Top Touring Tips

Stop water ingress in those head stock bearings. Don't buy expensive neoprene seals to cover them. Just cut a length of inner tube long enough to cover the bearing plus 20mm either side, (say a total of about 80mm), stretch it over the bearing and viola, sealed headstock bearings. Try not to let too much overlap onto the forks or handlebar stem as it causes a bit of drag as you turn the bars.

You can also do the same with the seat post to stop water running down the tube and ito the bottom bracket.

keep pedaling!

Steve

My-Bicycling-Adventure

for keeping all insects at bay spray yourseld all over with MOUTHWASH
well it works without fail for the moonshiners
watched it on sky last night

Bring a map!
Just completed my first week long ride in northern France and yeah, never took a map. compass was used but just 'heading south' kinda sucks in the end as most of the time we were lost!
Great fun though when looking back

Screw on gas cartidges can be hard to find and expensive when you do in most of mainland europe. I've just bought one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Edelrid-Pun...9YOK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335971306&sr=8-1
so I can use the puncture type that all the supermarkets etc. stock for a couple of euros.

Best kept secret for saddle sores - Hydrocolloid Dressings. They are a bit like second skin and help absorb any infection as well cushion the sore. You need to soak them off though! You can buy them from most pharmacies.

I find these cloths lines to be practical to use. The twists in the line are used to hang out the clothes instead of pegs. £3 at wiggle with free postage.

That is coooool

i once sailed with a low maintenance french friend who had one pair of swim wear - for three weeks. :-/

Warning. Men might not want to read further:

I would certainly certainly recommend cycling in padded cycling shorts without underwear (or swimwear) to avoid seam chaffing...women can use pantyliners to prolong wear...padded cycling undershorts also wash and dry overnight easily or blow dry on the back of your bike the next day ...and you can wear 'normal' clothes over the top if you want to...some designs of women's undershorts also have an antibacterial lining for improved hygeine...

FWIW there's a German firm run by women which makes cycling gear for women. I'll see if I can find the name of it.

Here's the link: http://www.fitinstyle.de/shop/uebersicht_biken.html