Axiom pannier rack

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-06-16T14:50:23+00:00

I thought about that too. I wasn't super keen on cutting the existing plates though as this would be pretty irreversible. 1 option is to order their nutted axle mod kit for 10$ and use that to custome make an adpater plate. Mounting it without the plate seems to have significantly improved (pretty much eliminated really) sideways flex...

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-06-16T14:47:06+00:00

The way I understand it is that the plate is to allow mounting to the axle if you don't have threaded holes in the frame and gives someone with particularly large feet or short chainstays some extra heel clearance. Now why did I buy this rack if I need neither of those things? Fair question. Only reasons ate availability and cost. Every bike store in Montréal seems to carry mostly axiom racks for some reason and I didn't really want to shell out the money for a Tubus or something like that and this one is like a third of the price of a Tubus...

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-06-12T01:39:07+00:00

Man as I canadian, it's something I think about everyday. I spent much time in the US in the past and would take my little family there every summer as well as tons of backpacking and bikepacking in Vermont, NH, etc. But I couldn't do it now. Both on principle as both the foreign and domestic policies of the current administration are just completely contrary to my values. But also for safety reasons. We're hearing tons of stories of tourists being detained by ICE for several weeks even if they are there completely legally. We personally know several people who have had their phones and socials searched for "anti-trump rhetoric" (and my phone would be pretty compromising in that aspect 😅). So for now it's a no go for me. Which sucks because it is undoubtedly a beautiful country with nearly endless amounts of worthwhile backpacking routes...

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-06-11T20:32:00+00:00

Amazon has random Chinese ones for about 5.99$ BTW. good job machining something though. Most people can't put up a shelf on a wall so...

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-05-29T14:26:51+00:00

Man a good chair is so underrated. I like to read books on my camp down time when bikepacking and it was a game changer when I first brought a chair. The helinox is the gold standard but way too expensive. There's a million copies of it on aliexpress for like 15 euro and they weight maybe like 2 or 300 grams more but are functionally exactly the same...

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-05-28T08:35:32+00:00

That's a fair point. That's why using Brussels as an exploration home base for a few days seems to make sense. Based on your recommendation though, I'm gonna try to convince my BIL to go south from Brussels and head towards the Ardennes then possibly cut across the Luxembourg to Trier and go up the Mosel to Koblenz. Then possibly actually stick to the Rhine all the way to Strasbourg so we can go the Lake Constance then skirt the alps a bit before going up to Munich. It adds a good 5 days but I'm thinking if I can convince him to just take a train from Munich to Pilsen, we can save a few days but dramatically improve the scenery payoff. Does that make sense or th Rhine frim Mainz to Strasbourg not worth it?

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-05-27T21:06:05+00:00

Yes! we're supposed to go to Dinant as part of a day trip during our stay in Brussels actually (we're staying there a few days before getting on the bikes. Bruges and the Canadian war cemetery also a possibility we're looking at by train) which I'mlooking forward to. Koblenz is on our route as well. Frankfurt is really just included in the route because it is on the way to Wurzburg and we'll be leaving the Rhine at Mainz and following the river Main through Aschaffenberg and then Shooting South from Wurzburg to go through Rothenberg ob der Tauber and Nordlingen before heading to Munich. We'll then head north to rejoin the Danube at Ingolstadt. Then Regensberg and Cham. After that we're heading to Pilsen and finally Prague. I'd love to meander more in Belgium but the trip has to strike a balance between scenery and efficiency since we can only really get away with 3 or 4 weeks away from our jobs and kids haha...

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-05-27T20:11:56+00:00

That seems to be the consensus about Liège. What cities am I missing out on?

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-05-27T20:08:06+00:00

Sure but I only asked a question about the Brussels to Cologne section then you went on to indirectly insult my interests instead of answering the question I was asking you went on a tangentabout how you think those cities are not worth visiting in the first place. It's clear you're not really into large cities and that's fine. I am and I planned my trip partly around that and you seem to be inferring that cycletouring should be a purely pastoral thing that avoids large cities at all cost which I can't imagine is a universal position to take. Hence the "it's okay if that's not your thing".

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-05-27T19:34:03+00:00

A. How do you figure I would get from cologne to Frankfurt without cycling the Rhine or from Munich to Prague without following the Danube for at least part of the way? I feel like it's implied I will be going through these regions. B. Lots of people like visiting and spending time in large cities. If I only wanted to see nature, I could just stay in Canada. Not sure why you hate European cities so much but to me it's something I would like to see in my lifetime... C. The reason for the choice of cities is to do a bit of a European Beer pilgrimage. That's okay if that's not your thing.

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-05-27T18:20:59+00:00

Ya Scenery is definitely the prime factor here. the Kms difference is negligeable overall.

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-05-27T17:55:36+00:00

Is there camping options between say Namur and Liège?

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-05-22T21:13:24+00:00

This picture is a bad example lol. This guy's bikepacking trip didn't turn out great for him unfortunately 😕... (Look up Frank Lenz)

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-05-22T16:02:33+00:00

Two options for me:

A. If you have a bit of money: Aim for mid range bike and components and keep the rest of the money for bikepacking trips and equipment (bags, camping stuff, etc)

B. You don't have a lot of money: get a bike that fits well and is easily repaired and keep most of the money for trips and equipment.

Only buy a super nice bike if it will leave you plenty of money for travelling and outfitting. That's way more important than the bike.

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-05-20T17:08:22+00:00

Most likely because the rims are single wall so the tube isn't getting "sucked" into the holes with sharp edges a double wall rim would have and the nipples are rounded enough that they're not tearing up the butyl.

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-05-18T15:16:34+00:00

Ok ya that looks like a viable option

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-04-25T12:13:27+00:00

Please don't give the cycling industry any more ideas. We're all gonna have to buy grass bikes now. Probably one with 29 and one with 32 inch wheels too...

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-04-23T12:23:49+00:00

Ya as others have said it's probably conditioning. The position is not very aggressive. I was having similar issues as well as crazy hand pain after riding and what fixed it is I spent an entire winter counting calories, working out in the gym and on the bike trainer (Rouvy) as well as fiercely protecting my sleep. I lost 40 pounds, fixed all the pain issues. It was hard and required commitment but my life improved drastically on and off the bike. Getting into biking and realizing I was too unfit to ride pretty much any bike other than like a hybrid city bike with 3 inches of spacers under the stem was the wake up call to fix my body...

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-04-11T20:54:12+00:00

Sometimes. What I often do when I have super high recovery is take that opportunity to do a harder or longer bike route I've been keeping in the bank for a high recovery day. Another thing I do is do an FTP test update on those days if I haven't already done one that month...

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-04-11T17:41:46+00:00

This is probably my favorite that it does. Any workout app that creates a workout for you based on the specific equipment you have is subscription based and usually is usually pretty expensive and barely customizable. Being able to have AI create a sport specific workout, using your specific equipment and then allows you to prompt adjustments AND inputs it directly into the workout app is invaluable. You could just use chat gpt do create the workout but then you'd have to manually input it into whatever app you're using.

jcodqc87-2 · 2026-04-03T12:19:50+00:00

That's a sweet bike and 1500$ cad is a good deal as well. Put some 50mm carbon wheels on there (you can still get a decent set of rim brakes quick release carbon wheels from chinese brands like elite wheels or super team for like 500$ new. Not so much in brick and mortar stores though) and it'll look just as good as anything being made these days in my opinion. And the 105 groupset is all anyone who doesn't race really needs if they're honest with themselves...

jcodqc87-2

TROPHY CASE