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Adventure Cycling Articles
Original article: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/articles-adv-cycling.html on sheldonbrown.com
- Reproduced with the permission of John Allen and Harriet Fell — all rights reserved. The version on sheldonbrown.com is authoritative.
- Mirrored: 2026-10-11 · Last update of the original: see original
The Adventure Cycling Association
The Adventure Cycling Association, a nonprofit supported by its 40,000 members (as of 2011), develops bicycle touring routes and organizes tours in the USA, and provides a wealth of useful information for bicycle tourists. From 1999 through 2007, Sheldon wrote the column "Mechanical Advantage" for Adventure Cyclist, the Adventure Cycling Association's magazine. The articles are available online, and they are linked here.
-- John Allen
Sheldon's articles on the Adventure Cycling site
Touring Bike Buying Guide -- March 1999
Sheldon wrote the lead article for this guide. The information on specific bicycles is dated; the general information is timeless.
Getting Ready for the Road -- April, 1999
Spend a little time now and avoid trouble later.
Who Needs Fenders? -- August, 1999
For any bicyclist who rides in wet weather or even only on wet roads, fenders make the difference between misery and relative comfort, and spare the bicycle a lot of wear. Types, compatibility, installation.
Sheldon proposes a new way to describe bicycle gearing.
The Lowdown on Cyclecomputers -- April, 2000
Install yours like a pro.
Headset Revolution -- May 2000
The advent of threadless headsets.
Hand and handlebar position for tourists.
The Tale of the Tape -- July 2000
It's a science and an art to wrap the bars.
Leather Forever -- August 2000
The argument for saddles of the traditional kind.
The Sublime Seatpost, Part 1 -- December, 2000
Types of seatposts; choosing a seatpost.
The Sublime Seatpost, Part 2 -- April 2001
How to adjust a seatpost and saddle.
Derailer First Aid -- May 2001
How to adjust a derailer and perform on-road repairs.
Pedal Systems for Touring -- June 2001
Toe clips? clip-in pedals? Adjustment? Where to position the foot?
Cranks and Chainrings for Touring -- August 2001
How to choose, modify and use cranks and chainrings, with special attention to the needs of touring cyclists riding long days and carrying baggage.
Front Derailers for Touring -- January 2002
Front derailleur setup and choice for touring bikes.
Keeping all 465 parts of your chain in working order.
Why settle for stock gearing, when you can easily have exactly what you want?
Frame Materials for the Tourist -- April, 2003
Steel is real, but good design is more important than frame material.
Who Needs Derailers -- July 2003
Is an internal-gear hub suitable for touring? A single-speed?
Hybrid Gearing -- September, 2003
Internal-gear hub? Derailer gears? Why not both?
Hubs, Spokes and Rims: about wheels -- November 2003
Tourists need reliable wheels, not racing wheels and not boutique wheels!
Starting and Stopping -- March 2004
How to get on and get off.
Should touring bikes have disc brakes?.
The Great Handlebar Question -- September/October 2004
Straight bars, flat bars or, believe it or not, both?
A classic touring-wheel size sees a resurgence.
Tire Trade-Offs -- September/October 2005
Tires for touring -- the good, the bad and the knobby.
Brakes for the Touring Cyclist -- April 2007
Sidepull, centerpull, cantilever, direct-pull and disk brakes: advantages and disadvantages, compatibility with frames, fenders, racks.
An appreciation
An appreciation by John Schubert.
