greetings from Maine (USA)

[LisaG71]

I am new to the bike touring world. I come seeking advice and knowledge. I joined another bike forum and was treated with malice and discovered 90% of anyone I encountered was rather rude and mean, plus they clearly don't want new people joining their forum. So, I left. what a way to treat newcomers.

SO, here I am. again seeking like-minded peoples for biking advice etc.
for NOW, I am in Maine. I won't be on much until my college semester finally ends for the semester ( zoology major).

As there is a MAJOR bicycle shortage I bought my bike without riding it. there is a couple of reasons.
1) I wanted a hybrid
2) I am recovering from hip replacement surgery . . . the reason? birth defect
So I want to bike tour ... eventually!

If you have any questions feel free to ask thanks for allowing me to join (hoping this is MORE friendly than the other forum)

 

[Randomnerd]

Welcome to CycleChat @LisaG71.

This place is pretty cool. And very friendly, unless you dip into the Politics and News section! If you do venture in there, put on your helmet. And speaking of helmets, we are having an on-going chat about that in the UK. Well, we have been discussing it for quite a while now - some very divergent opinions. Another thread to avoid, unless you have specialist knowledge - brain surgeon, polymers expert, human rights lawyer etc!

I’m a long-distance rider, and find the Touring section has been very helpful. Good advice on the kit people have used over the years, and on camping and latest equipment. There is lots of advice that is UK oriented though, but dont let that put you off. Many of us are into our own repairs and keeping bikes alive, so there is very useful knowledge in the Maintenance threads. Always worth doing a search of a topic before asking - it has very often been covered somewhere.

I think Bike Bits - what used to be the US Adventure Cycling forum, will also be a good place for you to look too. And if you haven’t already, Jan Heine’s Bicycle Quarterly is an interesting read, if you get into longer rides. I’m certain other members will be along soon to tell you of more resources.

We have a few members on here who are from Over the Pond. And we dont discriminate! (Unless you have an opinion on helmets or the Tory party...)

Tell us more about the bike you have, and about the kind of touring you are looking to do.

When you get up and running, send some pictures in to one or other of the picture threads. There are lots of them - my bike in front of... Always good to see snaps from exotic locations. We are already expecting some cool fall images from you to make us all envious.

 

[fossyant]

We have a fair few US residents on here too so they can at least offer some advice, and we've many members who have toured in the States. Main thing is get out and ride, but do it regularly, then you'll build fitness to 'enjoy' a bike tour.

 

[Sharky]

Welcome to cycle chat

 

[Chris S]

 

[DCBassman]

, do tell more about your bike!

 

[Drago]

Greetings Lisa. Lovely part of the World.

When I was working in the States I considered moving over there, and rural Maine was top contender. Sadly, family and the distances I'd have needed to travel for my line of work knocked that on the head.

 

[weareHKR]

Hello &

🇬🇧.... 🤝 ....🇺🇸

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Greetings from a sometimes / part time Georgia resident. Welcome!

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Welcome, @LisaG71

For touring in all its forms this subforum is the place to be! Just remember, this is mainly a UK site.

The most famous Bike Touring site, CrazyGuyOnABike is here. I'd advise avoiding the forums but it has a really cool map feature.

People have toured on all kinds of bikes with all kinds of conditions (CGOAB has a very useful search function).
There are a lot of different touring "styles" so I'd suggest at the start to just concentrate on enjoying yourself figuring out distances and the body's reaction to them, what kinds of experiences you enjoy and what you don't.

Whatever your long term plans, I've found that I can enjoy touring in the area around my home. And it's all practise for the Big One!

Good luck!

 

[LisaG71]

I don't mind if you're all in the UK.

I will be mindful when I post and I can look up measurements ( actually good for me to learn metric), so really no worries.

I just want to be somewhere I am wanted and not rediculed for not riding a bike since I was 10.

 

[LisaG71]

Welcome to CycleChat @LisaG71.

This place is pretty cool. And very friendly, unless you dip into the Politics and News section! If you do venture in there, put on your helmet. And speaking of helmets, we are having an on-going chat about that in the UK. Well, we have been discussing it for quite a while now - some very divergent opinions. Another thread to avoid, unless you have specialist knowledge - brain surgeon, polymers expert, human rights lawyer etc!

I’m a long-distance rider, and find the Touring section has been very helpful. Good advice on the kit people have used over the years, and on camping and latest equipment. There is lots of advice that is UK oriented though, but dont let that put you off. Many of us are into our own repairs and keeping bikes alive, so there is very useful knowledge in the Maintenance threads. Always worth doing a search of a topic before asking - it has very often been covered somewhere.

I think Bike Bits - what used to be the US Adventure Cycling forum, will also be a good place for you to look too. And if you haven’t already, Jan Heine’s Bicycle Quarterly is an interesting read, if you get into longer rides. I’m certain other members will be along soon to tell you of more resources.

