Hey you two, nice visit as always! Glad the pannier action is working for you and can't wait to see your next adventure.... OOh a tour! I go for groceries here in the Seattle area several times a week and have only one word for you: to quote the Bard (sort of), "Get thee a basket, get thee a Basket!" Wald 139 zip-tied to my front rack takes a full grocery bag secured with a cargo net and, voila! from Crust Evasion to Crust beast of burden ! Oh I know the 'Green Hornet' has a more svelte tubeset but still.... Safe journeys to you al
Another great video and adventure. I also go grocery shopping with my bike. Rear panniers and one front bag. The Bicycle is the perfect vehicle ever. Thanks to you Both.
Thanks for this video - I never thought about how the bike’s design impacts where to carry the load. Love your videos, excited to see your videos from your upcoming tour.
It surprised me too. Going into this I wasn't confident it would work this well. It turns out the weight on the front doesn't adversely affect the way the bike handles, even with a thin flexible tubed frame.
@@Henrywildeberry Who? I already subscribe to the important ones: you, RaD Bike Adventure, PLP/ACN (wonder what that subscriber ven diagram would look like?), and Iohan Gueorguiev. Most others I've found seem concerned with some variety of competition. I'm all about #partypace. 🙃
Here in the UK, we're under virtual house arrest, not meant to go even a few miles for exercise, even on our bikes. Your videos are a breath of fresh air in an increasingly mad world. Long live your freedom Americans.
Learned a lesson the hard way, riding on gravel. You want the weight on the front! The accident was on an ECR, high bars, reclined seating position, rear panniers held the only load. Was going around 12 mph down a slight grade and hit 3" gravel. Bike went left and I went right. 3 broken ribs, concussion, and still can't feel my right side 2 years later. Had I been over the bars, and loaded the front panniers instead I probably wouldn't have crashed.
I'm so sorry to hear about your crash! Thanks for sharing and I'm sure others will appreciate it too. It sounds like getting the weight on the front tire seems like the best place to start. I hope you heal up and regain feeling on the right side. Take care!!!
Cool video! Maybe not a good idea to send me out 50 miles for the groceries. I have a feeling half of them would come back in my stomach.😁 I appreciate the info on the Tubus rack. Been thinking about getting one for a while now. I think it's time.
Nice video, Henry. Grocery shopping trip is a really good way to test how to load stuff on your bike. I always put food stuff into handlebar bag, electronics and tools into frame bag and clothes into saddle bag. That's the way I load stuff on my Raleigh road bike during brevets and tours and it handles well. Of course it is pretty heavy then. I recently traveled from Helsinki to Kuopio by the train and did a 150 km bike ride from Kuopio to Valtimo which is a little town in North Karelia. Amazing landscapes and big hills. After brevets I just enjoy to do relaxed bike touring like this. I'll post a video from my trip some day. Have a happy bike tour too!
Dave's is outstanding bread! I usually go for the 21 Whole Grains, but the Good Seed is excellent too! I'll need to grab a loaf of the raisin next time.
Ms Cools made this a COOL video of course 5 out of 5 Cools on the cools rating scale. the new shades and jersey looked good Ms Cools. I look forward to seeing some of this tour hopefully. Good luck HWB
Put some velcro (fuzzy side) in the location of your pannier clips to deaden the noise of them slapping Tubus' rail when travelling on unpaved terrain. I use the Swift model with the bungee cord attachment for the lower hook - allows for tensioning them to make them even more quiet.
This is all about (good) engineering. The closer you put your weight near the front axle, the more stable it is going to be. (that was the original pitch from Blackburn, when they came out the original low rider rack in the mid 70's). If you were to put all of those groceries into your handlebar bag, If you don't have an accident from the way it steers, you would certainly hate it.
U can add a half frame bag for food on it future tour and still be able to use all ur water bottles! I find a frame bag tone essential since it keep the weight in the center!! Also every time I see ur videos I wanna move there , so nice n scenic
I'll sometimes use my early '90s Univega MTB-lite/hybrid for grocery runs, but it's pretty flexy and the handling isn't great with heavy loads. I try to keep it to around 20-30 lbs in a pair of folding grocery panniers on the rear rack -- quicker and easier to load with pre-bagged groceries. Usually I prefer a heavier, very rigid, fat tubed aluminum Globe Carmel, which is built pretty much like a Yuba cargo bike. Long wheelbase, very stable with loads up to 50 lbs on the back and a little more in a handlebar bag. If I switched the Globe from the low end Suntour spring fork to a rigid fork it might work well with heavier loads on a front rack. Most of my errands are less than 5 miles but once or twice a month I'll do a 20-30 mile round trip just to get some variety in shopping.
