Originally Posted by Big Lew

It all boils down to...if it's the only thing that rolls, and you want to go somewhere, you'll use it. I was 15 on my first tour, riding through the Fraser Canyon, which had all manner of terrain, including nasty grades, and no bike shops. I used a very old, heavy, first world war man's single speed 28".
I would change the front sprocket and chain length (with quick links) if I wanted to ride up long hills. I carried spare crank pins, bearings for wheels, crank shaft, and pedals, and lots of glue and patches with a big old tire pump. Didn't know enough to use panniers, so carried everything on my back in a canvas pack, and rode with denim jeans. Even though there was a lot of shoulder and butt pain, and numerous stopping's to make repairs, my Buddy and I had a fantastic cycling and camping adventure. Although I tour now with light modern equipment designed for durability and comfort, if I could roll the clock back, I would happily do it again, and would have loved to be able to use the "bike truck", you bet!