Hi guys, I'd like to prepare for a 1 day 180km trip. I bought a Serious Athabasca trekking bike and now I'm looking for the best upgrades to do and some workout tips. My trips usually have around 40% of off-road dirt/rocky paths so I thought a trekking bike would be good.
Bike upgrades
The bike is completely stock apart from:
- Ergon grips
- 1 Water bottle cage + Stainless steel bottle (650ml)
650ml water is not enough as I keep refilling often, I'll buy another water bottle cage like this one and a bigger 1.25L/1.5L stainless steel bottle.
I saw some rear racks for bicycles where you can clip on the backpacks on the sides so you can travel without extra weight on your back, how do these work? Can I use any backpack or do I have to buy a specific one that clips on a specific rack? Do these have a specific name?
What other upgrades should I do? In case something breaks I'm thinking: multitool, spare inner tube, air pump. Is buying a new stem to have the handlebars raised more worth it? What about armrests/arm pads thingies you mount on the handlebar so you can rest in a different, are these worth it?
Other upgrade suggestions? What is it the upgrade that you liked the most? What is the one thing you bought you can't go touring without?
Workout stuff
The longest I ever did in 1 day was 105km 19km/h on a MTB but I would like to do 180km this summer so I'm working out with that goal in mind. Is working out 1 time a week enough? For the workouts, is it good enough just to do long distance rides?
For intra-workout nutrition I know that electrolytes are important for long-distance stuff. I also know that you need a mix of simple carbs during the ride to refuel energy, are the gels/bars really that needed or I can just buy something like candy from the store? Other than the food what to put in the water, is something like maltodextrin powder a good idea?
Thanks
by Civil-Raisin-2741
2 Comments
If u live in a warm country I wouldn’t suggest summer cause of heat danger.
All the rest seem ok for this type of tour.
Im not aware of clip on rack backpacks but im interested if u find what you’re looking
Hope you have a great ride!
-It’s always a good idea to get the weight off your back and onto the bike. There is a convertible backpack/pannier from ortlieb, but I’m not sure you need it for this. https://de.ortlieb.com/en/products/vario
It wasn’t clear to me in your post if you are camping at the end of the ride. If not you may not need that much volume and it would be better to get storage that is aerodynamically streamlined; think framebag, toptube bag, and handlebar bag or something on the rack. It’s helpful to get the framebag and toptube bag from the same manufacturer so the straps are compatible (I have liked https://restrap.com/) A simple dry bag can go on a saddle or rack by clipping under the seat and using a cinch strap.
-Other upgrades, an Ergon saddle was very helpful for me. I imagine the rocky parts are going to be too bumpy for aero bars but could be helpful otherwise. You are on the right track for repair supplies, things you didn’t mention were a patch kit and tire levers. Practice tube replacement.
-1 workout a week is not enough to see progress. If time is an issue can you bike commute to work or school? Cardio, leg strength, and core stability will probably be the most helpful things to work on.
Edit: link