The wrappers thing really grinds my gears. On one of my rides, I was hanging behind a guy eating a bar when he suddenly just throws the wrapper away. On a beautiful spotlessly clean path along the water with nature all around. I confronted him about it but he couldn't care less. Any time I think about it my heart starts racing because it just made me so angry.
Shame to hear about the wrappers along the Badlands route, I hope Chris brought this up with the sponsor and his fellow riders. Seriously, F anyone that litters, anywhere.
I love that Chris is pointing out waste problems in this video. Like he has shown, there are often similar options that are less wasteful but just as practical. As a personal recommendation: there are actually reuseable foil blankets that have thicker material and are thus easier to refold and reuse. They are not much heavier or larger, just a little bit more expensive.
I love the calling out of single use products and wrappers! I’ve done gravel races and people act like throwing their trash on the gravel roads is fine because there is a clean up crew. Don’t throw it out and you won’t need them to pick it up. Route planning if rough sometimes. I am used to Iowa gravel and I picked a route in Texas outside of Austin this last year. It wasn’t the nice gravel roads we were used to at all!
Good to see Chris calling out waste and rubbish in this video, I do a lot of wildlife habitat creation and picking up other peoples rubbish is sadly a massive part of the job (which I don't get paid for!)
Jimmy's knowledge of our chocolate bar heritage is woeful. Snickers bars used to be called Marathon bars in the UK until they changed the name to align with the US/rest of the world. Much like starburst used to be called opal fruits.
RE: the handlebar bag issue - I solved this one by making an easily removeable bag support with a small diameter brass rod, bent into shape, and covered with silicone tubing where it touches the bike. Doesn't mark up your headtube and the bag also moves around a lot less.
Another sleeker option is covering friction points with automotive paint protection film, same stuff you see bikes get shipped with applied to the chainstay to prevent chain slap from damaging the frame
Love the episode, can you perhaps do one about entry-level clothing, what you feel would be best to buy for a person just starting out? Love your channel!
I think the air canisters are mainly useful for seating tubeless tyres after major punctures. Yes, waste is always bad, but at least those canisters are easily recyclable. If there are other (small enough to be carried on an ultra) methods for seating tyres, I would be happy to hear.
IMO, the further you go, the more you need to be self-sufficient - and that applies for both further as in distance travelled over the trip's length, as well as further as in further the trip is from home. At home, I generally ride with minimal spares. 1 spare tube, 1 patch kit, 1 set of brake pads (Just because they're tiny for discs so might as well), a set of tyre levers and my frame pump. It's enough to get me out of even a fairly bad day on the bike for punctures. Anything I can't repair, I can fairly easily source a lift home and get down the bike shop at my convenience. When I'm bikepacking that list increases quite a lot. Add a multi-tool, allen keys, a spare gear cable, a chain breaker, spare chain links, a pair of mini pliers, another extra inner tube, a tyre patch kit, and a dozen or so assorted screws/bolts/other fasteners that are on my bike. That's because out bikepacking, I'm less likely to be close enough to home to get a lift, and more likely to need to ride for hours if not days more to get to the end of the ride (and presumably either home, or a train/flight/ferry/whatever home). If I was to ride an ultra, or be bike packing as far away as Malaysia (being from the UK myself) where there's potentially issues with sourcing spares and such too, then I'd bring even more extras. Things like a spare spoke or too, a spare tyre, spare cleats, etc. The really unlikely things to need, but you're absolutely knackered if you ever find yourself needing them!
@@JBroms64 If I'm only going on a ride from and back to home, then yes. It's fiddly but you can change pads with just your fingers - and I can potentially lend them to someone who needs them - but the most important part is that if I'm not staying away from home, as in I'm just going for an hour or a few and plan to come home again the same day, then I simply don't need to. Either I'll be close enough to home to get a lift or hobble my way home, or close enough to a bike shop to get what I need fixed. The key thing is that disc brakes wear unevenly - so it's highly unlikely that I'll need to replace both sets at the same time. Worse comes to worse, I may just need to ride home with only one working brake, but that's not a problem. It just means the ride home isn't going to be racing around, flying down descents, or whatever else it might usually be. If I'm going out for more than a day though, then I'll take more things than I would otherwise, such as a multi-tool. Because in those scenarios I am more likely to need to be able to fix the problem myself, there and then, and won't be able to rely on lifts/rescues or local bike shops.
You hit a nerve with the bar bag... Been using an Ortlieb ultimate 6 for almost 10 years for bikepacking/touring - no frame damage. It's pretty waterproof and has easy access for day to day light bits and bobs (wallet, keys, snacks, waterproofs, sunglasses etc.) Not the most "aero", but no worse than most roll bags - but a little more practical.
