2-Wheeler asked how our hardware was holding up, so since I have some time before dinner arrives, maybe I can shed some light on the subject.
Since I know that 2-Wheeler is a techie and a former cyclist, he might be interested in either our bikes or our geek-gear. For tonight, let's stick with the cycling gear. If there's time after dessert, we'll move on to other hardware.
We're both riding Cannondales, which we bought new in 1994. They were billed as "comfort" bikes, before hybrids arrived on the cycling scene. The frame geometry and the straight handlebars help us to sit more upright, which I prefer since I don't want to miss any ice cream shops along the route. Mine's purple, his is black.
We put on new tires for this trip-- Continenal Top Touring 2000's, to be exact. (Sounds like something out of Harry Potter, doesn't it) These tires had been recommended by other touring cyclists. At 1.75 inches, they're wider than the 1.0 inch tires we normally ride, and we've already noticed that they take some of the "shake" out of "shake-n-bake" roads.
We also put new wheels on the bikes, 36-spoke versions versus the original 32-spoke wheels. The extra spokes give the tires more stability and strength, better for carrying the extra (touring) weight.
Btw, our tires are 26-inch, not the 700cm diameter that you'd see on a road bike. The trade-off is speed versus availability. Frankly, I'm not going fast enough to notice any loss of speed, but if I need a tube, I'll be able to find a 26-inch tube more easily than a 700cm. Btw, we both have lightweight, plastic fenders on both front and rear wheels. Saves us from getting "racing stripes" when we have to ride through puddles.
The bikes have 27 speeds--a triple chainring--and so far I've used every single one of them. My "big ring" gets me moving faster on downhills, and the momentum helps me get back up the hill on the other side. Sometimes, though, the laws of gravity take over and I have to resort to my lowest (granny) gear. I'm guessing that in the Rockies, I'll be looking for a "granny-er" gear than the one I've got.
Other stuff we carry on the bikes include our trunks (where we carry the rain gear), locks, under-seat bags (mine carries the laundry kit; Matthew's has small spare bike items), and mirrors. Matthew's mirror broke on the 3rd day, so we had to go for a couple of days with just one set of eyes in the back of our heads--mine. That's another story, but in Wilmington, I gave him mine and got a new one. The shape of the old one works better for him, and frankly, I like the new one much better, anyway.
I know that a lot of riders don't use a mirror, and the reasons vary from "too much weight" to "not cool" to "not safe". I've been riding with one for years, and now when I'm just walking somewhere I really miss being able to see behind me.
Matthew also has a map holder and a handlebar bag for some small items, and the basket on the front of my handlebars holds our snacks. We each have a cyclo-computer to record time, distance, average and max speeds, and a trip odometer. These are wireless (CatEye brand), and so far have worked pretty well. We each have high-powered lights, in case we're out after dark. This has already worked for us. At a couple of places, we've unhooked the trailers and flew into town for dinner and back. (I am going to be SO FAST when I'm done with this trip!) I also have a (pink) bell.
We haven't had much in the way of mechanical troubles. Matthew's new crankset needed some tweaking, and we've each now had a flat tire. And there was that incident the other day when I rode through newly laid, quicksand-soft asphalt, but nothing that hasn't been fixed. We do have listings of bicycle shops that are on or near our routes, so if we need a "wrench", we should be able to find one.
Ah . . . Dinner has arrived. Anthony's Pizza in Ashland, VA, also serves up a variety of Italian specialities, and if you'll excuse me, there's an eggplant parm with my name on it. Cheers!
2 comments:
Wow, you guys...I can almost feel the wind whipping through my hair as you tell of your handlebar adventures! BTW, thanks for the postcard, I had climbed it in 1997, before they had moved it. So my pics of the water may look closer than yours! HA! Thanks again and we're riveted to the screen for your next leg!
Thanks for the hardware stories. I didn’t realize you were still riding the same bikes as when we lived down the street – you must have a gazillion miles on them by now!
I think I’d rather be a former techie than a former cyclist, but compared to you two, I must be considered a “former cyclist”, even though I still have no less than nine very nice bicycles in the house and I still ride regularly (even at my age ;^)
I have been wondering what it would be like to do another cross country trip like you’re doing. It was 34 years ago that I made my big trip. That was the “stone-ages” of bicycling for all the youngsters. Actually 1972 was more like the golden age of cycling in the USA. 1972 was the start of a very big bike boom when they actually sold more bikes in the US, than automobiles!
My brother and I both bought new “10-speed” bikes for our trip in 1972. This was when the only American bike worth having was a Schwinn Paramount but all the great bikes and parts came from Europe. When Eddy Merckx was well on his way to winning the Tour de France five times. My brother Karl chose the Peogeot PX-10 and I rode the Gitane, Tour de France. 1972 was also the first year that Campagnolo wasn’t able to keep up supply to meet the US demand and the Japanese suppliers (Shimano and Suntour) stepped in to fill the gaps. My bike was a mix of Campy stuff sprinkled with a few Japanese parts. It had one of the early Suntour GT derailleurs with “plug-shifters.” I had the original Record hubs, with their distinctive oil filler caps in the center and all “clinchers” were 27” and all sew-ups were 700c. 26” tires were only used as balloon tires on those one-speed beach bikes.
We pulled a trailer called a “Bugger” by a company that should have gone out of business for selling a bad design. We had no way to measure distance, besides the mile markers on the side of the highway. There were no digital bike-computers and if you wanted a “speedo” it meant a big analog dial with a mechanical-coaxial cable that spun from your axle, but only “Stingrays” had those!
I digress, back to your story. I can’t believe you’ve only had one flat each! Are you running thorn-guards or puncture-proof tubes? Wait till you get out west and see all the nasty thorns we have out here.
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