posted
As most of you know, I'm leaving on a bike trip fairly soon, and I have a choice between two bicycles. One's a 21-speed mountain bike with Shimano (handlebar) shifters and eyelets (relevant for a national tour). I may need to replace its brakes and upgrade its gear range, but neither of those matter much. Its downside is that the frame's too small for me. I have the seat jacked ludicrously high, but it works.
The other bike's a road bike that is my size, but needs a total rehaul. That is, it's in excellent condition, but I need to upgrade from its current 14-speed to a 21-100 inch gear range, replace its handlebars, try to fit 700x35c tires on it (fat[ter] tires on a bike designed for thin tires), and fasten false eyelets for a rear rack. I also need to move the shifters up from the (stem?) to the handlebars. It'll cost hundreds.
My question is, do any of you know, would I be as well off taking the bike with the smaller frame as I would be taking the larger frame? Not even weighing in the costs of overhauling the road bike, does frame size make a difference in riding quality for long tours? I really care more about comfort than cost at this point, though I'm of course keeping the price tags in the back of my mind.
Posts: 3293 | Registered: Jul 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
I think you want smoother tires in any case. I don't know how much difference aerodynamics may make over dozens of miles per day. The right kind of frame for the purpose may help you to avoid postural fatigue. I assume the mountain bike allows your leg to be nearly straight when fully extended.
I asked the man (who did a 1400 mile trip) and he says a longer wheel base will add stability if you are carrying paniers, and that the ram's horn handlebars offer more grip positions. Changing grips will also prevent fatigue.
Posts: 383 | Registered: Nov 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
If it will cost hundreds to upgrade the road bike I would just look for a low end trek in price in the right size, I don't think that it is worth dumping that much into the retrofits you are describing for a road bike.
posted
Lalo, you are such a babe in the woods when it comes to bike buying.
If I could get my little brother Nate (who is your age and totally cool unlike the other brother Stephen who is slightly older and a bit more of a goody two shoes) to drive down from Oxnard to go bike shopping with you (and he has the advantage of having his own vehicle) would you be willing to have him go with you? He's not a total expert, but he generally knows his shit, and knows more than I do. He'd make sure you didn't get ripped off.
He's also done some more long distance bike riding and has expertise in that field too. I don't know if he's started a summer job lifeguarding yet or not, and that would be what affects his availability. But he's always game for just about anything, even a hairbrained trip to L.A. to visit a person he doesn't know except through his crazy sister.
posted
Ha! A hairbrained shopping expedition! We'd be like crazy white girls out on the town! Crank up the Michelle Branch, sistah!
Heh, thanks, dude, I really appreciate all the effort you've put in to keeping me from immediate death, but I've no interest in inconveniencing the dude. Besides, I'm quite possibly the most obnoxious shopper you've ever met -- I'll either buy everything to avoid questions, or buy nothing because I'm too busy asking the most inane questions ever thought up by man. I'm happy to infuriate the salesclerks all by my lonesome. But thanks a million, dude -- I'm not kidding when I say I'll pay you back one day. Even if it means sleeping with you. No, no, I insist. No need to thank me, I'm just a born giver.
Posts: 3293 | Registered: Jul 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Actually I have this wierd suspicion that you and Nate would hit it off. And he's good at answering questions and explaining things. He'd ask the questions you should be asking too, if you forgot one.
But it's up to you. Remember, a bike shop sales guy isn't a normal sales guy. He's a biking fanatic, that just happens to be working at a bike shop to pay the bills as much as he can with his passion. So you normally get treated pretty decently.
posted
Talk to AJ about buying a new bike, but listen to me about not planning a serious roud tour (like you are) on a bike that's too small. It's uncomfortable after a little while riding in that position, you don't get the most out of the work your exerting, and after time that uncomfortable feeling extends to pain, and we're talking within your first day out here. After a long, multi-day tour you can do permanent damage.
Now I don't know how small your bike is, but it sounds like it is below your acceptable limit in which case, don't ride it.
posted
Hobbes you should have heard me yelling at Lalo last night on IM. (well at least the stream of cuss words directed at the computer screen) I didn't even think to mention his nether regions. I should have used that as a supporting argument, but not being a guy...
posted
One last thing, a mountain bike means you're more flexiable and less likely to get a flat, but it also means much much slower when you're touring roads. You'll put in more effort and get less. I don't know how long of rides your planning, if you're going shorter distances (50 miles a day say) then it probably wont matter much, but if you're trying to cover major ground each day it can become an issue that mountain bikes simply aren't made for it. If you do get a new bike make sure to keep your mind on long distance touring and efficiency.
