My Raven Tour. 3500 miles on (11,000 miles on)

[geocycle]

Thanks for the pictures and the update fred.  i agree with all you are saying about the RT.  A great bike but not a quick one!  I recently swapped frames for an RST.  This is noticeably lighter and more manouvrable as well as being very comfortable.  However, it's not quick (or at least I'm not quick on it)!  I'd say 1 mph quicker than the RT on the moving average.  I am a slow rider and I ride for the experience of the journey rather than breaking records, in fact my average is probably only around 12 mph and I would struggle to keep up with the carbon crew.  I'd be really interested to hear how the mercury owners are fairing in comparison.

[freddered]

It must be that time of year when I go camping in Normandy and Brittany again....




1st gear was deployed a few times.  The beauty of a Rohloff is that you can quickly engage "Winch Drive" quickly (or even from standstill) whilst derailleur-equipped friends are frantically mashing gears and shipping chains under full load.

Combination pedals (flat one side, SPD the other) make it ridable in CROCS (not fashionable but the perfect camping footwear as they don't weigh anything and can be worn in rain, the Shower..etc).

[geocycle]

Looks like the perfect bike for the job!  I was in Normandy and Brittany this year and loved the experience.  The voie verte are mostly great and Brittany has just the right mixture of hills, views and flatlands.

[freddered]

Yes, it really comes into its own fully loaded, especially on hilly terrain when you really can't afford to miss a gear shift.

The loudest noise you heard from my Rohloff was the barely audible "click" of a shift and the occasional whirring of (what I like to call) the "Egg Whisk" ratios.

These noises are generally nothing in comparison to the mech-crunching, chain-bending, noises you hear from the laden dereilleurs.

[jags]

And...from a similar French mini-tour the year before..

Here's my mate Pete, on his similarly-loaded (but flat bar) Raven Tour on the West coast of the Cherbourg peninsula.  Absolutely perfect cycling country.  Lots of respect and interest from the locals and local drivers.  Quiet roads and even quieter beaches.



Note.  Pete ordered his RT immediately after riding mine around the company car park for 5 minutes.

guy leaning over his bars,obviously not you fred  i see he has no front panniers any idea of his set up photo would be great thanks.
jags.

[triaesthete]

Fred, what are those huge bottles you have? How much do they hold, and do they do the Profile cages any harm?

Intrigued (and sometimes thirsty)
Ian

[freddered]

guy leaning over his bars,obviously not you fred   i see he has no front panniers any idea of his set up photo would be great thanks.
jags.

Here's a photo of his 2014 setup



Sorry to disappoint, but he bought front panniers like mine.

The setup you wanted is exactly this minus the front panniers and Tubus rack.


I carry more weight in my front panniers than rear ones, despite the rear ones being larger.  I don't like all the weight at the back and 4 panniers make it much easier to organise your life when camping.
My clothing and wash-bag is in my front, right, pannier.  When I park on the ferry I just grab that, plus my bar-bag, and head for the cabin.

[freddered]

Fred, what are those huge bottles you have? How much do they hold, and do they do the Profile cages any harm?

Intrigued (and sometimes thirsty)
Ian

I bought them from Halfords because:

1) They have a "nipple cover" which protects me from drinking farming slurry and getting stomach upsets.
2) They are large (750ml ?)
3) They fit the Profile cages fine (as do 750ml Wine Bottles...but secure them with a toe-strap).

FYI..another method of carrying a lot of wine (thanks Mr Ortlieb)



NOTE. The Red bottle is Meths (not for drinking).



NOTE 2. The Toe-Strap around the front brake lever is a "Parking Brake".  If you don't use one then you should consider using one, because it makes a fully loaded bike an immovable object on a ferry or sloping surface.

[jags]

class  bike for sure ah if ever i get some money i'l buy a rig like that rohloff and all way to go.

thanks for info and photos fred,have you a blog on any of your tours.


anto.

[in4]

Anyone come across a bottle cage that will take a 950mm diameter bottle?

[Bill C]

950mm diameter bottle? thats a barrel innit?
i have a couple of minura cages that'll take 1.5l pop bottles,,
also got a couple of salsa anything cages that will hold 2.5l cider plastic bottles
2 x 1.5 and a katadyn pocket  is normally all i need

[freddered]

class  bike for sure ah if ever i get some money i'l buy a rig like that rohloff and all way to go.

thanks for info and photos fred,have you a blog on any of your tours.


anto.

No, I don't have a blog.  To be honest I have a very poor memory of any ride.  Some people seem to remember every detail but I just seem to slip into a trance-state when I'm cycling.

I tend to take photos instead.  My trusty Canon A495 (£49) is now held together with rubber bands but it's the perfect "tour camera" as I can operate it one-handed from my jersey pocket (and I don't mind if I drop it).

What I will say is that I've now done 3 mini-tours (4 days) around Brittany and Normandy over the last 3 years:

1 - St Malo to Cherbourg

2 - Le Havre to Cherbourg

3 - St Malo to Caen.

They all work out about 50 miles a day or less.

The roads are generally superb quality and very quiet.  Sometimes, even on the main roads there are no cars visible for miles.  Once you turn onto a country lane you can ride for ages without seeing a car.
It's all very stress-free and the drivers you do meet are very courteous.

Campsites in the centre of that peninsula are more scarce than on the coast (where there are several in each town) but it's no problem to find one.

I use Open Source Maps (OSM) downloads (free) onto Garmin Mapsource (or Basecamp) (also free) to plot the route.

OSM is getting very detailed now.  3 years ago there were some gaps but they seem to have been filled now.  It shows campsites and supermarkets which is all you really need to know.

I upload a very general Mapsource route onto my old Garmin Etrex and follow that.

It's all very pleasant and relaxed.  I can't recommend the area highly enough.











Also my friend's new NOMAD (if you want to go up silly inclines on terrible road surfaces with a full load.  It appears that nothing will stop a NOMAD)

[jags]

CLASS  ;)i guess your a bit like me so when it comes to remembering things.someone asks me was i out the weekend i have to ask the wife.


anto.

[Slammin Sammy]

Wow, I'm really warming to a tour in France next northern summer! Thanks for the heads-up! It looks amazing.

[jags]

only if the sun is out i toured there few years back and  boy when it rains it rains.
but yeah it is beautifull  great campsites.