Touring: Pannier options for Specialized Allez 2011?

Finlaz22

Hi all,

I'm doing a bit of a tour around the Netherlands, Belgium and then dipping into France to catch the Tour before heading back up - it's about 700 miles total, over 8 days. Load will consist mostly of tent, sleeping bags/mats, food, trangia, spares/mech stuff for the bikes, and spare clothes/toiletries. My friend has already got a trailer which he's planning on towing behind his carbon bike, so it's just down to me whether I decide on panniers or a trailer as well.

I was originally planning to carry the load using a trailer (BOB Yak) but have since thought it worth looking at pannier options, especially as the Allez isn't a touring bike by any means and it was concerning me that the pivotal and compressional forces exerted by a trailer may not be good for rear triangle. :shock:

Thing is, I've never used panniers before and am not sure if my bike is suitable for them. However, I do know P-clips are good for sorting out lack of eyelets for pannier rack fitting problem so it shouldn't be too much of a hassle.

Thanks for reading and if you have any helpful guidance on...
- whether you'd suggest trailer or panniers?
- whether you have certain pannier suggestions/ways of fitting etc.?
- whether you have any experience with this sort of thing and what you recommend / knowledge of whether the trailer would be a bad idea and why? Or if not, why?
... that'd be fab!

Thanks again!

iPete

See my blog, dragging a 2010 Allez across Europe. I'm fairly certain there is a lot of detail on kit but drop me a message if you want to know more.

http://ctoc3.wordpress.com/2013/03/28/a ... d-to-rome/

I think in summary I said go credit card touring, or in your case make your mate tow it all.

mattrixdesign2

I have toured on my Allez, I think mine is a 2012, it certainly has the mounts for panniers, maybe your 2011 model doesn't.

I just used a rack on the rear + cheapish panniers, nothing special, carried tent, sleeping bag, mat plus all other kit inc tools, clothes (excl food/cooking stuff as we ate out).

It was fine on the tour, obviously all the weight was at the rear, and if any thing flexes on the Allez its the rear triangle, it can lead to occassional buzzing of the pads on the wheels when climbing hard.

I do have some pics, currently too large to upload :roll:

A trailer would be an expensive option, I can not comment on how good "p-clips" are.

mattrixdesign2

Pics...

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos?tab= ... 9980755586

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos?tab= ... 9980755586

FYI - the orange bag in the centre is my sleeping bag, wrapped in a cut up bivvy bag (to the dimensions of my tent base), and tied down with bungie. It left space in the panniers for all other stuff as sleeping bags take up a lot of space - mine is a 3/4 season at about 1kg, you can get much lighter ones, but only good for the warmer months.

Having the bivvy was helpful for once getting to base, and I just took it off the bike and lay it on the floor (with the sleeping bag) and used it for all my kit as I unloaded. I then used it as a base for the tent to protect from tears and for a bit of extra ground warmth.

The tent (forget the name - can find out if you wish?) was a 2 man (yeah right!), compact and light double skinned one from Amazon. Perfect for the job, good quality, fair price...

...and now all I can think about is another adventure :? thanks for that

Finlaz22

Thanks for the replies!

iPete, did you take much food with you or did you prefer picking it up as you went along? Also, regarding pannier rack - which one did you get? (I see you mention something about a seatpost clamp?) and was it good - like any problems or things you'd do differently?

mattrixdesign2, thanks for advice re-bivy - hadn't thought of that but for not much extra baggage it sounds a useful extra! How far did you tour if you don't mind me asking? Also what pannier rack did you get?

Thanks!

slowbike

I used a rack on my 2011 Allez - not for touring though. There are no mount points - P-clips marked the frame, so if you do go down that route then tape the frame first. I'm experimenting with some inner-tube around the forks for mudguard mounts (on a different bike).
You could get a QR skewer mount for the rack so the load is transferred direct to the axle.

Times I have carried a load on the rack it's made the bike feel quite cumbersome - getting out the saddle is a whole new experience! I've towed a trailer with a different bike - it was a skewer mount one and it did mark the frame - so protection would be required. I didn't mind towing the trailer, but it was with a family so not much pressure to go far/fast.
If it were me, I'd consider the trailer - because I'd be riding with my wife, so I'd carry all the load - you could always offer to share the towing with your mate and use his trailer for the bulk of the weight.

iPete

Finlaz22 wrote:

iPete, did you take much food with you or did you prefer picking it up as you went along? Also, regarding pannier rack - which one did you get? (I see you mention something about a seatpost clamp?) and was it good - like any problems or things you'd do differently?

