Messages

1

General Discussion / Re: best touring bike for a fat boy

« on: July 19, 2010, 02:09:13 pm »

thanks again, everyone.  I'm going to try to raise the money for a surly lht by the end of this fall, and I have a tacx cycleforce trainer that my folks got me a few years back that I'll use so I can be in decent shape by spring.  Good advice all the way around, btw.  I'll find a good wheel builder, I'll lose as much weight as I can, I'll definitely travel as light as possible, and I'm going to try and stay in the 50 mile a day arena.  4 days of centuries (which it didn't quite work out to be, because of poor planning/accidents/etc) was biting off way more than I could chew, even back then, and I'm now almost 2 decades older, and my recent exercise regimen has consisted mainly of 10 minutes here and there on my mini-trampoline, and the occasional hike/photo op hunt through the woods (visit http://members.photoportfolios.net/timfeeney if you want to see my photography).  It's depressing to think about.  But anyway, the whole point for me is to enjoy the journey, to take plenty of time to photograph the scenery (especially the national parks) and to write a book upon my return.  I won't be breaking any land speed records.

one question to assuage my final concern- Is there a book/dvd that you could recommend for someone who knows only the very basics of bicycle repair?   Flat tires?  Piece of cake.   Wheel knocked out of true?  I'm dead in the water. 

2

Gear Talk / Re: Camping Tent

« on: July 01, 2010, 12:58:36 am »

has anyone toured with the quechua 2 second pop-up tents?  they seem hard to find in America (except via Ebay), but it sounds like they're pretty weather resistant and priced very reasonably.   I think it would be nice to have something that sets up so quickly.

3

General Discussion / Re: best touring bike for a fat boy

« on: June 30, 2010, 10:02:11 pm »

thank you all for your suggestions, they make a lot of sense.   And thanks also for not saying "you're crazy, you're too big to make the ride, forget about it, etc etc."   That said, if I'm honest with myself I really AM too big to make a ride of that magnitude any time soon.
Unless I hit the powerball or something, I won't have the money for the gear/journey in time.  I could probably scrape enough together to make it happen, but that would leave me returning essentially dead broke, and that would be a huge buzzkill after a liberating trip like that.   I think a smarter way to approach it would be to shoot for next fall, and have a year to plan and save.   My last "long" ride was from St. Cloud, MN to Omaha NE in 1995, and it was a disaster because of poor planning, unexpected high winds for all 4 days, and the fact that my traveling companion and I were in nowhere near good enough shape to do roughly a century a day for 4 days in a row.   And that was the time in my life when I was in the best shape of my life!   Anyway, another question might be asked at this point- what are your thoughts on a good recumbent bike for such a journey?   I know they can be expensive as hell, but my back ain't what it used to be, and it's another option I'm considering.  Can anyone suggest a sturdy model that doesn't break the bank?  Thanks again for your help btw

4

General Discussion / best touring bike for a fat boy

« on: June 30, 2010, 01:13:42 am »

so I've decided to start training for a cross country trip.   I'm severely overweight at present (which is part of the motivation for the trip) but was an avid cyclist in my younger years and I'm confident my body will remember and adjust in time.   Right now, all I have to train on is a heavy-as-hell Giant Cypress mountain bike, which I have no intention of riding cross country.  If all goes well (i.e., if I can secure the funds for a new bike/cash for a couple months of riding) I'd like to leave from Minnesota this fall and make my way out to Oregon, and hopefully continue southward from there.   I'm a photographer (http://www.timfeeney.net), and my main motivation for the trip is the photo ops, and the potential of keeping a travel log and putting together a book upon my return.   If I do leave this fall, I'm obviously going to be physically under-trained, but am prepared to adjust on the road, provided that I can find a touring bike that can support my chubby self (280 lbs last time I checked) as well as camping gear, a few lbs of photo gear (not looking forward to the extra weight of my tripod), etc.  I'll probably also invest in a bobgear trailer or something comparable, if funds allow.  I've read some good things about the surly long haul trucker, and I like the fact that the company is local, but I'm wondering if this (or any touring model) is cut out to support a man my size.  Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated!