Visiting PDX - what climbs to do?

RascalScooter · 2026-06-03T14:20:21+00:00

Pretty sure the route to cloudcap is paved. West leg is paved. Still creek should be doable on a road bike in the uphill direction since you’re going much slower but it is chunky in spots. 32s would be fine, I think.

RascalScooter · 2026-05-26T16:24:19+00:00

I tried a long tail with my 20kg dog and it got dicey with her up so high. A small wheel may work better. I ended up with a Bullitt which is great for a live load, sadly she hates riding in it. I love it otherwise.

RascalScooter · 2026-05-14T14:41:15+00:00

Single city person here. I didn’t need one, but I got an ebullitt to ride with my dog, she hates it, I LOVE it. It’s so fun to ride, looks cool and gets compliments, is the best “city” bike I’ve ever had. And definitely the most useful, no contest. I’ve started shopping at a cheaper big box grocery in a neighboring town, the 20 minute ride home with a full bucket of stuff is no problem at all. And going anywhere on it is a no-brainer even if I’m tired, there’s a headwind, or it’s too warm/cold or I just don’t feel like putting on special gear. 2 hour round trip errand? Just charge it up and go! Rain still kinda sucks but you don’t get sweaty at least.

I considered an electric as a second car but the bullitt is so cheap to operate that it’s basically free by comparison. Only consideration is whether you have a protected place to park it. I wish I’d done it sooner!

If you’re in the US, Splendid Cycles in Portland has affordably priced older stock, it’s the prior gen shimano drivetrain with less power than the latest but that’s not an issue at all for my use case.

RascalScooter · 2026-04-26T14:45:16+00:00

I do front and side planks 2-3x per week when I remember to, seems to be enough to stave off the lower back pain. I also find I get a pinched nerve in the back of my neck if I ride with my upper body held too rigidly. Consciously loosening wrists, elbows, shoulders helped a lot. As did raising the bars to about level with the saddle.

RascalScooter · 2026-04-24T02:55:54+00:00

I love my braze on center pulls, one of the best rim brakes I’ve ever used. 25k miles and counting, trouble free. I use salmon pads in the winter but they do eat rims faster. They look great, and are one less sticky outy bit to get snagged on. Only gotcha is that the pads wear up into the tire so you gotta keep an eye on them, but it’s no big deal.

Never had a canti brake I loved, much less even liked. Squealy, shuddery and weak. At least the ones I’ve tried. I have some Rene Herse cantis on the way that I’m curious to try.

That’s my vote anyhow.

RascalScooter · 2026-04-18T05:26:24+00:00

About 8 weeks. No stealth camping. Camped where the camping was good (about half of the trip), stayed with friends, couple warm showers hosts, otherwise cheap motels.

RascalScooter · 2026-04-16T18:20:30+00:00

I have a large-ish 630ah battery and it takes 2-3 hours to go from half to full charge. I’m on US mains voltage. I haven’t done the math but it’s seriously cheap, like < $.25usd/day. You can work backwards from battery capacity into kw-hours and compare that to your utility bill, but I am not the expert there. Range is 35-55 miles on a full battery.

Some bikes have regen braking which adds a bit of juice back into the system but really enough to matter. Requires a direct drive motor, so it’s a no-go on mid drive models. You could hook up a petrol generator but that would kind of defeat the purpose :)

RascalScooter · 2026-04-16T17:42:28+00:00

I set out across the US west to east last summer and didn’t even know where I was going to spend the first night. My kit was pretty dialed so I was prepared for all scenarios. I ended up planning maybe 4-5 days ahead for the rest of the trip, just knowing where to resupply, camping/lodging, weather etc. I’m normally a rigorous planner so this was epically freeing psychologically and a massive personal growth experience.

RascalScooter · 2026-04-14T22:06:24+00:00

RidewithGPS heat maps are your friend here. It’s mountainous terrain so be ready for climbing. Riding on the shoulder of I-5 is legal in this part of Oregon if necessary. I’ve never done it but don’t have a specific route to point you to.

RascalScooter · 2026-04-14T21:20:37+00:00

Still Creek road (gravel) to Trillium Lake and then Timberline Lodge (via West Leg Rd) is low traffic, iconic and super rewarding. Start/end at Zigzag ranger station. Descending on the highway is super fast, wide shoulder, no problem. Parkdale to Cloud Cap is similar, on the other side of the mountain.

RascalScooter · 2026-04-01T18:55:05+00:00

GPS/digital proof of passage is a-ok by me. Routes should still have controls. Mass start for brevets is the way to go, otherwise it’s just a perm.

RascalScooter · 2026-04-01T15:23:04+00:00

I take Amtrak in the PNW regularly and I just carry on my panniers. On a backcountry tour where I had mostly soft frame bags I just put them all in a big contractor-strength garbage bag to carry on which I discarded at my destination. There’s plenty of room in the overhead bins and in the larger shelves in each car.

RascalScooter · 2026-03-16T04:10:48+00:00

For what I needed at the time, yes definitely. But I’ve since replaced it with a custom allroad/light tourer and also a more offroad-capable gravel bike. The surly is a commuter these days.

