Je suis très étonné par les témoignages de personnes concernant la surchauffe des freins a disque dans les descentes de cols.
J'utilise cette technologie depuis environ 15 ans sur mon VTT (freins déore XT) , à part une purge de l'huile une fois par an et des changements de plaquettes lorsque nécessaire, l'entretien est ultra simple . Quant aux problèmes je n'en ai pas eu...
Parmi les copains vttistes aucun ne s'est jamais plaint de surchauffe du liquide de freins.
Pourtant des descentes longues et raides j'en ai fait un grand nombre, est ce que ce probleme ne serait pas du au fait que certains cyclos freinent de manière constante au lieu de laisser filer et de freiner fort et court ?
Si il y a des témoignages sur ce sujet ce serait interressant pour tout le monde vu que cette technologie envahit le monde du vélo ...
effectivement, la façon de freiner en VTT (pareil pour un cyclisme sportif ou de compétition) n'est pas la même qu'en voyage (souvent chargé)... surtout si l'on est ni très léger, ni adepte du "voyager léger" ...
Perso, il m'arrive de poser mon quintal sur un vélo de 12 (16 désormais avec l'assistance électrique) kg et de me charger (autonomie mesurée) de 18 kg, réserve d'eau comprise .... 135 bon kilos donc ... calculez l'énergie produite sur une pente descendante de 8% en moyenne... etc ...
Maintenir, dans ces conditions, une vitesse inférieure, mettons à 60 km/h peut nécessiter un freinage régulier, sinon constant ... ça chauffe (quelque soit le système ...)
Cela dit, s'il n'est pas anormal de devoir faire une pause en grand col pour refroidir les freins (disque ou jante...) c'est à chacun de gérer la chose en fonction de son matos ... et ce n'est pas forcément une raison pour rejeter les freins à disques (on peut aussi avoir des soucis avec les freins sur jantes : il y a très longtemps, j'avais chauffé et fondu le flanc de mes pneus suite à une surchauffe de ma jante !!!
Pour mon prochain système (si Dieu me prête vie.) j'envisage plutôt des disques d'assez grande taille et un système à disque "hybride" ( câble commandant un piston hydraulique en circuit fermé si j'ai bien compris ...)
Bonjour michel
Effectivement si le vélo est particulièrement chargé des petits disques risquent d'être limite.
D'ailleurs sur les tandem on trouve souvent des disques en 180 ou 200mm et des étriers à doubles pistons comme sur les vélos de descente.
A mon avis c'est une solution dans ton cas .
Par contre je pense que l'hydraulique est plus efficace.
personnellement je roule avec un disque 180 devant et un 160 derrière , et assez chargé, vélo et bonhomme environ 120kg, pas de problèmes de surchauffe depuis 5 ans.
Pour mon cas je roule en couple avec chacun son vélo et freins à disques mais je traîne une remorque pour soulager celui de Christiane.
Moi aussi je ne dépasse pas les 120 Kg PTC et j’ai passé beaucoup de cols sans problèmes, le tourmalet en fait partit.
Mais lorsque la descente dépasse les 15 % avec des lacets comme le passage de l’Italie à Kotschach en Autriche ou le col du Portet d’Aspet ou 20 % par endroit comme la descente sur 10 Km entre Valcarlos et Saint Jean Pied de Port par le GR 65 ce n’est pas facile à gérer.
Le frein sur la roue avant est très efficace mais si je le sollicite de trop c’est les rayons qui cassent et si je compense de trop sur la roue arrière le disque rougit et le liquide de frein rentre en ébullition.
Sur une descente à 17 % à 40 Km/h, si je lâche les freins une fraction de seconde je prends 10 Km/h de plus.
Plusieurs fois j’ai plongé dans un fossé, un buisson ou un tas de graviers comme sur le parking de la stèle en l’honneur du coureur italien Fabio Casartelli qui a perdu la vie sur le tour de France en 1995 pour m’arrêter.