We have a few members on here who are from Over the Pond. And we dont discriminate! (Unless you have an opinion on helmets or the Tory party...)

Tell us more about the bike you have, and about the kind of touring you are looking to do.

When you get up and running, send some pictures in to one or other of the picture threads. There are lots of them - my bike in front of... Always good to see snaps from exotic locations. We are already expecting some cool fall images from you to make us all envious.

I have a FUJI absolute
1.9 diamond frame hybrid
for now, I'd like to tour off the beaten path (not in cities) as I will have a trailer and my dog with me, I need to find places I can enjoy with him in tow (whippet).
My goal for this year is to relearn to ride AND to get my strength back in my operative leg. NEXT year I will be planning my first touring ride.

 

[LisaG71]

Welcome to CycleChat @LisaG71.

This place is pretty cool. And very friendly, unless you dip into the Politics and News section! If you do venture in there, put on your helmet. And speaking of helmets, we are having an on-going chat about that in the UK. Well, we have been discussing it for quite a while now - some very divergent opinions. Another thread to avoid, unless you have specialist knowledge - brain surgeon, polymers expert, human rights lawyer etc!

I’m a long-distance rider, and find the Touring section has been very helpful. Good advice on the kit people have used over the years, and on camping and latest equipment. There is lots of advice that is UK oriented though, but dont let that put you off. Many of us are into our own repairs and keeping bikes alive, so there is very useful knowledge in the Maintenance threads. Always worth doing a search of a topic before asking - it has very often been covered somewhere.

I think Bike Bits - what used to be the US Adventure Cycling forum, will also be a good place for you to look too. And if you haven’t already, Jan Heine’s Bicycle Quarterly is an interesting read, if you get into longer rides. I’m certain other members will be along soon to tell you of more resources.

We have a few members on here who are from Over the Pond. And we dont discriminate! (Unless you have an opinion on helmets or the Tory party...)

Tell us more about the bike you have, and about the kind of touring you are looking to do.

When you get up and running, send some pictures in to one or other of the picture threads. There are lots of them - my bike in front of... Always good to see snaps from exotic locations. We are already expecting some cool fall images from you to make us all envious.

falling? No.. lol, you don't really want to see me fall. As I would most likely have to endure surgery again. NO ONE wants that (especially me). More than likely be chewed out by my favorite surgeon too.. lol
or
do you mean fall as in autumn?

 

[LisaG71]

Welcome, @LisaG71

For touring in all its forms this subforum is the place to be! Just remember, this is mainly a UK site.

The most famous Bike Touring site, CrazyGuyOnABike is here. I'd advise avoiding the forums but it has a really cool map feature.

People have toured on all kinds of bikes with all kinds of conditions (CGOAB has a very useful search function).
There are a lot of different touring "styles" so I'd suggest at the start to just concentrate on enjoying yourself figuring out distances and the body's reaction to them, what kinds of experiences you enjoy and what you don't.

Whatever your long-term plans, I've found that I can enjoy touring in the area around my home. And it's all practice for the Big One!

Good luck!

thanks for the links. I added them to my google tab named cycling
where I am, is kinda unsafe for cyclists (in my honest opinion), Maine doesn't really have the roads to bike tour on really. NO good shoulder access and fast rednecks who would rather run people of the road (happened to me with a horse I had once while riding on the main road with her). WE do have LOTS of multi-use trails, I plan to start with these.

 

[Randomnerd]

falling? No.. lol, you don't really want to see me fall. As I would most likely have to endure surgery again. NO ONE wants that (especially me). More than likely be chewed out by my favorite surgeon too.. lol
or
do you mean fall as in autumn?

No! I dont want to see you fall.
Fall, as in autumn. Isnt it the Pine Tree State? I was lucky enough to visit Boston to see relatives many years ago, and had enough time to take a trip along the Roue 1 through Maine. We ended up fishing for brown trout in a place called China, on Lake China, which is impossible to forget.

I have a FUJI absolute

Sounds like a good shape to start getting your fitness back with. Depending on how you want to carry gear, you may need to upgrade to tour. Others with more knowledge of that frame will be along soon! Bikepacking is one way to get round not having the necessary bits on the frame to attach regular panniers and racks.

with him in tow (whippet).

Great dog! I have a small Bedlington, which is a curly-coated cousin of the whippet. Has the same mad brain at times, but doesn't run as far or as fast. Must be a laid-back whippet to be cool in a trailer. (BTW, I'm a Yorkshireman, and we are forever associated with flat caps and whippets, favoured headgear and hound of the average working coal-miner in these parts ).

I can look up measurements

We are out of Europe now, so there's no worry about converting to metric here. This lot are all so old that quarts, bushels, grains and leagues are familiar from their school days. Just try to not mention "Brexit" is all!