Like many of us, I started road cycling with SPD pedals and shoes and dumped them after just one season for the real thing ... in road context, it don't like them because I feel the shoe choice for 3-bolt is much better, and in the end we want our fancy shoes - but: coming back from my first gravel rides with SPD pedals (and reusing my 2010s Mavic MTB shoes for it), even after years of using road pedals, they are so much easier to get in - and it leaves the option for hybrid SPD/flat pedals if you want to build something like a week commuter/weekend gravel bike.
I also came into road cycling (via MTB'ing) using only SPD's, mainly because all my shoes were SPD shoes. I agree that 15 years ago the choice of 'road shoes' for 3-bolt was so much better than 2-bolt (so I too changed to SPD-SLs on my road bikes) but I think these days the market has changed, and maybe we have 'gravel bikes' to thank for this? I got a bargain pair of Shimano RX8 SPD shoes in a Black Friday sale. They are as light and stiff as my best road shoes, but SPDs . I'm not saying that I'd change back all my SPD-SL shoes and pedals to SPD, but there is definitely more choice out there these days.
@@FurySpyder You're probably right... since gravel, there's demand for shoes with more road aesthetics to match the overall roadie look but for practical reasons with SPD, since road cleats would be a nightmare offroad and on longer trips, indeed.
Totally on board with everything you say. I use an aerobar bag instead of a handlebar bag. It's the same thing with two extra loops on the far side of the zipper and turned sideways so it hangs from your aerobars. Just as convenient, more aero, no paint damage. I do carry a CO2 cartridge. I've been carrying the same one for 5000 miles because I ride Schwalbe Marathons. All the convenience with almost none of the waste.
Rouge Panda makes a little sheild that wraps around the headtube to protect it from rubbing bags. It works great! It also provides a smoother surface for the bags to slide against, so the bike turns a bit better too.
not taking a pump is probably someones strategy in these events. Oh darn, I dont have a pump, you there, 2 tenths of a second in front of me...can I use yours lol.
The only handlebar bag I would consider is from Route Werks. It attaches to the bars in such a way that the bag doesn’t dangle. It’s semi rigid and easily accessible and has mounts for a head unit and lights. It looks to be very well designed and way more useful than the bike purses that are on the market. Littering sucks and people who litter suck!
Saddle sores - my gooch is my Achilles heel, but tea tree oil cream applied before and after eliminates this issue completely. It turns multi day rides into a pimple free dream
I am also using SPD for ultras, if you want a lighter option you caould also use Shimano PD-ES600. If you need the powermeter there are Favero Assioma Pro MX-2 pedals, way cheaper than garmin (and even more during black friday)
I read a thing about how saddle sores are formed, apparently the salt in your sweat crystallises in the chamois in the shorts and cause micro cuts in the bum area. I don't wear cycling shorts and never get a sore bum. Marino wool works wonders.
Garmin optical heart rate monitors aren't very accurate, and therefore it isn't a valid reliable metric you can use. That is basically how data workers, worse at some point means not fit for purpose, and on an ultra race if you are actually measuring your performance/recovery by heart rate, this will significantly compromise that over a heart rate strap. This said newer Apple Watches and Huawei Watches have seen to have very comparible results to heart rate straps. What you have really said is you don't rely on Heart Rate data very much for your application, and that is fine.
There's a great channel called The Quantified Scientist that does tests of smart devices to see how accurate they are. The sense I get is that devices that struggle mostly have difficulty recognising drops/spikes in heartrate. While that's an issue if you're doing interval training that's likely less of an issue when doing long rides. Personally I've compromised and gone with a Polar Verity, which is an arm strap, rather than a chest strap.
@@tyrgoossensThats true, the metrics which are not as good on Garmin OHRSensors are not really needed for sports application but play a critical role in e.g. apples health meassuring and heart dissease detection. My Garmin Watch and my different HRM-Straps are nearly identical in sports metrics while the watch is not able to detect an EKG. But that depends on which Watch you are using, since Garmin uses a lot of different sensors for different market groups.
03:00 "wrappers" is a very friendly way of saying, it's not the wrappers, it is the people who do not respect nature that are the problem. Such a little thing to take the wrapper back home.
I started this video thinking oh yeah, here we go again... but not this time I think it's all good advice, especially the emergency blanket (the noise doesn't bother me though). It's an emergency blanket, not a planned use blanket. I have a short fuse with people who don't bring tools, pumps , spare inner tubes / repair kits You are just waiting to get stranded.
As much as plastic wrappers and other waste related products are present, baby-wipes/wet-wipes are plastic and synthetic-based too. Chammy cream is the best option here.
depends...lol But really, it depends on what brand you buy. Some are compostable/biodegradable. Shouldn't leave trash (regardless of biodegradability) laying around anyway.
I carry around a wash cloth and some high proof bourbon to wash myself. More sustainable, more rustic. Also can gargle the bourbon instead of having to bring a plastic tooth brush.
There are biodegradable baby wipes made out of wood fiber cellulose. Also a cloth or papertowels and some soap with water from your bottle will work just fine.
I know this may get overlooked, if you guys havent done a video on it but could yall make a video on what to do in emergency bike situations and what that might entail?