Sur mes chemins j’ai rencontré beaucoup de vélocistes très compétents et serviable comme celui de Luchon qui a changé mes rayons cassés et purgé mon circuit de freins un dimanche matin, il m’a même ensuite accompagné dans la monté du col de Peyresourde.
Mon premier vélo avait des freins à disques mécaniques, mon deuxième des freins à disques hydrauliques et maintenant depuis deux ans je randonne avec des freins hydrauliques sur jantes.
Voilà pour ma modeste expérience.
Le frein sur la roue avant est très efficace mais si je le sollicite de trop c’est les rayons qui cassent et si je compense de trop sur la roue arrière le disque rougit et le liquide de frein rentre en ébullition..
Les rayons qui cassent, ça avait pourtant tendance à disparaître ( serrage très fort sur jante très rigide ) - peut être un mauvais montage (serrage insuffisant ou écrous qui se déserrent) ... Sinon, avec des disques mécaniques, on peut toujours "coupler" - sur poignée ou câble - un frein à disque et un frein sur jante : le freinage se faisant à la fois sur le moyeu et sur la jante, les rayons ne forcent pas ... j'avais fait ça sur un tandem : radical : je ne cassait plus de rayons
Pourtant des descentes longues et raides j'en ai fait un grand nombre, est ce que ce probleme ne serait pas du au fait que certains cyclos freinent de manière constante au lieu de laisser filer et de freiner fort et court ?
Peut-être...
Personnellement avec la même configuration que toi (VTT à freins hydrauliques Deore XT sur disque 160 mm/ 180 mm) je n'ai pas eu de pb d'échauffement (vélo de +- 15 kg chargé à 15/20 kg, pilote de 75 kg).
Mais je pense qu'en vélo voyage chargé on de descend pas forcément comme en VTT ... Pour peu que la route / piste soit un peu chaotique, que l'on soit chargé, on souhaite ne pas prendre trop de vitesse, donc on freine de manière presque continue.
Mon exemple personnel concerne le Ladakh. J'avais l'habitude des routes autour de chez moi : descente à fond, un petit coup de frein dans les virages...
Au Ladakh c'était au mieux du goudron rafistolé voire de la piste. Même avec les sacoches bien sanglées sur les porte-bagages, impossible de prendre de la vitesse sans que tout explose... sans compter le risque de gamelle.
Du coup, j'étais beaucoup sur les freins et j'ai usé les plaquettes bien plus rapidement qu'en roulant dans les Alpes, mais pas de pb d'échauffement.
Pour notre part , tandem plus remorque , plus sacoches(4) , plus nous , nous arrivons a 180kg. Depuis très longtemps nous sommes en frein en disque (200mm) . Lors de notre premier voyage( il y a ...) nous avions des patins, premier col; échauffement des jantes , éclatement, rayons cassé, . Bien sur il y a un échauffement des disques dans les longues descente , il ne faut pas freiner continuellement et relâcher régulièrement . Comme en voiture.corrales-nadine.e-monsite.com/ , http://tandescapade.e-monsite.com/ ,
Je m'appelle Anthony j'ai 18 ans et je me suis remis a faire du vélo car j'avais une envie folle de rouler! Je me suis inscrit sur ce forum pour demander…
Nous souhaiterions utiliser un porte bagages avant surbaissé sur un tandem cannondale route équipé de freins à disque (modèle 2005) Quelques précisions: Les…
Encore moi... LE VTT choisi, l'élu (enfin!!!) est le Gitane HT 100. Il reste encore à l'adapter au voyage: potence, portes bagages... etc...etc... Ce vélo est…
Tout d'abord... bonne année! De belles routes à vous en 2017! Je voyage depuis quelques années avec un VTT de très bonne qualité mais équipé de freins à…
J'ai déjà posé la question sur un autre forum, mais je me dis que j'aurai peut-être aussi des réponses ici. Quand on n'a pas la possibilité de mettre des…
🇷🇼 Cycling in Rwanda: 4 episodes, an off-the-beaten-path adventure
After 3 weeks and nearly 1,200 km by bike across Rwanda, I made 4 videos to share this adventure in a different way: the landscapes, the encounters, the villages… but above all, all those incredible scenes of everyday life.
