Messages

16

Gear Talk / Re: Touring bikes...

« on: March 13, 2013, 06:32:52 am »

Many thanks for your advises!

So - I have decided to buy the bike in the US. It is so very much cheaper and also saves me the trouble and cost bringing it over. I would order it in advance.
I was going for a Surley LTH or a Surley Cross Check. I understand it would never be wrong, especially not with the Surley LTH.

But how about Specialized? How about this one?
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/secteur/secteurexpertdisccompact#specs

The fork and the saddle thing is made of carbon, and it has discbrakes. I don´t know about that.
I have a Specialized Roubaix – so it would practically be almost the same bike but this one is more for touring, well... kind of.
I guess I can get both the Cross Check and the Specialized Secteure with a triple crankset?
Or am I way off the road now??   

17

Gear Talk / Re: Touring bikes...

« on: February 19, 2013, 03:47:25 pm »

Hello again and thank´s a lot for your thoughts!

Just booked the air ticket and will stay a couple of days in the area of Portland to handle possible jet lag and to fix other practical things like cell phone etc. And then there is this Northwest String Summit Music Festival during four days west of Portland, up in the mountains. That will give me the time to get used to the camping gear and so. Then I´m off!

I think I will try to get the bike in Sweden. It would be good, like you say, to really try it out and get a feeling for it before the TransAm. I just found a little store in Gothenburg that put touring bikes together based on customers wishes. He does have a Surley LTH and a Cross-Check at home and he talked about frames from Thorns. It is not exactly around the corner, he might be far too expensive, but I´m very exited to go and see what these Surleys are like. 

18

Gear Talk / Touring bikes...

« on: February 18, 2013, 06:32:36 am »

Hello!

I have started to plan my very first tour on a bike 

I´m looking for a bike to ride the TransAm this sommer. I´ve read some of the previous threads about touring bikes here but decided to bring it up again, since I have some questions that aren´t brought up in those treads.

Are there any touring bikes that are known to be more comfortable for women, with women´s geometry?

I wish to travel fairly light. I figure it will add up to 10-15 kg (20-30 lbs) or so. Bikes like Surley LHT seems nice but they are built to carry much more weight than that - so maybe I can do with a lighter bike?

I also find it hard to decide whether I should buy the bike here in Sweden or in the US. Buying it in Sweden would give me time to get used to it (I normally ride a very light carbon) but it would be much more expensive, the variety of bikes would be limited and then some hassle bringing it over (extra charge and the great risk of delay and disappearing). It might be easier to buy the bike in the US and just bring my own saddle..
And if so - does anyone here know of a good bike store in or close to Portland?

This may be a very very stupid question but the most common answer is that you have to try out different bikes carefully and see if you like them or not. How does that work? Do the stores lend you the bikes or do they put you up on a trainer in the store?

Every little bit of information is very much appreciated!

Greetings!
Cat

19

General Discussion / Companions wanted - TransAm West to East

« on: February 16, 2013, 03:00:50 pm »

I am planning on riding the TransAmerican Trail starting late July 2013 or early August. I plan to follow the transAm to somewhere around Wichita, meet up with some friends, and from there head down towards Savannah. I'll be camping most nights, using hot showers when possible and occasionally a hotel room would be nice.
I´m a 49 year old woman from Europe and would very much enjoy to ride along with some more bikers for some/all of this adventure. 

20

General Discussion / Re: The TransAmerican for a beginner?

« on: October 15, 2012, 09:33:21 am »

If it gets too hot, one could start early in the morning. I suppose it doesn´t stay light all night long, not even up in the north of the US?
I think somewhere between 60 and 80 F is the most pleasant temperature - thats why I thought july would be too early.

21

General Discussion / Re: The TransAmerican for a beginner?

« on: October 14, 2012, 01:06:03 pm »

Yes, I will try to ride as light as posible even with that camping gear. I will read your journals, thank you!

Oh, I don´t expect to complete the ride in 6 weeks. I think I can get 3 months off of work. I could start a little bit earlier but I understand that if I do - it´ll be too warm in the beginning, right? (I´m a swede and not used to very hot temperatures... )

I guess the appalachians have pretty much the same weather as I have at home. And thinking about it, we have already had some snow... A friend mentioned the posibility to end in Savanna. I would then follow the TA to Kansas or so and then go down more to the south east. But when I look at the map of biking routes, I can´t see any at all in that area. I guess there would be a reason for that?

22

General Discussion / Re: The TransAmerican for a beginner?

« on: October 14, 2012, 07:05:46 am »

Thank you very much for your very useful information, yumadon!

Since spending 85 dollars every night seems a little bit too much I think I will camp as well. I don´t mind camping but biking without luggage seemed so tempting...
I guess I have to look for a touring bike and a new nice sleeping pad.
 

23

General Discussion / The TransAmerican for a beginner?

« on: October 11, 2012, 04:11:07 pm »

It seems to be a lot of experienced bikers here and I have just about 1000 questions!

I´m thinking about riding the Transamerican trail, starting in the beginning of august.
Is it, generally speaking, safe for a woman to ride alone?
Is it possible to ride very light and find hostels/rooms all the way or is it necessary to carry camping gear? (I´ll buy the aca-maps when I´ve made the decision.)
How much does a room cost approx? To camp?
Is august a good month to start?

If you could share some thoughts about these questions, it would be great!

Cat