Big Love Chris, some great advise there, but as I'm sure Francis will attest after his Triban Malaysia adventure, use a cheaper bike, without internal cable routing, and that handlebar-bag thing goes out of the window... Welsh Dragon sticker on front of my Triban RC500, not a mark after a few trips with it, although I maybe disagree with Francis on sticking stuff in it that you want quickly on the road, but then, I don't also carry a mobile film studio with me when I've bike packed. But still, get cheaper bikes, have as much fun as Francis on them, your Welsh Dragon sticker will stay in tact ;-). Can we have more Chris content? or is he too expensive now?
Thumbs up to reducing waste. This point is always controversial…… but wear underpants to keep clean (thin fitted seemless short style for me), you can change them every day, don’t take much space to carry several and don’t cause chafing in my experience…… baby wipes are hideous single use plastic which we just don’t need :-). It is often said that wearing pants is a noobie mistake but we should always questions received wisdom because quite often it’s not correct :-)
Agree with everything, except pedals unless it's an off road event. I'm really comfy with my spd system and after all when racing ultras the idea is to spend as little time as possible off the bike
Agreed. I watch lots of people on TH-cam but Chris is one of the few I think I'd enjoy having a pint down the pub with or going out on a bike ride with, and picking his brain!
I take at least one bar with tin foil wrap. In case my tire get sliced I could lay the tin foil between tube and tire and prevent the tube from popping out of the cut. So I won’t be stranded in the middle of nowhere.
GIYO Mini Bike Pump, Portable Compact Bicycle Pump with Pressure Gauge. I got this for basically no money. Definitely not the best but it does what it says on the box (edit: Amazon)
How does he manage tire pressure out on the road. Once you had a flat or lost some air it is crucial to get to the right tire pressure since having it too high or too low is way worse than having a less aero bike.
Last gravel ultra race i took a SKS Airchecker with me, 49g fully worth it! Way better than pumping up too much or not enough and need to stop again or beeing annoyed for hours by having the wrong pressure. Also I receommend it in general. Most pumps are very inaccurate. I rechecked with a Topeak Smart Gauge and it shows the same as the SKS Air checker.
The problem is not just wrappers. They are a problem. But it’s people. Anyone throwing a wrapper should be disqualified from any event they participate in. And then they should have their names publicised. And any product using a non-recyclable wrapper should be banned. It’s not cool.
I don't entirely understand the purpose of pre-moistened wipes for cycling when we bring bottles full of moistness everywhere we go. Like sure if you're the type to empty a CO2 canister every time you need to top up your tires then I get the convenience factor but how often are you really in such a rush to wipe your ass that the paper needs to be wrapped in plastic and pre-moistened out of the box?
I agree with almost everyone of these apart from using a watch instead of a HR strap, I've used a watch once on an MTB ride, and I'll never do it again as it rattles about and causes friction. Fine on a road ride, but off road very annoying, and it was a Garmin watch like Chris had on.
Wearing anything on the wrist while on a bike is just as uncomfortable - wrists need to bend and also get sweaty. Not to mention not all watches broadcast HR. Light and small arm HR strap is probably best.
The old French used randonneur bags with a small rack. Still one of the most stylish ways to carry a bag. But for normal handlebar bags there is the Restrap bumper bar, the Swood Cycles T-Bar or the Jack the Bike Rack.
For you youngsters. Snickers were called marathons in Britain until the 1980s...they were rebranded to match the rest of the world. Hence the saying...it's a marathon not a snickers
One that gets me is people not understand the tyre system they are running and how to repair it on the road. This is the most basic and minimum knowledge you need to ride a bike for any distance. Had this recently on a winter ride stopped to help and the guy was ridding tubs with not idea what they were or how he could repair them. Basic stuff.
@@MrMateuszSiekiera They still pollute the environment. You can't legally place them in the Loo in most places. They clog public sewer facilities and don't decompose in most septic systems.
Topeak, Trek & Lezyne all make them. They have footpeg and a hose. I can get 45psi into a 27.5x2.2 tyre with no effort and 60psi into a 38-622 with the same pump.
@@mechanicaldavid4827 Sure, but I'm not an influencer who thinks that the world (which definitely needs saving, and by that I mean from structural problems like capitalism) will be saved because of these little things.
2:20 Guess what, if you don't have fully integrated cables, you can attach the back of the handlebar bag to the cables and not have that problem at all. Another L for fUlL aErO routing.
Babe wipes can be put in a small plastic bag after use. CO2 cartridges can't be refilled (they should be refillable) and can't be easily recycled. CO2 cartridges are strictly for emergency use.
@@jamesmckenzie3532 Baby wipes, cosmetic wipes, cleaning wipes and moist toilet tissues are not recyclable and are not flushable either even though some labels say they are. They are tragic, even by putting them in the bin, you are leaving it up someone else’s authority to correctly dispose of them. Just don’t do it.