The 4 episodes are available here:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGnfbxjccWAg
The 4th episode focuses on rural Rwandan life: simple, authentic, and sometimes surprising scenes that you only truly discover when you take the time to travel by bike.
If you have a few minutes, let yourself be transported to Rwanda…
Bonjour,
Nous avons acheté en 2005 la tente MSR modèle vélo (2 places + grand auvent pouvant accueillir 2 vélos). Elle nous a fait un très bon usage, notamment pendant un voyage d'1 an en Afrique. Aujourd'hui, un des arceaux est cassé et nous aimerions le remplacer car c'est le seul problème de la tente... qu'on adore ! Ce sont des arceaux de diamètre 9.35 mm, avec 8 éléments de 49 cm et 2 éléments de 28 cm. Longueur totale une fois monté : 416 cm. En fait 2 grands éléments sont cassés : un section droite et une section courbe. Donc galère à retrouver car le modèle n'existe plus nul part dans le commerce.
Est-ce que quelqu'un aurait ce modèle qu'il n'utilise plus et accepterait de me vendre un arceau ?
Bonjour
y à t, il une voie pour les vélo qui traverse l’Italie pour aller prendre le bateau pour la silice
si oui ou commence t'elle et ou fini t'elle ?
Another long-time dream of Claudio’s: the Petit Mont Cenis pass and the dam at the eponymous lake.
A place where many Italians, including my father, worked in the 1950s–60s.
Faverges → St-Michel-de-Maurienne → Lanslebourg → Petit Mont Cenis → return. 315 km, 3 days. Bivouac at St-Michel-de-M.
Brouter link
Leg One: Faverges → St-Michel-de-Maurienne
Leg Two: St-Michel → Lanslebourg → Mont Cenis Lake → St-Michel
Leg Three: St-Michel → Faverges
And it finally happened in August 2026: in the Maurienne Valley about the famous cycle route known as the V67
Looking for a female travel companion for a cycling trip (arriving by plane in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and cycling toward Montevideo, Uruguay, returning by plane to France from Buenos Aires, Argentina) – 1,500 km
Hello everyone!
I’m planning a cycling trip across Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina, with a departure set for late October, November, or December. I’m looking for a travel companion to share this long-distance adventure with.
Experience:
I already have solid experience in bicycle touring in Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Currently, I maintain excellent physical condition by cycling an average of 250 km over 3 days per week (4 hours a day at 20 km/h).
The trip & the pace:
Daily pace: Between 50 and 80 km per day, to make steady progress while taking time to explore.
Accommodation: Flexible and authentic. We’ll alternate between wild camping, campsites, Warmshowers, small guesthouses, and budget hotels depending on opportunities and the weather.
Looking forward to reading your message and planning this amazing journey together!
Hi everyone,
In early April, I’m redoing the Vélo Francette (La Rochelle to Ouistreham), and then I’d like to cycle along the Cotentin Peninsula (which I don’t know at all), follow the coast up to Cherbourg, and then head back down to at least Saint-Malo. I’d love to know if it’s pleasant for cycling—are the roads nice? Not too windy? What are the must-see spots? Any great campsites? All your tips and advice are more than welcome, and I thank you in advance.
Hi there,
I’m planning to bike to meet some friends in Côte d’Ivoire in early November.
I’ll be starting in Abidjan and heading to Abengourou, which is close to the Ghana border.
I’d like to take the trails. Does anyone have recent info on eastern Côte d’Ivoire?
Any tips, safety advice, or must-see stops? I’m open to all suggestions.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Fx
After testing it for three years across various modes of transport, I’m sharing this video of a bike packing case. It’s made from recycled cardboard and shrink-wrapped, with adjustable thickness and added bubble wrap depending on the level of protection you want.
Installing spacers at the fork and chainstays makes the packaging compact. With the fifteen-odd euros for shrink-wrapping at the airport, this case travels really well.
https://youtu.be/_GDJi-GqmkM
- Low bulk (1.10m x 0.70m x 0.25m for a large frame), it fits vertically in train luggage compartments and the total dimensions (x+y+z) don’t exceed 2.40m.