Great video and great info. I think I'll shop for front panniers, too. I have noticed that same shimmy , on the back of my touring bike. My tent, sleeping bag, mattress & pillow , all fit into a compact bag and mount to my rear rack. That'll have to stay, but I think (after your test) , the rest can go into front panniers. KB
Well Mr. Wildeberry and Ms. Cools if it was not for the two of you I would have not got back in to riding my bicycle as I think I told you I built my on Surly Disc Trucker its the 52cm 2018 model in Blue. But I was stupid I cut off to much of my head tube as it has turn out for another kind of bike stem. So now I have to order a new surly fork oh well.Sure wish I could find someone like you did to ride with me but around here no one ride bicycles much at all.I am way up here in Caribou Maine I miss the trails I had down in Arkansas and so many people loves to ride bicycles their.If I had a way to send pictures of my build as it is now I would it's going to take a while to redo it.I live off of SS. only. But it's not bad at all.Guess I have to many pots on the fire lol. I may be getting old but I still have a lot left in me to go do.I'm glad to see the both of you using helmets if I had not been wearing mine back in 2015 I would not be here today was hit from the back I never knew it until the next day what had happen to me.And come to find out part of my back got broken.I was on my Surly Big Dummy bicycle I built that one as well.I like to build my own bicycle that way I can pick out what kind of parts I want on it and get the gearing down low I also pull a trailer on my Disc Trucker.It's the BoB Trailer. The same kind of trailer I used on my Surly Long Haul Trucker back in 2009.It's starting to get cold here so I will have time to redo my bicycle for this spring in 2021 I got a ? for the two of you have either one of you ever use WTB Tires I sure like them a lot for off road riding.
That's very interesting about the wobble with the rear load. I just did a ride from Fort Bragg to Sacramento on my new bike made with 631 steel and it had a terrible shimmy with a medium load in the rear panniers (Ortlieb gravel panniers). It was basically unrideable until I lowered the weight (as best I could during the tour) in the panniers. I never got rid of it but at least it was manageable. Could only ride with both hands on the handlebars. As soon as I took a hand off it would shimmy/wobble. I had used a universal rack and did notice when I installed it that it was rather high and set back quite a bit. I know I should have done a test ride with the bags loaded on this bike since it was the first trip but I never had this kinda of issue on my Novara Randonee. That bike had 520 steel. I'm currently in the process of lowering the rack on the new bike and I hope this works because I really want the option to use a rear rack with this bike. It has a carbon fork so I can only load the front it so much. It's a size 58 too which gives it a high CG. Thanks for the video!
Good luck getting it sorted out. You may want to experiment with moving the load to the front. You might have to swap the front fork to do so, but that might be a good solution. Check out Soma Fab they sell steel forks with eyelets for a front rack. If cost is a consideration, you can see if the local bicycle recyclery has a used steel for with the same diameter steer (long enough) to fit your frame. You may be able to give it a try before committing to spending money on a new fork. All the best.
@Henrywildeberry I ended up being able to lower the rear rack quite a bit (couple - 3 inches?) and moved it forward at the same time and after a loaded test ride, the bike seems to be OK, no wobble. . I'll do another test ride before I go out on an actual tour with the bike loaded as it would be on the tour to reconfirm everything. I'm glad this worked since replacing the fork wasn't practical in my situation. Again thanks for the video(s) since it confirmed my thinking
Ms Cools has the right weights and measurements for best effect. I wondered also if taking the bags into the shop in the trolley and filling them there would be better.
That would definitely be better, but right now we cannot bring in re-usable bags to the grocery store due to concerns with covid. Instead, I asked if I could bring the basket out front.
@@Henrywildeberry Understandable. I've been toying with the idea of a mini cargo type of bicycle I can ride to the store and use it as a shopping trolly. The closest I've come to that is a Brompton folder with a (big) front bag. Still looking.
@@richardharker2775 there's this weird bike, like a baksfiet.....the rear part that adult rides folds up against the bucket thing.... and you add the wheel on the opposite side.... so it looks like a stroller
Glad it works so well! I do groceries every week on a low trail bike with standard tubing. I carry 30lb on a porteur rack where you have your handlebar bag and up to 20lb in a saddle bag. It rides nicely. I wonder if shifting the rear load panniers would make it nicer or overload the fork. How much does your front end flop at low speed? Thanks for sharing this!
Thanks Ryan, I'm glad you have had a similar experience with loading your bike. The front end on this bike has a pretty low wheel flop. If I hold the bike by the saddle the front end will stay centered on its own (unless I lean the bike over). I noticed on my older 1983 touring bike it had a major wheel flop (especially with a load up front). The HT angle on that bike was around 70.5-71 (approx.) and this bike has a 72.5 HT angle. I wonder if that's the difference? This bike has a much longer fork rack (67mm).
Henrywildeberry Thanks! I think your handlebar bag is in a good position behind the axle and your panniers seem have most of their weight behind it too. My bike has a 71° HT and a ginormous 75mm rake, but I still might try one of those low rider racks to see if it improves handling further. Cheers!
Awesome report :D I'm thinking about upgrading from my 2013 Velo Orange Pass Hunter to a custom Mercian and I've been thinking about geo. This helped thanks! I also love your cockpit, so clean! What headset and cable stop are you using?