@@jaypoly I use wipes for their intended purposes. I place them in the bin. Just to make things interesting, I let one dry out and tried to rewet it. That turned into a real mess. They are designed to break down in water, but I'm not risking it. Our authority will fine you if you flush them and they can trace them back to you as well. Yes, you can get industrial wipes but they are washable and they are even worse for the environment.
I have slightly wider than standard to fit my handlebar bag , I ride 30 km to work every weekday on a trail that parallels the freeway no filtering required, if you are filtering traffic and bars are too wide you chose the wrong bike.
1:33 NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we called it a marathon bar for yonks!!!!!!!!!!! (before you were born) (thats a long time !!!!!!!!!!!!) MARATHON it made me SO ANGRY when they changed it to a stupid american made up( pathetic) word . what would you rather eat for power ( peanuts. ) ? a marathon 👍 or a snickers 😱🙅
The wrappers thing really grinds my gears. On one of my rides, I was hanging behind a guy eating a bar when he suddenly just throws the wrapper away. On a beautiful spotlessly clean path along the water with nature all around. I confronted him about it but he couldn't care less.
Any time I think about it my heart starts racing because it just made me so angry.
Totally agree with you, people who do that should be fined so high.
Agree. I make sure to stick my wrappers in my pockets. Everyone should.
Shame to hear about the wrappers along the Badlands route, I hope Chris brought this up with the sponsor and his fellow riders.
Seriously, F anyone that litters, anywhere.
I love that Chris is pointing out waste problems in this video.
Like he has shown, there are often similar options that are less wasteful but just as practical.
As a personal recommendation: there are actually reuseable foil blankets that have thicker material and are thus easier to refold and reuse. They are not much heavier or larger, just a little bit more expensive.
cyclists often buy things they do not need, new bikes for example. And readily fly to training camps and events. This needs to be discouraged.
Yes! SPD all the way for me! I also hate it when I see bar wrappers / empty gels along the road, absolutely no need for that!
I love the calling out of single use products and wrappers! I’ve done gravel races and people act like throwing their trash on the gravel roads is fine because there is a clean up crew. Don’t throw it out and you won’t need them to pick it up. Route planning if rough sometimes. I am used to Iowa gravel and I picked a route in Texas outside of Austin this last year. It wasn’t the nice gravel roads we were used to at all!
Good to see Chris calling out waste and rubbish in this video, I do a lot of wildlife habitat creation and picking up other peoples rubbish is sadly a massive part of the job (which I don't get paid for!)
It should be a dq in a race if you are found to be littering tbh.
Jimmy's knowledge of our chocolate bar heritage is woeful. Snickers bars used to be called Marathon bars in the UK until they changed the name to align with the US/rest of the world. Much like starburst used to be called opal fruits.
Most people in the US still aren't clear on where the English language originated.
...or that Africa isn't a country.
Chris is spot on about the wrappers and the other environmental issues. Love his takes!
But you're forgetting he recommended to use baby wipes.
on pedals use what's convenient and is available for use... if in hurry , i will pick spd anytime - double sided pedals works for me.
RE: the handlebar bag issue - I solved this one by making an easily removeable bag support with a small diameter brass rod, bent into shape, and covered with silicone tubing where it touches the bike. Doesn't mark up your headtube and the bag also moves around a lot less.
I did something similar. I used a broken carbon ski pole to mount my bag so it doesn't rub against anything. Weights nothing and gets the job done 🙃
Helicopter tape should work?
@@SantiagoArraga!!!!!
Another sleeker option is covering friction points with automotive paint protection film, same stuff you see bikes get shipped with applied to the chainstay to prevent chain slap from damaging the frame
I fitted mine before buying it to make sure it had not interference issues.
Love the episode, can you perhaps do one about entry-level clothing, what you feel would be best to buy for a person just starting out? Love your channel!
Litterbugs can get in the feckin bin
I only use mtb pedals. I get to see the cool waterfall when my riding buddies have to stay on the road
If you don't have access to compressed air those Co2 canisters are great for setting up tubeless tires.
I think the air canisters are mainly useful for seating tubeless tyres after major punctures. Yes, waste is always bad, but at least those canisters are easily recyclable. If there are other (small enough to be carried on an ultra) methods for seating tyres, I would be happy to hear.
IMO, the further you go, the more you need to be self-sufficient - and that applies for both further as in distance travelled over the trip's length, as well as further as in further the trip is from home.
At home, I generally ride with minimal spares. 1 spare tube, 1 patch kit, 1 set of brake pads (Just because they're tiny for discs so might as well), a set of tyre levers and my frame pump. It's enough to get me out of even a fairly bad day on the bike for punctures. Anything I can't repair, I can fairly easily source a lift home and get down the bike shop at my convenience. When I'm bikepacking that list increases quite a lot. Add a multi-tool, allen keys, a spare gear cable, a chain breaker, spare chain links, a pair of mini pliers, another extra inner tube, a tyre patch kit, and a dozen or so assorted screws/bolts/other fasteners that are on my bike. That's because out bikepacking, I'm less likely to be close enough to home to get a lift, and more likely to need to ride for hours if not days more to get to the end of the ride (and presumably either home, or a train/flight/ferry/whatever home).