You may already have everything planned out, but just in case I'll throw in a word of advice or two. Don't try to bring stuff with you, buy it on the way. That means obviously things like camping gear is probably a bad idea (some people do it but it will really slow you down). I suggest taking (most importantly) a credit card, rain protection, a change of clothes and then a tube, tire irons, a pump and a multi-purpose tool. If you plan right you can get that all on your bike without taking a pack, which makes a huge difference.
posted
Hobbes the thing is, a mtn bike will be more practical long term for him. It is also much more practical when evaluating how you would like to end up after you get run off the road buy the umpteenth redneck vehicle in the middle of nowhere. And Lalo, while I'm sure he will become proficient at fixing his own flats, has little to no experience in the matter at the moment. Maybe one of the touring bikes with slicks would work. I also think finances are going to be an issue, so he needs to camp to save money rather than going to the nearest motel 6.
posted
Well we are trying to get Lalo to ride a comfortable enough bike that his doesn't shrink.
There have actuall been studies on impotency and professional cyclists. I believe they say the short term effects wear off in about 24 hours after a long tour stage.
posted
Right AJ, sometimes you don't have a choice on the type of bike, but this is a very major undertaking and you do have to be careful about what type of bike you get because if you get the wrong one you just might not make it. However, if Lalo has to get a mountain bike I'm sure he'll be fine, but I would recommend getting smaller tires as well as the ones that come standered (the thick road biking tires basically). On either road or mountain bike they should do fine for off roading in terms of being forced off the road, though they obviously aren't meant for long pulls of dirt and rocks.
One thing to keep in mind, a big way you loose energy on a road bike is through those front shocks, you'll put an inordinate amount of energy into making the front fork bob up and down instead of going forward. Just keep that in mind.
Lalo, if you do camp, here's what I would suggest, a tarp and some ropes, no camping stove. And some sort of warm-weather sleeping bag. You need to make sure you're hitting cities at regular inteverals anyways because you simply can't take all the things you need to fix your bike with you so you need to be able to get to a city and pick up spare parts and what not; finding dinner in a city (and lunch) is the best way to go. With this much stuff you'll need some other type of travel, some people go with trialers on the back of their bike but that's a whole other cost and a lot slower, besides, I think you can get by without that much stuff. You can outfit your bike so you can carry stuff on the back (be sure to use the tar to keep things from getting wet!)
I highly suggest getting a book on bike repair and then spending a weekend sitting outside with your bike taking it apart and putting it back together, this will help you immensly when something goes wrong in the middle of nowhere. Also, bike shops often take days to get a bike fixed, they will hopefully be wililng to slot you in if you tell them your touring and can't spend the night, but it would be a shame to be delayed three days because your gearing broke and you had to wait for someone else to fix it instead of buying the equipment and doing it yourself (though if you can get the shop to do it in quick time do that). With this much stuff you may want to stick in a can of lubricant as well btw.
posted
I converted one of my road bikes to a hybrid, and I love it for long rides. The key elements are the 700x35c tires that you already mentioned, a fat, gel-filled seat, and mountain bike handlebars with cushy grips. Who ever heard of getting sore wrists from bike riding? The cushy grips really help.
That bike happened to have a large frame with longer chain stays, great for stability and shock absorption, but you lose some power to the wheel with all that flex.
Posts: 2655 | Registered: Feb 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I strongly disagree on the shocks Hobbes. if you set the shocks to their tightest level you really only lose energy when it needs to be lost anyway. For the comfort of touring I would go with a mtn bike every time, and I've ridden both extensively. And crashes on road bikes (over similary) are almost always worse as far as destructiveness to your body because you have a narrower lateral center of gravity to work with. I've had a narrow road bike tire kick and spin out from under me so many times I've lost count.
