Dispatch 6: Gear Talk.

To: David K Gibson
From: "dave oshinsky" 

Dispatch: Random thoughts, compiled 

Wellington 

Can't really date this one--it's just a collage of passing thoughts and gear rants and raves that I've forgotten to put to words until now. 

Gear raves: 

With almost two weeks under my wheels, here are a few observations on what I've loved. 

The bike. Pretty much goes without saying, but, well, there, I've said it. Though at times it's been the bane of my wind-blown, rain-soaked existence, damn it's good. Money well spent. 

The B.O.B. See above. And packing it up makes me happy I'm not loading four separate panniers. 

Europe Bound fleece and raingear. Purchased in Vancouver, on the theory that if anyone knows rain, Vancouverians do. And do they. Too many nice features to list, but the jacket in particular has brought welcome relief from rain and wind. 

My 100% Silk Sleeping Bag liner. Purchased at REI. Oh so soft and comfy, it's also warm and a joy to pack. Fits right into the Granite Gear compression sack with my sleeping bag. 

PalmPilot 5000 by US Robotics. Sure, it's not your typical touring gear, but what better way to store pages and pages of information, as well as phone numbers and email addresses in one tidy 3"x5" package? 

Still under evaluation: 

The Specialized WedLock. The lock is not quite the anathema it was a week ago, as I've found a convenient place to mount it on my frame (taking a few pounds off B.O.B.'s tired back), but it's still a pain in the ass to lock. Maybe if they stiffened the hinges a tad, it wouldn't be so apt to smack into my frame when I unlock it. 

Bontrager Revolt Rear Tire. Sorry, KB, but the tire is wearing down at an alarming rate. No doubt the Bontrager folks didn't consider 30 plus kilos of trailer weight in their tire testing, but it does have an effect. That said, the tires are still wonderfully conceived, and they do quite well on and off road. I just wonder about durability for my use.

Scott AT-4 handlebars. They look aero, but they don't really work aero. Still, I like the variety of hand positions. These need more test time.