If I was to ride an ultra, or be bike packing as far away as Malaysia (being from the UK myself) where there's potentially issues with sourcing spares and such too, then I'd bring even more extras. Things like a spare spoke or too, a spare tyre, spare cleats, etc. The really unlikely things to need, but you're absolutely knackered if you ever find yourself needing them!
wait you carry disc brake pads at home, but no multi tool???
@@JBroms64 If I'm only going on a ride from and back to home, then yes. It's fiddly but you can change pads with just your fingers - and I can potentially lend them to someone who needs them - but the most important part is that if I'm not staying away from home, as in I'm just going for an hour or a few and plan to come home again the same day, then I simply don't need to. Either I'll be close enough to home to get a lift or hobble my way home, or close enough to a bike shop to get what I need fixed.
The key thing is that disc brakes wear unevenly - so it's highly unlikely that I'll need to replace both sets at the same time. Worse comes to worse, I may just need to ride home with only one working brake, but that's not a problem. It just means the ride home isn't going to be racing around, flying down descents, or whatever else it might usually be.
If I'm going out for more than a day though, then I'll take more things than I would otherwise, such as a multi-tool. Because in those scenarios I am more likely to need to be able to fix the problem myself, there and then, and won't be able to rely on lifts/rescues or local bike shops.
You hit a nerve with the bar bag...
Been using an Ortlieb ultimate 6 for almost 10 years for bikepacking/touring - no frame damage. It's pretty waterproof and has easy access for day to day light bits and bobs (wallet, keys, snacks, waterproofs, sunglasses etc.)
Not the most "aero", but no worse than most roll bags - but a little more practical.
Like many of us, I started road cycling with SPD pedals and shoes and dumped them after just one season for the real thing ... in road context, it don't like them because I feel the shoe choice for 3-bolt is much better, and in the end we want our fancy shoes - but: coming back from my first gravel rides with SPD pedals (and reusing my 2010s Mavic MTB shoes for it), even after years of using road pedals, they are so much easier to get in - and it leaves the option for hybrid SPD/flat pedals if you want to build something like a week commuter/weekend gravel bike.
DEORE XT SPD Pedal single sided
@@ianjlilly Yup, I have those.
I also came into road cycling (via MTB'ing) using only SPD's, mainly because all my shoes were SPD shoes. I agree that 15 years ago the choice of 'road shoes' for 3-bolt was so much better than 2-bolt (so I too changed to SPD-SLs on my road bikes) but I think these days the market has changed, and maybe we have 'gravel bikes' to thank for this? I got a bargain pair of Shimano RX8 SPD shoes in a Black Friday sale. They are as light and stiff as my best road shoes, but SPDs . I'm not saying that I'd change back all my SPD-SL shoes and pedals to SPD, but there is definitely more choice out there these days.
@@FurySpyder You're probably right... since gravel, there's demand for shoes with more road aesthetics to match the overall roadie look but for practical reasons with SPD, since road cleats would be a nightmare offroad and on longer trips, indeed.
Totally on board with everything you say. I use an aerobar bag instead of a handlebar bag. It's the same thing with two extra loops on the far side of the zipper and turned sideways so it hangs from your aerobars. Just as convenient, more aero, no paint damage. I do carry a CO2 cartridge. I've been carrying the same one for 5000 miles because I ride Schwalbe Marathons. All the convenience with almost none of the waste.
Rouge Panda makes a little sheild that wraps around the headtube to protect it from rubbing bags. It works great! It also provides a smoother surface for the bags to slide against, so the bike turns a bit better too.
5:03: a possible solution: cleat covers. Not for walking around a lot in, and not on rough surfaces, but otherwise they work fine.
I agree stop throwing trash everywhere especially in nature!
not taking a pump is probably someones strategy in these events. Oh darn, I dont have a pump, you there, 2 tenths of a second in front of me...can I use yours lol.
The only handlebar bag I would consider is from Route Werks. It attaches to the bars in such a way that the bag doesn’t dangle. It’s semi rigid and easily accessible and has mounts for a head unit and lights. It looks to be very well designed and way more useful than the bike purses that are on the market. Littering sucks and people who litter suck!
I *love my Route Werks habdlebar bag! ^_^
See JOM - the Gravel Cyclist for a review. He (and LGC) use them.
Came here to endorse Route Werks too. The best bar bag by far!
Very well said! I love you guys! No fluff, just the essence of it!
Saddle sores - my gooch is my Achilles heel, but tea tree oil cream applied before and after eliminates this issue completely. It turns multi day rides into a pimple free dream
4:15 there are heart monitors that goes on hand - on a biceps or forearm. I use Polar one, and forget about it before I even start the ride.
