Bicycle Touring Pro » Clothing http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog Bicycle Touring Pro Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:55:57 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 23 Stylish SPD Bicycle Touring Shoes http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/stylish-spd-bicycle-touring-shoes/ http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/stylish-spd-bicycle-touring-shoes/#comments Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:48:08 +0000 Darren Alff http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/?p=12538 Finding the perfect bicycle touring shoe is a challenge… but not impossible! There are plenty of cycling-specific shoes that are good looking, designed for maximum performance on the bike, and comfortable to walk in once you step off your two-wheeled vehicle at the end of the day.

Below you will find 23 casual/stylish pairs of SPD cycling shoes that are perfect for bicycle touring because they look good both on and off the bike and they can be walked in with relative comfort (thus reducing the need for many traveling cyclists to carry two separate pairs of shoes). Below each of the shoes on this page will find a yellow “Buy Now!” button, which you can click if you are interested in purchasing a pair of these shoes for your own commuting/touring/mountain bike adventures. Shoes are listed in alphabetical order.

Diadora Globe

The Diadora Globe is a touring shoe made of Nylon, reinforced with fiberglass, and combined with a rubber outsole. The fiberglass-reinforced nylon ensures the rigidity required to obtain a direct thrust and effective power transmission, while the rubber outsole provides maximum traction.

Forté Traverse

Urban style meets rugged good looks in these MTB shoes built for road, trail, touring or indoor cycling.

Mavic Alpine

The Mavic Alpine shoes feature a balance of rugged support, breathability, abrasion resistance and the Trail Grip Outsole for trail traction, efficient pedaling and all day comfort.

Mavic Cruize

Simple, reliable and comfortable. The Mavic Cruize MTB shoes bring casual style to every ride.

Northwave Drifter GTX

This carbon soled shoe adapts to every shape of foot with thanks to its special upper construction. This shoe will also keep you feet fresh thanks to its clever ventilation system, giving an all round superb cycling experience.

Northwave Expedition GTX Boots

A guaranteed all-out water protection combined with excellent breathability. The unique membrane, without thermo insulation, is perfect for spring and summer shoes, to makes you confront the longest trips out without fatiguing or overheating your feet.

Northwave Mission

A sole specially designed for off-road use. The special design of the tread gets rid of mud optimally, and together with the Vibram® compound, it guarantees maximum grip on all types of surfaces. The structure of the sole is designed for use with MTB pedals and offers the right position when walking.

Northwave Rocker

The Northwave Rocker is a stylish casual black cycling shoe with laces and a big ankle strap.

Pearl Izumi Fuel

A crossover, dual-purpose shoe, the lightweight Pearl Izumi Fuel bike shoes boast a running-shoe-style upper and a rubber lugged bottom for efficiency and comfort when cycling or walking. Comes in both men’s and women’s styles.

Pearl Izumi X-Alp Seek III WRX

The X-Alp Seek III WRX combines the best of both worlds. The stiff nylon Ride & Run plate provides power transfer to the pedals, while the Softshell upper provides excellent water resistant protection and optimum breathability.

Pearl Izumi X-Alp Seek IV

The Pearl Izumi X-Alp Seek IV bike shoes boast a running shoe style upper and a carbon rubber lugged bottom for cycling and off the bike adventures.

Pearl Izumi X-Alp Seek WRX

When the weather doesn’t cooperate, slip on the Pearl Izumi X-Alp Seek WRX bike shoes that boast a running shoe upper, an award-winning X-Alp bottom and a little protection from the elements.

Polaris Bojo

The Polaris Bojo is a lace up cycling shoe with subtle styling. Perfect for commuting and touring cyclists. Features a reflective heel detail for low light safety.

Shimano AM45

The AM45 is built with a raised outsole that wraps around tough synthetic leather to offer added protection for rough sections of trail. The mid-top design protects your ankle while the no-mesh design keeps dirt and rocks out.

Shimano MP56L

If you’re looking for a set of clipless cycling shoes that protect your ankles while you ride, allow you to walk in style, and make you look good at the same time – look no further than the Shimano SH-MP56L shoes. Also available as the upgraded MP-66L.

Shimano MP66W

A Shimano SPD mountian biking and spinning sneaker. The ’09 Shimano SH-MP66W men’s MTB shoe is very comfortable to walk in.

Shimano MT21

Looking for all-round, clipless cycling shoes that allow you to ride the trails, tour the country, hit the indoor cycling class and still be able to walk around comfortably in between? Look no further.

Shimano MT32

An SPD compatible mountain bike shoe with an EVA midsole that provides you extra efficiency while pedaling and a comfortable walking experience.

Shimano MT33L

These Shimano MT33L bike shoes feature stiff midsoles and great tread patterns, making them ideal for mountain biking yet completely at home while commuting, touring and riding casually.