- Two carrying solutions for public transport and easy handling by airport staff (no more tears in the cardboard from openings).
- Discreet packaging when dealing with bus drivers and train conductors, as it looks like an ordinary parcel.
- No need to return to the starting point to retrieve the case from your outbound trip, which you’d otherwise have to store somewhere, or deal with a bulky cover to pack in your panniers.
- You can still check tire pressure through the plastic film without damaging the packaging too much.
Drawbacks: Around 3 hours for this lengthy and meticulous process—removing the wheels, pedals, handlebars, and derailleur without misaligning them, then securing all components to the frame.
If you get a chance to test it, send me your feedback for future improvements.
I just took a trip in Tunisia from Tozeur to Douz, skirting Chott el Jerid to the south. I’m back with the urge to keep going further south via the 4x4 tracks to connect Douz to Ksar Ghilane. Has anyone driven this route recently or explored southern Tunisia?
Thanks for your tips!
fix
😎Fellow traveling cyclists or not, all of you who love travel, the pleasure of physical effort, nature, beautiful machines, people with true passions they seek to fulfill, and who also enjoy reading great literature about all this—the *200* magazine is for you just as it is for me. I should mention I have no financial or other interest in this (in an era where we accuse our politicians of all sorts of vile interests, I prefer to take precautions). I’ve been subscribed since the beginning, and every three months, I get my 130 pages of dreams (the magazine just went from 110 to 130 pages).
It covers everything from the trans-America route to the TCR (Trans Continental Race) from Belgium to a small town in Turkey, with mind-blowing averages—4,000 km and 80,000 m of elevation gain in 8 days and 15 hours for the winner. Let that sink in, and all of it without assistance—accepting a patch could penalize you. There’s also a story about crossing Iran, encountering one of the world’s most welcoming populations, following in the footsteps of Nicolas Bouvier, as well as retirees leisurely traversing France. The common thread in all these stories? Beautiful writing. Take, for example, a stunning article: *"Passengers of the Cold: From Edinburgh to Thurso, at the very north of Scotland, 550 km of moors, coasts, and icy wind. In Thurso, the road ends at a quay, facing the Orkney Islands. We wanted a November trip, off-season. We wanted to surprise winter. Just before the snow."* A sublime piece on the experience of facing adversity and the chance encounters along the road and in the elements.
Before I embarked on my own bike trips, I dreamed a lot about them—from the Atacama to the Gobi, along the Mekong, and not forgetting France. And now, these 130 pages every quarter keep those dreamy vibes alive through stories written in the most beautiful prose.
I’ll stop here because it might sound like I’m advertising, but if you don’t know *200*, I invite you to discover it. It’ll give you wings for the most incredible challenges or simply reinforce your desire for slow rides with your eyes open to others and nature.
A little news to wrap up: Axel Carion and a friend just broke the record for crossing South America from Colombia to Ushuaia in 59 days. On its own, that doesn’t mean much, but I can’t help it—it makes me dream. You should see how he talks about it, the flashes of that wild nature he’s stored away: a snowstorm at Paso Jama and the surreal sight of the suddenly snow-covered Licancabur!
Luc
PS: The magazine is called *200* because a day’s ride starts at 200 km—well, I’ve never done a ride like that since my longest was 167 km (with 18 kg of luggage, mind you), but why not one day? The magazine will explain how to tackle your first 200, and then the question in conclusion: when will you do your first 300?😏
I’ve got my flight ticket sorted—departing in mid-November and returning in mid-March. I’ll arrive in Santiago and leave from Buenos Aires.
I’ve already been to southern Argentina, specifically Torres del Paine National Park, and I’d love to go back to do the full W trek (I only did the shorter version last time).
I also want to do some hiking and maybe even tackle a summit. I climb and occasionally do some mountaineering, so I’ll definitely be going with a guide.