Number 1, white van drivers.
Vans are the best for drafting. What are you talking about?
And if you’re in the US, it’s white pick up trucks
Right after Ford Raptor drivers.
+ (Usually women but not specifically) people driving white SUVs
With every purchase of any Audi, a complementary supply of extreme aggression, stupidly and entitlement is included.
I am also using SPD for ultras, if you want a lighter option you caould also use Shimano PD-ES600. If you need the powermeter there are Favero Assioma Pro MX-2 pedals, way cheaper than garmin (and even more during black friday)
I read a thing about how saddle sores are formed, apparently the salt in your sweat crystallises in the chamois in the shorts and cause micro cuts in the bum area. I don't wear cycling shorts and never get a sore bum. Marino wool works wonders.
If you look at James's bike fit vids it's also a bike fit issue. Saddle height/orientation, reach, handle bar width etc IIRC
Loved this especially with Chris's concerns about the environment extra kudos there!
I think there are products to solve the issue on having handlebar bag, basically a product which added support on the bag to avoid top tube rub
Iv seen this product on that American tuber channel ( the party pace guy ).
@@splashpit yes that dude, who happen to hate cyclist who wear lycra and cleats
Garmin optical heart rate monitors aren't very accurate, and therefore it isn't a valid reliable metric you can use. That is basically how data workers, worse at some point means not fit for purpose, and on an ultra race if you are actually measuring your performance/recovery by heart rate, this will significantly compromise that over a heart rate strap. This said newer Apple Watches and Huawei Watches have seen to have very comparible results to heart rate straps.
What you have really said is you don't rely on Heart Rate data very much for your application, and that is fine.
There's a great channel called The Quantified Scientist that does tests of smart devices to see how accurate they are. The sense I get is that devices that struggle mostly have difficulty recognising drops/spikes in heartrate. While that's an issue if you're doing interval training that's likely less of an issue when doing long rides. Personally I've compromised and gone with a Polar Verity, which is an arm strap, rather than a chest strap.
@@tyrgoossensThats true, the metrics which are not as good on Garmin OHRSensors are not really needed for sports application but play a critical role in e.g. apples health meassuring and heart dissease detection. My Garmin Watch and my different HRM-Straps are nearly identical in sports metrics while the watch is not able to detect an EKG. But that depends on which Watch you are using, since Garmin uses a lot of different sensors for different market groups.
03:00 "wrappers" is a very friendly way of saying, it's not the wrappers, it is the people who do not respect nature that are the problem. Such a little thing to take the wrapper back home.
I started this video thinking oh yeah, here we go again... but not this time I think it's all good advice, especially the emergency blanket (the noise doesn't bother me though). It's an emergency blanket, not a planned use blanket. I have a short fuse with people who don't bring tools, pumps , spare inner tubes / repair kits You are just waiting to get stranded.
I agree it’s for emergencies not to be used day to day but in some ultras people sadly think they’re a multi use all the time thing
Fyi i just found out huawei band 678 and gt4 can broadcast hr data live to your bike computer, so no need for annoying hr strap.
I was totally a pump and anti-c02 person till I tried to use my pump for real and now I carry c02's and a cell phone =P
4:45 Because there is so much going on at the wrist the optical sensor you find on watches have a hard time measuring accurately.
If you lend someone a pump, you should be entitled to draft behind them for the rest of the ride.
I wore a heart rate monitor (paired with Explore GPS) and my Garmin watch and the heart rate average was virtually identical!
I think those foil blankets were aliens on Dr. Who
😂
You could put the frame protection tape on the head tube.
The weight of my bike is mostly frame protection tape & locks.
I wish I were joking.
As much as plastic wrappers and other waste related products are present, baby-wipes/wet-wipes are plastic and synthetic-based too. Chammy cream is the best option here.
depends...lol But really, it depends on what brand you buy. Some are compostable/biodegradable. Shouldn't leave trash (regardless of biodegradability) laying around anyway.
I carry around a wash cloth and some high proof bourbon to wash myself. More sustainable, more rustic.
Also can gargle the bourbon instead of having to bring a plastic tooth brush.
The streets of London are paved with broken lager bottles and Chicken Cottage takeaway boxes.
There are biodegradable baby wipes made out of wood fiber cellulose. Also a cloth or papertowels and some soap with water from your bottle will work just fine.
I know this may get overlooked, if you guys havent done a video on it but could yall make a video on what to do in emergency bike situations and what that might entail?
Titanium is the answer to the handlebar bag HT rubbing issue, buff it away or just leave it to show off that your bike actually gets used 😆
Cracking vid.
Please can you share a link to the hand pump that you referred to early on in the video?
Cheers.