 Shimano MT42NV

The Shimano MT42NV shoes are designed to be at home off-road but totally in place on the pavement, too. On or off your bike, Mountain Touring offers comfort along with casual good looks.

Shimano MT53

The Shimano MT52 is a mid-top hiking-style mountain bike shoe designed to offer great ankle stability and walking support.

Shimano MT60

On-road commute or off-road escapade, these MTB shoes handle any cycling adventure you put in their path.

Specialized Primo

With modern styling, extra plush cushioning, and patented Body Geometry technology, this truly versatile and affordable cycling shoe is ideal for commuting or casual use.

Do you have experience with any of the shoes on this page? If so, what do you think of them? Also, are there any other stylish SPD shoes that I missed that should be included here? Leave a comment below and let me know what you have to say!

]]> http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/stylish-spd-bicycle-touring-shoes/feed/ 9 How Much Does It Cost To Gear Up For A Bicycle Tour? http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/how-much-does-it-cost-to-gear-up-for-a-bicycle-tour/ http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/how-much-does-it-cost-to-gear-up-for-a-bicycle-tour/#comments Mon, 15 Aug 2011 09:53:04 +0000 Darren Alff http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/?p=12070 Bicycle touring can be an extremely inexpensive means of transportation, holiday, fun and more! But purchasing all the gear you need in order to conduct a long-distance bicycle tour can be a major drain on your bank account.

The question is: How much does all this bicycle touring gear really cost?

Well, I never really knew the answer… until I sat down a couple days ago and figured it all out (and the answer might surprise you)!

What I’ve done with this article is written out the basic equipment you might need to purchase for a long-distance bicycle tour. Next to each item listed I’ve recorded an estimated price (in US Dollars) for that particular item and displayed a sample photo of that piece of gear underneath its price.

For example: The first item you are going to need to purchase for your bike trip is a touring bicycle. There are hundreds of touring bicycles to choose from, but for the purpose of this article, I chose one of the most popular and least expensive touring bikes available  (the Surly Long Haul Trucker) and displayed it for you below with it’s average estimated price of $1,095 USD.

Now, as you continue down the list, you will see a number of additional bicycle touring items you will likely need for your travels – everything from racks and panniers, to tents and sleeping bags, to camp stoves and sporks, and everything in between. Each item is displayed with its average estimated price and a photo of one such piece of gear.

While you could certainly go on a bicycle tour without every single one of the items listed on this page, the items displayed here are what your average long-distance bicycle tourist (who plans to camp and cook his or her own food) might be carrying. Additional items, like a camera, underwear, off-the-bike clothing, food, toiletries, and pretty much everything else, has not been included. Only the basics/essentials have been covered.

Finally, at the bottom of this article, the cost of all these items has been totaled up for you. The purpose of which is to give you a good estimate as to how much all of this gear would cost you if you were to purchase it all at its full retail price (minus additional taxes, shipping costs, etc).

