smokeysmoo
Legendary Member
- Location
- Bolton, not very far from Nob End
One with a motor 
Advice on what bike to buy for cycling across America (4000 miles!)
- Thread starter Tour
- Start date
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BigonaBianchi
Yes I can, Yes I am, Yes I did...Repeat.
- Location
- Iskele TRNC & Mordor UK
Pm me if you want to chat
vernon
Harder than Ronnie Pickering
- Location
- Meanwood, Leeds
That's a typical sweeping assumption from you Crankarm. How do you know that (s)he is not beavering aware with research elsewhere?
I had an intense and frequent exchange of information with BigonaBianchi about cycling across America before my plans were brought to an instant halt by factors that I hadn't considered during the initial excitement. There were no further enquiries. The advice, apart from yours, in this thread will be useful to anyone else with a similar question. I can recommend @BigonaBianchi as a port of call for further queries. Thanks to him I have everything in place for the eventual Northern Tier tour.
Monsieur
Senior member
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Spirit of christmas alive and well in Cambridge I see
Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Spirit of christmas alive and well in Cambridge I see
You're not wrong there. Fancy an mp?
Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Well this was nice for you. A love-in with BB
. What factors brought your plans to an instant halt that you had not intially considered? Sharing them might be helpful.I simply make the observation that the OP hasn't been back yet, no thanks or anything, although he does make a pre thanks and appreciation in his OP. It is also extremely easy to do a search as this topic comes up pretty regualrly. Would you not agree? In the past I have spent considerable time composing a helpful response to these time wasters who have not had the courtesy to come back let alone thank everyone for their time and advice. They are a "new member" and were probably pi55ed when they posted. When I ask the forum a question I have the courtesy to re-visit promptly, engage in dialogue and thank eveyone for their inputs. I also make a later follow up post if I can to say how things turned out. But this is just me. Just being pragmatic on this one. I have wasted enough time on this now as it is.
Hi, I will be attempting the Transam next May/June/July and I will be riding a S/hand Dawes Quest, 651 tubing, 26" wheels etc. seems in good nick and hope it will do the job. I had the wheels "tweaked" by my local wheel builder so hope it won't let me down. It was a replacement for my long haul trucker which was stolen a few months ago, still getting over it ,but..we have to move on. If you need to know anything ( picked up as my planning has gone along,) let me know,. Bob.
My 1989 Raleigh mirage ATB did the Transam no problems, i paid a tenner for it , but spent £700, Triggers broom etc....lol. (left me more dough to pay sales tax and tips!) A good new drivetrain and Strong wheels are a good investment, tho i did have 1 broken spoke on them crap roads eastern colorado.You'd be surprised what bikes are used from your off the shelf halfrauds type to top of the range Lynskey's. To me it's all about the ride. Enjoy it.
biggs682
Itching to get back on my bike's
- Location
- Northamptonshire
thats a tough question , as most bikes are capeable of doing it as long as its looked after before, during and after . got a nice Mercian can do you a deal on
BigonaBianchi
Yes I can, Yes I am, Yes I did...Repeat.
- Location
- Iskele TRNC & Mordor UK
Most other riders I crossed paths with were on tourer specific bikes, almost all the american riders were on surely long haul truckers.. heavy bikes imho but they certainly do the job. I saw a couple of recumbant trikes struggling up dixie pass cursing the day they ever dreamt up that idea...and then there were converted MTB's which the dutch seemed to favour and of course the supported road bike tour groups on the full carbon frames as well.
The trans am is an amazing ride, and you can do it solo on any bike really as long as you know how to fix it if it goes wrong as the bike shops are few and far apart for the most part. If you are self supported carrying bags etc a triple is an absolute must unless you are superman and have steel knees. There are some very 'decent' climbs. I did hear that somebody even did it on a unicycle once !
My dawes galaxy was perfect, it neve rlet me down even once, and i am a heavy tall rider and had fromt and rear panniers tent etc.
Like albal said...good tyres rims and drivetrain are all important...most roads are of good quality, but there are some very dodgy surfaces in places ...mostly the rumble strips on the shoulders (whcih idiot ever thought of those!)
The trans am is an amazing ride, and you can do it solo on any bike really as long as you know how to fix it if it goes wrong as the bike shops are few and far apart for the most part. If you are self supported carrying bags etc a triple is an absolute must unless you are superman and have steel knees. There are some very 'decent' climbs. I did hear that somebody even did it on a unicycle once !
My dawes galaxy was perfect, it neve rlet me down even once, and i am a heavy tall rider and had fromt and rear panniers tent etc.
Like albal said...good tyres rims and drivetrain are all important...most roads are of good quality, but there are some very dodgy surfaces in places ...mostly the rumble strips on the shoulders (whcih idiot ever thought of those!)
