Originally Posted by
pdxtex
on an out and back ride, how far is too far? i regularly ride 40 milers on the weekend but its usually pretty close in loops and i always bring a cycling pack with just in case stuff, tools, alternate footwear. have you ever been stranded far away in full superman outfit and road shoes? that might be dangerous attire in rural oregon!!
Any distance you can return from is fine.
I've been 60+ miles away several times and more than 40 miles away more times than I could ever know. Over the years, I've been stranded significant distances from home only twice (wrecked bikes -- but it was easy to get help).
From Portland, you're not close enough to anything bad enough to be worth worrying about. Plus, people in OR are insanely kind to cyclists -- I can't tell you how often I've had to convince people I didn't need help, medical assistance, etc. If you're in trouble and more than a few miles from any town, the chances of someone offering assistance within an hour are fantastic. Hell, if the weather is crappy enough, people sometimes yell out their windows offering me a ride while I'm still rolling. This most recently happened a couple weeks ago when I was riding in snow.
My experience in the OR sticks is generally very good, and a lot of guys in lifted rigs are much friendlier than they look. Having said that, always treat motorists like you would aggressive dogs -- be calm and confident without being confrontational. If you act sheepish or like you don't belong, you'll be treated accordingly.
Carrying extra shoes is total overkill as you can choose to destroy your cleats while walking awkwardly, removing your cleats (which may mess up your shoes), or just hoofing it barefoot. If you're that worried about it, switch to a walkable cleat.
Originally Posted by
big chainring
Heck, when I was 16 I'd ride 50 miles out, 50 miles back. Never thought twice about it. Couple bananas and a couple bucks is all I had on me. No wallet, no helmet, life was good! And once i lost the 2 dollars out of my jersey pockets. 100 miles is tough on just 2 bananas.
A spare tubular and a frame pump was all i had. No tools, cell phones didnt exist. Never had a problem.
When I was that age, I had a chain fail on me many miles from home. My buddy and I just made it to the next town and panhandled for the money we needed to fix things. A kind woman not only insisted on giving us more than we said we needed, but made us eat lunch on her dime as well.
Bottom line is that if you're reasonably prepared and don't act like a jerk, you'll have no trouble getting help if you really need it.