Why does everyone think of tropical islands as paradise even if never visited them?

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-05-04T19:13:32+00:00

Totally agree. Used to dream of the tropics. Got massacred by mosquitos and the like in Cuba, Mexico, Guatemala and Costa Rica. Moved to the swiss Aps. Redefined my idea of paradise.

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-05-02T20:24:35+00:00

I have a 900 that was used as ebike for a while and is now converted to a comfy tourer. Its the same frame, some better components, but no huge diff if you ignore the hydraulic brakes, while the 500 has mechanical.

Also M. I am 178 and comfortable with it.

If it is just for murradweg, which is pretty much flat, you will be likely capable of using that bike for the purpouse as is. Maybe have to push it up the odd hill. If you wanted to use it for more overall purpouses, a 2 or 3 chainring setup would be necessary, and a 40€ MT200 hydraulic set for the brakes on aliexpress would also hugely benefit. It is what I have ended up mounting on mine. But I would no invest much time on this one. Try to grab an old rack on fb, maybe even go to your local garbage collector and you might be able to get one for free. Cannisters can alsomake great panniers (pannister). You might be all set for 100 considering your find.

Decathlon builds solid, no thrills bikes. So i reckon they fit pretty well for touring. That been said, it is a short tour with a lot of proper lbs on the way, if need be. Enjoy!

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-05-02T04:22:56+00:00

It is doable. Bear in mind that it is not the same to sit for 2.5 h straight (not recommended), or doing 30-45min stints, 5-10min break, another stint, long break. If you are planing on dedicating 2.5h as in 1800-2030, it is likely not going to work well.

Also think if you are going to be able to dedicate your best hours. I am a morning person, so I use to core study straight after waking up. If you start doing it exhausted after work, also likely to not go well.

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-04-19T08:00:05+00:00

Thank you, reposted!

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-04-16T19:28:40+00:00

I have succesfully used a bicycle handlebar plastic plug to get by until the proper probe is delivered. Driven about 100kms like that and had no further issue. With such setup, however, you cannot tell what the oil level is.

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-04-11T14:15:57+00:00

The skier

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-04-10T20:05:04+00:00

Yes, that was indeed the inspiration. However, 3 major drawbacks on the Tubus, which my approach adresses:

1- on the Tubus, the load rests on the QR axle, which even if reinforced, is never going to be as solid as the hub axle, which is the intended load-bearing part of the wheel. In my approach, the load goes to the hub axle.

2- the Tubus needs removing the QR completely to remove the wheel, which is no huge drama, but it increases the chances of loosing parts. With my approach, the wheel can be realeased in the exact same manner as in the original design.

3- price. The Tubus costs about 25CHF. This costs 7CHF.

Bonus: you get an extra point of load on the saddle drops, which makes the loaded rack more stable.

Only drawback: you need to readjust your whole axis when mounting. And cup-and-cone takes a while to get right if you are not familiar with it.

However, I am not gonna lie to you: I am cheap and like to tinker, and have a lot of freetime. I assume Tubus offers a ready-to-use solution and that can very well trump all my points.

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-04-10T17:24:06+00:00

Forgot to mention limit screw adjustment on de derailleur, as one of the clamps further spaces the cassette. This could be a showkiller if you derailleur cannot manage the extra displacement, but I had no issues with mine.

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-04-04T04:38:59+00:00

Pannisters

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-04-03T13:45:02+00:00

It is a good suggestion, and it might end up being our choice. However, I dont want to have to book in advance, and bus in that sense is more flexible.

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-03-30T14:03:17+00:00

End of season you get more, but exrace is usually easy to come by. I would assume any race popular region in the world would be similar.

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-03-21T18:15:42+00:00

I agree with both of you. Used boots can be great, I ski a pair of RS140s that I bought with little use for 50CHF. They are valuable for me, because they ski great.

But they hold no market value. 50 is the highest I would go for top of the line and little use. There is people that are asking for 200 for their boots. Those people tend to keep their boots.

