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.
Posted by skrika03 (Member # 5930) on :
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.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
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.
lalo if you don't go to a genuine bicycle store in the next two days I'm gonna have to sic mack on you.
AJ
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
and if you buy a bike that is overpriced total crap both mack AND I will figure out a nice agonizing way for you to die.
AJ
Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :
Hey, so you're saying I'm to be punished by two blondes?
How I've always wanted to die...
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
You hear that?!
*sharpens swords*
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
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.
Let me know.
AJ
Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :
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.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
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.
AJ
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
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.
Hobbes Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
And AJ, you should go look at your Tour thread.... hint.
Hobbes Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
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...
AJ
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
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.
Hobbes Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
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.
AJ
Posted by jebus202 (Member # 2524) on :
I thought this thread was going to about penis sizes.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
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.
AJ
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
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.
Hobbes Posted by skillery (Member # 6209) on :
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.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
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.
AJ
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
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.
AJ
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
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.
Hobbes Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
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).
Hobbes Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Hobbes he lives in LOS ANGELES. Yes there are multiple bike shops. He isn't in the backwoods of Nevada yet.
AJ
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
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.
AJ
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
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...)
[ June 09, 2004, 12:19 PM: Message edited by: BannaOj ]
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
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.
AJ is right about the seats, by the way.
Hobbes Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
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!
AJ
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
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.
Hobbes Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
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.
AJ
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
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.
AJ
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
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!)
AJ
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
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.
Hobbes Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
More suggestions for Lalo
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.
Hobbes Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
you know the boy hasn't posted all day maybe he's actually gotten his rear to a bike store...
AJ
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
We can hope.
A few more suggestions:
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.
Hobbes Posted by skillery (Member # 6209) on :
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.
Posted by Valentine014 (Member # 5981) on :
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. Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
We left that out for a REASON. Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
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).
Hobbes Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
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...
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
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.
AJ
Posted by Nefarious (Member # 6591) on :
Wow, from the title, I thought this topic was about something completely different. Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
The other brand that I'd put between Raleigh and Giant and the Treks and the Specialized is good ol' Schwinn. I felt bad for leaving them out!
AJ
Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :
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...
[ June 10, 2004, 10:13 PM: Message edited by: Lalo ]
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
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.
Hobbes Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
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.
Hobbes
[ June 10, 2004, 04:41 PM: Message edited by: Hobbes ]
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
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.
AJ
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Actually Hobbes I think his list is reasonable. It is close to what my Aunt and Uncle had when they bicycled across Australia and New Zealand. The second time they did it they had a bunch of baby paraphenalia they had to take along because of their 4 month old infant that they took along with. The baby slept on small lambskin fleece every night. Of course with two bikes you can fit more stuff too. I think with careful packing you could fit all of that in large rear panniers, though you might need front panniers too.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
With the tent, sleeping bag and air matress I'm skeptical about getting it all on the rear. I guess you could probably do it with some on the front too...
Air mattress? No way in Houston I'd want to blow up an air mattress after biking 80-100 miles. Rather sleep on rocks.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
I've spent a lot of time camping, and I can tell you even the smallest pads still take up what amounts to a meaningful amount of room when you're talking about a bike. If he can fit it all on there more power to him, but with everything he listed, and the extra stuff you added on I'd say possible chance with loading things on the front, but no way is that all going to fit on the back.
Hobbes Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :
You'd be surprised. I intend to get a handlebar bag for the electronics, but my two panniers should be enough to hold what few pairs of clothes I'm taking and a small tool kit. The list is far bigger than the actual supplies are -- I'm hoping all I'll need to fit on top of the rack is my pad, my bag, and my tent, along with maybe a 2-liter bottle of water. I shouldn't have much trouble lashing them in place, especially if I can find a decent cargo net.
Aside from those, most of the other items mentioned are tiny -- I doubt I'll have any trouble at all fitting them in.
AJ, I'd love to bring extra clothes, but as it stands, I don't think I have enough room even for a pair of sweats. Let alone khakis. If people along the way find the sight of me too inappropriate to tolerate, I'm happy to keep on moving. And if you're just worried about that steak dinner, heh, how about I take you out to McDonald's instead? On me.
Besides, I think I'll have fewer problems with sight than I will with smell. I've no idea how I'm gonna wash all these. Though, heh, I'm gonna give plenty of housewives something to look at as I chill around in laundromats in my one spared pair of bike shorts or something.
Aw yeah, Mrs. McGillicuddy...
Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :
As far as pads go, I intend to buy a closed-cell foam pad. They roll up long, but flat -- it'll go at the bottom of my pad-bag-tent pile, but I should haven't any trouble with it.
As far as bikes go, I'm really leaning toward that police bike one. I'll be buying quite a bit of it with my own stash, but damn, I think it's worth it. If only for the crime deterrent -- what kind of idiot criminal would jack a police bike?
On the downside, I may need to refit it with slimmer tires. And a possibly redone handlebar -- I'm gonna want it as cushy as possible. And I'm definitely getting some gel-filled gloves, Hobbes, no worries on that count.
Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :
Oh, and I CAN ride on the freeway, provided there's no other way to get from one place to another. It'll be interesting, but what the hell, who's gonna pull over the police bike?
Man, heh, I think I'll buy a POLICE decal even if I don't buy the bike. That's gotta be a lot of stinking fun right there.
Pull over! Ma'am, you know how hot you're looking driving at that speed? Sheeyit. How would you like to get out of this ticket?
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Lalo in the fine print your bike will NOT say "police" I believe it is illegal
I think you are wasting your money if you get that model but it is up to you. And I suspect you can get a ticket quite easily while biking on a freeway. But we will wait and see.
AJ
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
Bring some soap on a rope for your overnights in jails.
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
Actually, get/bring all the ultralight gear you can. This will cut down on your weight and volume of gear.
For rain gear...get something light and breathable...gore-tex, system III, or precip work great.
Lalo, get your ass to a bike shop and tell them what you're planning on doing. They can outfit you.
Posted by monteverdi (Member # 2896) on :
Lalo,
Judging by your ridiculous equipment list, you aren't really going anywhere (except to 'Campmart, or 'AdventureMart').
Why don't ou just take a simple bike, simple provisions, and simply leave?
Take all the money you intend to spend on 'gear' in your pocket instead, and see what happens?
THe rest is simply a fake plan for self discovery couched in the pathetic rhetoric of consumption: equipped=done.
No doubt your legs move up and down in both cases, but in the one they actual take you somewhere you might not expect to get to....
good luck
Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :
Heh, very deep, Monteverdi, but I am taking simple provisions. Sleeping bag/tent, clothes, and a GPS so I don't get lost. Along with a med kit and a tool kit so I don't, y'know, die. If you don't think this is an adventure with no clear goals or purposes, what does fit that description?
And please, no self-discovery bullshit. I'm doing this trip for myself and for my own reasons, not to proclaim my sudden rush of new wisdom to the world -- if only we could all learn that lesson...
Posted by monteverdi (Member # 2896) on :
You need to just leave, instead of planning to leave...
You don't need a super-bike You don't need a satellite You don't need a computer You don't need digital communications You don't need a camera You need some clothes, You need some tools, You need some money, And you need to not be afraid To leave... The rest will take care of itself, One way or another, Or another, Hit the road.
Posted by RRR (Member # 6601) on :
Posted by monteverdi (Member # 2896) on :
I love the way you roll your eyes ! It looks like a rollin' bike wheel !
But, what I wanted to say was:
RRR,
You, on the other hand, need to start by not being afraid to SAY SOMETHING !
The smiley is bottomless. Are you bottomless too?
Yours truly, MV
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
monteverdi obviously you havent the slightest clue about bike riding. I however HAVE gotten a flat that I've been unable to patch miles from civilization in the high desert in 110 degree heat and had to walk the 9 miles back to civilization, without a cell phone to call for help. I don't wish that on ANYONE (though I'm contemplating that it might be a good strengthening experience for your character given your obvious cluelessness)
Lalo needs a bike that isn't going to fall apart on him after a day of hard riding. Tour de France riders have an entire support car with trained technicians and spare bikes to get them on the road again in the event of a minor problem. Tour de Lalo has no such luxury. I'm for a simpler bike than the "police" bike that Lalo is so fond of. However, it is a quality bike that hopefully won't break down at the most inopportune time. And in the even that does happen, because it does and it will no matter how good the bike, he needs to be able to take care of it on the spot. And if he breaks an appendage or gets run over, the cell phone will be highly useful in calling for help.
(I've seen the results of way too many biking accidents to believe that one won't happen somewhere on the trip. Hopefully Lalo only comes off with road rash, and doesn't end up with needing skin grafts like my friend Brett, or with a concussion like my father on one occasion and in another occasion in a mountain bike wreck he dripped blood all over my car since they happened to take it with. I had my dad's bloodstains from that accident on my steering wheel til the day I got rid of it. It gives you an ever present reminder of bicycle saftey.)
You also clearly don't know the first thing about basic survival techniques or normal backpacking equipment. Wait a minute! Maybe you think Lalo should pack his shotgun and live off of squirrel.
Yeah right. It has nothing to do with fear, and everything to do with common sense.
AJ
[ June 11, 2004, 12:29 AM: Message edited by: BannaOj ]
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
another note on clothing. You need one item that you can stay warm in, because going through the rockies and the high desert it can get COLD.
I think as far as bike repair goes, I'd only take the basics: 2-3 spare inner tubes and tire irons. Spokes don't break that often and you can ride on less then the maximum numbers but if you wanted spare spokes and a spoke and spokewrench I could see that. The whole point of getting a good bike is that stuff like spokes and chains WON'T break despite the abuse. In case of emergency it would be far better to call for help than to attempt other repairs yourself, especially given the weight tradeoff and your general inexperience with bike repairs. No, offense but you could quite likely screw it up worse and delay yourself even more as a result.
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