I plan to start around Temuco in Chile, with the idea of heading toward the lakes, then taking the Carretera Austral.
I’m not sure if I’ll go all the way to Ushuaia—it’s supposed to not be *that* worth it, except for the bragging rights of saying you’ve been to the end of the world.
I saw there are lakes in Argentina too.
I don’t have a precise itinerary, but what I’d love is, once I reach the southernmost point of my trip, to take a mini-cruise to see some wildlife. Any tips for that?
What kind of sleeping bag did you take? Is a 0°C (32°F) one enough?
And one last question: white gas stove or can I get by with my gas stove?
I'm developing a free and open-source web app for planning walking and cycling trips (and even car trips). You can create a route by clicking directly on the map to add waypoints, and it can consist of multiple stages. The app provides tools to edit the stages and the overall route, and to display useful information (distances, altitudes, and elevation changes). A relief profile can be shown as a graph for a specific stage or the entire route.
Once the route is ready, it can be exported as a GPX file, which can then be used with a GPS or a mobile navigation app.
The app is built in JavaScript and runs entirely in the web browser. It uses the Leaflet library and several OpenStreetMap-based services. Initially developed for my personal needs (I enjoy hiking and cycle touring), I’d be happy to share it with anyone who might find it useful. It’s free to use, doesn’t require an account, and the source code is available.
hello fellow cycling enthusiasts
here’s a travel journal of the cycling tour through the Rhône-Alpes Auvergne region by Claudio
zouli
it was the plan
http://cbandiera.free.fr/parcours/auvergne-Ralpes/
the trip was completed
story being posted online soon
1100 km in 11 days
beautiful and varied regions
Hello,
We’d like to go on a 3- to 4-month bike trip starting in December, crossing from Assam (northeast India) to New Delhi via Nepal.
Are there routes with light traffic along the Brahmaputra and through Nepal?
We’re also looking for any info on accommodations, wild camping, local interactions, etc.
Thanks,
Michel
Hello,
Has anyone here had experience using a gas stove in Sardinia and Sicily? I’m wondering if screw-on gas canisters (not the blue Campingaz ones, but brands like Coleman, Primus, etc.) are easy to find.
I’m planning to cycle from Morlaix to Brest (via Roscoff and the V45 coastal route). We’ll start riding on August 16th for 13 days (with stops for island visits, surfing, etc.). Is there a lot of traffic at this time of year? I’ve got two kids, 11 and 13, and we don’t like riding in the middle of cars (we’ve already done the Vélomaritime—Caen to Cherbourg—the Loire route from Orléans to Saumur, the Vélodyssée from Nantes to Royans, and the canals like the Nivernais and Bourgogne, where there were plenty of bike-only lanes, which isn’t the case on this route).
Thanks for your help if you’ve already done this route in late August!
Virginie
Hi there,
I’ve been road cycling for several years, and I’m about to switch to gravel in the next few days—I’m waiting for my bike, which should arrive this week.
I’m planning a bikepacking trip in a few weeks along the Véloroute V81, also known as the Vélosud, from Biarritz to Le Barcarès.
Has anyone here already done this route? Any info is welcome, whether it’s about the route itself, gear, or accommodation. I’ll prioritize staying with locals as much as possible. On that note, I just signed up for the brand-new site *Guidon et Couette* ((www.guidon-et-couette.fr)), which offers free accommodation between cyclists across the country, but there’s almost no one listed along my route!
Thanks in advance.
Laurent.
Hi there, I’m planning a cross-Canada bike trip, and I’ve got a question that might seem silly, but could someone tell me how to pack a bike (in a box, with a fragile sticker... I don’t know) for a flight? Thanks in advance!
This summer, we’re planning to cycle along the EV 19 that follows the Meuse River from Langres all the way to Rotterdam.
My question is about getting back to Nantes.
Do any of you know what the best return option might be? I’d love to hear about your experiences.
I saw that FlixBus doesn’t take bikes.
By train, I think it’s possible but would involve multiple local trains.
We were also wondering if there’s a boat from Rotterdam to Saint-Nazaire that could take passengers with bikes.
