What did you do today for your bug out vehicle?

[NT2C]

Does anyone have any experience with a good bike computer for navigation?

Why not an app on your phone and a holder on the bars?  With a decent power supply you should be good.

[tirls]

Does anyone have any experience with a good bike computer for navigation?

Why not an app on your phone and a holder on the bars?  With a decent power supply you should be good.

I´ve tried a couple of different apps and I don´t like the navigation. It´s nice on public roads, but as soon as you go on dirt paths it´s not very good at notifying you on upcoming turns and sometimes doesn´t know the way. It might be different on apps with monthly payment, but if I use one I can get a bike computer for the price instead.
The vibrations on the handlebar also damage the phone. The display isn´t readable in the sun and you need to constantly charge it which makes the phone get extremely hot.
I´m not sure how much better bike computers are, so I´m still debating. They are really expensive for just trying it out.

Or maybe I just need a new phone. Mine´s getting a bit old.

[majorhavoc]

I´m currently trying to put a bike together for our planned italy trip. I´m not taking the Brompton, mainly because of all the descending (rim brakes on a 16" wheels get hot!) and replacement not being readily available in shops.

The choice is between upgrading my old Gitane Mixte or an Origami Swift folder. I could potentially try to get a used road or gravel bike for around the same it would take me to get these bikes ready, but I really don´t want another one standing around and I like my bikes.

The Gitane is in good condition. I´d need to update the gear shifter, it still has it´s original lever shifter on the top tube and I´m terrible at reaching it while driving. Definitely also new wheels, they´re quite thin racing wheels without a lot of profile and from the 80s. I think I´d like something a bit sturdier and less slippy, you still get ice and snow in the alps in summer.
I´m not sure how much current standard parts it takes, but at the least brake pads, chain and wheels shouldn´t be a problem.
It´s decently light for a steel framed bike and has great racks, both front and back.

(not mine, but identical)

The other available bike is an Origami Swift folding bike. It´s a 20" with hydraulic disc brakes. It´s a new bike, so I don´t need to update anything on it. I might need to change the gearing, but I´m still testing it out. The real disadvantage is that it is slightly slower and my travel partner will be on a street racing bike. On the other hand I can take it on trains and busses and it might even fit into my tent, depending on which I end up taking.
It´s slightly heavier and definitely needs a different bike rack.

(also not mine, but identical apart from the colour)

Decisions!

I need new lights for both of them and figure something out for my power supply. And get my tool kit in order.
Does anyone have any experience with a good bike computer for navigation?

The Gitane certainly looks the part of a proper European bike - such a classy old bike!  You mentioned the Italian Alps.  What kind of road surfaces will you be riding on? The Gitane would be much better for distances over 10 or 15 miles.

Re: narrow tires.  Depending on your rims, you might be able to shod your existing wheels with wider profile tires. I'm assuming they're 700c or maybe 27"?  They're probably in the vicinity of 23mm to 25mm width.  You might be able to get away with 30mm or even 32mm width, which is a lot more rubber and air volume - that can make a big difference.

Re: power source for lights.  You could go old school and install a dynamo on your seat stay or chain stay.  It would certainly fit the classic Euro bike theme.

[tirls]

We´re not entirely set on the route yet.
It´s either going to be Füssen - Lago di Garda. That´s probably the easiest with not a lot of altitude and my mum lives close to Füssen. On the other hand we´d need to get to Bavaria first and Füssen is about the most touristy area you can get in Germany apart from Berlin (castles Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, and a 9th century monastery).
The streets would be quite decent, mostly gravel and tarmac.
The other option is Basel or lake Constance to Bolzano. Advantages: Ötzi and close to where we live. But a lot of altitude and some not very nice roads.
Mostly gravel starting at the border with some pretty rough ones thrown in.

The Gitane would be the best if we start in Füssen, but I´d need to get in into a train to get there first.
The wheels are 700c, good eye! I don´t think 30mm would fit, old racing bikes have really narrow tires. It´s currently at my friends house so I can´t meassure it. The width is not much of a problem, I´m used to biking on them on some pretty gnarly surfaces. They´re just very old and basically slicks.
On the alp passes in Switzerland maybe not so much. You can have snow and ice at the top even in summer and it goes straight down directly next to the road.
I´m really hesitant to change the bike. They are getting rarer with original components.