We picked food up as we needed because the weight caused handling issues when we hit a certain limit. They became very unstable.

I used a regular topeak rack with M:Part seatpost clamp. The seatpost clamp is really good, better than loading on the eyelets in my opinion, especially since my brakes got in the way!

I might have two M:Part clamps sitting in a box somewhere, you can have one if interested, would only want a couple of quid for postage.

Doing it differently I would have firstly added a 12-28 cassette. Then ultimately I would have stayed in B&B/hostels and not needed panniers/tent/cooking gear. I'd have packed very lightly into a bar bag and large sadle bag but this requires the right weather.

mattrixdesign2

Thanks to Strava...
Day 1 - 51miles/4163ft+
Day 2 - 42.8miles/3987ft+
Day 3 - 43.6miles/3868ft+
Hilly with kit would go further these days as much fitter.

Thanks to gmail...
TorTec Tour Alloy Rear Cycle Rack Silver - £14.29

You could spend all sorts getting branded top of the range stuff, and also search forever trying to save a few grams, fact is, you wont be going fast (other than down hill, stupidly I clocked 44mph on a clear road descent!) and any weight saving will be negligable overall. Buy sensible strong stuff. Think hard on what kit you need to carry, personally I wouldn't carry too much spare bike parts, as long as you are a stones throw from civilization. Multi tool with chain splitter, 2 tubes, tube repair kit, v.small container of oil, maybe some disposable gloves (like you get at a petrol station), light (mounted on bike and removable as a torch) etc, chains/gears/special tool will add lots of weight! Also consider sharing the burden of stuff, if there is 2 of you, can you take 1 pump, 1 multitool etc.

I used my Addidas SPD shoes, recessed cleat, look like trainers, plus took some plimsols (small and foldable), some trousers/shorts with zipper, 2 pairs of cycle shorts (wearing 1 pair), 2 tops etc, water proof, wash kit.

Another tip - if using cheaper none waterproof panneirs, line them with rucksack liners - or use the left over bottom part of the bivvy bag - thats one bivvy bag, 4 used (pannier liner, sleeping bag wrapper, surface protection, grond sheet).

The key is keep your overnight kit dry, once that is wet you are screwed.

slowbike

Spare tyre!! (not the one round the middle)

I had a puncture on holiday in Sardinia - by the time I managed to stop the wheel was riding on the rim and sliced through the sidewall of the tyre - not too much to make it unusable, but enough to make me change it that night.

mattrixdesign2

Never thought of that, worthy tip!

slowbike

Our touring was a little different in that we had luggage transferred from place to place (hotel/b&b) for us - so only needed to carry what we wanted that day - in bar bags as it happened.

Didn't have enough space for a floor pump - so go the Lezyne micro floor drive with pressure gauge - proved very useful and reasonably easy to get up to pressure (and read it!) - I checked the pressure calibration before we left - it matched the JoeBlow pump at home. The pump fitted on the frame so no worries about carrying it.

Carried extra tubes in the luggage as well as pedal spanner, full allen key set, spare tyre, rags - but in addition we took tape (electrical and gaffer) and cable ties - as if you can't fix it properly you may be able to bodge something. We also took a couple of those sample oils you often get from sportives - used it to get rid of an annoying squeak in the pedal. Also in the kit bag was spare brake blocks, brake cable & gear cable (just one set between us) - just in case!

caedev

I rode L2P last year on my 2011 Allez and used this pannier rack:

http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/32 ... -rack.html

Mounts on the main axle at the bottom and attached at the top using the bolt that holds the brake calliper in place.

Finlaz22

caedev - Ah fab!

So what do you all reckon if the setup looks something like:
Rack: http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/32 ... -rack.html
Bags: x2 of these in 23L http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/showPart. ... P180&bike=

Will probably get a top tube bag as well for easy-to-hand food etc Thanks again for all your help thus far, been v insightful and detailed.

iPete

If the space on top of the rack is not needed, e.g strap a small tent on, I'd say the the Tortec Velocity is worth a look with p-clips & M:Part mount.

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/tortec-v ... 81263.html