All Things Bikes and Tacos! (...and every vehicle imaginable)

I do quite a bit of gravel riding. I ride with a group that does both road and gravel. A few do some bike packing but I’m not really into it. I’d rather camp somewhere and ride the area with a base to fall back on.
A few of us did the Croatan Buck fifty race on the NC coast last weekend and had a blast!

 

Speaking of bikepacking, anyone ever done or interested in a NOLS course? Looks like a very educational experience and an excuse to ride through Idaho.

https://www.nols.edu/en/coursefinde...ce-master-educator-bikepacking-LNTB/#sessions

 

What front carrier is that? I like how it doesn't attach via the front brake.

 

https://pelagobicycles.com/rasket/

 

I’ve never heard of a course like that, but certainly looks interesting and I agree great excuse to ride through Idaho. I haven’t done much riding outside of the western New York area which isn’t the most scenic.
The biggest issue for me is trying to get all the details of planning a trip out and not overwhelmed

 

I read through the itinerary for this course and its not 100% bikepacking all day like i would if i went out on my own.

Since it's a NOLS course, they teach a lot of Leave No Trace and ethical practices in the back country. The first day is all in a classroom where they kind of go over the basics of bikepacking and camping. Then you actually go out on a ride and camp the next few nights. I didn't understand if it was 20-30 miles a day or 20-30 miles over the entire trip.

It's really more of an educator class that happens to include bikepacking. The few people I know that have done NOLS classes in the past absolutely loved them and attributed it to their own personal growth. At the same time, the people I know did it pretty soon after college in their mid 20s, so personal growth is kind of the highlight of that age.

I'm hitting 30 this year and am considering it.

When I do bikepacking/touring trips on my own, I shoot for like 50+ miles a day. Guess im just crazy and like the pain. An S24O would be closer to like 20 miles though

 

I would love to get in on a race event like that, looks sweet!
And on my last bike packing trip I had wished I set up camp at my truck and had a home base to leave all my gear at. I was struggling with the additional weight with the hilly terrain and it was super muddy I kept sinking. At 6’4” ~240lbs

 

Looking to have a bike repair stand readily available for bike/camping trips. Hanging a mtb from under the seat on the 1UP riser gets all flippy floppy.

Rather than schlepping the whole stand along was thinking to attach something to the front bumper (alum, drill, bolt) and then a slip-in bench mount repair stand. I have a stock rear bumper. Not considering drilling any holes in the pillars on my X1.

Something like this:
https://www.jensonusa.com/Foundation-BenchWall-Mount-Bike-Repair-Stand
or maybe this. The slip in angle plate makes some sense. Low profile on the bumper and less chance of tagging something in parking lots/ safety considerations.

Conquer Bicycle Wall Mount Repair Stand Bicycle Rack - Rotating Head

https://www.amazon.com/Conquer-Bicycle-Mount-Repair-Stand/dp/B00KXFI1N0

Still working out the height and spacing details.
A long enough vertical pipe section would raise the bike up enough to hang from the seat post.
Just wondering if anyone has done this, pics please.

 

Why not make up something thatnfits in a receiver? Seems like that would be a simpler route. They make an adjustable ball mount thats a vertical square tube and you use a hitch pin to set the height where you want. That could be a good base for what you`re talking about. Then you`re just mounting a vertical tube with the repair stand on it.

 

My Alta Rack had a similar workstand clamp, and was super handy.

 

The event itself was a lot of fun. My group did the 50 mile race option. The course however was pretty rough. One two mile section where keeps and bulldozers had been was so bad we had to carry our bikes. We camped about 3 miles from the event Friday and Saturday night. The race was fun, but the camping was better. Good food from the Traeger, good beer, and campfires.

 

Hitting boyscout in pacifica Sunday if any norcal locals wanna go

 

Picked up a Kuat 2.0 bike hauler last week!

 

Those are nice bike racks. I would have gotten one myself but I found that I couldn’t open my tailgate with the Kuat. I went with a Saris instead. Not as nice but I can open the tailgate

 

Yep, it leans back enough to open the hatchback on the SUV but not enough for a tailgate. I have mastered getting into the bed from the side when I have to. The bikes load super easy one this hauler compared to the SwagMan that had.

 

I’ve been told that there may be an adapter that would allow me to use the Kuat and still lower my tailgate. Seems to be truck specific though. My buddy has one on his Ridgeline and we can lower his tailgate all the way. Doesn’t work for my taco. Either way, though it’s not as easy to use as the Kuat, my Saris works just fine.

 

A drop hitch isn’t vehicle specific (only hitch size specific) and should solve your issue.

This Kuat one from Amazon probably isn’t the cheapest or only option out there.

Kuat Hi-Lo 2" Hitch Extension, 7" or 10" Extension, 2 1/8" Rise/Drop Product Name

$87 Kuat Hi-Lo 2" Hitch Extension, 7" or 10" Extension, 2 1/8" Rise/Drop Product Name

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ASYPPU

 

Yeah… when I said vehicle specific I was referring to how (without a drop device) teh tailgate will open on some trucks and not on others. In the case of my buddies Ridgeline, I think his bumper is thicker and his hitch receiver sits lower than my taco.
Either way I’ll stick with the Saris for now until I need to add a 4 bike rack. Then…. I’ll spend Kuat money.

 

Any reason the Kuat over 1up? I was looking at a rack for the wife to use when I am away. She can’t get the bike on the back of the taco and I have a diamondback cover so it can’t just go in the bed. Looking for different options.

 

I don’t really know anything about 1up. My friend owns a local bike shop and sells Kuat. When one of our friends decided to buy a Kuat, he sold me his Saris at a great deal.