If we start in the area around Basel I´m tempted to take the Swift. It can definitely do large distances and some basic mountainbiking, not big jumps but rougher roads and potholes aren´t a problem.
It has a really nice gear shifter with a top and bottom lever, so no awkward up- or downshifting, a 11-40T rear sprocket and a 58T front sprocket. So it´s very capable for the wheel size and surprisingly fast. I can probably get the tires easier than for the Gitane. While the Gitane has the most common sized tires, most modern ones are too wide. Even some racing ones.
20" are really common here, both kid bikes and BMX use them. And small wheels are nice on hill climbs. They´re not as fast, but a lot less tiring.

The Gitane already has a rim dynamo with the lights wired to it. They are just about good enough to make the bike officially road safe. To actually see something not so much. The idea is to use battery powered LED lights and top them up from a powerbank.
I have a AC to DC converter with an USB-C for a dynamo at home that I wan´t to try out. Ideally you have a hub dynamo, but I like the idea of having standard components for the parts that break the most.
I´m going to install the dynamo converter set up and make a test tour to France in the next weeks to see if I can keep a large powerbank topped up for the trip.
Otherwise maybe a small solar panel? Or a tiny wind turbine at the handlebar?

[Rednex]

Got new tires and an alignment on the Xterra. Local shop got the cheap never heard of before brand tires.

[tirls]

Looked through my stash of bike parts.

I found my Cinq Plug5 Pure I got on sale a year or so ago. You install it at the bike's headset (I think it's called, the top thingy near the handlebar). It converts 6V AC to 5V DC to charge via USB-C. It has mixed reviews regarding the internal battery dying. There are some other options available by now I can try should that happen.

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I found an old unused Nordlicht dynamo. They are usually pretty decent. I'm going to upgrade the dynamo wheel with a carrera car tire. They have a tendency to slip on the rim if wet if left unaltered.

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I also found this beauty: 

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[tirls]

My Swift is fully assembled, the brakes adjusted and the dynamo installed. I need another go at the rear derailleur, it's a bit clunky on the last gear.

The converter is going to be a problem. The handlebar-stem thingy detaches for the folding mechanism. I'm going to look if I can find a pipe with an appropriate diameter and zip tie it to the fork.
Hopefully it's going to work, I'm really bad with electricity.

The bike lights are on their way.

Once everything is working I'm going to do a weekend trip to test it out. If it's not good on long distances I'll start worrying about my Gitane.

[MacWa77ace]

Ordered a TCC lockup solenoid and a filter kit including the gasket for the corolla. This will be my first adventure inside a transmission. Fingers crossed. The OE solenoid is $360 to $600 which is totally ridiculous for what it is. So of course I got an aftermarket one from Amazon for $22.



I will be testing the solenoid for function with 12v input and an ohms reading before even attempting. 

Its getting slow shifting into drive or reverse from park, and throwing a P0741 code.

It does have 370k miles and I don't change the fluid for myths and urban legend reasons. Will be doing a drain and fill though, that's roughly 50% fluid change, so hopefully the plates don't need the dirty fluid to function either.

[EBuff75]

I replaced the transmission speed sensor module (TSSM) on my Mazda a couple of years ago, but that's the only transmission repair that I've ever attempted.  And the only reason that I did that one myself, was because it was easy to access.  It's just a Hall effect sensor that's right on the top of the transaxle, so pretty easy to swap it out. 

[NT2C]

Ordered a nice set of rock lights for my Jeep.  While a lot of folks think they're just for show, when moving across rough terrain at night being able to light up the area immediately around each wheel can be vital.

The pretty colors are just an extra bonus.

[eugenenine]

Five new tires.

[NT2C]

Currently at the dealership getting yet another new battery and an alignment.

ETA: New battery but no reason found for why this is the second in 45 days and the third in two years.  The alignment, both me and the service writer thought the machine they use when you pull in was going bonkers.  Tires have absolutely perfect treadwear.  The alignment rack agreed with the one at the entrance, and it wasn't just off a little, it was way off.  Good now though.

