touring on carbon??

flamite

Hi i'm planning on touring round the south of france/corsica this summer, and just figuring out if i can do this with my carbon wilier mortirolo?? Will the carbon support panniers etc, i know i have to get clips to attach a rack...

what do you guys think? will try and travel as light as poss and stay in hotels/b&bs so no tent needed... Other option is to get a trailer, failing that will have to go on the old steel raleigh racer...

i am just worried that the rack mounted with a clip and carbon might not be strong enough for all the panniers.

Thx!

timman

You may try Carradice's saddle bag if you plan to travel light. I don't have one but have heard good things about them.

However if you are planning for a cycle holiday as oppose to touring, why not just staying in one or two places and do loops around there? In particular if you want to do the Alps in Southern France, you won't want to carry your luggage with you when tackling those cols...

PieterM

+1 on the Carradice option. Have done it a few times on my carbon bike this way going from hotel to hotel for a week. It really makes you think about what to bring. Shoes to wear while off the bike are the biggest issue. I found some flexible cheap canvas shoes work well. Another option is the Topeak system where the bag fits onto a steel beam that attaches to the seatpost. You will need a strong aluminium post for that and it will affect your bike handling. I have done this also and it is possible to do alpine descents this way if you are prudent about cornering. In any case it is a great region for cycling. Have fun!

andymiller

What tinman said about loops.

Bear in mind that the maximum load for one of the cantilever racks is 10kg.

I'd have thought that a rack on the rear triangle with a couple of lightly-loaded panniers wouldn't stress the frame too much. If you've already got a suitable rack and panniers then that would be the frontrunner option.

AidanR

Try this:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Tubus ... 360025907/

Plus this:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/MPart ... 300005198/

Plus a normal rack like this:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Tubus ... 360025259/

That should keep the forces going the right way through the carbon fibres. The only concern is gearing. If you've got a compact chainset you should be fine with the appropriate rear cassette.

blorg

I would not attach a rack with P-Clips to a carbon frame. I've done it with aluminium and it didn't work great even there for any load. The rubber bits tend to wear off and it scratches the frame a bit... wouldn't be nice with carbon.

I've done very light touring with a saddlebag and bar bag, in my case it was a titanium bike but certainly full on race bike and I wouldn't have any compunction about doing similar on a carbon one. I know people who do audax on carbon bikes with Carradice bags although they would be smaller than the in-Sy I used.



The rack if you do it I would go for a QR axle mount. Note with regard to the rack if you do it Axiom make an entire rack mounting that way for basically the price of the Tubus adapter set. I haven't done this and would be a bit queasy about loading it up with much personally on a carbon frame but again I haven't done it, if others have maybe it is fine.

Toonraid

I toured on carbon & rucksack with the bare essentials in 0 i.e. spare jersey & socks, light pants toothbrush but used A520 touring pedals so as to avoid carrying shoes. My tour lasted 3 nights and was ok except when i cycled in rain 1 day and rucksack was not water tight!

Brian NZ

If you were to use a rear rack that attached to the quick release and the seat stem, you should have no problems. The option I have used is a Caridice Long flap saddle bag on a expedition quick release rack that clamps onto the seat rails. I have found this not to effect the handling at all, having hit speeds in excess of 90kph. I have a small handlebar bag for camera etc,

Take Care Brian

allotmentman

Hi I Tour on a Carbon Dolan Dual, I use Carradice Saddle bag and bar bag, These can give you 18 Litres capacity, without the need for Panniers

cougie

Who was the dude that cycled round the world on the carbon PX bike? he coped ok.

briantrumpet

If you're B&Bing it ...

I survived on kit worn (and washed each night), T-shirt, shorts, flip-flops, basic tools, electicals/toothbrush in a seatpost-mounted bag for a week and 730 miles to the Alps, on my SuperSix. Can be done.

rolf_f

andymiller wrote:

What tinman said about loops.

Bear in mind that the maximum load for one of the cantilever racks is 10kg.

Which, is an enormous amount of weight if you are B&Bing. I think my fully loaded, four pannier with tent etc and winter kit setup for three months touring weighed about 20kg including the bags. For lightweight touring, assuming a bar bag for electronic stuff, I'd have thought the weight limit should be no problem unless you are a chronic overpacker.

mercia_man

If you are travelling light and staying in hotels/B&Bs you don't need a rack and panniers or a trailer.

I would recommend a Carradice Camper Long Flap saddlebag (24 litres) or perhaps a Nelson Long Flap (18 litres). Attach it to your saddle with a Carradice Bagman Expedition QR support. You could supplement this with a handlebar bag - Ortlieb and Carradice do good ones - if you want even more capacity. Long flap saddlebags are a great idea. The flap extends so you can increase the bag's capacity and carry quite tall items. There are also side pockets and external strapping points for things like waterproofs.

I've done a fair bit of hotel/B&B touring with a Camper Long Flap and it's ample for carrying two sets of summer cycle clothing, a waterproof, a warm cycling top, normal clothes and shoes for evenings, washing kit, books, tools, spares, lock, food for lunch etc. if you pair that with a bar bag you could easily carry all you need for a France/Corsica tour without major impact on your bike's handling or hill climbing ability.

Another possibility would be trendy bikepacking saddle bag, frame bag and bar bag. But Carradice cotton duck stuff is cheaper, has more capacity and will last much longer.

Garry H

I don't think he's listening guys, it's a six year old thread. Good advice nonethless.