Thank you. The headset is the no longer available 2-nut by Chris King and the cable stop is diacompe (steel). It's the short version which has less flex for better braking feel. Best of luck in your custom build, that's exciting!
@@Henrywildeberry thanks! In the meantime I also found your "the complete build" video where you listed the components thanks for that! I guess you are happy with your headset then, no mention of shimmy in any of your videos :) I am considering the chris king or a stronglight A9 which is ridiculously cheaper!
Ms. 😎z! Srsly😂 thanks Rob! We're trying to make the most of the situation. A lot of people must be struggling to keep sane during this time, so hopefully they'll see this video and get out and ride bikes. ✌️
@AFreakazoid I will check those out, thank you. But also, since I made that comment, I have acquired a Giant Iguana, which can accept racks and fenders, so I am excited about fitting it with lots of camping gear.
It's a nice saddle. It feels more 'race' fitting than a Brooks. They do make a wider model if that's your preference. I personally like it because it is a good all purpose saddle. It's comfy on long rides, but still feels good in the drops chasing the group. The quality is top notch (I have the titanium rails). It's leather, so it needs to be cared for. Don't leave it in the rain on the back of your car and drive home. Give it some leather conditioner once every six months. The leather will stretch as time goes on, although I haven't tightened mine yet. I have about 9000 miles on mine, and adjusted the saddle tilt once. I'm hoping to get many more years of use. Saddles are by far the hardest decision to make. Once thing that might be worth mentioning is you could probably resell it if you try it out and decide you don't like it. All the best in your quest.
Henrywildeberry thx, I really the like style. I think I’ll pick one up. I usually gravitate towards a 145 ish saddle like my SMP Pro and Selle Italia SLR as I’m 6’2 but these seem to run wide. I do like the style which appeals to my middle age sensibility.
its already tanked for the poor...but americans dont seem to care about the poor. i keep hearing, despite the evidence, that "poverty is a personality defect." so...it doesnt look good moving "forward"....
Henry, what did you think about the Gravel Kings with the extra load? I think some of the 'squishy-ness' I experienced on my loaded '84 Raleigh Portage was due to the lower tire pressure. I do like the slicks for 50/50 road/gravel riding.
They felt great! I pumped them up to 27-28 psi on the front. I normally inflate them to around that pressure, and then let them deflate over a few days before re-inflating them. I find that when they drop to around 22-25 they roll very smoothly. With the load on the front the tires felt very smooth. Of course the extra weight was noticeable on the climbs, and I was riding a little slower than average, but the handling overall was excellent. The GK's are very nice tires.
Ms. Cools' was the one making all the racket. We thought it was the end of the plug rubbing on the ground, but it turns out her front tire developed a bubble that fill up with sealant (tubeless set up) between the carcass and tread. We ended up swapping out the tires when we got home with an older set. There's a new one for me.
Nice grocery ride, what do you think about these new pinion gear bikes with the carbon belts ? Is cycling starting to get to advanced or is it going in the right direction? Also nice front rack, I have been debating on what front rack I should get
The belt drive looks like a good option for someone who wants/needs a very low maintenance bike. The slight weight penalty and slight inefficiency of a gear box probably wouldn't be a deal breaker for touring, commuting, general pleasure riding (which is 90% of most riding), or even an e-bike. I'm not sure if they have the same gear range as a traditional bike with a chain and cassette, so that could be an issue for steep climbing, but I haven't researched it myself. Gear boxes have been around for quite sometime. If you check out a bicycle museum you'll see some pretty wild inventions over the years even dating back to the earliest of bicycle designs. The chain drive seems to have stood the test of time because its nearly ideal efficiency. That doesn't mean there aren't good reasons to use a belt drive. For me personally there is something about the feel and sound of a chain that feels right.
@@Henrywildeberry The Pinion gear box actually has a higher gear range than a standard compact setup. I believe it is something like 600% for the 12 speed and more for the 18 speed, with closer steps between each gear. It is truly built to surpass a traditional derailleur setup, but comes at a steep price and weight penalty.
Was more interested in weither carring a load is better on the front or back. Going from a motor cycle on which I was carrying the load on back I am starting to think load the front of the bicycle THEN the back.
I would recommend a Burley Nomad. I did my first 4 long tours (Trans Am, Southern Tier, Northern Tier, and Pacific Coast) on cyclocross bikes with the Burley Nomad. I now have a Surley Disc Trucker with front and back racks and a full set of Ortlieb panniers and I still use the Nomad. I have since done the Sierra-Cascade Route and came back down the Pacific Coast again, New Orleans to Daytona Beach, and the Mississippi River Route with a loop around the Great Lakes on the Disc Trucker with the Nomad. I don't take it off-road (hence the dual racks and Ortlieb panniers), but for an on road tour in the US, it is my go to rig for long distance touring.
@@themoodyteam They were amazing. I was hoping to do one through from Columbia to the tip of South America this fall and winter, but that seems highly unlikely now. Guess I have another year to save--so maybe an even longer one next year.
