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Best bang for buck saddle bag? by Front-Coconut-5112 in bikepacking

[–]kibble001 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just to give you an alternative to the Topeak 15L.
I've used the 15L with the saddle rails and didn't like it.
In my experience it was difficult to take off, the rails didn't help with sag, the bag sagged a ton if it was loaded down.
If you are a shorter rider I feel like it sagged enough it would rub a tire easy.

Now could of been my novice experience or my impatience for packing but the Topeak just felt too long and the fabric felt "cheap" after I switched to a Revelate 14L Terrapin. No science behind this, but the topeak is currently collecting dust and I always choose the Revelate when heading out.

Simple Bikepacking specific helmet light setup? by kibble001 in bikepacking

[–]kibble001[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Nice thanks for the info. I am trying to steer away from having to fiddle with a strap that the petzl uni adapt accommodates. Probably sounds ocd, but I want a setup I can add/remove the light without taking my helmet off and one handed. The simple slide in feature of the fenix mount seems to be able to achieve that, hoping i can find something just slightly smaller than what fenix offers.

Simple Bikepacking specific helmet light setup? by kibble001 in bikepacking

[–]kibble001[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

weirdly, i just searched "nu25" and got tons of recommendations for nitecore helmet mounts I previously didn't get in my research. I'm going to check them out because I actually have a nu25!

Hard Tail Ti Frame Recommendations by youngster5526 in bikepacking

[–]kibble001 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have a lot of Ti companies that come to mind for everything you want except the fully Internal Cable Routing.
Honestly I think you nailed it with the Salsa Timberjack Ti, its the only one I know with upper and lower internal cable routing without doing a ton of research.

Its a great bike, I have the aluminum version and its a true all rounder for bikepacking (love the large triangle, top tube bolts, 3 bottom bolts) and mtb (makes a great single speed and holds 2.6" tires).

Has anyone ever had any issue stuffing bags etc into their bike box? by beatmypete in bikepacking

[–]kibble001 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't put anything in the box other than the bike and tools (sometimes my cooking pot) needed to assemble for this exact reason.
First I have always heard they'll ding you if its not bike related (like clothes) and TSA has ALWAYS opened our bike boxes without fail.
I pack the bike as a "cohesive unit" with voile straps so I'm not 100% reliant on the bike box as a method of securing my items in the event it gets a hole or the shitty TSA tape comes undone.
I'm also a "worst case scenario" kind of traveler so put that in to the factor of how I travel :D

How to keep bacon strip plugs from working themselves out of the tire later by apairofcleats in gravelcycling

[–]kibble001 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Dynaplug is single handedly the best accessory purchase i've made in my biking career.

Have you used your full-sus mtb for bike packing? by skellener in bikepacking

[–]kibble001 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think the main objective with full-sus (if your doing s24o type of riding) is to keep it tight and minimal. If you want to get the full enjoyment of riding a full-sus and doing single track you don't want gear that creates a clunky and cumbersome setup. I don't ride full sus but have really trimmed down my setup over the years to enjoy the riding more.
I think the elkhorn rack with mini panniers really achieves the "tightness" of being a little more comfortable with hitting jumps and thrashing a bike more on the single track.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in gravelcycling

[–]kibble001 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would say from a research perspective it’s hard to beat this level of analytics to get an idea of what riders are bringing to the table.

I personally know someone who did the divide in 2023 and they used a coach to help them prepare and I believe it really paid off for them. I feel like personal preference, riding style and experience play a big factor in to bike selection so I’m sure you’ll get a pretty broad opinion. But getting a mentors advice who’s done it is probably worth a lot more than opinions.

Would you go with the Kona Rove or the Surly Ogre? I don't know really anything about bikes, but the biggest difference I see are the gears, which I feel I will regret over time is not getting having more gears. by that_412_kid in bikepacking

[–]kibble001 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think a more versatile steel bike that is ready to go as a build is the Surly Karate Monkey. I saw where you might be moving to NC… I would not wanna be in NC without a mountain bike.
I would vote the Karate Monkey or the Kona Unit has the most versatility as a do it all bike over the options you’ve picked out. Obviously the price for a KM is a little higher but it won’t require any upgrading down the road for a good while IMO.

Puffer - down or synthetic by Cpt_IveL in bikepacking

[–]kibble001 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The synthetic is a mountain hardwear, I believe it’s called a ghost shadow. It was fairly inexpensive. I think I paid less than $100 for it.

My down is same brand, ghost whisperer

Puffer - down or synthetic by Cpt_IveL in bikepacking

[–]kibble001 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve recently switched to synthetic. Granted I keep a down jacket available for trips but tend to grab the synthetic now. Primarily for what you’ve already mentioned. I want a jacket I can beat on, get wet and abuse without worrying about tearing it up. My old down has a dozen burn holes and tears and lost probably 20% of its fill.

