Topics

1

Gear Talk / two handlebars on one stem...crazy?

« on: April 14, 2013, 09:00:50 pm »

I just got a new touring bike, a Lynskey Backroad, and I added a second handlebar on top. I took my hybrid bike bar and put it on top of the drop bars that came with the bike (left the stem long when the bike was built so two bars would slide on with spacers in between). Reason being, I like the wider reach (4" on each side wider than the drop bars, and 3" closer to me than where I would normally reach on the drop bars.) placement for my hands and like to "sit up" a lot. No shifters or brakes on this bar (might change them from the drop bar to this bar), but I can easily drop down to the drop bars that came with the bike to get out of the wind with the second set of bars already there. A little more weight but loads of hand positions.
My body just rebelled when I had to ride without the hybrid bars(I did get fit for the bike just like my old bike). Is this crazy? Should I ditch the drop bars and just use the hybrid bars? Is there a single bar out there that would accomplish what I am trying to do with two? Going Canada to Mexico this summer over the Rockies. First tour but have trained a lot, so now it is just getting these ergonomics right. Thoughts anyone?

2

Routes / Avoiding Yellowstone

« on: April 03, 2013, 06:30:14 am »

Can anyone suggest a nice route around Yellowstone? Traveling from Missoula south on Great Parks to reach the Western Express, and I hope to avoid all the crowds and RVs of the tourist areas. Don't really care about seeing Old Faithful etc., just want some peace on a country road. Perhaps it is best to stick to the ACA maps and deal with the parks anyway? Just asking. I am more interested in what's in between. Thanks.

3

Connecting ACA Routes / Western Express Durango/Dolores CO to El Paso? Use 180?

« on: January 29, 2013, 07:54:24 pm »

I want to connect from the Western Express/GP South where it meets Dolores or Durango CO and swing down 180 on the AZ side right next to NM all the way till I need to go east towards El Paso. Anyone done this or have an alternate route? I think 180 is a beautiful road. Thanks

4

Routes / suggestions? CO south thru NM, route? Not the Divide.

« on: January 22, 2013, 09:52:48 am »

I am wanting to go from the TA or Great Parks South routes in CO and travel due south thru NM to El Paso...but not on the Divide trail. I am not on a mountain bike. I start in Canada at Glacier NP and follow the TA to CO...then my request is if anyone did their own route south from there. Thanks.

5

Routes / El Paso to Grand Canyon to TA in CO to NTier to Bellingham WA. Start date?

« on: December 16, 2012, 08:56:16 pm »

Hi and thanks in advance for your expertise.
Instead of beginning in WA at the Canadian line above Bellingham, WA around mid June....and wondering/hoping roads are good, I wonder if finishing there, starting at Mexico/ElPaso border, would allow for an earlier start (May in El Paso, vs mid June in WA) to take this route where I go west on ST to GC connector to West Express to CO meeting the TA to the NT to west again over cascades to destination above Bellingham.
Earlier, I had asked about going North to South, and comments stated I would need to wait till June to leave WA due to snow pack, and even then the dates are fuzzy....thinking if I left earlier in TX i could maybe make it to CO when everything is good to go weather wise, and then be in warmer weather by the time I hit the Montana area (I like warmer!), with no road issues.
Thoughts?..and thanks

6

Routes / too many mountains/start date? canada to mexico.. zig zag..."best of the west"

« on: December 09, 2012, 09:29:20 pm »

Thanks in advance for any help from anyone. I am new to this forum and distance cycling.
I was thinking of starting north of Bellingham, WA at Canadian border and taking the Northern Tier going west to the Great Parks North, see Glacier NP, double back, then southward in Montana to hook up with Transamerica for Yellowstone etc. to CO to detour to Great Parks South and back, then west again on the Western Express to Utah, then south on the Grand Canyon connector to the Southern Tier, then east to El Paso/Mexico.
This would be my first tour, and my goal doing this is to see a lot of the Nat. Parks. The main concern is this...what date range could I start? Also, I have had 5 right knee surgeries!...ok, and I'm 52...but in good shape. Going solo.  Good endurance guy, don't mind pain (marathons and such) but wondering if anyone has done this route and their thoughts in terms of difficulty or something less obvious I might be missing in terms of the route. I guess is there some glaring reason (assuming I have trained properly) I should not choose any of these segments, logistics-wise?
Thanks.