Originally Posted by
pataspen
One other thought on cost... if going lighter means you can increase your speed from 12 to 15 mph (as in your example) that theoretically means you could do a 1500 mile tour in the same time it would take you to do a 1200 mile tour. What cool things might you see in those extra 300 miles? What's the cost of missing those extra 300 miles with no increase in effort?
I know that's only theoretical and probably wouldn't work out exactly that way in the real world, but if cutting your gear means you can ride easier, faster, smoother, etc., it's worth considering.
Well said, and my feelings exactly.
I had a similar trajectory in weight loss as you described in your earlier post, and my load weighed nearly the same as yours on my last tour, a 4500 mile coast-to-coaster. I had tried that ride in my younger days with a much heavier load and couldn't make it in one season, and it hurt. Over the decades I dropped the pack weight, made the ride and had fun every day, including the difficult North Cascades Hwy in WA state. You can't put a price on those pounds.
Also that ride lasted several weeks less than I had estimated based on my earlier touring mileage. That saved quite a bit of money--the tour came in way under budget. Yet another cost to consider for a heavier and slower ride, if it hasn't been already in this long thread. Good one, though.