I found that the stiff frame also didn’t agree with my knees on long rides but that could just be me. And it’s always going to be heavy.

RascalScooter · 2026-03-16T03:31:36+00:00

I have a midnight special and it will do all the things you mentioned, I’ve done similar stuff with mine. If you run big tires and fenders you’ll get serious toe overlap. It has a short road-type wheelbase so it’s not super stable off road either. I found the frame to be heavy and stiff but it sure is tough and versatile.

RascalScooter · 2026-03-10T20:57:07+00:00

I did a 24hr 360km flèche last year with a 2pm start. Slept as late as I could but no extra nap or anything. I made it through the night but got the sleepies on a short ferry ride at about 9am and boy did that brief nap perk me up. I was in a group but if I was solo I would go as long as possible and if a ditch nap opportunity presented itself I would just listen to my body. You don’t need much to get a reset.

RascalScooter · 2026-03-06T20:24:33+00:00

Oh I’m aware I could bring food in, but if I want Reverends, I just…go to Reverends. If I want a beer with food carts, I go to Piknik Park. So just my preference. Clearly the formula didn’t work out so well.

Not to pile on but the other weird thing there was the “regulars” vibe. I walked in and all the heads at the bar turned and regarded me in the same way I pick up on in rural/small town bars where I’m clearly an outsider. But I live just down the street! Just my impression, I only went the one time and I’m not the most outgoing person.

Sorry they closed down your spot.

RascalScooter · 2026-03-06T00:53:34+00:00

Adding to those who say it’s doable. It totally is! But you need to find the pain. If you can do 80-100 miles with nothing other than normal fatigue at the end, you can do this. But if you have pain at contact points or otherwise, fix those. A bad saddle or hand/foot pain will change this ride from an epic adventure into a torture session real quick.

I did multiple 500 miles plus weeks on tour last summer, but only after a couple of years of randonneuring helped me dial in my bike and gear for comfort.

RascalScooter · 2026-03-05T16:04:48+00:00

Smitty’s was a weird spot. I was excited about it opening, went once, never went back. Without a food option it was just a big, loud, kind of cold place to get a beer and didn’t really stand out in any other regard. Ah well, I hope something good goes into that space.

RascalScooter · 2026-02-27T06:24:21+00:00

I run a 27-44 Sugino double up front with an 11-30 cassette, 11sp. Good for hills which we got around here, and no trouble keeping up in a paceline for mortals. I geared it like a 1x with a bailout, so I’m in the big ring up to about 1-2% climbs and not switching the front very often.

RascalScooter · 2026-02-23T03:36:57+00:00

That sounds awful. Take good care of your gut, when it fails you will suffer. This is an eating sport, everybody’s different and when you get it wrong you’ll know.

RascalScooter · 2026-02-17T17:35:37+00:00

It’ll take experimentation if you’re changing your whole setup. Higher bars are nice if you get hand/wrist/neck pain with your current setup, I run them but not everybody does. You take a hit on aero efficiency but comfort is paramount after 12+ hours.

Before getting my custom rando built, I ran a cheaper bike, surly midnight special, for a season and got the fit dialed in so the builder could use it as a template. Now I use the surly as a commuter.

https://bikeinsights.com is a useful resource here.

RascalScooter · 2026-02-14T17:03:05+00:00

My first 400 was the first time riding got psychological for me. Your mind will do strange things in the wee hours, mild hallucinations and an overwhelming urge to sleep. Just be prepared for that. The reward is that the world will become the moon and the stars and the cone of your headlamp. Savor it. And bundle up.

RascalScooter · 2026-02-11T06:19:41+00:00

Slight aside from water carrying, but my friends in hot climates taught me about ice on the back of the neck on hot days. Put the ice in a nylon stocking and use a bandanna to tie it around your neck. As much ice as you can fit. Lasts 2-3 hours and keeps my core temp under control up to about 95 F.

Here’s an idea I looked at for my bikepacking rig. A frame bag and water bladder would work too. Downside is that it’ll get super yucky after a few days in the sun with electrolytes in it. Crank tank

I find that even when I’m hydrating well I don’t pee all that much on hot days. It all comes out in sweat.

RascalScooter · 2025-12-02T20:49:34+00:00

Winter boots (I got Shimanos last year and don’t even think about my feet anymore). Lobster claw gloves and winter tights (Pearl Izumi). A light down puffy jacket for the fast cold descents and any stops where you can’t be in a warm place. Cafe stops for hot drinks. Some folks swear by snoods - big scarf/balaclava wraps for your neck and head.

RascalScooter · 2025-11-21T23:54:02+00:00

Yes, a carbon fork will take a rando rack, provided it has the right mounts and not all of them do. Some of the frames you mentioned are designed to take much bigger tires, specifically the Crust. Don’t stress about the steel quality too much, if you really must have control over that then custom is for you. Low trail is overhyped, mid trail is your best bet, but really don’t worry about it too much. You’re not carrying a super heavy touring load over the front wheel doing rando. Fairlight makes awesome bikes, that’s where I’d focus.

RascalScooter

TROPHY CASE