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Thanks for your comments Nyimbo. It would be nice to see some coastline especially after having been so far inland for a while. I'm still pondering at this stage. I'm keen to hear if I am missing out on some great scenery etc. by not completing the last leg of the SC route.
If the Google option tells you to go to Grand Mesa, though a beautiful climb up, be aware that is over 10k feet, quite a huge gain in elevation coming from sea level. Due to you lack of acclimation, I would take US-50 to Delta, then backroads to Montrose.
That said, you really should consider taking a few days in Grand Junction to get acclimated to the elevation. Grand Junction is about 4500', Montrose is 5800', and Salida is about 7100'. Altitude sickness is not a fun way to begin a tour.
Tailwinds, John
I just use a cardboard box.
I just use a cardboard box.
Hard to say what I'd do to avoid that sidewall issue. Not use supple tires again, for one. Deflating could help, but I'm no expert.
Make sure you check with Amtrak that the stations for starting and stopping your trip still offer baggage service. Amtrak has made many service reductions that include making many stations unmanned. This means the station no longer offers baggage service. This means you can't buy a bike box or even put the bike in the baggage car without a box. Some trains may still have a separate car with bike racks but I am not sure which train have that car. I had to cancel my trip because they changed the service in major cities. I wasn't notified of the change even though my fare included the bike fee. You have to call Amtrak. The website doesn't include the changes they recently made. If you just go by the website it may say the station offers baggage service but when you get to the station they will tell you no baggage service is available.
I've put my bikes with tires about 2.35" in width, both on the Coast Starlight (traditional baggage car bike hook setup, which would be the same as the Zephyr) and the Cascades trains. They seemed to fit okay. I have 26" wheels, so I don't have experience with bigger wheels and clearance. Deflating the tires a bit before giving the bike to the crew member for loading is probably a good idea.
One word of caution: The bikes can sway in the hooks (especially if there's not other bikes around it to stabilize it), the longer the trip, the more chance of sway. This could lead to tire sidewall rub. The more supple the tire, the greater the chance. I had Compass Rat Trap Pass (26" x 2.35") tires on my bike when I traveled by train from Portland to Oakland. When I got the bike off the train, there was a hole in the sidewall, tube bulging out.
Check your pedals. On many bikes, the space to get a wrench in is very narrow, too narrow for an ordinary wrench.