Thanks Ricardo! The brand is Columbia Sports Wear. I got this pair at Ross which is a discount store here (I'm not sure if they have a Ross where you live) for $14.00. They run pretty long, so I rolled up the legs a few times. I got these for our up coming tour because they are lightweight and will hopefully dry fast. Also, they are bright colored so people will see us better on the road.
Henrywildeberry thanks for the info. We don’t have Ross down here, unfortunately, but there’s a Columbia Sports Wear store. I’m guessing discount pricing won’t be an option there haha
I was wondering why there were only a handful of fruits, bread, peanut butter, and chocolate on your grocery list. And then we saw that you weighed _merely_ 161 lb fully equipped, ready-to-ride.
I rode from Vancouver to San Francisco on a touring bike with front and back panniers -- it wobbled. Lots of yaw rotation. PS Ask your viewers to submit their ideal randonneur shopping list. Eg: peanut butter, bagels, blueberries, blackberries, bananas.
@@Henrywildeberry Yes. I also had a handlebar bag. I put all the heavy items on the front and the lighter things in the rear panniers. That helped -- but the bike still felt wonky. When I tour now, I carry the minimum of stuff. No frying pans.
Very informative video. Makes we wonder whether an endurance road bike can be converted to carry panniers just by replacing the fork. A steel fork with braze-ons and a rack like you have is a lot cheaper than an entire bike. Of course, I think you'd also have to consider the braking power of a caliper rim brake. Russ at PLP did a similar video called "Front Load Bias" (ua-cam.com/video/gdmY5ajkuo0/v-deo.html). Personally, I don't like the idea of a heavy bike packing seat bag because the weight is so high off the ground and can swing from side to side. I think this makes a lot more sense and has the advantage of not having to have a heavy-tubed bike. You shop way better than Durianrider!
Grocery runsa re regular for me and I regularly haul 20-35kgs on my bike... It's not meant to carry so much load but it's a Steel bike so why not. :). Totally agree on how the Tubing impacts the weight you carry. I prefer carry the heaviest stuff in the frame bag if they fit. Easy to balance the bike that way.
Yes, even B-52s couldn't stop the humble bicycle! I've seen pictures of them with a limb lashed to them carrying about 4 sacks of flour. You don't know what you can do until you have to!
That is some beautiful country you have to ride in!!!
Thank you and Ms. Cools for another enjoyable video. You both look perfectly comfortable when riding. Stay healthy!
Exactly!!! What a grocery trip. Good to find out what works best before you go out. Take care and stay safe, Al
finally there is a video where I can learn how much groceries can be stored in the front panniers, thanks
The important parameters of cycling.
Hey you two, nice visit as always! Glad the pannier action is working for you and can't wait to see your next adventure.... OOh a tour!
I go for groceries here in the Seattle area several times a week and have only one word for you: to quote the Bard (sort of),
"Get thee a basket, get thee a Basket!" Wald 139 zip-tied to my front rack takes a full grocery bag secured with a cargo net and, voila!
from Crust Evasion to Crust beast of burden ! Oh I know the 'Green Hornet' has a more svelte tubeset but still....
Safe journeys to you al
Another great video and adventure. I also go grocery shopping with my bike. Rear panniers and one front bag. The Bicycle is the perfect vehicle ever. Thanks to you Both.
Thanks for this video - I never thought about how the bike’s design impacts where to carry the load. Love your videos, excited to see your videos from your upcoming tour.
It surprised me too. Going into this I wasn't confident it would work this well. It turns out the weight on the front doesn't adversely affect the way the bike handles, even with a thin flexible tubed frame.
One of my favorite UA-camrs. Really appreciate the effort both of you put in.
Thank you! We know there are a lot of great cycling UA-camrs out there, and it is nice to know some folks are enjoying our videos! Cheers!
@@Henrywildeberry Who? I already subscribe to the important ones: you, RaD Bike Adventure, PLP/ACN (wonder what that subscriber ven diagram would look like?), and Iohan Gueorguiev. Most others I've found seem concerned with some variety of competition. I'm all about #partypace. 🙃
Here in the UK, we're under virtual house arrest, not meant to go even a few miles for exercise, even on our bikes. Your videos are a breath of fresh air in an increasingly mad world. Long live your freedom Americans.
That is horrific, being prohibited to go out even just for cycling or walking. How can we possibly maintain our sanity.
What is freedom?
Always great videos, so much to catch up. Hope this note helps stats. Be well.
Thanks, Mike! I'm glad you are enjoying the videos!
Learned a lesson the hard way, riding on gravel. You want the weight on the front! The accident was on an ECR, high bars, reclined seating position, rear panniers held the only load. Was going around 12 mph down a slight grade and hit 3" gravel. Bike went left and I went right. 3 broken ribs, concussion, and still can't feel my right side 2 years later. Had I been over the bars, and loaded the front panniers instead I probably wouldn't have crashed.
