October Mt State Forest, out in the Berkshires.

I wouldn't think I would try charging the GPS, using the GPS and using the lights.  I was planning on a more simple - during daylight hours, charge the GPS (and use it), at night just use the GPS off it's own battery (which should be plenty charged by this time) and switch the dyno to the light only.

Anyone know why this may be a risky plan, I would like to hear your thoughts.

robin

For bikepacking my only worry would be long stretches where you are burning more power than you are adding to the GPS... so in theory, you should have power left over for night running - but if there is alot of HAB or slow going (really depends on how slow you can move and put out enough power to charge the GPS while it is in use) you might run out of juice.

Pretty sure Scott at PR will do a custom one for you.

A lot of the randonneuring guys and gals use the Edge series with extra battery packs and / or dyno hubs and the USBWerk, Sinewave or the LuxusU - from what I've read most of them run all day and night off the built in battery and dyno. Some models require getting special plugs that have the data part of the USB shorted or pulled out. I think those were the old 510 units though.

I imagine running the light and the GPS at night at the same time will either slow charging or dim the light or both - although I have trickle charge an iPhone (no GPS or apps running, but it was on as normal) while running my eDeluxe at night and don't notice a difference except on climbs.

i've done a small amount of night bikepacking single track here locally in the east. (lots more on the trails out my door, but i don't count those as i know them pretty well). dyno is totally workable if you manage expectations and augment with a headlamp.

i moved from a fenixld20 to the ue40uc or whatever it was called and now using the exposure diablo.
i run the exposure revo on the bars, love it. yes, it gets dim when going really slow, but stays on for hike a bike.
i have my exposure diablo (on the helmet) setup to manage power - i can get 2-3 hours on full bore (800 lumens or something), 10 hours on medium and 24 on low.
i can recharge the newer fenix or the diablo from the dyno with a USBwerk... and have light in camp, etc.

i'm not by any stretch of the imagination a skilled technical rider... and i find the light plenty when slowing down and picking my way. if i was racing and needed 8+ hours of full night lighting i would probably augment the diablo with one of the exposure battery packs that can be recharged via USB and plugged into the light.

the new generation of dyno lights are pretty incredible. i started doing randoneurring events in 2006 using dual halogen lights. when climbing (pretty much anything above 4-5% grade) you would need to turn the secondary off... and i would carry a headlight to turn on for slow climbs or fast descents. you'd also blow bulbs at the worst possible moments (running out of time to make a cutoff, in the rain, etc...)

My IF from 2006 by mbeganyi, on Flickr

and the lights were huge!

those look pretty cool.
i had good luck with the first gen anything cages, but gave them away when i sold my fargo.
i'm using the hd anything now and happy. haven't really tested them yet, just layers and sleeping pad as my first load, but they are solidly built.

Krampus Cockpit by mbeganyi, on Flickr

I have some profile aero bars that will work - they slide back far enough and clear the jones loop bar. Just haven't had a need to run them yet. And they will fight with all the other stuff jammed on there.

I use the Sawyer in line in the frame bag with a bladder. No cold hands for me.

I use a cut off soft bottle to get water and fill it. Or a spare water bottle. If I had to pull from a dirty source (floaters, silt, etc.) I'd pre-filter before I got it into my frame bag bladder.

I carry chems as well. I'll do the chems overnight if I'm camping with a group so there is water for breakfast and hitting the road. Otherwise the Sawyer has been reliable and easy to use. No squeezing unless I'm filling my coffee cup - but I can get good pressure if I just get the bladder higher than the end of my hose and use gravity.

The chems are a good backup.

It's a pretty versatile platform.  Especially if you mix in a 29+ wheel set.

Not to dissuade you. But here is my friends rig from the same trip:

Surly Ice Cream Truck by mbeganyi, on Flickr

He's building up a set of 29+ wheels for it.

And another:(it's 10 pounds lighter than my Krampus!)
Beargrease by mbeganyi, on Flickr

That's a carbon Beargrease with carbon 29+ wheels. Less than 22 pounds with pedals (and no gear!)

Great choice.

Surly Krampus in Bikepacking Kit by mbeganyi, on Flickr

Shimano Zee on the Krampus + Rohloff
Because I didn't want to buy a new crank.

It has nothing to do with wheel size, but ring to cog ratio.

Smallest permissible sprocket ratios

The primary sprocket ratio used with the Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 (e.g. 42:16) converts the slow rotational speed at the crank into a fast rotational speed at the rear sprocket and reduces the input torque for the Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 in the same proportion. To prevent overstraining the hub, a minimum factor of 1.9 must be used. This minimum factor equates to a primary transmission ratio of:- 34:17, 32:16, 30:15 and 26:13. These SPEEDHUB 500/14 ratios resemble a derailleur transmission of 20:36.
Larger chainrings can be used without exceptions.

Attention!

If mounted on a tandem or if the rider weighs over 100kg, the minimum factor of 2.50 must not be undercut. This equates to primary transmission ratios of:- 32:13, 38:15, 40:16 and 42:17.
Again, larger chainrings can be used without exceptions.

You can certainly mount a double or a triple with a Rohloff.... (not sure why you would need to, but everyone has their own use case) - but you shouldn't go any smaller than their ratios... although many people do, without trouble.

If you go rohloff you will void the warranty of you go smaller than certain ratios.

What does Jones say?

Pretty much any standard MTB crank could work, but it really depends on what you are trying to do, your frame design, and gearing choice. My Krampus came stock with a Zee crank or something. Worked fine for 1x10. Its working fine for my Rohloff.

1x10?
2x10?
3x9 or 3x8? or 3x10?
The 3x I think is out unless you go to the Surly.

How wide is your builder doing the BB shell?
How long are the chain stays, further back the wheel is theoretically you'll have more clearance...

Etc. Etc.
I can't really answer even if I had that information... its a geometry game.

You can duplicate the track several times - once for each segment. Then get properties and you can delete segments before and after the section you want to keep. Just shift or command click the I individual points.

I also think IIRC that of you open the route to view the elevation you can pick 2 points and it will tell you distance and climbing between each point you pick.

I keep the pole for the contrail tucked into my bar harness or strapped to the top tube. Made my own tube that was stiffer than the one they shipped with it.
You could probably rig something... but I have never tried.

The weak point will be the rubber gasket around the switch... but the housing will be filled with epoxy to cover the connections and the switch innards... will hopefully wire this up in the next couple of weeks and get a test in. Had this kicking around since last fall, but my Revo had to go back to the UK for warranty and I've been lazy since...

Here's what I'm building for a switch:

Dyno Switch Housing v1 (minuteman sent me the wrong switch so I'm hoping they ship out new ones ASAP) by mbeganyi, on Flickr

dynoswitchschematic by mbeganyi, on Flickr

Untitled by mbeganyi, on Flickr

Pear Izumi XAlps or whatever they are called. Not the carbon / pro / whatever ones. Will have a look at the model # when I get a chance.