Surely this is just wrong?

londoncommuter

OK, I've never read those rules about what you should and shouldn't do when cycling. I did have a minor wobble recently about whether my shorts were too short but otherwise people should just get out and enjoy it.

This though is surely wrong. It's an R5. What next, pannier racks with P-clips?

Just because they're Rapha doesn't make it right.

http://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/5120/ ... i-day-ride

CitizenLee

This means nothing to me... please explain so I can express my faux-outrage in the right direction.

ddraver

...part of it is fighting against the "you can't do that without buying an XXXbike" attitude which can pervade cycling. I ve no issue with that

(and only the bags are rapha (cough, apidura with stripes), the article is in Cyclist)

My honest problem with the image, as someone who has done a bit of bikepacking, is that you'd never fit "cheap" camping gear in that setup. Suggesting that you need to buy a down bag, superlight bivi, minescule stove etc somewhat undoes my previous point about the bike to be honest...

akh

Does look a bit daft but who cares?

londoncommuter

CitizenLee wrote:

This means nothing to me... please explain so I can express my faux-outrage in the right direction.

It's a £3.5k uber light frame. Costs twice the price of an R3 to save 4g or something similar. Pretty much the same as towing a caravan with a Ferrari.

joe_totale-2

"SRAM Force 1x group; it’s simple and easy to maintain and with a good gear ratio (50x32/4) can cover most climbs"

Not all of us can climb like Nairo Quintana, especially when cycle touring...

To answer the original post, it appears that companies have decided that to make cycle touring "cool" it means that it should be as close to road cycling as possible even if there are far more practical and affordable ways of doing things already out there.

cookeeemonster

Live and let live...or go to yer local cycle forum and moan.

BikerGroveish

Bike packing is fun. Stuff what anybody else thinks about it. If you cycle to keep fit and go and see things and do stuff bike packing makes it less of a chore. I can’t see the sense in riding around trying to go quicker than ( insert random stranger ) and really don’t get where the enjoyment is gained from that. However each to their own. It just makes me giggle when ( particularly Lycra clad roadie types it seems ) sneer at anyone is isn’t chasing K.O.M / Q.O.Ms or whatever riding a Pinarello and wearing Rapha / FPWK. Is this Golf or cycling. I think the boundaries have blurred a bit especially since about 2008 particularly in this country.

svetty

@ MM/BG: You were doing so well......until you sneered at another social grouping :roll:

Brakeless

BikerGroveish wrote:

Bike packing is fun. Stuff what anybody else thinks about it. If you cycle to keep fit and go and see things and do stuff bike packing makes it less of a chore. I can’t see the sense in riding around trying to go quicker than ( insert random stranger ) and really don’t get where the enjoyment is gained from that. However each to their own. It just makes me giggle when ( particularly Lycra clad roadie types it seems ) sneer at anyone is isn’t chasing K.O.M / Q.O.Ms or whatever riding a Pinarello and wearing Rapha / FPWK. Is this Golf or cycling. I think the boundaries have blurred a bit especially since about 2008 particularly in this country.

New name but still spouting the same old crap. We've all seen pictures of you in lycra Nick. Does that make you a 'lycra clad roadie type' whatever that even means.

CitizenLee

londoncommuter wrote:

CitizenLee wrote:

This means nothing to me... please explain so I can express my faux-outrage in the right direction.

It's a £3.5k uber light frame. Costs twice the price of an R3 to save 4g or something similar. Pretty much the same as towing a caravan with a Ferrari.

Haha, thanks

Still struggling to muster up any kind of annoyance though. A light bike seems a good starting point if you're going to pack more weight onto it, or if it's your only bike. I've been commuting on my Mega lately whilst I await a C2W voucher, which is akin to driving a bulldozer around a F1 track... but I still get there

First.Aspect

Those bags don't look aero to me.

sloppyschleckonds

What's needed is a conclusive BiekRaadar thread on what is and isn't acceptable in cycling nowadays

pblakeney

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

What's needed is a conclusive BiekRaadar thread on what is and isn't acceptable in cycling nowadays

Everything is acceptable. The guy who buys it is free to ride it, or wear it. Whatever "it" is.
Those who say otherwise are knobs.

trek_dan

I did LEJOG with a similar setup on my Focus Izalco, I was generally staying at youth hostels so didn't need to carry much. If your going to go on a multiday trip why wouldn't you use the best/lightest bike you have?

joey54321

londoncommuter wrote:

It's a £3.5k uber light frame. Costs twice the price of an R3 to save 4g or something similar. Pretty much the same as towing a caravan with a Ferrari.

