Touring bike recommendations and suggestions

[NixM]

There are a few amazing spots just off the road in the Cederberg. I try and do 1 campsite night 1 bush night. That way I can still get a shower ever day. Please post where you stay? I ride that area a lot and always keen for new spots.

 

This campsite was spectacular, I just can't remember it's name (NC_LURKER will know) near Op Die Berg

[NickGM]

Steel frame Specialized Sequoia fully loaded doing the Cederberg circuit.

 

(Edit: no idea why the image quality is so poor)

Keen to hear your impressions of this one as I've been wanting to do it too. 

[Wayne pudding Mol]

There are a few amazing spots just off the road in the Cederberg. I try and do 1 campsite night 1 bush night. That way I can still get a shower ever day. Please post where you stay? I ride that area a lot and always keen for new spots.

Making me feel the softy I am - too many bush adventures in my surfing youth - I leave Tuesday for a 6 day trip and it’s B&B to B&B - serious bargains out there at places I wouldn’t normally stay

[NickGM]

So far my only "tour" was an overnight to camp at theewaterskloof. A bit of a test run with a loaded bike.

 

At the base of Franschoek pass a young lady came running up to me shouting "would you like some biscuits or a coke? Where are you heading?" This sort of things doesn't happen to me often so after the initial shock I said yes to the first question. The second was more tricky. I think she was hoping that the answer was cairo or something, and I was worried that the coke and biscuits from question 1 were hanging on my response, so I tried to keep it vague and said "well my stop tonight is a campsite at Theewaterskloof dam." I didn't elaborate that my stop the following night would be back in my own bed in stellenbosch. Eventually I was forced to tell all though and she seemed a bit deflated. But not half as deflated as I felt when she told me she was there supporting her brother who was 90% of the way through an everesting attempt (he finished it) and although you wouldn't know it to look at him, he technically qualified as a paraplegic. I still got a coke a biscuits though (as well as a nice conversation) and am surprised at how many strangers want to talk when they see you riding a loaded up bicycle. 

 

Other things I learned:

1. My gearing was fine over a longish pass (Franshoek) with about 16kgs, but steeper passes and heavier loads will need smaller gears than I have (climbing gear ratio is 30t front, 36t rear) if I want to do it day in, day out. 
2. I like the upright sitting position on my bike and was happy riding for 5 - 6 hours. I could have carried on. 
3. It took me a while to get used to the mindset that its not a race and ticking along at 15-20kph is actually really nice
4. loaded steel bikes feel a bit "noodly", which you get used to and actually start to enjoy after a while
5. I want to go on much longer trips and Copperhead's photos are making me jealous!

 

 

[Hairy]

20210117_164700.jpg

 

This campsite was spectacular, I just can't remember it's name (NC_LURKER will know) near Op Die Berg

That looks amazing

[Slowbee]

20210117_164700.jpg

 

This campsite was spectacular, I just can't remember it's name (NC_LURKER will know) near Op Die Berg

NO!

 

You did not just post on this thread! You lurker !

[kgscott]

My 2 cents worth after having done a solo 3 weeks in the Karoo and 2 weeks in the Cedarberg I will definitely stick to a hardtail mtb with front shocks. The roads in these areas are rough and the corrugations are horrible so a rigid fork would IMHO be out.

[NC_lurker]

Other things I learned:

[*]My gearing was fine over a longish pass (Franshoek) with about 16kgs, but steeper passes and heavier loads will need smaller gears than I have (climbing gear ratio is 30t front, 36t rear) if I want to do it day in, day out.

[*]I like the upright sitting position on my bike and was happy riding for 5 - 6 hours. I could have carried on.

[*]It took me a while to get used to the mindset that its not a race and ticking along at 15-20kph is actually really nice

 

I was running a 32x36 easiest gear on my Sequoia which was fine on multi-day trips through the Klein Karoo staying at BnBs etc. The added weight of camping gear for the Cederberg trip however necessitated changing to a 32x40. (I'm running a 2x11 system.) I used a derailleur hanger extender to make the 40 work. (kindly donated by NixM although I suspect it was to increase my red wine carrying capacity..)

Remember that climbing on tar is much easier than on gravel. Plus tar climbs tend to have lower max gradients, some of the Cederberg climbs had sections peaking around 18% whereas Franschhoek pass doesn't go above about 12% (I think).

 

You're spot on, it's all about adjusting to a touring mindset. Especially when going up climbs. I always struggle on the first proper climb on day 1 of a trip, it takes awhile to just settle back into an easy gear and slowly work your way over. It just doesn't work attacking a climb when on a 20kg+ loaded steel bike!

[NC_lurker]

Keen to hear your impressions of this one as I've been wanting to do it too.

I was meaning to do a ride report but just haven't got around to it. Will try make the effort.

