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touring

Cruzbike Silvio: Real-world Use

Robert on a Cruzbike Silvio

A Cruzbike Silvio is my bike of choice for fast 50- to 150-mile club rides, fast-paced 25-mile workouts in the local park, and town-to-town tours. It’s an excellent road bike and light-tourer.

For self-supported tours and commuting, it’s limited, but does the job. It’ll accept about 35 liters capacity of luggage. If your kit is small, that is enough. (35 liters is nearly equal to two Ortlieb rear roller panniers.) I tend to think of it as a great bike for light-load summer tours in a predictable environment.

Pack list for such tours:
shelter system: 35 deg. 800-power down sleeping bag, backpacker bivvy and tarp including poles and stakes, air mattress;
clothing system: top and bottom riding tights, high-viz top second layer, 1 pr socks, glove liners, high-viz gloves, wind-proof skull cap, neck gaiter/buff, high-viz helmet, 800-power down vest, sil-nylon/cuben fiber wind/rain layer for top, bottom and hands, riding glasses, reading glasses;
basic minimal tool and repair kit with extra tubes and first aid kit;
food/water: 2-liter hydration bladder, water treatment/bleach, baggies for food leftovers/day-snacks;
misc: money/cards/smart phone/maps, toothbrush/paste/floss, headlamp, spork, single-edge razor blade, extra batteries;
lighting system: hub dynamo with front/rear lights;
shoes: walkable cleats.

No cooking system. I can load everything I’m likely to need. I’m assuming predictable weather including rain and the availability of shops for food. For tires, I’d use something durable like Schwalbe Marathons or Marathon Plus.

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