Big Love Chris, some great advise there, but as I'm sure Francis will attest after his Triban Malaysia adventure, use a cheaper bike, without internal cable routing, and that handlebar-bag thing goes out of the window... Welsh Dragon sticker on front of my Triban RC500, not a mark after a few trips with it, although I maybe disagree with Francis on sticking stuff in it that you want quickly on the road, but then, I don't also carry a mobile film studio with me when I've bike packed. But still, get cheaper bikes, have as much fun as Francis on them, your Welsh Dragon sticker will stay in tact ;-). Can we have more Chris content? or is he too expensive now?
Totally want to be doing more stuff together again.
Love the top few! At the Dirty 200km next month for the first time and really hope people dont leave it a tip.
Thumbs up to reducing waste. This point is always controversial…… but wear underpants to keep clean (thin fitted seemless short style for me), you can change them every day, don’t take much space to carry several and don’t cause chafing in my experience…… baby wipes are hideous single use plastic which we just don’t need :-). It is often said that wearing pants is a noobie mistake but we should always questions received wisdom because quite often it’s not correct :-)
Pretty sure Francis will agree with you on the temperature after his Malaysia bike packing trip
Agree with everything, except pedals unless it's an off road event. I'm really comfy with my spd system and after all when racing ultras the idea is to spend as little time as possible off the bike
A good guy love the way he thinks about the nature of
Q:What is the favourite shoes of kidnappers?
A:White vans...
I’m a simple man, I see Chris, I like video
Agreed. I watch lots of people on TH-cam but Chris is one of the few I think I'd enjoy having a pint down the pub with or going out on a bike ride with, and picking his brain!
🫶
@@FurySpydercheers! 🍻
I take at least one bar with tin foil wrap. In case my tire get sliced I could lay the tin foil between tube and tire and prevent the tube from popping out of the cut. So I won’t be stranded in the middle of nowhere.
They're Snickers bars in the USA as well....
I once done a route and ended up on a narrow wooded route on a road bike before getting back on the road.. 🙄
Chris or Francis - what is the best presta compatible mini pump with a psi gauge that you would recommend?
GIYO Mini Bike Pump, Portable Compact Bicycle Pump with Pressure Gauge. I got this for basically no money. Definitely not the best but it does what it says on the box (edit: Amazon)
Possibly the Lezyne one. Not got one but I know someone who recommends it.
I've got a couple of the Topeak Mountain Morphs. The newest has an analog (dial) gauge. Super reliable, Presta and Schrader
That Styrkathon wrapper looks like it would be for a white chocolate Snickers if they existed in the USA.
Clear vinyl decals eliminate the scuff issues.
Whats the pump he mentions at 2:45?
Like the gripes.
Gotta ask: where is that shirt from? Reminiscent of tiger-stripe camo
How do people even get past the mandatory gear check without a minipump?
Number 10 should come with a disclaimer, That it is exclusive in races.
How does he manage tire pressure out on the road. Once you had a flat or lost some air it is crucial to get to the right tire pressure since having it too high or too low is way worse than having a less aero bike.
Last gravel ultra race i took a SKS Airchecker with me, 49g fully worth it! Way better than pumping up too much or not enough and need to stop again or beeing annoyed for hours by having the wrong pressure. Also I receommend it in general. Most pumps are very inaccurate. I rechecked with a Topeak Smart Gauge and it shows the same as the SKS Air checker.
The problem is not just wrappers. They are a problem. But it’s people. Anyone throwing a wrapper should be disqualified from any event they participate in. And then they should have their names publicised. And any product using a non-recyclable wrapper should be banned. It’s not cool.
Could you please add chapter makers? I know it is more clickbaity not to have, but do you prefer the long term or short-term success of your channel?
What have you bought from EXS? there's an EXS box on your shelf. ta
I don't entirely understand the purpose of pre-moistened wipes for cycling when we bring bottles full of moistness everywhere we go. Like sure if you're the type to empty a CO2 canister every time you need to top up your tires then I get the convenience factor but how often are you really in such a rush to wipe your ass that the paper needs to be wrapped in plastic and pre-moistened out of the box?
Baby wipes have a mild soap and a moisturizer. If you've ever tried to clean a baby with a cool wet paper towel you realize the difference.
I agree with almost everyone of these apart from using a watch instead of a HR strap, I've used a watch once on an MTB ride, and I'll never do it again as it rattles about and causes friction. Fine on a road ride, but off road very annoying, and it was a Garmin watch like Chris had on.
You just need it a little tighter (not too tight, mind) to stop the rattling.
Wearing anything on the wrist while on a bike is just as uncomfortable - wrists need to bend and also get sweaty.
Not to mention not all watches broadcast HR.
Light and small arm HR strap is probably best.
@@igorpilot well. We're all different eh?🤗
What are some alternatives to handlebar bags? and alternatives to the emergency blankets?
The old French used randonneur bags with a small rack. Still one of the most stylish ways to carry a bag. But for normal handlebar bags there is the Restrap bumper bar, the Swood Cycles T-Bar or the Jack the Bike Rack.
