Touring on carbon? Heavy Rider!

mr_eddy

So I am booked in for a gravel ride around Isle of Wight mid July with 1 nights camping. its a organised gravel ride and as such its not just roads, some bridleways and some off-road single track.

I only have 1 bike now - My Carbon On One Free Ranger. Its a gravel specific bike and based on my research is a rebranded Carbonda 696, Given the same frame is used bike Ridley and Bombtrack for their gravel offerings to name just 2 I am happy that its well put together.

The bike is clearly designed for taking a rack (it has rack mounts) and Planet X said and I quote "it should be fine" for my 95kg weight plus luggage but just a bit concerned.

All in total system weight would be around 110-115kg (me + Bike + Camping gear + Water bottles). I reckon I will have say 15kg of 'stuff' split between my rear rack and front bar bag.

I have over the years done what I can to make the bike more robust, I swapped out the stock wheels for a set of Mavic gravel specific 'All Road Disc' wheels (28 spokes front and back) and I am running 42c tyres at 45-50psi (not currently tubeless). I also have heli-taped the downtube/BB/fork bridge.

I have upgraded the stock disc pads to Swiss Stop green so I am confident that the wheels and brakes can take the steep gravel downhill bits when fully loaded but just concerned about the frame handling the weight/terrain.

Should I be concerned about the total weight?

mr_eddy

Forgot to add the wheelset has a total weight limit of 120kg as per Mavic's website

oxoman

You should be OK as long as you don't go hammering it down mtb style single track. Normal riding you'll be fine. Enjoy your adventure

pangolin

Should be ok, 15kg of luggage is heavy for 1 night though.

mr_eddy

Thanks for input - I am more at ease now

Yep probably closer to 10kg of luggage. My tent is a old school dome tent and weighs 2.8kg plus about 0.8kg for the rack, add in 2 x 750ml water bottles (I am going in mid-July) and I am up to about 5kg already. say another 2-3kg for light sleeping bag, change of clothes, power bank, set of lights etc. If I can keep it all under 10kg then total will be closer to 110kg

pangolin

Can you get away with a bivvy for the night? 330g so saves almost 2.5kg

https://alpkit.com/products/hunka

A light sleeping bag is also under a kilo.

If it's all just for 1 night though not worth buying a load of kit.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Any value in getting a pair of 650b wheels, to increase tyre width from the apparent 700x50 max? Mainly for the higher load bearing rear wheel.

mr_eddy

Thing is this is a 'on the cheap' getaway so keeping costs as low as poss so really don't want to buy new kit especially if its to be used rarely.

I already have a decent tent etc and the wheelset I have was only bought 2 months ago so don't want to buy another set of wheels (and disc rotors, tyres, cassette etc)

mikes-brother

Where are you camping? Many campsites rent out pods etc - then you don’t need tent or a sleeping mat. Much more fun for the riding.