BRO QUEST 2009

Extreme rage pedaling in Glacier

Mr. Belvedere and I have grown extremely close over the last 4 weeks. Mr. B is almost entirely stock - a 2008 Kona Sutra. I found an ad on Craigslist and committed to it, thinking I'd probably back out of Broquest. However, after riding it around the Bronx for a few weeks, my fate was sealed - I was meant to ride this bike cross-country.

I’m the only dude on Broquest riding a purpose-built touring bike. So far, Mr. B has been everything I could ask for in a bike. He responds well loaded and unloaded, can stop on a dime and take off like a bolt. He's a good all around bike, and I'm sure I'll get a lot of use out of him for years to come.

Silver Surfer is Pat's co-pilot

Like the fictional butler, Mr. Belvedere is a little chunky but charming. He weighs in around 25 pounds - too heavy to race, but perfect for the tour. He also has front and rear disc brakes which improves stopping power, especially on hills and steep descents. Like any good butler, he carries his weight without whining about it. Usually, I ride with 50-70 pounds in my bags. I can hardly ever feel it drag me down.

Pat's bike is pale blue. Pat's skin is pale white

A few changes I've made:

• Brooks Team Pro Copper saddle - this was practically new when we started Broquest. After 1,700 miles, it's starting to break in quite nicely, and I hardly feel anything when I ride.
• Inline rear rack - the stock rack broke in Spokane, so we needed an immediate replacement. They are exceptionally durable and can handle weight better than the stock rack.
• Pink Planet Bike Cascadia fenders - they go well with the baby blue.
• Shimano SPD pedals with a platform reverse. These are great for riding around town when I don't want to wear my dorkshoes.

I'm carrying Axiom Stormfront panniers. While touring, I’ve noticed a lot of tourists use Ortliebs. The Axioms have held up just as well at a fraction of the cost. I’ve been caught in multiple thunderstorms and pleasantly surprised to pull out a perfectly dry change of clothes. The synthetic interior also makes cleanup easy. I’ve had a few cans of Spam and gel packs explode mysteriously, but the bags wash out just fine.

Mr. Belvedere and Pat in wizard attire

I've noticed a few distinct advantages carrying panniers in lieu of trailers. Since my load is distributed across the bike, I don't have as much gravitational and frictional pull against me when I ride. This means I can climb hills and mountains faster since there is less weight behind my rear axle.

Panniers, however, become a problem in wind. If I’m riding through a cross-wind, my bike becomes a giant sail. The other day while biking to Tioga, I rode a nasty stretch of highway 1804. I was heading east and the wind was moving at about 30 mph out of the south. I had to lean 20 degrees into the wind to keep from being blown onto the road surface. The bulkiness of panniers also makes me less aerodynamic than Stuart and Cameron. I have more drag on downhills or with headwinds.

Displaying junk in the trunk

Last but not least, the Mr. Belvedere theme song offers good advice for Broquest and life in general:

All hands look out below
There’s a change in the status quo.
Gonna need all the help that we can get.

According to our new arrival
Life is more than mere survival
We just might live the good life yet.