Winter Training on my Surly Long Haul Trucker

Derek and I headed down to the river today after a snowstorm to test out our Surly Long Haul Truckers in wintry weather.  With a nice mixture of snow, ice, and a thick layer of mush, the ride turned out to be just what we were looking for.  Some things we learned from the ride:

1. SKS Fenders, or fenders in general, really make for a cleaner ride.  Derek doesn’t have fenders and was covered with mud after about 2 minutes on the bike.  I was perfectly clean, although my front Ortlieb panniers were covered in mud.
2. Adding some extra inflation to your tires increases speeds while under heavy load.  I was rolling pretty heavy on the ride and my speed was down about 2km per hour.  I stopped and pumped up my tires with my Topeak Road Morph up to near max capacity.  I was rolling with the wind and got an extra 4km per hour out of my bike.
3. A simple 3-layer clothing system seems to keep us warm.  I’m wearing a pair of synthetic moisture-wicking long underwear (tops and bottoms), a think wool jacket on top, and a Gore Wind-stopper Jacket on top of that.  For my legs, I’ve got the long underwear, a regular pair of boxer shorts, and wind-protective pants.  Add some wool socks, a pair of cycling gloves, and waterproof shoe covers, and that’s it.  We were riding in light rain, 34 degree weather, and a 20mph wind.  No problems.  I really think the addition of the Wind-stopper jacket has solved my problems.
4. The Surly Long Haul Truckers are holding up nicely.  I have over 900km on my bike while Derek is still breaking his in.   I have had no problems thus far with any part of the bike. So far, all of my racks, panniers, and water cages are holding up just fine.

Winter Training for the Long Haul for Hunger Bicycle Tour

Seoul, South Korea- On a typical weekday morning, long before the sun has risen, we can be found by the Han River battling through the debilitating winds and freezing temperatures that can make even the most dedicated athletes call it a day. The rest of our time is spent thawing our toes and studying our maps.

With less than 50 days until we embark on the Long Haul for Hunger bicycle tour, Derek and I are stepping up our training programs, no matter how cold it is outside.  We look like aliens with all of our winter cycling clothing on.  Really loving my Gore Windstopper jacket at the moment.

Seoul Bicycle Training Weather

Our current training program is in its 2nd phase and we’re transitioning to our final phase of preparation.  From now on we will spend 5 mornings a week on our bikes, I will be putting in 30 miles a day during the week, and doing a 50 mile ride once every weekend.  We want to get plenty of time in the saddle before getting to China.

So far our Surly LHT bikes have held up great in the city, we can only hope they do the same on the tour.  Stay tuned for more updates and check out our event website at http://www.theultimatetrek.com