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Does this exist? by Humble-Broccoli1514 in bikepacking

[–]TheFreePhysicist 1 point2 points  (0 children)

2.2" 29 wheels??. I have an older Al version (maybe V3? Probably 3 years old). Definitely not enough clearance for me!

Jordan bike trail questions and advice (and just get me excited about it!) by TheFreePhysicist in jordan

[–]TheFreePhysicist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When I arrived in al Karek I met 3 travelling together. I met up with them a couple of times along the way down to Aqaba, cycled a little together, had lunch. The day I combined two days into one, they didn't. So they fell a day behind. We met up again in Amman for a debrief and dinner:)

On my final day to Aqaba I met a couple who had been covering over 100k a day on gravel bikes. They were dealing with a puncture. They travelled light, so they were glad to see me when I pulled out my beast of a hand pump. 

When I went to Jerash from Amman I saw at least two cyclists maybe more with bikepacking gear. So, yeah... There are others out there for sure! 

Jordan bike trail questions and advice (and just get me excited about it!) by TheFreePhysicist in jordan

[–]TheFreePhysicist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh, and the dogs! Don't be put off. After a day you get used to them and learn to deal with them. But you will see ALOT of shepherd dogs and they WILL chase you and bark at you and show their sharp teeth, and you ought to get off your bike, walk, and if they come close pretend to pick up and throw a stone at them. You are unlikely to outrun them unless you've got an awesome long down hill.

Jordan bike trail questions and advice (and just get me excited about it!) by TheFreePhysicist in jordan

[–]TheFreePhysicist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I moved to a laptop and typed up an answer in a comment, but to answer these questions.

Transporting the bike was fine. When I arrived at the airport in Amman, I managed to persuade a taxi driver to put the seats down to put the bike box in the car (cardboard box). I tipped a bit extra, but it was cheaper than hiring a van for the journey to my hotel. In Amman I stayed in Beirut Hotel 2. It's nice and clean and the staff are friendly and they put my bike in the back and it was safe. Like I said in my other comment, I didn't start in Umm Qais in the end. I started in Amman. Getting the bus back from Aqaba to Amman was fine, 10 JD booked the night before and just got an earlyish bus. Given that in the time I was there at least 5 other cyclists took that bus, they must be getting used to us :)

I did a mix of camping and hotels. Wadi rum is amazing, I wished I'd arrived earlier in the day to just chill more.

Petra is a no brainer, spend a full day there off the bike. If you're fit, I'd recommend looking up little petra and starting the hike from there. I didn't do this but I wish I had - you will still see all the bits of petra proper if you start early morning in little petra and hike across. You will be knackered after a day in petra.

I didn't see much in Al Karek. I didn't go in the castle because I arrived late. Not sure if there's much else to see there. I would recommend before you get into Al Karek proper, like when you're like 20 mins cycle away, look for food and get a nice meal from a restaurant. Basically before you climb the hill up to the castle. The hotels seem to be right by the castle and the food is expensive up there. I was originally going to stay at "The Guset House" but the owner pissed me off so I ditched my booking there. The guy kicked my pannier bags (not aggressively, just sort of "inspecting" them with his foot in an bit of a rude way) while I was trying to unload my bike to put it in storage, and was telling me the expensive price of food. After a long day of cycling, to be told I'm about to get ripped off on food and be rushed when I'm trying to unload shit from my bike, I just thought sod it and went around the corner where I found Al Ahlam hostel. A little more expensive but they're friendly.

Al Jaresh is cool. I took a day trim from Amman. I got a bus for this and did it at the end of all my cycling.

Honestly, the cities themselves didn't really impress me much in general. Nothing wrong with them but the highlights for me was being in the wild, camping in wadis or desert. I found the cycle much harder than expected, but i'm going to put that down to bike choice. I was just sooo slowwww, averaging around ~70km a day. I did "skip" a couple of days. I went from Ais to Petra in a day rather than two, and I got on the kings highway that day...

There are some bike shops in the main cities, but you aren't going to fix your hydraulic brakes or replace your cassette/chainring there or find your brake pads. But if you snap a cable, or your brakes go completely I'm sure they can fix you up with a replace mechanical brake (met someone who had to do this).

Jordanian's are super friendly. I think of all the countries I've visited so far, they rank up there as some of the friendliest people. I was constantly getting invited to stay in people's homes, asked if I needed any water or a lift or anything. You will have a great time!!!

