378: E-Bike Project - Shakedown Preview
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Release Date: 09/26/2024
Best of Pedalshift 270: Winter Fitness and Bike Maintenance
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
With a bunch of snow and ice on the ground where I’m at, it’s a good time to focus on things that will help bike tours coming after the thaw. On this episode, an update on my winter fitness goals, what I’m doing to keep it going plus some ideas on winter bike maintenance. .
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388: Pedalshift Holiday Spectacular 2024
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Shifty Saves the Holidays! It's an annual tradition around here that we celebrate the holidays with my senior executive producer and best buddy Shifty the Elf celebrating the year that has been. This year, in a nearly all elf-driven plot, our guy Shifty finds the magic in 2024 to make the holidays special once again. Happy holidays all, and see you in 2025!
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Best of Pedalshift 231: Exploring Bikepacking
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
I’ll admit, I’ve been bikepacking curious for a while. As my touring continues to expand and evolve I’m thinking more about bikepacking options and I thought I’d share the process on the pod. Join me, won’t you? .
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387: Ask Us Anything with Mysterious James
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
A repodcast of Pedalshift Live from December 6, 2024 featuring special guest Mysterious James and YOUR questions for a big round of Ask Us Anything. Huge shoutout to the folks that came and made this one of the best live shows yet! 1. Top 3 Must-Have Items for Bike Touring • James: Once considered a cook set essential but now tours stoveless. Values minimal gear and adaptability. • Tim: iPhone (multi-use tool), foldable backjack chair, and positive vibes for motivation. 2. Best Place for Car-Free Living with Transit and Nature Access • James: San Francisco for its bikeability,...
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386: NoDak Northern Tier Adventure Takeaways
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Back from North Dakota and the bike-adjacent adventures with national parks, bison and Bromptons... I've got some takeaways to share! Housekeeping Live Show! Friday December 6 at 9pm ET/6pm PT - topics TBA, and of course it’ll be the pod for the next week if you can’t make it live. Links and more at . Shifty the Elf fans? The Holiday Spectacular returns Dec 26th to close out the year! Takeaways Folks, North Dakota is worth the trip! When checking a bike, pay attention to all the vulnerable parts that jut out and don’t shirk the corner padding Wild bison are worth...
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385: NoDak Northern Tier Adventure Part 4
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
The final day of the NoDak adventure (finally?) explored the beauty of Medora, North Dakota, on bike, reflecting on the unique experience of cycling the Northern Tier Route. Beautiful views of TR NP, offbeat historical tidbits and some reflections and "what ifs" that prevented me from getting there earlier… all part of the adventure! Housekeeping We’re shifting the schedule around a bit here as we close out the year… we’re going to delay the final best of for 2024 so we can go straight through to finish the NoDak Adventure with no interruptions. But also… Live...
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384: NoDak Northern Tier Adventure Part 3
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
A frosty start leads to adventure, navigating through Theodore Roosevelt National Park! From a sub-freezing camping morning to a literal standoff with a bison, listen in as we explore the unique challenges and rewards of fall adventures in one of North Dakota’s most scenic landscapes. Housekeeping We’re shifting the schedule around a bit here as we close out the year… we’re going to delay the final best of for 2024 so we can go straight through to finish the NoDak Adventure with no interruptions. But also… Live Show! Friday December 6 at 9pm ET/6pm PT - topics...
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383: NoDak Northern Tier Adventure Part 2
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Starting from Fargo and driving clear across North Dakota, I had little to prepare me for what awaited on the western edge of the state. But would I see the bison that I low key really wanted to see, and would some discovered damage on the Brompton scuttle the bikey part of this bike adjacent adventure? Housekeeping We’re shifting the schedule around a bit here as we close out the year… we’re going to delay the final best of for 2024 so we can go straight through to finish the NoDak Adventure with no interruptions. But also… Live Show! Friday December 6 at 9pm ET/6pm PT - topics TBA,...
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Best of Pedalshift 174: Bicycle Touring Etiquette
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
We all want to do the right thing, hopefully, and within any community there’s an unwritten code of conduct for proper behavior so we can all get along. On this episode, we cover some of those rules of bicycle touring etiquette! .
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382: NoDak Northern Tier Adventure Part 1
The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
On this episode, we start the long journey to bike in the badlands of North Dakota… it turns out, perhaps the biggest reason I haven’t had a chance to visit North Dakota before is because it is tucked out of the way in the US northern plains. Maybe its remote nature is a part of its draw? Its largest city of Fargo is the gateway to the adventure… would it surprise me from the start? NoDak Northern Tier Adventure Part 1 Statisitics Miles driven 249 Miles biked 0 States visited 49 Number of campers in camp 1 Number of bikes in camp 1 (Mine!) Dashed expectations for a cowboy bar because...
info_outlineOn this edition, we preview a short but momentous little overnight adventure on my brand new ebike… we’ll discuss goals and strategies, plus recharge options and… hey, we’re getting back on the C&O again!
eBike Project - Shakedown Preview
The basics
ebike
full charged battery
Two panniers and maybe the sleep kit on the handlebars
No food, no stove
Sleep clothes only (no additional clothing)
Rain gear only if rain ends up being possible
extra tools - chain breaker, master link breaker, more
The route
Road route from cabin to Hancock’s city park, then onto one of the closer campsites on the C&O
Returning the second day to Hancock for any additional charge ups necessary and then up the hills back
Approx 40 total miles, maybe a bit more if I ride further out on the trail
Why so short?
Need to keep things close in case we have something happen that requires a vehicle rescue
May be a short ride but it has a lot of climbing, long flats where speed is helpful, and more
Trying to gauge how much range this bike and battery has on real terrain
Minimal gear and gas station cuisine
Hancock has plenty of food options close to the city park that has electric
Will bring water purifier for the trail just in case, but likely will have enough water on hand to make things work
Trying to keep the variables to a minimum
Weather
Finally starting to cool down around here!
High projected to be in 70s (24C), lows in the mid 50s (13C)
Rain in the forecast for a couple of days before, but ending that morning so it should be dry but might have wet ground
Down bag, tent, pad… nothing too crazy necessary as we transition into fall
What I’m looking for out of this trip
Ensuring the build is solid and safe - rack, brakes, cables no longer pinched
Testing range on the battery
Getting more experience climbing with the boost
Seeing how "fast" my 3A charger can charge (not a lot)
Getting a feel for a suspension bike
Getting a feel for the tires
Assessing comfort - how long can I be in the saddle?
Assessing need for more add-ons
A chill night on the C&O… haven’t been camping since Oregon this summer!
Pod plans
Single tour journal for the trip (there and back)
Separate takeaways episode to get into assessments, next steps, and potential ideas for 2025