November 26, 2015

The Pedalshift Project 036: Thanks bicycle touring

41 minutes

On this holiday week where we in the States offer gratitude for all that is good, let's take the time to say "thanks bicycle touring" for all it gives us. We also revisit tire inflation and chat leather saddle care. A bounty for your holiday week!

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Thanks bicycle touring

Adventure

Community

Self-reliance

Nerding out

Having the physical ability to do it

Gear Talk

Revisiting tire inflation

See PSP 019 for the initial talk (including a tire pressure calculator)

Laziness led to a nicer ride on the C+O: turns out a really "under inflated” tire on certain surfaces can be better than what you’d roll on asphalt

MJ finding the same in Patagonia - "just above pinch flat pressure"

For wider tires, softer seems to be better on trails and gravel.

Leather saddle care

My first Brooks saddle has me wanting to protect it!

Wet leather can make the saddle fail

Many (most?) use Brooks Proofide to treat the leather and swear by it (some dissenters, especially in hotter climates)

One extreme: protect against any and all moisture… cover it even while riding in rain!

Other extreme: my saddle has never been covered and it’s 15 years old and fine.

I like the middle… cover at night to avoid rain and dew. Proofide 1-2x per year.

Connections

Instagram

Hammerhiker on Instagram letting me know about lighter stoves… yep! Did a segment on stoves on PSP 017! In colder weather I like to bring my “green dragon” as I call the heavy but beastly stove I brought on my recent C+O tours.

FOTS Scottmacs on instagram thinks I would be a fan of Bromptonmafia… right as always sir!

Five star reviews!

Thanks to all the reviewers! You rock!

Music

The Pedalshift Project theme is America courtesy of Jason Kent off his self-titled solo album. Check out his band Sunfields' latest release, Habitat, wherever cool music resides. And a little birdy tells me Jason's recording some new music. More when I know...

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