I've never had a bike shop take days (especialy in CA where he is), I've always been able to get it back overnight at the worst. Especially if he buys a new bike they generally do the retrofits pretty fast.
posted
and by lubricant Lalo, Hobbes is NOT referring to K-Y. WD40 will do in a pinch but there are better lubricants specifically for bikes on the market as well.
posted
Hmmm, well I find I loose unnecessary energy bouncing on mountain bikes with no shocks so I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on that one. I too have had skinny tires slip all over the aplce a lot on mind but I've never crashed, besides which even if Lalo gets a road bike he'll undoubtly get the thicker tires.
The shop it'll just depend, hopefully it'll work out that if the shops really backed up enough to take overnight on something small it'll mean the town's large enough to support mutiple bike shops and he can just go to a different one. I've come in for minor repairs (bige enough I don't want to do them, but still small) and had it take days to get it back. He can hopefully avoid this but there's nothing as makes up for being prepared. So I still strongly suggest a weekend of bike working fun.
As for the seat, be careful, most padding does not equal most comfortable, ergonomics is very important. I can ride on my skinny, no-padding road bike seat for hours without getting un comfortable because it was designed well. My sister's bike seat is padded three ways from next Tuesday and after less than an hour it gets uncomfortable because it simply wasn't designed well. Make sure to take whatever bike you are using out for a very long ride before you go. Saddle sores are more than just an inconvience.
posted
Get the lubricants for bikes, they're smaller (bonus!) and they of course work much better. They shouldn't cost too much, and it's something you need anyways (under $20 no problem for a good lubricant).
posted
and even if you have a comfortable seat those seat muscles will get sore regardless until they toughen up. The difference is that with a comfortable seat you forget the soreness after about the first 15 minutes of riding.
posted
Brand also matters. I told Lalo that he's restricted to buying either a Trek, Specialized or Gary Fisher. Is there any other decent brand you'd add to the list?
AJ (I suspect cannondales and kleins are out of his price range though I'm for both...)
posted
AJ, I'm talking about bike shops on his trip. If he is in the middle of some small town halfway on the his tour and his bike brakes down I'm sure he wouldn't want to have to wait a day and a half to get the front gearing replaced. Which reminds me, make sure that multi-purpose tool has a chain tool on it.
Cannondales probably are out of his price-range, but Lalo, you should keep your eyes open because I've seen some good deals on them, and they are a quality bike. I've also gotten numerous Giant (brand name) bikes and they all seemed to hold up very well, so I would add that to the list.
posted
Considering I rode 18 miles on sunday and 27 miles round trip to work and back on Monday I know what I'm talking about. Would have taken just Tuesday off and ridden again today, but I have to drive Jake to his handler tonight. Tomorrow here I come!
posted
Do you normally ride to work? I work 9 miles away from my house so it's an 18 mile bike-commute everyday, nothing spectacular but I'm hoping it will keep me in shape and ready to go for the Saturday long rides I've been going on with my Dad.
I've gotten comments about my Trek 5000 (which I take because there's a place to store bikes inside where I work), that's one sweet ride.
posted
I just started, this past week sort of a mid-year resolution. I just got tired of being fat and lazy.
One of the major problems was finding a safe route, becuase I'm on a lot of busy main thoroughfares. I finally found something that worked though. I think it is about 13.5 miles each way.
posted
That's a hefty ride, though hopefully being in/by Chicago and all you're spared up and down? What are you riding now? Here's what I ride (I know you know, I link this out of pure egotism, not sadism, I promise. )
Though my older 2000 model is sorta halfway in between the current 8000 and 8500 and only has one disc brake. Though there haven't been too many major upgrades since then.
posted
the ups and downs are kinda gradual rolling hills, nothing horrible but you do notice them occasionally.
And on the way home on Monday I was chased by a dog. Oh the irony. In hindsight I should have gotten off the bike and made friends with him. (he was clearly well taken care of and not a stray and I can get along with most dogs normally!)
posted
Ha, I was chased by a couple dogs last week too! It was at the end of the ride which was annoying because it meant I had to out accelerate these stupid dogs after 9 miles of hard biking up something like 4% grade. I did it of course, but that doesn't mean I wasn't royally ticked with the owener who just stood across the street and watched.