In summary: cold, windy, heavily corrugated, spectacular, scenic, idyllic, fun, must do.

[Thug]

I'm taking my Karate Monkey with me to Kyrgyzstan later this year. Planning on putting a 1x11 drivetrain on with a 30t Oval upfront and a 11-46 on the rear.

[NickGM]

I was running a 32x36 easiest gear on my Sequoia which was fine on multi-day trips through the Klein Karoo staying at BnBs etc. The added weight of camping gear for the Cederberg trip however necessitated changing to a 32x40. (I'm running a 2x11 system.) I used a derailleur hanger extender to make the 40 work. (kindly donated by NixM although I suspect it was to increase my red wine carrying capacity..)

Remember that climbing on tar is much easier than on gravel. Plus tar climbs tend to have lower max gradients, some of the Cederberg climbs had sections peaking around 18% whereas Franschhoek pass doesn't go above about 12% (I think).

 

You're spot on, it's all about adjusting to a touring mindset. Especially when going up climbs. I always struggle on the first proper climb on day 1 of a trip, it takes awhile to just settle back into an easy gear and slowly work your way over. It just doesn't work attacking a climb when on a 20kg+ loaded steel bike!

 

Hahaha this NixM character sounds shrewd. I think you're right about Franshoek. I've actually got a solution for increasing the climbing gears, (which it sounds like I will need for places like swartberg pass):

 

I currently have a 2x10 GRX, which has 30/46t in the front and 11/36t at the back. But when I looked at the crank it actually says "11S" on the chainrings, which I've had confirmed means it will work for 11 speed. Don't ask me how that happened, I orders a 2x10. Anyway I've since bought 2x11 bar-end shifters and will fit an 11x42 mtb cassette on the rear. This will give me a climbing gear of (30/42x29) 20 gear inches, which I think will be plenty. I thought about tinkering with hanger extenders and other tricks like a tanpan, but I like the simplicity of bar end shifters even if they're a bit cumbersome.

 

And yes, totally agree about getting out of the saddle and "attacking" a climb with 20kgs. I tried, but the frame wobbled all over the place and the idea was quickly aborted. 

[NC_lurker]

Hahaha this NixM character sounds shrewd.

........

.........

I currently have a 2x10 GRX, which has 30/46t in the front and 11/36t at the back. But when I looked at the crank it actually says "11S" on the chainrings, which I've had confirmed means it will work for 11 speed.

 

The plan backfired as I physically had no spare space for red wine! However in mitigation I did an extra 30km "shopping trip" at the end of day 3 to resolve the issue.

 

Sorry for the stupid question, but isn't your rear derailleur 10sp? Will those 11sp bar end shifters still work? I'm assuming they're indexed?

 

Out of interest, I was running an 11sp crankset on a 10sp setup on my old road bike. Needed to replace the old chainrings and buying a new 11sp crankset was hardly more expensive & gave upgrade options if required.

Edited January 19, 2021 by NC_lurker

[NickGM]

Sorry for the stupid question, but isn't your rear derailleur 10sp? Will those 11sp bar end shifters still work? I'm assuming they're indexed?

 

 

Yip, correct I'd need to upgrade the derailleur too, but there are often 11 speed mtb cassette and deraileur combos going on bikehub as people switch to 1x12. I was at Mason's bike Inn a few weeks back and he said he has loads of them for that very reason.  

[Dusty]

I'm taking my Karate Monkey with me to Kyrgyzstan later this year. Planning on putting a 1x11 drivetrain on with a 30t Oval upfront and a 11-46 on the rear.

I had the same cassette in Kyrgyzstan when we went and I used a 34 Oval up front as I was confident that I could ride most routes with that. Big mistake. Factor in altitude and not so much. The 30 is a great idea and if you could get a 50 on the back it would be even better.

[NC_lurker]

Yip, correct I'd need to upgrade the derailleur too, but there are often 11 speed mtb cassette and deraileur combos going on bikehub as people switch to 1x12. I was at Mason's bike Inn a few weeks back and he said he has loads of them for that very reason.

Make sure to get a clutch derailleur if possible. Actually I suppose all 11sp mtb rear derailleurs are now clutch...

Even ensuring you're in the big chainring for rocky descents isn't enough to stop hectic chainslap on a rigid setup.

[Baracuda]

My 2 cents worth after having done a solo 3 weeks in the Karoo and 2 weeks in the Cedarberg I will definitely stick to a hardtail mtb with front shocks. The roads in these areas are rough and the corrugations are horrible so a rigid fork would IMHO be out.

The Klein Karoo is a little better, but I agree, the large corrugations of the upper Karoo need a front shock if not full sus. I often thought that the Trek Procaliber with the bit of give in the back and a front shock is good for the upper Karoo. 

Just see how many guys do the Munga on full sus bikes versus gravel bikes.