About HankG

Ryan the bikepacking site is very useful, I appreciate it. Frankly overall I think my biggest fear is sleeping in a tent, something I’ve never done. Silly question: how come snakes snd other critters don’t get into your tent and sleeping bag seeking your body warmth? John please feel free to pipe in to this total newbie question. hank

Thanks Ryan!

John that cage looks cool And the description says it’s designed to be used with the salsa anything cage bag, but I don’t see that bag available on the REI site. Am I missing it?

Hi @REI-JohnJ and @ryanjohnson! i hope you’re enjoying your bikes. My handlebars were way too wide. A stem riser, better grips, and cutting the bars down made the bike fit very comfortably. Rode in snow /mud the other day on the wall kill valley rail trail in walkill, ny, about 22 miles—a workout!— and came home all smiles with tons of mud on me and the bike. My wife “suggested” fenders so I just received the fat tire fenders rei sells that cover tires up to 6.5” (PNW) and plan to mount ‘em and try them this weekend. This bike makes me smile. And little kids are always complimenting the bike or the tires and it’s a hoot. I’ve never camped or slept on the ground or in a tent in my life. At 63 I’m intrigued by articles on bike packing. I’d love to try it but I’m a little intimidated and would like to try it with at least one buddy. I also don’t know about the equipment but I can read about that and I think REI will be a great resource. Maybe the first time I do it it’ll be a relatively short ride and stay somewhere overnight near my house and ride back the next day I have a feeling I’ll love it and just gradually build up to longer trips. Have you guys done it? Loving my orange beast. hank

‎11-14-2020

@REI-JohnJ John, you are an excellent teacher! And I appreciate the clear concise explanation. And the timing of your note to me couldn’t have been more perfect. I just finished my morning ride got home and opened your email it was a great ride a beautiful clear day I’m dialing in both my tire pressure (9.5 pounds today on a moderately bumpy trail— felt like I absorbed shock without too much bounce) and got the handlebars cut down at this point two full inches off each side and they feel perfect along with angling the bar ends and adjusting my brake levers I’m feeling great about the cockpit at this point. I’ve met several guys my age who have bought mountain bikes and fat tire bikes and they felt the handlebars were too wide and they were uncomfortable and just left the bikes home. That’s a shame, they can be cut down. John your advice and explanations are a real asset to REI and your Service as well as the service of others I’ve encountered as a relatively new REI member will keep me shopping there, I placed an order just yesterday and look forward to receiving it! And some of what I ordered was based on my asking an REI expert for advice have a great rest of your weekend. hank

‎11-13-2020

John some racks mention that they are incompatible with asymmetric rear stays. I don’t know what that is, can you tell me if our bike is considered symmetrical or asymmetrical rear stays? thanks hank ps I’m getting out early tomorrow morning on a trail still working on my handlebar width I expect to cut them down tomorrow and if that doesn’t work with the bar end grips and stem raiser that my local REI store put on I think my next step is a Jones bar with a 2 1/2 inch rise which are currently out of stock

‎11-13-2020

Amazing service thanks John. I’m leaning towards the Tubus. Its simplicity is calling me and I won’t need the blaburns ability to change widths Because this rack will be dedicated for the fat bike

‎11-12-2020

speedy recovery, @ryanjohnson Ryan!

‎11-10-2020

And 9 “ is 229 mm, correct?

‎11-10-2020

John thanks as usual for a very thorough informative response. Do you have any knowledge of the axiom streamliner fat liner? It’s specs say that it’ll handle the tire up to 5 inches so I was hoping that would give me a slight more of a margin, it can hold 110 pounds, and it weighs less. Sounds intriguing. I wonder about the 190 mm spacing and if that works? hank

‎11-09-2020

@REI-JohnJ Hello John thank you for writing and I do remember that early conversation about Ryan’s rear rack. Regarding the tubus and black burn racks, the tubus spec sheet says it will accommodate a tire up to 4.8 inches, and can be 8.1 to 9.2” at the Lower attachment point. Do you know if the 8.1 to 9.2 fits on our 4.1? And regarding the black burn their spec sheet says it’ll accommodate a tire up to 3 inches wide. I am I looking at the correct rack? And they describe width adjustability so I’m surprised if it won’t accommodate our tire. Your thoughts? And of the two different ways that the tubus and blackburn attach to the bike at the bottom, is there one of those two attachment methods that you think is superior? hank

Posts	31
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Total Likes Received	12
Member Since	‎05-30-2020

Member Since	‎05-30-2020 07:13 PM
Date Last Visited	yesterday
Posts	31
Total Likes Received	12

Re: I want to go bikepacking. Where do I start?

Re: I want to go bikepacking. Where do I start?

Re: Re:How can I get more information about the Co...

I want to go bikepacking. Where do I start?

Re: Which rear rack works for DRT 4.1 fat bike?

Re: Which rear rack works for DRT 4.1 fat bike?

Re: Which rear rack works for DRT 4.1 fat bike?

Re: Which rear rack works for DRT 4.1 fat bike?

Re: Which rear rack works for DRT 4.1 fat bike?

Re: Which rear rack works for DRT 4.1 fat bike?

Re: Which rear rack works for DRT 4.1 fat bike?