suck on any rigid fork. I am yet to try a carbon fork so i can't really comment, but from my experience, corrugations are annoying even on a full suspension rig.
 
dynamitedread

dynamitedread

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Thanks for the advice and compliments guys. I have a few changes to make to the bike before it's cape york ready. New cassette 12-36, rear derailleur and seatpost and tyres. Don't think the small block 8 will be much chop in the bull dust, allthough it did survive the Mawson ok. I'm hoping to keep the bike as light as poss and will be posting food ahead to pick up on the way ,so will only have carry one weeks food at a time. My poor stomach 3 weeks of back country meals.
 
S

Snuffy

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droctagon said:
As a fellow Karate Monkey owner (red one too!), It's great to see other takes on touring setups etc. It looks good to me. ...... The Thomson layback looks good on the KM too as it kind of matches the bend in the seat tube.
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I have to add - Surly colours generally suck (although they are very utilitarian), but I'm so happy with this red... it's so simple, yet so purrrrty :)

How's this for a bendy seat post?

http://www.63xc.com/willm/monster.htm
 
S

Snuffy

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Had a few spare moments this evening, so I installed the front Freeload rack.

O-M-G

The guys who designed it deserve all of the kudos that they've been getting. It's such an impressive system and so easy to install. The sheer flexibility of the system is really impressive. Really keen to load it up and head out on the road, but I'm sooooooooooooo busy this weekend :(
 
C

C Dunlop

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dynamitedread said:
This is my current touring set up.
I'm planning a trip to Cape york later in the year (dry) and was hoping to save my back side with a Brookes saddle but alas I can't seem to get it set up right, I've tried flat, nose up but allways feel like i'm putting pressure on my old fella. After 250 k's i'm thinking suspension seatpost. Any advice on correct set up or a good post would be super awesome.
Ok question number two , I'm currently running an old man mountain front rack which attaches via the brake bosses or by clamps around the fork legs. The forks i'd like to run is my Dt Swisse carbon but am worried the clamps and panniers will leave gouges and possable stuctural damage to the fork legs. What would your use for a trip like Cape York ,ridgid or risk shagging the good forks ?.
I'm really looking foward to seeing Cape York and would love to hear any trip reports or experiences from other riders.
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Run lowrider racks and the steering will be much more stable. (IDK if the karate monkey has these or not, but you can get them brazed on for bugger all). The bike will have issues with heel clearance and you have too much stuff. ~1200km is about 8-14 days. You could essentially ditch the front panniers.

Not a super good bike in terms of a dedicated tourer, but there are plenty of hobos who ride thousands of miles a year across the US on walmart bikes with plastic bags full of stuff just dangling off of their handlebars. Run what you brung.
 
dynamitedread

dynamitedread

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I've decided to take your advice and this is my new set up.
Only kidding. I do agree that low rider rack may offer more stability, but i do like the clearance that a higher set rack provides for off roading and the platform is a handy place for maps and such. My touring buddy had a bit of trouble with his low rider racks going though the over grown 4 wheel drive tracks on our last tour. As for heel clearance there's been no problem so far ,allthough I will be fitting monkey tabs in the rear drops which will add around 10-15mm of extra clearance.
P.S. there is no way i'll make it to the tip in 8 days, thats 150k's a day,the roads or pretty brutal up there and i'm not that fit. Also it is a holiday after all. I was planning around 85k's a day, that should make it around 14 days.
P.P.S. The guy in the picture actually did the bloomfield track on that bike.
 

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J

JP

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Rear rack question.

Has anyone had success off road using a rack attached near the dropouts with p-clamps? My KHS has rack mounts up the top of the seatstays near the seat tube but none near the dropouts. Yes I know I could fork out the shekels for a Freeload but I'm a poor government employee. I'd quite happily use p-clamps if it was on the commuter but I'm a bit dubious about going off road with it.
 
FatGuts

FatGuts

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JP said:
Has anyone had success off road using a rack attached near the dropouts with p-clamps? My KHS has rack mounts up the top of the seatstays near the seat tube but none near the dropouts. Yes I know I could fork out the shekels for a Freeload but I'm a poor government employee. I'd quite happily use p-clamps if it was on the commuter but I'm a bit dubious about going off road with it.
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If it is secure up the top & the "P clamps" (I think I am thinking of the same thing you are) are snug on the dropouts then there should be no issues. The upper clamps should stop the rack from sliding backwards & forwards. I would also line the clamps with some rubber A) to stop the clamps rubbing the frame & B)give them some extra grip.

As far as loading goes you will have to suck it & see.

OR you could make some adaptor brackets using flat bar from the rack to the mounts on the drop outs. How far away are they from matching up?

Another idea if a single P clamp doesnt hold, make up a double p clamp bracket with some flat bar, you can then spread the load over more of the dropout.

Any pics?
 
J

JP

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Ta Fatguts.

No pics sorry- I'm too lazy.

I've had a look and tried to line the rack up and it's no good. The bike is a KHS Solo One and the sliding dropouts are quite chunky. To get the rack any where decent will have the top part of the rack waaaay out. Looks like it's a Freeload for me!
 
pi11wizard

pi11wizard

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FatGuts said:
For 20 bucks I would recon that you would be lucky to get a couple of casts before it nested & got thrown in the bush (by me anyway..). Those reels with the cover over the spool are not very popular for a reason :)

I would rather spend the money on goon to take out with me...........
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I carried a tiny shimano telescopic rod on a fat bike ride. No fish were caught, idle time was killed, fun was had. Goon would have made it better.

http://pi11wizard.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/fat-bike-odyssey-02.jpg
 
FatGuts

FatGuts

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Dreggsy said:
who needs fish when you have goon,

red or white goon?
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Depends on what is cheapest, its not about the taste when you are 50km in the bush from the nearest town. Cask is best, packs easier............if you have a little bit first.. :)
 
Flyboy01

Flyboy01

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Holy Sh1t! I have just spent 4 hours trolling through this thread and I reckon I have another 20 hours to go with all of the links that came out of it!

There is some great information in here...and photos.

I am originally from country NSW and all of Wassa's(and the others) photos are making me homesick. :neglected: As nice as the weather is year round here in Bananaland, there is just something about the High Country that touches the soul.

Thanks for all of the information guys. I hope I can return the favour and maybe see you out on the trail. :encouragement:
 
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