Get early starts! I hate waking up early, but when you're riding a bike in the summer it's very important. Most weather roles in durring the afternoon hours, and that means two things: wind and rain. Wind can help you of course, if it's a tail wind, but even then the chances that it'll be straight at your back are negligble, and cross-winds, esspecially when riding close to cars, can be exteremly dangerous. Rain will slow you down and make you uncomfortable, but far more importantly, it'll make you and the cars slip, slide, and break slowly. Watch out and plan on spending mornings riding and afternoons resting.
Know your route down to a tee! What may seem small or unimportant in a car can lead to hours of back-tracking on a bike, and even a few minutes of mistake are a real downer when you have to waste the energy instead of the car. Knowing your route means knowing all the turns you'll be taking, and making sure you know all the cities you'll be stopping in. In a car you can just plan to ride through a city, but on a bike you'll probably have to meander around, and city riding can be slow and hard to figure out, not to mention looking for stores can take a while. Also, try to plan a route with as much back-road riding as possible, cars are noisy, annoying, and dangerous, avoid all the busy traffic you can and grit your teeth for the rest.
Plan in extra days, who knows if something will happen to you or your bike, or incliment weather may delay you. And hey, if you see something in a town you just feel compelled to look at, it would be much nicier to have the opportunity to just go see it than to have to worry about the schedual down to the hour.
Chances are you wont go as fast you think, riding around for an hour or two is very different than multi-day touring, you will not be going as fast as you do when you're jus tooling around. Don't stand up on the bike any more than you have to, don't worry about speed at all, if you climax before the bike trip is over, you'll be left in the middle of nowhere without the strength to call for help, much less get to the next town.
Bring plastic, cash is bulky, and though you'll be trying to save as much money as possible you need to have that option or you could be stuck with repairs you can't pay for, or food and shelter you suddenly desperatly need.
Get a low gear for your bike. If you get a mountain bike this shouldn't be a problem, but if you get a road bike be sure it has one (or you can get one), best indication of that, three gears in front probably means low gear. When you're going up hills you'll want to be sitting down as much as possible, standing up takes something like 30% more energy per distance traveled, and you can't waste that energy while touring.
I'll post more if I think of it... if you want me to of course.
Bike gloves, not necessary but they can really help reduce stress on your hands, comfy handlebars or not. 20-30 bucks, not a neccessity but a help.
Stick a small bottle of Advil (or Advil like product) on your bike.
Though I assume you'll be bring all the water as can fit on your bike, it wont last. Try to come up with ideas for re-filling (campgrounds are a good bet for an example) and bring change for vending machines so you can buy soda on the way.
quote:that doesn't mean I wasn't royally ticked with the owner who just stood across the street and watched
That prompts another suggestion:
Take pepper spray, or a handheld device for propelling high-speed leaden projectiles, or a sharp piece of metal on a long stick.
Posts: 2655 | Registered: Feb 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Now, I only skimmed most of the posts in this thread, but I don't believe that anyone mentioned a first aid kit.
Would someone please explain to Eddie the importance of such a thing, and that while I realize he will be cramped for space, it is a necessity. Posts: 2064 | Registered: Dec 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
First aid kit would be nice but it's not really a necessity, and I don't think it would be worth the room. If Eddie is really hurt badly enough that the kit would really help (and he'd be willing to use it) chances are that dressing his wound, or whatever rudementary first aid procedure he's actually able to do wont be half as important as getting some place for the night. In other words, if it's not big he wont need the kit, and if it is big he probably couldn't do what was neccessary and he would need to get to a place for the night fast, where hopefully, someone else could deal with it.
When you fall on your bike you pretty much either scrape something or your a goner (goner = no more biking for you, not dead. Broken leg for example).
posted
I think a cell phone is much more important than a first aid kit. You're only likely to get *seriously* injured (worse than a broken bone) if you get tangled with someone else, but you can't always count on their being good Samaritans.
quote:I told Lalo that he's restricted to buying either a Trek, Specialized or Gary Fisher. Is there any other decent brand you'd add to the list?
I think Raleigh makes good, reasonably priced hybrid bikes, but for all I'm know I'm entering a religious war here...
Posts: 1839 | Registered: May 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
yeah raleigh isn't too bad. A lot of the brands are semi-regional in nature. I'd put raleigh and giant on a tier slightly below the other brands mentioned overall. But a high end raleigh might give you better components than a low end trek for the same price. I was trying to speak in small words for Lalo though.
posted
Holy crap. People who know what they're talking about!
