Messages

1

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

« on: April 16, 2013, 12:12:24 pm »

I will try both of the above suggestions and ride for a while. I wasn't thrilled with the "fit" I was given on this bike. My other bike, the guys doubled checked each other and used objective measurements and put me on a bike...even changed my cleat placements on my shoes. It was great. For this bike, at a different place, their guy just looked at me and said he didn't believe in all the measurements. He could tell by just watching me ride, he said. Red flags should have gone up.
 I appreciate the suggestions and will try them out.

2

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

« on: April 15, 2013, 07:44:35 pm »

OK..I am 52 but 6 ft tall and 155...in very good shape. Even so, it feels like I am leaning so far forward with the drops that I am getting no leverage as I reach. A new stem that pulled the drop bars closer to me and the same height as my hybrid bars might be it. I had them high to start with, and that didn't help. So I wonder, if I leave it like this, I could rig something to work the brake and shifter (integrated) just on the right side (which is almost the only side we shift with) so I don't have to redo those onto the higher bar. Something like a thin metal attachment to pull which attaches to the lower drop bars, where the shifter/brake resides. I will mess up this beautiful bike if you don't save me from myself!

3

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?

4

Routes / Re: Avoiding Yellowstone

« on: April 03, 2013, 02:41:28 pm »

Will be in that area in early August. Wanted to stick to pavement or light gravel. By myself.
Thanks to all for the good advice. From the sound of it, maybe it won't be as bad as I was told. You all should know better than anyone, and the sample so far seems to suggest going on through the park. Anyway, thanks for the advice on alternate routes and on timing through the park. Very helpful.

5

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.

6

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

7

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

« on: January 23, 2013, 06:17:41 pm »

thanks Jennifer.

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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.

9

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

« on: December 17, 2012, 06:22:45 am »

wow!...thanks so much for that. This was the kind of "hidden" info that I was looking for. I would have not had any idea about any of it....I just kept getting the sense that June in Montana and WA was going to be less fun that it could/should be...This really helps me. I will check out the link. THANK YOU for taking the time to help. I will pass it on out there....

10

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

11

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

« on: December 10, 2012, 10:06:48 am »

VERY helpful information guys. I really appreciate it. I wonder if I started in august, would I be ok 2 months into it, with October weather, in the lower part of the trip...in terms of passes or such? Planning on being slow and steady, so maybe 50 a day, which puts my trip at 2 1/2 months, not counting rest/fun days off. More like 3 months with those days added in.

12

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.