True, it's much less extravagant to buy another bike for your road bike touring and leave the R5 at home that weekend.

kayakerchris

Perhaps he just likes his best bike, it fits him and he can do long distances on it. I use a trek madone sLR disc for commuting because I love the feel of the bike.

tomisitt

I just did an unsupported three-week bike-packing tour of the Italian Alps and Dolomites (Stelvio, Tonale, Gavia, Fugazze, Grappa, Pordoi, Giau, Falzarego, Tre Croci, etc) on this. 15kg all-up weight, normal compact gearing (50/34 x12/29), huge amount of fun. It may be "wrong" for some people, but it enabled me to ride 650 miles and climb 78,000ft in three weeks. I'm quite happy with "wrong".

joey54321

tomisitt wrote:

I just did an unsupported three-week bike-packing tour of the Italian Alps and Dolomites (Stelvio, Tonale, Gavia, Fugazze, Grappa, Pordoi, Giau, Falzarego, Tre Croci, etc) on this. 15kg all-up weight, normal compact gearing (50/34 x12/29), huge amount of fun. It may be "wrong" for some people, but it enabled me to ride 650 miles and climb 78,000ft in three weeks. I'm quite happy with "wrong".

Sounds awesome, 3 weeks with that little stuff is insane! What was your pack list? I am very tempted by a trip like this.

tomisitt

Hi Joey — packing list (in addition to stuff I was wearing to ride — short-sleeved base-layer, SS jersey, bib-shorts, gloves, socks and riding shoes) was basically:

On the bike: two drinks bidons, Garmin and lights. As I was likely to do a fair amount of exploring on foot I put some touring/mtb pedals on the bike and bought some mtb shoes rather than the normal road shoes.

Saddlebag: 1 set of civvies (T-shirt, trews, pants, socks, trainers), spare bib shorts, LS jersey, gilet, arm/leg warmers), warm socks, warm gloves.

Bar bag: waterproof jacket, spares (inner tubes, CO2 cannisters, pump, tools, and spare spokes), carb and protein bars, chargers, plug and adaptor, chammy cream, toileteries.

Small (15L) Kriega backpack with passport, phone, wallet, medical kit, glasses, Kindle, lunch and small bottle of water.

There wasn't anything I didn't use (except the spares), and there wasn't anything I wished I had added to the list. If you don't mind hand-washing stuff on a daily basis, this is a great way to go "touring".

ayjaycee

Whatever way you look at it, it's a bike with a couple of bags hanging off it. So what if it's a Cervelo, Pinarello, Cernarello or Pinavelo? By the time you take a 6.8Kg bike and add luggage and a 75Kg tub of lard, I doubt you would notice the difference than if you started with a 8.8Kg bike. The only person who this should ever concern is the one riding it and if they ain't concerned why should you be.

Tom, Well done - sounds like an excellent trip. Where are the pics for 'Show Us Your Scenic Bike Pics'?

pblakeney

joey54321 wrote:

Sounds awesome, 3 weeks with that little stuff is insane! What was your pack list? I am very tempted by a trip like this.

25 years ago I toured the SW of England on my race bike using only a small backpack and 1 water bottle. It helped that I stayed in B&Bs and stopped at pubs but anything is achievable.

shirley_basso

Sorry, are those rim brakes?

tomisitt

Tom, Well done - sounds like an excellent trip. Where are the pics for 'Show Us Your Scenic Bike Pics'?

Will this do?

pblakeney

tomisitt wrote:

Tom, Well done - sounds like an excellent trip. Where are the pics for 'Show Us Your Scenic Bike Pics'?

Will this do?

And there we have the answer to the "Why would you?" questions.
The bags are removable. Nice, by the way.

the_cyclist_of_catan

ddraver wrote:

My honest problem with the image, as someone who has done a bit of bikepacking, is that you'd never fit "cheap" camping gear in that setup. Suggesting that you need to buy a down bag, superlight bivi, minescule stove etc somewhat undoes my previous point about the bike to be honest...

My minuscule, superlight stove cost me £3.70. Though I actually spent nearer to £8 as I bought a spare.

scott_w1987

Sounds Epic Tom. Highly jealous, but unfotunately don't have time to do something like this just now.

As for the R5 with the bike packing bags, I see absolutely no issue?

ddraver

The Cyclist of Catan wrote:

ddraver wrote:

My honest problem with the image, as someone who has done a bit of bikepacking, is that you'd never fit "cheap" camping gear in that setup. Suggesting that you need to buy a down bag, superlight bivi, minescule stove etc somewhat undoes my previous point about the bike to be honest...

My minuscule, superlight stove cost me £3.70. Though I actually spent nearer to £8 as I bought a spare.

Ok, Now try buying a sleeping bag, mat, bivy bag/tent of sufficient quality (ie size)....