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Messages - Russ61

#1
Service & Repair / Re: Choosing a tire pressure
February 06, 2023, 05:02:22 PM
I've ridden my 2018 Rover > 4000 miles, about 40% road (paved or gravel) and 60% off road. At first, with just Kenda tires & inner tubes, I rode @ 20 psi, sometimes experimenting down to 17-18 psi. I'm 250 and carry about 10 lbs of gear.....making ideal tire psi range considerably different than for a 150 lb rider. After a rear tire puncture (worst kind!) I inserted Mr Tuffy 3XL liners but after a series of flats (woodland sharp sticks, woody thorns) I opted for Tannus Armour inserts (combined with Mr Tuffy liners...not an easy install) I've had no (knocks on wood) additional flats in 2+ years. They do feel heavier (rotational intertia), but you get accustomed to it as normal.

Tannus Armour advice is all over the map re psi recommendations. Most advice centers on riding ~ 3 psi less than you would otherwise. I now run as low as 14-14.5 psi when off road where speed (and less rolling resistance) is less of a factor and ride comfort and tire grip are more important. Tire performance on paved roads/Rails to Trails is notably different @ 14-17 psi than @ 20-21 psi. Increasingly I'm using higher psi when on hard, smoother surfaces OR when I'm on a long ride that will exhaust me and/or my battery.....and where rolling resistance optimization becomes more of key factor, ie you can go faster, further, with less battery at 20 psi than with 15 psi. Life is full of compromises including that the tire footprint is different, and thus wear pattern is also different, as you change psi. Higher psi usage on hard surfaces tends to really wear downt the knobbies centered on the tires.
#2
RadRover / Re: Bottle holder?
October 03, 2021, 11:04:13 PM
I pondered using the MRI-Denver, Cascade, and then found the GZila Designs unit which I got. Fortunately he'd just revised the design to include an extra pair of holes on the tiltable arms. I use it and 2 Blackburn Mtn Bike cages to SECURELY hold any of several sets of Polar Insulated water bottles including 24 fl oz bottles....extra tall. The ability with the GZila model to use any of multiple pairs of holes to mount AND angle the cages to be tilted ensures that you will clear the top of the suspension forks, pass underneath any swing of your handlebars, and be reachable by you while riding. The GZila is not the cheapest option but it appears to be VERY well made and finished with the flexibility of being custom fitted to your bike, a wide number of bottle cages, and water bottles. You can move the cages left or right, up or down, tilt to vertical or quite far backward....quite ingenious. I'm very satisfied with my purchase and would recommend to others.
#3
Service & Repair / Re: Best way to carry a Rad bike
June 07, 2021, 07:09:04 PM
I ride my Rover recreationally (vs commuting, shopping, etc.), thus I often (several times/week) load it up to take to another area to ride, usually off road but sometimes along bikeways. Thus I'm FREQUENTLY loading/unloading the bike. I looked at everything including Rad's reselling of the Hollywood rack but opted for the Kuat NV2.0 rack. I also added the Kuat Pivot v2 that allows me to use the rack (with or without bikes) on either my minivan or RV w/ rear barn doors.....GREAT setup. Because the Kuat has a wide "track"/rail, it is relatively easy to lift the front wheel up onto the track, roll it forward as you lift the back end, and just guide it into the front wheel tray.....you're only lifting effectively 30 lbs rather than the full 60+ which I did several times before figuring out the smarter way! Kuat (and others like Hollywood, Thule, Yakima, Rocky Mtn, etc.) are not inexpensive, but I rationalized it over the # of times I use it and how much more ergonomically efficient it is....and worth it's price. They also have a lifetime warranty. I'd buy it again!

Re the 1 Up USA racks, they came out after I bought mine. I was initiallly impressed by them and they get some strong reviews, but be forewarned that they appear to NOT be friendly toward bikes w/ fenders, ie they use 2 arms that clamp on the 2 tires. The 1 on the front tire is probably okay, but the rear fender typically comes down lower and therefore presents a problem re securely holding the rear wheel to the rack IMO. If you don't have (or plan on getting) fenders, then that shouldn't be an issue. Where I live (PNW), one virtually MUST have fenders.