Any tips or experiences you can share would be really helpful—thanks in advance!
Have a great evening
I’ve gotten used to crossing Europe by bus to return by bike.
It was really convenient to take the bike without having to disassemble it.
But FlixBus no longer accepts bikes...
What alternatives do you know about?
Thanks.
Hi there,
I’m planning to ride the Dutch section of the EuroVelo 19, from Maastricht to Rotterdam.
Since it’s too complicated to bring my bike on the train, I’m looking to rent one locally.
I’d love any tips or bike rental shop recommendations—I’m struggling to find options even in Rotterdam.
The plan is to rent in Rotterdam, take the train to Maastricht with the bike, then cycle back to Rotterdam.
Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions!
Nath
I’m planning to build a new touring bike.
I want to prioritize lightness.
That said, I’m tempted by a suspension fork that could offer some comfort on rougher roads.
The recent appearance of gravel suspension forks on the market might meet my needs—at least on paper.
I’m particularly considering the RockShox Rudy Ultimate XPLR fork.
Unlike MTB forks, its travel is short: either 30 mm or 40 mm.
It weighs 1400 g, which is 400/500 g more than a steel fork.
Any thoughts or real-world feedback on this?
I’m also wondering about the durability of magnesium (lower leg) for long-distance bike touring.
And what’s the impact of skipping the manufacturer-recommended maintenance every 50 and 200 hours? That’s bound to happen on a long trip unless you carry extra gear.
More generally, how reliable are these kinds of forks?
I’m making an exception and creating a separate post this time, since it’s all about France. In May, we spent a week in Provence, specifically in the Luberon, exploring the cycling routes *Autour du Luberon à Vélo*, the *Véloroute du Calavon* (part of EuroVelo 8), and the shorter *Les Ocres à Vélo* route. Together, they gave us an amazing journey through rolling hills, vineyards, lavender fields still green in spring, and some of the most stunning landscapes in southern France.
It was, of course, the perched villages that impressed us the most. We visited Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux, Lacoste, Lourmarin, Ménerbes, Oppède-le-Vieux, Cucuron, and Lauris. Many of them are among the most beautiful villages in Provence, and it’s hard not to agree with that reputation.
One interesting point is the route of EuroVelo 8 in this part of the region. The official path mainly follows the old railway line of the *Véloroute du Calavon*, which is very comfortable and safe. But in our opinion, cyclists traveling EuroVelo 8 around the Mediterranean would discover even more treasures if the route passed through villages like Bonnieux, Lacoste, or Oppède-le-Vieux.
We were also pleasantly surprised by how safe cycling felt. Most of the route takes small local roads, but traffic is light, drivers are respectful, and road design really takes cyclists into account. It’s one of those places where you can ride peacefully even without separated bike lanes.
Our full story:
Around Luberon by bicycle - the most beautiful villages of Provence
You can also find all our cycling travel stories on the forum:
Cycling Thread - Europe’s most beautiful bike routes
Hi there, we’re a group of 4 cyclists looking to get from Treviso in Italy to Munich with our 4 non-folding bikes. It seems complicated! Are there any solutions? Thanks so much.
Hi there, we’re planning a Munich to Venice bike trip at the end of June 2026. Getting back from Venice to Toulouse by train with 4 bikes isn’t straightforward. What return options have others who’ve done this trip chosen? Any tips or great deals would be much appreciated. Thanks a bunch! !
Hi everyone,
Happy owner of a Pegasus Estremo bike with a Rohloff hub, which is giving me trouble with the SF11-NCX-FT-E-LITE 700C TS 300/0 fork (serial number TD01329060). It’s starting to show its age, and I’d like to repair it to extend the life of my beloved bike.
The suspension is gone, and there’s an oil leak from the seals.
Does anyone know how to repair it? Where can I find parts that are about fifteen years old? Or where to find an identical replacement fork? Just to clarify, the Magura HS11 brakes are mounted using Firm Tech, meaning they’re on pivots behind the fork, facing the frame.