I'm so sorry to hear about your crash! Thanks for sharing and I'm sure others will appreciate it too. It sounds like getting the weight on the front tire seems like the best place to start. I hope you heal up and regain feeling on the right side. Take care!!!
Cool video! Maybe not a good idea to send me out 50 miles for the groceries. I have a feeling half of them would come back in my stomach.😁 I appreciate the info on the Tubus rack. Been thinking about getting one for a while now. I think it's time.
There's definitely a calorie consumption coefficient that needs to be factored in to any bicycle grocery shopping trip!
Nice video, Henry. Grocery shopping trip is a really good way to test how to load stuff on your bike. I always put food stuff into handlebar bag, electronics and tools into frame bag and clothes into saddle bag. That's the way I load stuff on my Raleigh road bike during brevets and tours and it handles well. Of course it is pretty heavy then. I recently traveled from Helsinki to Kuopio by the train and did a 150 km bike ride from Kuopio to Valtimo which is a little town in North Karelia. Amazing landscapes and big hills. After brevets I just enjoy to do relaxed bike touring like this. I'll post a video from my trip some day. Have a happy bike tour too!
Good job you two!
I love Dave's Killer Bread! Raisin, White Bread Done Right and Good Seed.
I've never ridden for groceries.
Dave's is outstanding bread! I usually go for the 21 Whole Grains, but the Good Seed is excellent too! I'll need to grab a loaf of the raisin next time.
A great challenge in these times of pandemic blessings from Colombia
Stay safe!
Ms Cools made this a COOL video of course 5 out of 5 Cools on the cools rating scale. the new shades and jersey looked good Ms Cools. I look forward to seeing some of this tour hopefully. Good luck HWB
I saw this a few months ago and I've been loading my groceries on my front pannier since then. But I forgot about the pro tips!
lovely ms. cools is on the ride!! pro tip: mileage always in kilometers....haha -- get it??
Put some velcro (fuzzy side) in the location of your pannier clips to deaden the noise of them slapping Tubus' rail when travelling on unpaved terrain. I use the Swift model with the bungee cord attachment for the lower hook - allows for tensioning them to make them even more quiet.
Cool! Thanks for the tip!
Good call on the Dave’s Killer bread. Happy to see another little adventure vid.
This is all about (good) engineering. The closer you put your weight near the front axle, the more stable it is going to be. (that was the original pitch from Blackburn, when they came out the original low rider rack in the mid 70's). If you were to put all of those groceries into your handlebar bag, If you don't have an accident from the way it steers, you would certainly hate it.
Hauled 50kg of potatoes on my DT the other week... Had a BOB trailer and panniers so it was stable. Actually did it!! - (no gravel involved)
Nice! That's a serious load!
I see you shop for groceries in sebastopol. I usta live there. Nice place to ride from.
U can add a half frame bag for food on it future tour and still be able to use all ur water bottles! I find a frame bag tone essential since it keep the weight in the center!! Also every time I see ur videos I wanna move there , so nice n scenic
Great tip! Thank you!
I'll sometimes use my early '90s Univega MTB-lite/hybrid for grocery runs, but it's pretty flexy and the handling isn't great with heavy loads. I try to keep it to around 20-30 lbs in a pair of folding grocery panniers on the rear rack -- quicker and easier to load with pre-bagged groceries. Usually I prefer a heavier, very rigid, fat tubed aluminum Globe Carmel, which is built pretty much like a Yuba cargo bike. Long wheelbase, very stable with loads up to 50 lbs on the back and a little more in a handlebar bag. If I switched the Globe from the low end Suntour spring fork to a rigid fork it might work well with heavier loads on a front rack. Most of my errands are less than 5 miles but once or twice a month I'll do a 20-30 mile round trip just to get some variety in shopping.
Great video and great info. I think I'll shop for front panniers, too. I have noticed that same shimmy , on the back of my touring bike. My tent, sleeping bag, mattress & pillow , all fit into a compact bag and mount to my rear rack. That'll have to stay, but I think (after your test) , the rest can go into front panniers. KB
Thanks Ken - It was a much bigger improvement than I was expecting both in handling and shimmy.
Well Mr. Wildeberry and Ms. Cools if it was not for the two of you I would have not got back in to riding my bicycle as I think I told you I built my on Surly Disc Trucker its the 52cm 2018 model in Blue. But I was stupid I cut off to much of my head tube as it has turn out for another kind of bike stem. So now I have to order a new surly fork oh well.Sure wish I could find someone like you did to ride with me but around here no one ride bicycles much at all.I am way up here in Caribou Maine I miss the trails I had down in Arkansas and so many people loves to ride bicycles their.If I had a way to send pictures of my build as it is now I would it's going to take a while to redo it.I live off of SS. only. But it's not bad at all.Guess I have to many pots on the fire lol. I may be getting old but I still have a lot left in me to go do.I'm glad to see the both of you using helmets if I had not been wearing mine back in 2015 I would not be here today was hit from the back I never knew it until the next day what had happen to me.And come to find out part of my back got broken.I was on my Surly Big Dummy bicycle I built that one as well.I like to build my own bicycle that way I can pick out what kind of parts I want on it and get the gearing down low I also pull a trailer on my Disc Trucker.It's the BoB Trailer. The same kind of trailer I used on my Surly Long Haul Trucker back in 2009.It's starting to get cold here so I will have time to redo my bicycle for this spring in 2021 I got a ? for the two of you have either one of you ever use WTB Tires I sure like them a lot for off road riding.