[Yogurt]

NT2C you commented back in late May that you had just gotten an OBD2 splitter to run your speed turtle stuff for your lights.  When you replaced the battery the first time you commented that the issues with it not starting if left to sit for a few days had started in June.  I would be very tempted to start unplugging the OBD2 stuff when you turn off the vehicle, for some vehicles they are an always on it.  So they could be the slow drain that is running it down and making it take extra cycles/wear to kill the batteries faster.

[NT2C]

NT2C you commented back in late May that you had just gotten an OBD2 splitter to run your speed turtle stuff for your lights.  When you replaced the battery the first time you commented that the issues with it not starting if left to sit for a few days had started in June.  I would be very tempted to start unplugging the OBD2 stuff when you turn off the vehicle, for some vehicles they are an always on it.  So they could be the slow drain that is running it down and making it take extra cycles/wear to kill the batteries faster.

I thought the same thing so I removed all of that and was still having the issues. It turns out to have been a bad starter that killed the batteries back then and I still haven't crawled back under the dash to hook any of it back up

[MacWa77ace]

Laid my '04 Corolla to rest. 370K miles. Needed a transmission rebuild, that solenoid and fluid swap I did didn't help the issues. $2500-3500 didn't make sense on a car with a best case KBB private sale value of $700. BUT, did get $700 trade in value from CarMax.



My replacement BOV: '22 Corolla 32K miles. [a lease return, was in the CarMax system since Nov and just had a pricedrop, may have been due to some cosmetic scratches in the side door and front bumper, but they fixed those perfectly at no charge and it looks brand new.]


I shall call him 'Oreo' since the interior and exterior are black and white [platinum pearl white paint]. Next is to get it tinted. So far looks like I'm getting between 38 and 41 mpg. The old Corolla was getting 32-33 mpg. [@80 mph highway] Oh, and its a CVT transmission which is a first for me, and it's weird with no shifting.

The main downside is I now have a car payment. I haven't had a car payment since 2013. 

[NT2C]

Wish you luck with it, Mac, but take it easy on that CVT.  They're great at low to moderate loads but if you have a heavy foot or like fast acceleration from traffic lights you'll be replacing it sooner, rather than later.

Knowing how I like to drive, I nixed the idea of any vehicle that had a CVT when we shopped for our vehicles because I know that 14 years of ambulance driving habits don't just disappear.  I'd have killed the poor thing on the way home from the dealer.

[MacWa77ace]

Wish you luck with it, Mac, but take it easy on that CVT.  They're great at low to moderate loads but if you have a heavy foot or like fast acceleration from traffic lights you'll be replacing it sooner, rather than later.

Knowing how I like to drive, I nixed the idea of any vehicle that had a CVT when we shopped for our vehicles because I know that 14 years of ambulance driving habits don't just disappear.  I'd have killed the poor thing on the way home from the dealer.

I was leery, and still am. But I drive for gas milage performance in my commuter car. So smooth acceleration and steady speeds. I have a long commute. And its about 80 % highway miles. Probably how come my other transmission lasted so long. Additionally, this new car has a computer that displays a minute by minute MPG graph, so I'm 'biometrically' linked to the mpg performance [I'm obsessing about that effing thing]. Since I've gotten it, I've been able to get better mileage performance with my own 'touch' than when using the 'radar assisted' cruise control. 

If it breaks within 5 years or 150k miles of my purchase mileage Carmax will fix or replace the trans [or engine or anything else that is covered] with a $150 deductible on their MaxCare plan. The Toyota dealership had a better warranty plan but didn't have any cars that I liked. And it would have been more expensive if I was able to find an apples to apples comp I'm sure.

I converted from a motorhead horsepower speed freak to a gun nut years ago. So instead of dumping money into my 88 Monte Carlo and FZR100, well, you know, costs about the same, less likely to die.   

My Monte Carlo I broke the driveshaft once, broke a rear swaybar bolt, and had a transmission rebuilt twice by the time it was 100k miles old. But that transmission was only about $500 each time.

[eugenenine]

Replaced the front pads and rotors