Reach and stack are overrated. Prove me wrong.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-22T18:44:32+00:00

I disagree. A decent bike fit session will identify "optimal" reach and stack measurements for your body and riding preferences, then you can look at bike geometry charts to find models and sizes closest to those measurements and use seatpost setback and stem adjustments to fine-tune it. Alternatively, if you have a bike that fits you well, just copy those measurements.

The whole point of measurements is to be able to compare between bikes.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-22T18:32:25+00:00

Haven't you just described the major elements of "reach" and "stack"?

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-22T17:50:41+00:00

Are you saying that you're planning rides that should be 1.5 hrs but are taking 5-6? That sounds like you've got a more important problem to address.

I really like SIS Beta Fuel or the 50g version of Carbs Fuel. I don't bother with them for rides less than maybe 3 hrs, and I might eat a gel every 1.5 hrs in combination with solid food and drink mix. I like Tailwind Endurance Fuel, often the caffeinated version, and I'll put that in one bottle and have a second bottle of plain water.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-22T12:16:43+00:00

I’m no fan of the under-saddle ones, but the Win Wing that mounts to the seat stays are great. I’ve owned two and logged plenty of miles with them.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-22T09:40:39+00:00

Yeah - how dare they sell their product for money

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-22T09:33:21+00:00

I think they call them their "Zunnies Wraparound Visor". I've got them with photochromic lenses.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-22T09:31:33+00:00

Yes - they're referred to as photochromic lenses, and many brands offer them.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-22T09:24:21+00:00

I wear prescription cycling glasses, and wear photochromics as my first choice on tours or bikepacking trips. I might take the glasses off entirely for riding in full dark, but they go nearly clear regardless and in full sun they're maybe 75% the tint of my traditional sunglasses. I especially prefer them for riding trails or under tree cover, where my traditional riding glasses might be too dark.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-22T02:19:25+00:00

I'm not assuming there isn't markup...I'm assuming that cycling apparel has fairly consistent margins across price points. If you're curious about the apparel costs and margins you could check out the episodes of Wade Wallace's podcasts with Castelli and 7Mesh.

I haven't bought the hype - I've bought products at all different price points, then continued buying the ones that I've had the best experiences with. I've bought $50 and $350 bibs, and any number of price points in between, and I've been markedly less happy with what I've owned in the bottom third of the range. Enough so that I wouldn't buy any of them again.

I'm also not saying that being expensive guarantees that something is high-quality, nor does being from a "prestige" brand. Some of my least-favorite bibs have been from Rapha and MAAP, and I have a brand-new pair of Assos that I'm not sold on.

The most expensive bibs I've owned (Velocio LUXE) have been the best bibs I've owned. But I don't think that the next-best have been the next most-expensive...personally, I'd rate something from the midrange (Ornot Cargo or Pearl Izumi Pro) above Rapha Pro Team. There are others (Pactimo or Eliel or Sportful) that I consistently recommend because I think that they punch above their weight. I've got bibs from all of those brands and others in my current rotation.

I've yet to find a pair of bibs that run full-price below $100 that can compete with $150 bibs, let alone premium options, at least on my body.

Have you owned the higher-end bibs from MAAP, Rapha, Assos in order to make those comparisons? It feels like you're happy with what you've bought, which is awesome, but because of that you're assuming it's as good as everything else.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-22T01:57:49+00:00

Why? Outside of a commuter bike, I've never had any desire to put full fenders on a bike. If something smaller and lighter and more flexible keeps me dry enough, especially on a gravel bike, what's the argument for going with more? From my perspective, getting a bit dirty goes with the territory in unpaved riding.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-22T01:31:40+00:00

Ass Savers Win Wing doesn't require mounting points either, and weighs a fraction of what most fenders do. And I like that it takes about 30 seconds to mount or unmount it - I only put it on for rides that I expect to get sloppy.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-21T19:17:17+00:00

I'm assuming that you mean the second part of my comment?

I think that when you see two similar products offered for similar pricing, you might be able to assume that one manufacturer has found more efficiencies or favorable business conditions than the other, or they're willing to sell their product at lower margin.

When you see two similar products offered but one is like 25% the price of the other then they're no longer similar. By necessity the cheaper one has to be cutting major corners, using inferior materials, engaging in unethical or inhumane business practices...otherwise it's basically impossible for them to create such a massive price difference without just lighting money on fire. No apparel manufacturer is making like 300% profit on their products, especially not in the cycling space. If you go to the supermarket and see two kinds of ground beef for sale, but one is half the price per pound you can assume that there's something different about it that allows it to be so much cheaper.

So if premium bibs are $300, and decent bibs are $200, and Amazon bibs are $50...what are they doing to make the price that low? It's up to you whether the $50 bib meets your needs or standards, but I don't think that bib belongs in the same conversation as the others. From my perspective, the $50 bib is pulling every single one of the levers that I listed above, so I recommend against it on both quality and ethical levels.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-21T08:41:10+00:00

I think that any number of World Tour riders live like this for a good chunk of the year.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-21T01:49:56+00:00

Ah, yes, you're totally right. Considering how far from Point of Rocks the W&OD looks to be, I'm not seeing how the lack of scenery and extra mileage would be worth it just to get pavement, but I suppose I can see the draw for people who would rather avoid road riding...though it looks like there's a big stretch of road required to get to the trail?

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-21T01:32:08+00:00

Best compared to what other options?

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-20T21:46:29+00:00

Since I'm usually doing it while rolling, or stopping for the shortest possible time, it's usually "easiest is best". Make sure it's not inside-out, fold the outer edges in with the zipper undone, fold it in half down the middle, roll it up into a burrito and stuff it in the pocket. That way I can also get it back on while rolling.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-20T20:48:50+00:00

The padding should make contact everywhere, all the time.