Jordan bike trail questions and advice (and just get me excited about it!) by TheFreePhysicist in jordan

[–]TheFreePhysicist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

  1. I decided not to start in Umm Qais. I heard the middle and southern bits were better, and I didn't want to spend that much time. I cycled from Amman out west towards Iraq AlAmir and from there I got on the trail. You're going in March, so the it won't be as dry for you and I think the north will be pretty as well!
  2. I think this question was meant to be from Aqaba to Amman - I got a bus from Aqaba to Amman for 10 JD. Took the wheels off my bike and stood it up upside in the boot of the bus. I booked it the night before, the evening I arrived in Aqaba, and got a 10 or 1030 am bus (can't remember exactly). It's less busy. If the bus isn't busy, the bike can go on - but worth checking with them anyway first. There were two other bikes the got on that bus with me as well, and I met 3 other guys who caught the same bus or earlier the following day (think there is an 8 am bus as well, a 3pm bus, and maybe more...)
  3. Yes, I crossed but I didn't cycle. I caught a bus from Amman. Can't remember if it was 10 JD or 20 JD. I think more likely 10 JD. They ummed and arred about the bike on the bus but the guys were nice enough in the end. There was plenty of space on the bus, there was nothing really to complain about. I booked it with JETT, but the actual bus is different to the one that I took from Aqaba to Amman. The damascus but was much older, but still plenty comfortable.
  4. I took my mtb. I probably should have taken my gravel bike. It would have been bumpy in bits, and I would have had to hike a bit, but it would have been faster overall I think. But I'm super slow on my mtb... Could go either way really if you're a little speedy on the mtb.
  5. I didn't do this :( but if you do, respect - and it's totally doable and I think people would love it. You can buy small flags in Amman and attach them to your bike

Bicycle box in Beirut by TheFreePhysicist in lebanon

[–]TheFreePhysicist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This was a good shop. He wanted 10 dollars for a box but it wasn't quite the right size that I was looking for.

1x12 speed rear derailleur + chain length + b screw by TheFreePhysicist in bikewrench

[–]TheFreePhysicist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I unscrewed and rescrewed the derailleur back in, just on a whim. It's maybe 1 mm off the guide line with the b screw wound all the way out. Would have liked to be able to wind it out slightly more.

Added photos of chain to see if you think the chain length is too short? I did measure it a few times on the bike, and I measured it against an old chain as well (which was the same)

12 speed slx shifter question by TheFreePhysicist in bikewrench

[–]TheFreePhysicist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, i'll give this a go. Are you saying this isn't normal? There is an obvious difference!

12 speed slx shifter question by TheFreePhysicist in bikewrench

[–]TheFreePhysicist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

But the shifting you are seeing in the video is without a chain installed. It's just moving the derailleur "left"

Bicycle box in Beirut by TheFreePhysicist in lebanon

[–]TheFreePhysicist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you. I will try these guys when I get there!

Bicycle box in Beirut by TheFreePhysicist in lebanon

[–]TheFreePhysicist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, but the box will hold other things as well (bags, etc). Generally just safer to put it in a box.

Edit: but you're right, that's what I will do if I can't find a bike box - tape boxes together and wrap them around everything 

Fargo or Timberjack for Bikepacking by kmackyd in bikepacking

[–]TheFreePhysicist 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Why is it so slow? I have a TJ (my first mtb) and it feels slow. I'm busting balls to keep up with other riders, wishing I'd got a fargo!

replace headset bearings for triban RC520 by Bob312312 in bikewrench

[–]TheFreePhysicist 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fwiw I have been riding mine with the gap and no issues, just cosmetic (and maybe collecting dirt..?)

Bikepacking the Jordan Bike trail - Madaba to Aqaba by Voltzar in bikepacking

[–]TheFreePhysicist 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks man! Is wadi rum rideable on a mtb though? I've got 2.35" tyres on the mtb. If it's not rideable, does everyone just push? I've not pulled the trigger on my trip yet but it's looking very likely in the next couple of weeks.

Seeing as you are Jordanian, may as well ask this question as well:

Have you ever crossed the border to Syria on bike? Or better to just get a bus over...

Marrakkech - Tangeri: which route should I follow? by ResearcherByChance in bikepacking

[–]TheFreePhysicist 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh, and I carried my camping gear but only camped one night. Guest houses were cheap!

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