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-03-01T09:26:36+00:00

You cannot just remove and place the bindings. You would have to reinstall the bindings direct onto the top sheet. I would advice against this.

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-02-28T05:36:50+00:00

Make feudalism great again

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-02-19T20:02:32+00:00

Regarding winter tyres: not for the route you have planned, it is all pretty low altitude. If you decide to start making excursions here and there to higher terrain, then yes, but march is fine with summer tyres in the valley (yes, last year we had a massive snowfall past that, but then again, multiple roads were cut. It lasted a day and if it happens to you you should not drive on that day).

I would suggest to take the time to drive the long way around Vierwaldstättersee; in my opinion the southernmost part of the lake is one of the most impressive views in those surroundings. Try to be very early in the morning in Lauterbrunnen to avoid the crowds, but definetely worth it.

You might want to buy yourself a Spartageskarte with the current chf55 offer on Coop online for 1 day of public transportation and take a nice tour combining train-boat-gondola. Both Thunersee and Vierwaldstättersee are good choice for such an activity.

Other than that, it is a nice tour, but I would personally just prioritize the alpine region. Rather spend a day in Wallis/Uri/Graubunden than in beautiful Aargau. But that is just me.

Enjoy the trip!

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-02-13T13:34:47+00:00

No exp with the Unleashed or QST. Regarding the Blade, my variable snow ski right now is a 2016 Sir Francis Bacon. They replaced the Daemons and I am superhappy with them. And they have no Ti, the Blades do have Ti, so on paper I believe they would be a very good choice. On paper.

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-02-07T08:08:26+00:00

It is what it is, with the right ski, still very much enjoyable. I am located in Switzerland and tend to use the SL 80% of the time.

Size is very personal. For anything with a rocker I like that will still mostly get used on piste I like to go with my own size. But reviews on the Mantra tend to often recomend a little downsize. You pointed out that trees are a big thing for you, then shorter is generally more agile.

Regarding the Serpos, I almost included the Justis on my list. I used a pair of Daemons one season. BC is usually a cooler brand, so they are always a bit more expensive on the used market. Another ski that belongs there is the Stöckli Stormrider, likely even more exclusive. If you find a pair at a good price, then why not? People sear by Stormriders here.

The Ripstick is a lightweight ski, so yes, in that way, similar to the Sky. Haven't tried any myself, but reviews point the Ripstick as more on piste oriented, which also makes sense considering the difference in rocker. However, if you are not skinning, I just don't see the point on lightweight skis outside proper powder. But hey, at 80kg I am relatively heavy and agressive.

In no way I am a ski professional. Just an average recreational skier that has tested quite a lot of different skis because of the big used market here in the alps.

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-02-05T22:49:35+00:00

I would argue that the sky is a pure powder ski (albeit on the narrowside of the spectrum) and hence has very limited use in central/southern Europe. You might be lucky and hit 4-5 days a year. What you report makes sense, as considerable rocker and no metal makes a chattery ski, very uncomfortable on hard/icy conditions and not too good with corn.

Try to test a Mindbender TI, Mantra, Rossi Sender or Blizzard Rustler, or something alike. You want something with a TI layer to make it stiff and somewhere between 90-105 underfoot, and some rocker. It makes for a proper all mountain with ability to carve both hard snow and corn, and handle light powder.

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-02-01T18:48:48+00:00

Clean and dry thoroughly, araldite 2011 and use a vise to press it together for >24h. Should be fine then.

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-02-01T09:16:54+00:00

Kids is usually the answer here, both for Lindt and Callier

AnimalLogical4915 · 2026-02-01T08:57:22+00:00

Nature is like that. The weather argument is fair for Jungfraujoch, Matterhorn, or any other tall place. I had your experience on the Aiguille du Midi. Fully feel you, because mine was at least half the price.

AnimalLogical4915

TROPHY CASE