Touring Bicycle – $1,095 USD

Shown here: The Surly Long Haul Trucker

Rear Rack – $40 USD

Shown here: Axiom Journey Tubular Rear Rack

Front Rack – $85 USD

Shown here: Arkel AC Lowrider Front Rack

2 Rear Panniers – $165 USD

Shown here: Ortlieb Back Roller Classic Panniers

2 Front Panniers – $143 USD

Shown here: Ortlieb Front Roller Classic Panniers

2 Water Bottle Cages – $12 USD

Shown here: Planet Bike Stainless Steel Bicycle Waterbottle Cage

2 Insulated Water Bottles – $22 USD

Shown here: Polar Bottle 24 oz Insulated Water Bottle

Front & Rear Fenders – $32 USD

Shown here: Planet Bike Hardcore Road Fenders

Handlebar Bag (+ Map Case) – $40 USD

Shown here: Avenir Excursion QR Handlebar Bag

2 Bungee Cords – $12 USD

Shown here: Nashbar Rack Strap

Tent & Tent Footprint – $ 261 USD

Shown here: MSR Hubba 1-Person Tent

Sleeping Bag – $189 USD

Shown here: REI Radiant Down +20 Sleeping Bag

Sleeping Pad – $80 USD

Shown here: Pacific Outdoor Equipment Peak Oyl Mountain Sleeping Pad

Bicycle Computer – $50 USD

Shown here: Cateye CC-RD300W Strada Wireless Bicycle Computer

Rear Bicycle Light – $15 USD

Shown here: Planet Bike Blinky 7-Led Rear Bicycle Light

Headlamp – $38 USD

Shown here: Petzl E97 PM Tikka Plus 2 Headlamp

Helmet – $89 USD

Shown here: Giro Xen Bicycle Helmet

Mirror – $15 USD

Shown here: CycleAware Reflex Bicycle Mirror

Bike Lock – $20 USD

Shown here: Kryptonite Kryptoflex 1218 Key Cable Bicycle Lock

Camp Stove & Fuel Bottle – $110 USD

Shown here: MSR Whisperlite International Stove

Cook Pot – $70 USD

Shown here: 1.3 Liter Titanium Non-Stick Pot

Knife -$50 USD

Shown here: SOG Specialty Knives & Tools TWI-12 Twitch II

Spork – $9 USD

Shown here: Vargo Titanium Spork

Jersey – $40 USD

Shown here: Fox Racing 2011 Men’s Baseline Short Sleeve Bike Jersey

Bicycle Shorts – $70 USD

Shown here: Fox Ranger Mountain Bike Shorts

2 Pairs of Cycling Socks – $18 USD

Shown here: SmartWool PHD Cycling Ultra Light Mini Socks

SPD Cycling Shoes – $75 USD

Shown here: Shimano SH-MT33L Mountain Bike Shoes

Rain Jacket – $150 USD

Shown here: Showers Pass Touring Jacket

Camp Towel – $13 USD

Shown here: REI MultiTowel Lite Medium Towel

Bicycle Pump – $22 USD

Shown here: Topeak Harpoon S2 Master Blaster Bike Pump

Patch Kit – $3 USD

Shown here: Novara Bicycle Tube Patch Kit

2 Tire Levers -$6 USD

Shown here: SKS Tire Levers

Spare Tube – $6 USD

Shown here: Avenir Premium Tube Presta Valve 700c Tube

Chain Lube – $12 USD

Shown here: White Lightning Chain Lubricant

Multi-Tool -$26 USD

Shown here: Topeak Alien II 26-Function Bicycle Tool

GRAND TOTAL: $3,083 USD

If you were to purchase every single one of the items on this page, your grand total would be right around the $3,000 mark (plus any additional taxes and shipping charges, etc).

For many people reading this now, the cost of all these items might be a bit shocking. For others, you might be thinking “That’s not too bad”. Whatever the case, at least you now have a general idea of how much it might cost to fully-equip yourself for a long-distance bicycle touring adventure.

And remember: You can certainly equip yourself for a whole lot less than this. Finding these items used, on sale, or eliminating them all together will save you a lot of money. Plus, if you so choose, you can select other gear that costs a whole lot more than this! The choice (and the price of your bicycle touring gear) is ultimately up to you!

For those of you who have traveled by bike in the past, how much did it cost you to equip yourself for your bicycle touring adventures? Leave a comment below and let me know!

]]> http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/how-much-does-it-cost-to-gear-up-for-a-bicycle-tour/feed/ 46 Road ID – The Shoe ID http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/road-id-the-shoe-id/ http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/road-id-the-shoe-id/#comments Mon, 27 Jun 2011 11:24:33 +0000 Darren Alff http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/?p=8684 Road ID Show - The Shoe ID packaging

If you’re even the slightest bit concerned about your safety when traveling by bike, you should consider getting yourself a Road ID.

Road ID is kind of like a military dog tag, used in the event of an emergency to contact your loved ones and help medical professionals quickly diagnose your situation. Unlike a military dog tag, however, the Road ID has been designed specifically with runners, cyclists and similar athletic individuals in mind. The basic premise behind the Road ID is that there is a small stainless steel tag, on which your name, contact phone numbers, and medical history is engraved. You can see my name, date of birth, home city, contacts and medical history engraved on the Shoe ID above. I have blurred out the phone numbers for privacy reasons.

The idea behind the Road ID is that in the event of an accident (you being hit by a car, attacked by a dog, passing out, etc) someone will come along and find you, see your Road ID, and instantly know who to contact.

The Road ID is especially important for individuals who have specific health conditions. With the Road ID, you can engrave just about anything you want on it, so if you have a specific health condition, be sure to include that information on your ID. Then, when medical personnel find you during an emergency, they’ll know how to treat you and won’t waste any precious time trying to figure out what’s wrong with you or how to treat your condition.

The Road ID comes in a number of different designs (including products for your wrist, ankle, and around your neck), but the Road ID featured here is the Shoe ID.

The Shoe ID consists of the regular metal identification tag featured on the other Road ID products. But instead of wrapping around your wrist or ankle (which some people may not like), the Shoe ID uses a small Velcro strap to wrap itself around the laces of your shoe and stay in place while you go about your day.

The Shoe ID is super lightweight (you won’t notice it at all) and is easy to install. (See the photos below for instructions on how to secure the Shoe ID to your shoe and see a picture of the Shoe ID in place on one of my favorite pairs of shoes.)

