Bike Forums - View Single Post - Pulled the Touring Trigger!

12-08-12, 11:25 PM

#37

chefisaac

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Join Date: Jul 2011

Location: cherry hill, nj

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil_B

Firstly, thank you for taking my comments in the spirit they were intended, and not as the Bike Forums peanut gallery viewed them.

Yes, we did meet and ride together in July 2011. At that time and in subsequent rides I noticed two traits:

1.) you clearly had extensive experience as a road cyclist and as a transportational cyclist;

2.) you, like many people here and elsewhere, get hung up on gear as a solution to problems major, minor, and microscopic.

Throwing money at a road bike is such a common trait among roadies I wasn't surprised you did it, but I also knew that you'd done Seattle to Portland in the past, so you had a taste for long distance road riding. You have no experience touring aside from reading posts here and talking to bike tourists named Neil. And touring, I've discovered, about making do and using what you've got. Roadies talk about buying carbon-fiber bottle cages to save an ounce; bike tourists talk about making panniers out of empty kitty litter containers. Heck, I didn't even have a rear rack on my first tour - Neil Fein can tell you about my carrying a backpack on a 100 mile round trip to Red Bank, NJ. It would be a shame if you got so caught up in getting touring "perfect" that you missed that touring can never be so.

Anyway, I made my point. And if I didn't care I wouldn't have posted.

You always give me food for thought. Some I can digest immediately and some takes a little time. I know you mean well and I appreciate that.

You are right on about your observations when we first rode. I would add a 3rd: focused on speed (too much really).

The first observation is right on with the except of the extensive part. But I was ready to jump in with both feet for sure. It has changed my life in so many ways that it's hard to put into words.

The second observation can be easily seen as so. Though with the first two bikes I purchased, it was not about the equipment and gear as much as it was about the brand. Very brand loyal to Giant and still am. Been in the family seen I was born and my parents rode them in their earlier life.

I would say that I am more picky about what I want versus more thrifty folks when it comes to riding which is currently long distance and commuting. I admire the thrifty (and what I mean by that is more McGiver (sp?) like and can build and craft stuff). I do not have this trait which is a little disappointing but thats beside the fact. For commuting, it was easy. I got a relatively cheap bike, converted over to a commuting bike, got the stuff I needed and called it a day. With the road bike, carbon was not important to me but rims were. Got a few additional stuff and that covered that.

With touring, it really is a shot in the dark Neil. At this time, I have some money from a catering job and a restaurant consulting job which is what (and am doing now) I planned on investing for touring. I knew going into this that my road bike that I have now i did not want to convert over to a touring bike. And the mtn bike commuter is more geared toward the short commute and a few things are now affixed to it that cannot be removed easily. I also knew that touring was day in/day out on the bike and getting the right fit was important. I shopped around for an off the shelf bike, looking into Trek, Surly, and a few others. I was disappointed in the lack of touring bikes at the shops I went to here in NJ, PA, and DE. Wont ever forget about the time the guy at a shop told me to take the LHT out for a spin. The frame would fit my wife. It was very awkward to say the least. When I got back, the guy asked if I wanted to order one in my size. I asked him if he could order it and if I could try before buying. He said no and that I would have to pay for it. To me, that is a load of crap. I see and understand their concern but for me to pay for a bike and not even get to try it first is crazy. I am not even wanting to pay a restocking fee that some of the other shops offered.

So going into the realm of touring, I know I needed a bike that fit me well. I can honestly say that the two bikes I have now are OK but not great. After talking with many people about custom made touring bikes, I questioned the need to spend the time and money on one but gave it a fair shot and talked with the owner and his builder about it. We talked for a solid hour while shooting questions back and fourth. After that hour, I was sold. Now yes, I will agree on this "How the he11 does one get a custom touring bike when they have no clue what the want in one?" I agree to this and yup, taking it as a shot in the dark and thats OK. Perhaps its my attempt to live on the wild side. lol

I have leveraged many people on this journey thus far when it came down to the bike and also the equipment. I may or may not love certain things and thats OK. I may love or hate touring and thats OK too. At the end of the day, it is an adventure. I remember one guy on the July 2011 ride telling me that it is not point A to point B that makes the trip, its the things encountered along the way that sews the journey into a colorful quilt.

I do take the "caught up in perfect" to heart, making sure that I realize that the choices I am making regarding bike and equipment is just a starting point and that things will change.

Some people approach things with the bare minimum and realize, through experience, that they need to add certain things to make the next trip better. I take a different approach which is to research, ask questions, research more, get what I think I need to make the trip enjoyable (so in this case it means comfortable when sleeping, not getting soaked and not feeling like everything weighs a ton).

I do realize that things will change. I will love this, really like these, and hate those. I will caulk this up to experience but there has to be a baseline somewhere which is what I am aiming for.

Lastly, the third point which is focusing on riding fast all the time. I had an epiphany on an attempt to ride a century in September. I passed apparently passed by an apple orchard and in September the smells are divine but on this century attempt I did not see any apple orchard, any farm sign and did not smell any of the apples. I got to mile 71 and bonked with a terrible headwind. As a friend pulled up about an hour after I stopped, she said "did you smell those wonderful apples back there at mile 43?" I had no flipplin clue that I passed an apple orchard. I did not see no smell the apples. This was eye opening and led me to make a vow to myself to slow down, smell the roses, take pictures, have fun and take in my surroundings. I do not ride with clubs much anymore but still enjoy it though mainly for the social aspect. On hilly rides, I typically go by myself because I am slow and OK with that. So I would say, Neil, this is a huge step in the right direction.