That's very interesting about the wobble with the rear load. I just did a ride from Fort Bragg to Sacramento on my new bike made with 631 steel and it had a terrible shimmy with a medium load in the rear panniers (Ortlieb gravel panniers). It was basically unrideable until I lowered the weight (as best I could during the tour) in the panniers. I never got rid of it but at least it was manageable. Could only ride with both hands on the handlebars. As soon as I took a hand off it would shimmy/wobble. I had used a universal rack and did notice when I installed it that it was rather high and set back quite a bit. I know I should have done a test ride with the bags loaded on this bike since it was the first trip but I never had this kinda of issue on my Novara Randonee. That bike had 520 steel. I'm currently in the process of lowering the rack on the new bike and I hope this works because I really want the option to use a rear rack with this bike. It has a carbon fork so I can only load the front it so much. It's a size 58 too which gives it a high CG. Thanks for the video!
Good luck getting it sorted out. You may want to experiment with moving the load to the front. You might have to swap the front fork to do so, but that might be a good solution. Check out Soma Fab they sell steel forks with eyelets for a front rack. If cost is a consideration, you can see if the local bicycle recyclery has a used steel for with the same diameter steer (long enough) to fit your frame. You may be able to give it a try before committing to spending money on a new fork. All the best.
@Henrywildeberry I ended up being able to lower the rear rack quite a bit (couple - 3 inches?) and moved it forward at the same time and after a loaded test ride, the bike seems to be OK, no wobble. . I'll do another test ride before I go out on an actual tour with the bike loaded as it would be on the tour to reconfirm everything. I'm glad this worked since replacing the fork wasn't practical in my situation. Again thanks for the video(s) since it confirmed my thinking
Paniers mon ami! Ça s’appelle des paniers. But i know you know that. BTW, just discovered your channel this weekend, great job.
Glad you found and enjoy the channel!
Love it, watching now, all day today... and I see we have a few friends in common on Instagram.
@@poulidor69 Nice! There are lots of rainy day videos to watch here, or if you're just having trouble falling asleep these work great too!
Ms Cools has the right weights and measurements for best effect. I wondered also if taking the bags into the shop in the trolley and filling them there would be better.
That would definitely be better, but right now we cannot bring in re-usable bags to the grocery store due to concerns with covid. Instead, I asked if I could bring the basket out front.
@@Henrywildeberry Understandable.
I've been toying with the idea of a mini cargo type of bicycle I can ride to the store and use it as a shopping trolly. The closest I've come to that is a Brompton folder with a (big) front bag. Still looking.
@@richardharker2775 there's this weird bike, like a baksfiet.....the rear part that adult rides folds up against the bucket thing.... and you add the wheel on the opposite side.... so it looks like a stroller
Glad it works so well! I do groceries every week on a low trail bike with standard tubing. I carry 30lb on a porteur rack where you have your handlebar bag and up to 20lb in a saddle bag. It rides nicely. I wonder if shifting the rear load panniers would make it nicer or overload the fork. How much does your front end flop at low speed? Thanks for sharing this!
Thanks Ryan, I'm glad you have had a similar experience with loading your bike. The front end on this bike has a pretty low wheel flop. If I hold the bike by the saddle the front end will stay centered on its own (unless I lean the bike over). I noticed on my older 1983 touring bike it had a major wheel flop (especially with a load up front). The HT angle on that bike was around 70.5-71 (approx.) and this bike has a 72.5 HT angle. I wonder if that's the difference? This bike has a much longer fork rack (67mm).
Henrywildeberry Thanks! I think your handlebar bag is in a good position behind the axle and your panniers seem have most of their weight behind it too. My bike has a 71° HT and a ginormous 75mm rake, but I still might try one of those low rider racks to see if it improves handling further. Cheers!
Someone was starring you down in the background, when you were toting the basket.
I get groceries every day on my trek 520. Also use it for all local commuting and group rides.
The best thing I ever did to my 650b conversion was to put a porteur rack on the front. It's a real old skool ride.
Andy’s is the best groceria in the north bay!
Awesome report :D I'm thinking about upgrading from my 2013 Velo Orange Pass Hunter to a custom Mercian and I've been thinking about geo. This helped thanks! I also love your cockpit, so clean! What headset and cable stop are you using?
Thank you. The headset is the no longer available 2-nut by Chris King and the cable stop is diacompe (steel). It's the short version which has less flex for better braking feel. Best of luck in your custom build, that's exciting!