At $19.99 USD, the Shoe ID from Road ID is a no-brainer. This is the type of product you hope you’ll never have to use, but if something horrible were to ever happen to you while on your travels or even around your home, this inexpensive piece of emergency gear could literally save your life!

For more information on the Shoe ID and to see the other Road ID models that are available to you, please visit www.roadid.com.

how to put on the road id shoe

Road ID shoe on an actual shoe

 

]]> http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/road-id-the-shoe-id/feed/ 0 How To Do Your Laundry Without A Laundromat http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/how-to-do-your-laundry-without-a-laundromat/ http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/how-to-do-your-laundry-without-a-laundromat/#comments Mon, 06 Jun 2011 10:51:34 +0000 Colleen Welch http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/?p=8492 hanging laundry on a wire

If you have ever done a multi-day bike tour, you have probably needed to do laundry at some point in time. The question is: What do you do when you are in dire need of some clean clothes, yet there is no laundromat or even a shower or sink near your campsite?

Some might be happy to just wear the least dirty article of clothing. As a woman, and a person who prefers not to smell offensive to others, I would rather not wear dirty clothes. Okay, the pair of pants and t-shirts worn in camp can be worn a few times before washing. However, bike shorts and some undergarments really should be laundered more frequently. Of course, that is merely my opinion.

If you are of the same opinion as I am, here is a handy way to take care of that little laundry problem. First a few (three to be exact) supplies are needed: a plastic bag, some sort of detergent, and a water source. Remember when you stopped at the grocery store to resupply? You kept the plastic grocery sack, right? Besides the many other uses (camp trash bag, saddle cover and dry seat at a wet picnic table), plastic grocery sacks make excellent washing machines (I use the term “washing machine” loosely)!

Here’s what you do: Take the dirty clothes and put them in the grocery sack. Don’t worry if the sack has a hole (they are rarely hole-free). Fill the sack with water (preferably from a spigot). Add one of those laundry detergent “sink packs” (such as Tide) or some other form of soap. If you want to be environmentally correct, use a biodegradable soap. Agitate the laundry around in the bag just like the washing machine (hopefully the hole in the bag is not too big). After a suitable wash “cycle”, hold the bag and let the water drain out. Now, refill the bag with fresh water for the rinse, swish it around and drain as before. You may want to rinse a second time. Now you can wring the clothes out and hang up or drape over a picnic table.

If you want to continue with the spin ‘cycle”, and don’t mind getting a little wet (or looking a little strange), you can spin the bag over your head rapidly. As much fun as this sounds, I would recommend doing this portion of the cycle away from the campsite and other people.

There you have it – a way to do laundry without a laundromat, shower, or sink.

Do your clothes get sparkly clean? Not exactly, but they will get you by until you can get to a proper laundry facility.

Photo by mysza831
]]> http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/how-to-do-your-laundry-without-a-laundromat/feed/ 5 Katy Trail Packing List http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/katy-trail-packing-list/ http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/katy-trail-packing-list/#comments Wed, 12 May 2010 12:57:07 +0000 Darren Alff http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/?p=6300

You don’t have to travel around the world or live on the road for months on end to call yourself a bicycle traveler. Conducting short trips by bike in your local area (or even in your home country) is a great way to get out and experience the joys of bicycle travel.

Yesterday I flew from my home in Park City, Utah (USA) to Kansas City, Missouri. Now that I’m in the great state of Missouri, the plan over the next 10 days is for my friend Josh and I to ride our bikes across the state on the famous Katy Trail.

I’ll be sure to share photos, video and stories from the trip in a future article, but for now, here is the packing list for my 11-day trip to Missouri.

Hopefully this article will help you in preparing your packing lists for shorter trips by bike.

Bike Gear

Electronics

Camping & Cooking Gear

Clothing & Toiletries

  • Eddie Bauer 3-in-1 Rain Jacket
  • 2 Pairs of Jeans
  • Baseball cap
  • 2 Pairs of shorts
  • Sweat pants
  • 3 T-shirts
  • Fox Racing jersey
  • Fox Racing shorts 2 Pairs of black anklet socks
  • 2 Pairs of long socks
  • Underwear
  • Nike tennis shoes
  • Toiletry Kit
  • Road ID wrist

Paperwork

  • Wallet
  • Business cards
  • 2 reading books
  • Journal
  • 3 Pens

You should note that 1) I only brought a rear rack and two panniers with me because I don’t plan to use front panniers on this particular trip. I won’t need them because I am carrying less clothes and gear than I would typically carry on a longer trip by bike. 2) I am also carrying a whole lot more camera gear than your typical bicycle traveler might carry.  I have all this camera gear because I plan to bring you back a ton of great photos from my travels… and I’ll be working while I’m out on the road. So, this gear is necessary for me to continue running this website.

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