long distance cycling

[superjane]

This thread is for sharing tips and info about long distance cycling. I love riding my bike, but have never gone on a long trip. However, I want to do one by next summer. I'd like to go around the maritimes in Canada, and then eventually cycle across Europe.

Has anyone done a long trip like that? I need to start learning about what I need, what kind of bike would be the best, how to pack, where to stay, etc.

[dawngirl]

346 miles - Washington, DC AIDS Ride from Raleigh, NC to Washington, DC over 4 days. It was an organized trip so we had camping set up. I can look in to my bookshelves and find some training books that a friend gave me. My biggest recommendation - GOOD BIKE SHORTS AND A SUPER GEL PADDED SADDLE!

[zoebird]

yeah, my advice would be to protect your butt and get a good callous there too--because you'll need it. man. that's why i dislike cycling. the legs burning, the breathing, all of that i can deal with--it's just those doggone seats!

sorry i couldn't be more of a help!

[CaptainSwab]

I know a guy who has cycled from California to Flordia several times.

He rides on a recumbant (sp??) bike becuase he said it is more comfortable. He belongs to a church and can find places to stay the night with members cross country or else he camps on the side of the road. He rides with a little trailer on the back of his bike.

Thats all I can remember right now...I can ask him more if you need me to though.

[superjane]

I had a friend who cycled on a recumbant from Winnipeg to California and back. I'm not sure how he packed his stuff. He usually stopped in at small town bars, ,made friends over tequila, and slept at their place. That's not exactly what I want to do, especially being a woman.

I'm wondering if I should take some sort of trailer. Right now I don't even have panniers, I have a milk crate on my rack. It works for hauling stuff around the city.

[ForestGlade34]

I'm gonna be majoring up in the saddle in a bit, Autumn me thinks, in South of England where I shall head, firstly by train, and cycle round endlessly in the NewForest until
my heart's content. and wherever I fancy along the coast here and there.

I am looking forward to seeing how you do SuperJane in particular of course when
eventually you make for Europe. I will try and get together some sites featuring lists
of recommended gear both by professionals and amateur riders (NO LESS)!!

Anyhooter, you may like to include in that; what else but a hooter incidently!...

Seriously though, being that you are in the USA you probably have more scope for quieter routes and open spaces relatively free from traffic than here in the sucky UK
where roads are pants.

btw: Blinkered knows a guy that does long distance, I'll try and dig out his thread, for to glance back at!

[blinkered]

btw: Blinkered knows a guy that does long distance, I'll try and dig out his thread, for to glance back at!

That would be this thread:
http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/s...ad.php?t=15373

Last I heard Martin was somewhere on the west coast of the USA heading towards Canada.

[silverundertone]

id have to agree with the seat thing..
also..the style of bike does make a difference..
i used to have a mountain bike...but wrecked it..and got more of a recumbant/cross between street and mountain bike..
i think the recumbant is alot easier to ride long distances..
theres some people here who im sure know alot more than i do though..

[superjane]

veganaconda, first of all, I'm in Canada, not the USA, but yes, there is a lot of open space here.

Currently I have a fuji espree racing bike that I got at a garage sale for $10. It was the first bike I ever owed with those loopy handles (I don't know all the terminology, sorry) and such narrow wheels. I was very apprehensive at first, but now I love it because it's so much faster than a mountain bike.

Dawngirl, how much training did you do for your 346 mile ride?

[clickman]

"Loopy handles"? You mean drop bars, they form sort of a semi-circle dropping down and going towards you?