@@Henrywildeberry thanks! In the meantime I also found your "the complete build" video where you listed the components thanks for that! I guess you are happy with your headset then, no mention of shimmy in any of your videos :) I am considering the chris king or a stronglight A9 which is ridiculously cheaper!
I always put weight on the front first. You don’t feel it so much that way. On the back it makes the bike feel heavy and slow.
Where did you bought the bag yah? Look awesome
The handlebar bag is from Ruthworks SF www.ruthworkssf.com
Most wow factor FTW👍🏼👊🏼😆
Ms. 😎z! Srsly😂 thanks Rob! We're trying to make the most of the situation. A lot of people must be struggling to keep sane during this time, so hopefully they'll see this video and get out and ride bikes. ✌️
Who makes the handlebar bag? Love how the bar tape has aged guessing its leather?
Thanks Jim, the handlebar bag is made by Ruthworks in SF.
Ha, Famous Dave's Good Seed bread. My favorite!
You should get a Bob Yak for things like groceries.
I can't put racks on my bike but yesterday I rode it all the way around Lake Conway.
Arkansas or Florida?
@@AlekseyRyabukha I'm sorry I didn't see your comment until just now. I rode around Lake Conway in Arkansas.
@AFreakazoid I will check those out, thank you. But also, since I made that comment, I have acquired a Giant Iguana, which can accept racks and fenders, so I am excited about fitting it with lots of camping gear.
Great video, as always! You're pretty light, Henry. How tall are you?
I'm 6'-0" tall
How’s the saddle working out? I’ve been looking at Berthoud saddles lately for a gravel/road use, but it’s a significant purchase.
It's a nice saddle. It feels more 'race' fitting than a Brooks. They do make a wider model if that's your preference. I personally like it because it is a good all purpose saddle. It's comfy on long rides, but still feels good in the drops chasing the group. The quality is top notch (I have the titanium rails). It's leather, so it needs to be cared for. Don't leave it in the rain on the back of your car and drive home. Give it some leather conditioner once every six months. The leather will stretch as time goes on, although I haven't tightened mine yet. I have about 9000 miles on mine, and adjusted the saddle tilt once. I'm hoping to get many more years of use. Saddles are by far the hardest decision to make. Once thing that might be worth mentioning is you could probably resell it if you try it out and decide you don't like it. All the best in your quest.
Henrywildeberry thx, I really the like style. I think I’ll pick one up. I usually gravitate towards a 145 ish saddle like my SMP Pro and Selle Italia SLR as I’m 6’2 but these seem to run wide. I do like the style which appeals to my middle age sensibility.
Looks like what many will be doing once the economy really tanks! Only so long monopoly money can sustain life as usual.
Never hurts to be prepared!
its already tanked for the poor...but americans dont seem to care about the poor. i keep hearing, despite the evidence, that "poverty is a personality defect." so...it doesnt look good moving "forward"....
Henry, what did you think about the Gravel Kings with the extra load? I think some of the 'squishy-ness' I experienced on my loaded '84 Raleigh Portage was due to the lower tire pressure. I do like the slicks for 50/50 road/gravel riding.
They felt great! I pumped them up to 27-28 psi on the front. I normally inflate them to around that pressure, and then let them deflate over a few days before re-inflating them. I find that when they drop to around 22-25 they roll very smoothly.
With the load on the front the tires felt very smooth. Of course the extra weight was noticeable on the climbs, and I was riding a little slower than average, but the handling overall was excellent. The GK's are very nice tires.
Cool ride, as always. Who's bike was making all that racket?
Ms. Cools' was the one making all the racket. We thought it was the end of the plug rubbing on the ground, but it turns out her front tire developed a bubble that fill up with sealant (tubeless set up) between the carcass and tread. We ended up swapping out the tires when we got home with an older set. There's a new one for me.
@@Henrywildeberry new to me too. 🧐
Nice grocery ride, what do you think about these new pinion gear bikes with the carbon belts ? Is cycling starting to get to advanced or is it going in the right direction? Also nice front rack, I have been debating on what front rack I should get
The belt drive looks like a good option for someone who wants/needs a very low maintenance bike. The slight weight penalty and slight inefficiency of a gear box probably wouldn't be a deal breaker for touring, commuting, general pleasure riding (which is 90% of most riding), or even an e-bike. I'm not sure if they have the same gear range as a traditional bike with a chain and cassette, so that could be an issue for steep climbing, but I haven't researched it myself. Gear boxes have been around for quite sometime. If you check out a bicycle museum you'll see some pretty wild inventions over the years even dating back to the earliest of bicycle designs. The chain drive seems to have stood the test of time because its nearly ideal efficiency. That doesn't mean there aren't good reasons to use a belt drive. For me personally there is something about the feel and sound of a chain that feels right.
Thanks
@@Henrywildeberry The Pinion gear box actually has a higher gear range than a standard compact setup. I believe it is something like 600% for the 12 speed and more for the 18 speed, with closer steps between each gear. It is truly built to surpass a traditional derailleur setup, but comes at a steep price and weight penalty.