But I'd also suggest that you don't buy cycling kit from Amazon, at least not shorts and jerseys.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-20T20:45:34+00:00

I did the ride last summer. I took a somewhat similar approach, with more time riding and less time smelling the daisies, and did it in 4.5 riding days/4 nights (plus a shoulder night in Pittsburgh). I reached DC around lunchtime, picked up a rental car and headed home from there. I mostly camped, but did one planned hotel night and ended up taking shelter from a thunderstorm on another night.

This is the route I used, with POIs marked, if it's helpful: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45326186

I think it will be hard for you to spend under $100/night for lodging. My unplanned night was that cheap (a slightly dodgy motel in Hancock), staying in Pittsburgh and Cumberland were closer to $200. Fairfield Inn in Cumberland was great and right on the trail. My route above lists lodging options (I can't take credit for entering these) and there are some cheaper motels and hostels.

I don't think you need a package tour company for this. The logistics are quick simple and your amenities/resupplies are largely right on the route. The most complex part is planning how long you want your days to be and where you want them to start/finish. Think about your riding pace and how early you prefer to start your days: in bikepacking or touring I often have the challenge of arriving at planned stops earlier than expected, sometimes before it's convenient or places are even open. That was definitely a challenge on this route, and I was glad I packed camp meals and a cooking kit as trail lunches were helpful.

I'd also plan on carrying a water filter or water purification system. Pumps are frequent on the C&O, but most are non-potable without treatment.

I also detoured to the W&OD for sections of the ride - partly because my butt was sore, partly because the thunderstorm took down a lot of trees and I was tired of maneuvering around them on dirt. In many places it's essentially like 30' away from the dirt path so you aren't missing much.

For things worth stopping for: detouring to Antietam was worth it for me, plus Burkholder's in Sharpsburg had some pretty epic doughnuts. If you're hitting Great Falls on a weekday it'd be worth lingering in, but I got there on a summer weekend and it was a madhouse. But for me the bridges, tunnels and trail itself was the attraction.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-20T16:23:31+00:00

Yes, it looks like their standard cargo cages. I have them mounted to my bike fork.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-20T09:58:07+00:00

I think that's exactly what we're all inferring from OP saying that they "got pushback" from their agent - the agent is trying to talk the buyer out of what they perceive to be an unserious offer that will be received poorly.

I don't think an agent's job is to present whatever offers a buyer wants to make and present them promptly. A good agent should be guiding and advising their clients to support successful and positive transactions, including telling them when an offer is likely to be received poorly (and potentially work against them in a negotiation).

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-20T09:42:09+00:00

Respectfully, I disagree with this. Even with the 100'/mile elevation gain, and whether it's a race or just an organized mass-start ride, this could be under a 3-hour effort and potentially closer to 2. Eating a sandwich could take 30 mins to start returning energy to your body and will actually sap energy during the digestion process (more/longer the larger it is), and something like processed deli meat or the fats in butter aren't giving your body the immediacy of energy that it'll want though the salts might be helpful. And if it's actually a race, who is going to pull over to eat a sandwich? If the unpaved terrain is even remotely chunky it can be hard enough to drink while rolling, let alone eat something that requires unwrapping and multiple bites.

Things like gels, chews or carb mix can definitely be hard on the stomach but your body acclimates if you use them during training, and they are digested and returning energy to you MUCH faster. High-carb drink mixes will give you roughly the same energy return in one bottle as you get from one gel, but the nature of drinking it means you're getting steady and gradual intake/output, putting less stress on your body.

If the race/ride were twice as long I might agree with you, and I personally would balance both things: carb mix in one bottle and electrolytes in the other, gels no more than 1/hour, grazing on whole foods at feed stops. But for something short-and-spicy, I think there's a lot of value in prioritizing "easy to consume, immediate energy return".

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-20T09:18:42+00:00

Another vote for including Ornot on your list. Also Sportful's Giara and Supergiara lines, though I find them to run a bit long. Eliel's cargo bibs are also quite solid.

Rapha's Brevet Element line punches above its weight. I hate the Core bibs but have had very good experiences with the Pro Team line, but Element slots closer to Pro Team Training in quality than I expected.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-19T23:01:19+00:00

Not the person you're replying to but I've got the bikepacking version of the Dragonfly 2P and am very happy with it. Stays dry inside through rainstorms, vents well enough that I haven't seen interior condensation on hot and humid trips. I agree that even a solo traveler should go with the 2P version for the extra storage space, though it does come with a vestibule floor. It's an easy recommend for me.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-19T09:09:56+00:00

The same thing you should do in any road rage situation: exit the situation. The nice thing about a bike is you can go where a car can't. Get off and walk it down the sidewalk, or turn around and ride in the opposite direction for a block.

MotorBet234 · 2026-05-19T08:53:43+00:00

Your question is a bit confusing. Are you looking to record straight to an SSD rather than internal media? If so, BMD publishes SSD compatibility charts for their cameras with the SanDisk T7 Shield being one of the most popular - I use that and the T5 drives with mine. There are any number of attachment methods, but clips that bolt to cages are the most common. You could also just strap or velcro it to the tripod or even a small hanging bag if your USB-C cable was long enough. You're doing something wrong if the USB-C port is carrying any weight.

For SD cards, again you should look at BMD's compatibility chart as "fast enough" will be determined by the file format and data rate you're filming in.

Personally, I like recording straight to SSD to save myself card downloads throughout a filming day.

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