2:33 CO2 is the only way to go. Getting a road tire back up to ridable pressure with a mini-pump is a 20-minute ordeal.
Love the Nigel Mansell moustache look.
fyi on street view in Germany, there not many street view photos of Germany due to privacy laws, so Chris rules would not apply here.
Fair few roads here in the UK that Streetview doesn't cover to. Mainly country lanes but that's where the fun rides are.
For you youngsters. Snickers were called marathons in Britain until the 1980s...they were rebranded to match the rest of the world.
Hence the saying...it's a marathon not a snickers
One that gets me is people not understand the tyre system they are running and how to repair it on the road. This is the most basic and minimum knowledge you need to ride a bike for any distance. Had this recently on a winter ride stopped to help and the guy was ridding tubs with not idea what they were or how he could repair them. Basic stuff.
Goes on about foil blankets, co2 and wrappers and then recommends baby wipes.😂😂😂😂
Is there an alternative to the shiny emergency blanket?
The shiny EMERGENCY blanket is just that. Use a lightweight compactable poly fill blanket.
Ummmm. Baby wipes just as bad for the environment as your bar package just don't use them
You can get them made from bamboo in the baby section , they decompose .
Use them to keep your hands clean. Remember to dispose of them properly not in the Loo.
There are biodegradable ones made out of wood fibre cellulose.
Or there are 100% cotton baby wipes. Just buy propper one.
@@MrMateuszSiekiera They still pollute the environment. You can't legally place them in the Loo in most places. They clog public sewer facilities and don't decompose in most septic systems.
SPD pedals?
Yes, for everything bar racing.
Everyone on a club ride using SPD-R needs their head examining.
Mini pumps are terrible- just get a good frame fit pump- far easier to use for not much extra weight.
whats the handpump with psi meter that he is talking about? I must know! Been looking for one for ages
Topeak, Trek & Lezyne all make them. They have footpeg and a hose.
I can get 45psi into a 27.5x2.2 tyre with no effort and 60psi into a 38-622 with the same pump.
Heaps on eBay
And you buy the imported guava from South America and you fly around the world to do your races. I don't get that logic.
How far do most consumer goods travel to market? The answer may displease you!
How far do most consumer goods travel to market? The answer may displease you!
@@mechanicaldavid4827 Sure, but I'm not an influencer who thinks that the world (which definitely needs saving, and by that I mean from structural problems like capitalism) will be saved because of these little things.
I like this guy
i dont really bang on about climate change whatsoever , but i do like this bloke has common sense stamped all over him ( no not you , frank)
Wash your mouth out!!! In the UK it was a marathon.... but was changed to snickers... it was a terrible day...
Agree on all of this!
Smart guys!
Uh, for handlebar bags, why not just wrap your head tube with protective vinyl?...
Zero rub wear on my frame, thousands of miles of road and gravel.
Rear racks and panniers then call it bikepacking lol
7:31 so you're saying that none of the roads in China are roads? (unless Baidu Total View counts)
2:20 Guess what, if you don't have fully integrated cables, you can attach the back of the handlebar bag to the cables and not have that problem at all. Another L for fUlL aErO routing.
Nice…a bit contradictory- mentioning waste; Co2 canisters then he recommends wet wipes… 😂🤷🏻♂️
Babe wipes can be put in a small plastic bag after use. CO2 cartridges can't be refilled (they should be refillable) and can't be easily recycled. CO2 cartridges are strictly for emergency use.
@@jamesmckenzie3532 Baby wipes, cosmetic wipes, cleaning wipes and moist toilet tissues are not recyclable and are not flushable either even though some labels say they are. They are tragic, even by putting them in the bin, you are leaving it up someone else’s authority to correctly dispose of them. Just don’t do it.
@@jaypoly I use wipes for their intended purposes. I place them in the bin. Just to make things interesting, I let one dry out and tried to rewet it. That turned into a real mess. They are designed to break down in water, but I'm not risking it. Our authority will fine you if you flush them and they can trace them back to you as well. Yes, you can get industrial wipes but they are washable and they are even worse for the environment.
Drafting when it’s not allowed
Bro literally told us he likes to boof, wtf
he is so right. handlebarbags are the single most stupid trend... nah not at all, but still very stupid.
I always have a good laugh at the wannabe pterodactyls with their flagpole sized handlebars.
Especially when they're trying to filter through traffic.
I have slightly wider than standard to fit my handlebar bag , I ride 30 km to work every weekday on a trail that parallels the freeway no filtering required, if you are filtering traffic and bars are too wide you chose the wrong bike.
1:33 NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
we called it a marathon bar for yonks!!!!!!!!!!! (before you were born) (thats a long time !!!!!!!!!!!!) MARATHON it made me SO ANGRY when they changed it to a stupid american made up( pathetic) word .
what would you rather eat for power ( peanuts. ) ? a marathon 👍 or a snickers 😱🙅
Try sleeping with one of those foil blankets in the outdoors, totally useless.