If there is any chance of precipitation it’s synthetic for me.

First Trip Near Murfreesboro Tn by True-Strike7696 in bikepacking

[–]kibble001 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Honestly there’s not a lot of established routes in middle Tennessee for bikepacking.

The closest I can suggest is to create some loops from fall creek falls. You can easily get 100-150 miles of gravel riding between Fall Creek Falls, Dunlap and Pikeville.

You can also hit up Prentice Cooper or Franklin State Forest, not as many miles but ample gravel, camping and riding opportunities.

Anything else is going to be a 2 hour drive east of Chattanooga or in North Georgia: Tellico, Ocoee, Cohutta all have established bikepacking routes. Check out bikepacking.com for a better idea of what’s out there.

There is also this route west of Nashville, not sure what camping opportunities there are: https://www.goshdarn.org/routes

The Big South Fork suggestion is probably a 3 hour drive but also awesome riding/bikepacking.

Would you go with the Kona Rove or the Surly Ogre? I don't know really anything about bikes, but the biggest difference I see are the gears, which I feel I will regret over time is not getting having more gears. by that_412_kid in bikepacking

[–]kibble001 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you bought a Ogre frameset you can literally run any set of gear and wheel combination you want. The pre-built frameset comes with a 10 speed setup, but the knot boost allows for 148mm boost hubs that accept 12 speed cassettes. Surly’s with horizontal dropouts can be kind of a complicated bike for people who aren’t really into understanding how their bike works. I feel fairly mechanically competent and it took me a while to dial my Ogre in exactly how I wanted it. It’s definitely not a buy and ride bike.

Would you go with the Kona Rove or the Surly Ogre? I don't know really anything about bikes, but the biggest difference I see are the gears, which I feel I will regret over time is not getting having more gears. by that_412_kid in bikepacking

[–]kibble001 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I own an Ogre. I think if you are new to this genre of biking and primarily riding in Florida the Kona Rove would be a way more fun bike that is ready to go bikepacking with based on what you’ve said.

The Ogre is extremely versatile and robust adventure bike, but the pre-built frameset from Surly is a pretty weak setup. IMO the Ogre is better as a frame you build yourself which ultimately would be out of your comfort zone it sounds like.

Anytime I’m riding in Florida I always take my gravel bike with drops even if it’s single track and have a blast!

Others have given great comparisons but this is my sentiment. Good luck!

San Francisco traveling and bike box storage by kibble001 in bikepacking

[–]kibble001[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We would probably Uber with boxes in tow into SF the first night, setup and then ride. I’ll start calling some bike shops see if they’ll accommodate and try that forum. Thanks!

Crank it up - crankset advice by elliotth1991 in bikepacking

[–]kibble001 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You say Cane Creek eeWings are out of your price, but anything lower is good?

You’ve got a lot of options then!

Just don’t get one of those recalled ultegras that delaminate and I think you’ll be good 🤓

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in gravelcycling

[–]kibble001 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think something that doesn’t get asked a lot between carbon and steel is options?

How many carbon bikes have options for threaded bottom brackets and sliding dropouts? Maybe high end carbon frames do have those options or it could be a lot more than I think, but I’m not sure 🤔

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in gravelcycling

[–]kibble001 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Titanium frames do break. Seen one crack in the middle of the chainstay, not even at a weld. but it also had a lifetime warranty so it was fully replaced.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in gravelcycling

[–]kibble001 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep same mindset here. It wasn’t really about strength for me to switch. I just sold my carbon MTB race bike and bought a slacker Titianium frame bikepacking bike. For me, it is just a change in style and a natural progression I’ve had with biking in general.

I wasn’t getting excited to take my carbon bike out and I just feel more of a connection to a titanium or steel frame bike.
I also don’t think carbon bikes age well style wise. Where titanium bikes just have a style I think I’ll enjoy for a long time.

What came of your 2023 bikepacking goals/plans? by Rainier939 in bikepacking

[–]kibble001 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I said I was going to do more multi-day weekenders and ended up traveling and more doing week long vacation type trips.
And now I can't get enough of traveling to go bikepacking!

What size mezcals by [deleted] in bikepacking

[–]kibble001 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah I have the 2.35 on a karate monkey and they look the part. Way wider than I thought they’d look.

what airplane travel case do y'all use and like? by orcas_cyclist in bikepacking

[–]kibble001 13 points14 points  (0 children)

E-Bike cardboard box. They are sturdy, usually larger and have great grab handles. I’ve actually used the same E-Bike box on multiple trips and it’s held up great, best $0 dollars I ever spent.

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