Dudes, I'm planning to hit about 80 miles per day, maybe stoking it up to 100 if I've got the strength.
I'll be packing camping equipment (sleeping bag, bivy tent, pad), clothes, four electronic necessities (camera, iPod, GPS, and a cell phone), about four sets of clothes, and a small tool kit. Here's a list of what I'm considering buying for the trip:
Camping and Cycling Equipment Bivy tent Sleeping bag Sleeping pad Rearview mirror GPS (already provided, must fit on handlebars) Flashlight Bungee cords Maps Travel towel Lock and cable Headlight and taillight Food (emergency supplies) Handlebar bag (?)
Tool Kit Tire patch kit (2) Tire levers (set) Pump Chain tool Spoke wrench Freewheel remover Tire gauge Presta-to-Schrader valve adapters Chain lube Duct tape (wrap around pencil after purchase) Allen wrenches (?) Screwdrivers (Phillips head and flathead) (?) Crescent wrench (6-inch) (?) Socket wrenches (?) Small Vise-Grip pliers (?)
Spare Parts Inner tubes (2) Spare tire Spokes (6) Chain link Extra GPS battery/charger Brake and derailleur cables
Cooking Equipment Can opener
Personal Items Prescription sunglasses (clear and tinted lenses) Sunscreen and sun-blocking lip balm Toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss Soap/shampoo (biodegradable camp soap) Toilet paper Nail clippers
First-Aid and Emergency Materials Matches (regular and waterproof/windproof) Aspirin or ibuprofen (for inflammation) Water purification tablets Adhesive bandages Butterfly bandages Ace bandage
I already have: Knife Clothes Panniers CamelBak Tales of Land and Sea by Joseph Conrad
Hmm. I seem woefully understocked...
In any case, I'll be needing a bike on which to load all this crap. It appears that neither of my current bikes are suitable, so with some help from mommy and daddy, I'm hoping to get my hands on a new bike sized to my proportions. I'm considering the following:
Trek Police (http://trekbikes.com/bikes/2004/police/police.jsp) Touring 520 (http://trekbikes.com/bikes/2004/road/520.jsp) -- WAY outside my price range, but still considered T200 (http://trekbikes.com/bikes/2004/citybike/t200.jsp) -- Would need its handlebars replaced, but otherwise...
Route planning's a glitch in this. I've got no dedicated plans on where to go or how to get there, beyond a vague interest in getting to Portland then to Chicago. As far as California goes, I figure I'll either follow a Valley freeway or head up the coast (hillier, but prettier) on the 1. How would one plan backwoods routes?
Hmm. I have so many more questions that aren't coming to mind...
posted
Good luck getting all that on a bike. I suggest trying to put all that on a bike and seeing what happens.
Planing a route means maps. Lots of maps. You can try MapQuest but I suggest getting the paper variety (often the library will have some). Riding alongside a freeway doesn't sounds like much fun, especially for days on end.
posted
Ohh, and can you fix the url on that Giant bike? Something like [*URL=http://all_that_crap.com]Giant Bike[/URL] would be nice, it's screwing up the page formating.
posted
Lalo you can't ride on the freeway anywhere and do you have any idea how often access roads go hareing off into nowhere?
The biggest thing I see you are missing is rain gear. You are going to need a poncho for yourself and your gear. It doesn't rain in Souther California but it rains everywhere else. You also need 2 or 3 bicycling jerseys or t-shirts. And you need at least one pair of khakis and slightly nicer shirt. If you are scrounging off of jatraqueros and they take you to dinner, I suspect they'd prefer to have you in attire other than biking shorts.
While you wear the cycling shorts without underwear I'd reccommend a pair or two of boxers or briefs as appropriate and probably 7 pairs of socks. You need a small box of biodegradable soap too. You can wash the sweat out of your cycling shorts in a sink and they will dry quickly and you will be fine for two days, but the same can't be said for socks, a laudromat might be necessary.
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Evil]](graemlins/evil.gif)
![[Cool]](cool.gif)
)![[Mad]](mad.gif)
![[No No]](graemlins/nono.gif)
![[Grumble]](graemlins/grumble.gif)
![[Blushing]](graemlins/blushing.gif)
