Which bike should I travel the U.S. with?

[rattlayitdown]

Hello,
I have an old mountain bike (16 yrs.) Outpost Trail with newer cross tires, and I have a new fat tire mountain bike (Pugsley) and I was wondering which I should take for a trip across the states. The old one is less likely to get stolen and probably would be faster but the other one rides a lot smoother (don't feel the bumps so much). The Pugsley would get through snow if I ran into that. Advice? I don't want to buy another bike, a trade could be possible locally though.

[reed523]

You don't provide enough details for much advice; route, timing, etc. but in general it would be a hell of a long ways across the states on a fatty.  What about lacing narrower rims on the Pugs so you can run a little more distance-friendly tire?

[John Nelson]

If you're starting now, take the snow bike. If you're going next summer, take the fast bike.

[RussSeaton]

Travel the US?  Paved roads from the Atlantic to the Pacific?  Or gravel, dirt roads from Canada to Mexico?  If the former, then I'd suggest selling the Pugsley and buying a normal loaded touring bike for paved roads.  I like panniers, but trailers work too.  If doing that Rocky Mountain ride, then probably your old mountain bike would be best.  I have read the mountain bike route is not gnarly single track and extreme stuff.  Its sort of mild dirt trails and gravel roads.  You could sell the Pugsley and use the funds on the trip.  Basically the Pugsley is incorrect for almost all riding.  Unless you plan to ride the beaches from Seattle to San Diego.  Or maybe ride the Rocky Mountain trail in the middle of winter and need some flotation for the snow.  If riding on the paved roads, use some skinnier smoother tires.

[PeteJack]

Basically the Pugsley is incorrect for almost all riding.  Unless you plan to ride the beaches from Seattle to San Diego.  Or maybe ride the Rocky Mountain trail in the middle of winter and need some flotation for the snow.

That seems a bit harsh Russ. Never tried one myself but I've read where some people prefer them to regular bikes for single track and e.g. gravel logging roads. But I agree they don't appear to be very good for the ACA sort of touring on roads.

[RussSeaton]

Basically the Pugsley is incorrect for almost all riding.  Unless you plan to ride the beaches from Seattle to San Diego.  Or maybe ride the Rocky Mountain trail in the middle of winter and need some flotation for the snow.

That seems a bit harsh Russ. Never tried one myself but I've read where some people prefer them to regular bikes for single track and e.g. gravel logging roads. But I agree they don't appear to be very good for the ACA sort of touring on roads.

I meant it.  Big fat soft 3", 4", 5" tires are wrong for almost all riding.  Single track (dirt trails?) and gravel roads?  Are people complaining about how awful their 2" mountain bikes are doing on those?  The huge tires are designed for flotation.  Floating on top of sand.  Floating on top of soft dirt.  Floating on top of snow.  Most trails are fairly solid and hard.  You don't need to float above the surface.  Unless you are riding them when muddy.  Can fat bikes be ridden on trails and hard roads?  Yes.  I have friends who rode them on paved roads and trails this year.  They did OK on them.  But they would have been faster on regular bikes.  And easier riding.  Fat bikes have a purpose and use.  But its narrow.  Anything outside of that specific use is somewhat foolish.  If someone were going to race criteriums I would not advise them to get a fully loaded touring bike.  It would work, but not real good.

[walks.in2.trees]

I saw a guy in the bike shop with a fat bike who swore he'd never go back... Granted he wasnt trying to tour with it, and most of the local trails are sand. I remember once when my previous road bike had been stolen and I borrowed my nephew's mountain-bike for a while.. The first thing I did after my first commute was swap out the tires for tires with a nearly continuous centerline. My usually 2hr trip took about 3hrs (guessing) with those knobby tires on there

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