That's a heavy bike. But I guess it does the job!
We make up all the lost time....
on the downhill 😀
@@Henrywildeberry haha nice!
do you find this setup more comfortable than a traditional touuring bike?
Deer @ 3;48 ✌😁
Well spotted! I missed it the first time.
You can order on Amazon right
Was more interested in weither carring a load is better on the front or back. Going from a motor cycle on which I was carrying the load on back I am starting to think load the front of the bicycle THEN the back.
I would recommend a Burley Nomad. I did my first 4 long tours (Trans Am, Southern Tier, Northern Tier, and Pacific Coast) on cyclocross bikes with the Burley Nomad. I now have a Surley Disc Trucker with front and back racks and a full set of Ortlieb panniers and I still use the Nomad. I have since done the Sierra-Cascade Route and came back down the Pacific Coast again, New Orleans to Daytona Beach, and the Mississippi River Route with a loop around the Great Lakes on the Disc Trucker with the Nomad. I don't take it off-road (hence the dual racks and Ortlieb panniers), but for an on road tour in the US, it is my go to rig for long distance touring.
Great tours there 😃
@@themoodyteam They were amazing. I was hoping to do one through from Columbia to the tip of South America this fall and winter, but that seems highly unlikely now. Guess I have another year to save--so maybe an even longer one next year.
Heat index in East Central Georgia USA 110°F. Too hot for me to ride my bike to grocery store🥵
Ouch! I hope you find a cool place to go swimming instead.
do you have a lock that you use for bike if you go to the store ? 90 kms thats a nice ride... :)
Ultra light gear?
I'm seriously digging the orange shorts. What brand are they?
Thanks Ricardo! The brand is Columbia Sports Wear. I got this pair at Ross which is a discount store here (I'm not sure if they have a Ross where you live) for $14.00. They run pretty long, so I rolled up the legs a few times. I got these for our up coming tour because they are lightweight and will hopefully dry fast. Also, they are bright colored so people will see us better on the road.
Henrywildeberry thanks for the info. We don’t have Ross down here, unfortunately, but there’s a Columbia Sports Wear store. I’m guessing discount pricing won’t be an option there haha
I was wondering why there were only a handful of fruits, bread, peanut butter, and chocolate on your grocery list. And then we saw that you weighed _merely_ 161 lb fully equipped, ready-to-ride.
I rode from Vancouver to San Francisco on a touring bike with front and back panniers -- it wobbled. Lots of yaw rotation.
PS Ask your viewers to submit their ideal randonneur shopping list. Eg: peanut butter, bagels, blueberries, blackberries, bananas.
John, those are all items high up on my list! Have you tried only a front load? I'd be curious to know if that makes any improvement?
@@Henrywildeberry Yes. I also had a handlebar bag. I put all the heavy items on the front and the lighter things in the rear panniers. That helped -- but the bike still felt wonky. When I tour now, I carry the minimum of stuff. No frying pans.
Miles or kilometers?
If I'm going 50 miles for groceries ,I'll make sure I have enough supplies for a month🙂
No trailer?
Very informative video. Makes we wonder whether an endurance road bike can be converted to carry panniers just by replacing the fork. A steel fork with braze-ons and a rack like you have is a lot cheaper than an entire bike. Of course, I think you'd also have to consider the braking power of a caliper rim brake. Russ at PLP did a similar video called "Front Load Bias" (ua-cam.com/video/gdmY5ajkuo0/v-deo.html). Personally, I don't like the idea of a heavy bike packing seat bag because the weight is so high off the ground and can swing from side to side. I think this makes a lot more sense and has the advantage of not having to have a heavy-tubed bike. You shop way better than Durianrider!
Those orange shorts are really Orange.
brad sanders we don’t want to be accused of not being visible 👍😄
lastly, why didnt you get any ice cream, and put it in a freezer bag??...and then ride fast home...
Grocery runsa re regular for me and I regularly haul 20-35kgs on my bike... It's not meant to carry so much load but it's a Steel bike so why not. :). Totally agree on how the Tubing impacts the weight you carry. I prefer carry the heaviest stuff in the frame bag if they fit. Easy to balance the bike that way.
Shoot I wish I weighted the total of your bike and groceries, I'd be a tad lighter.
There's always two sides to every equation. There's weight, but then there is power. I'm sure you've built up some good power numbers.
Bonne maman jam! Didn’t know you had them in the US.
Btw, 60 miles is not 100km either, it’s 96.5 :)
We didn't even come close to 60 miles!
I love Bonne Mamon here in far northern California; peach and plum are my favorites.
Passport For Survival shopping: buy 50 lbs sacks of flour, dried milk, honey and salt. Tie to self and push bike home
Yes, even B-52s couldn't stop the humble bicycle! I've seen pictures of them with a limb lashed to them carrying about 4 sacks of flour. You don't know what you can do until you have to!
I prefer to have the load on the back of the bike.
You guys are lean and mean! Are you vegan?