Hi, again. My name is Tommy. I'm 28 years old. From a small town in Texas called Tatum. I'm married to an amazing woman for almost two years now.

I have been doing some research on tours, bikes, equipment...and what not.

I don't have a bike. However, I am trying to sell my wife on the idea of the freedom and what not of a tour. Pretty close, too! :-) Right now I am researching bikes for my wife and I. Don't have a huge budget for them either. It's looking like a couple touring bikes from Wal-Mart with some upgrades. Not sure what they will need to be upgrade but, with some research and help from fellow members here, I hope to get a couple bikes upgraded and rigged out.

Anyways, my plans are to get the bikes, upgrade them, rig them out, & do short tours in Texas at first. Then, a long tour across the US. Routes and plans will come later. First bikes and equipment.

Nice to meet y'all!

Stay away from big box store bikes. Up Grading is totally useless with them.

https://simpsonsports.com/product-lis...33/?rb_ct=1237

Get two of these and have a bike shop put them together for you.

My friend has 70,000 miles on his.

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/tourist.htm

Ouch! That's a hefty price tag for me.

I've been looking on Craigslist a bit. Anything specific I should pay attention to when buying used bikes?

Touring is Great Fun

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ide-Ends-in-LA

Craigslist. Just make sure the bike fits and is in reasonably good condition. It will take some time and patience this route but definitely the way to get best bang for your buck.

Welcome to BF! 10Wheels is right, too--upgrading a WalMart bike is like trying to turn Pabst Blue Robbon into 25 year-old bourbon. It’ll be a waste of $$ and all you’ll ever have is deadly inefficient and uncomfortable bikes. If you want to buy new and go cheap, at least go to Dick’s---you might luck into something OK there. I have a 2005 Diamondback Sorrento I got from Dick’s for just over $220 that’s my winter/bad weather bike. That bike shifts with microsurgical precision and split-second speed and it’s served me faithfully and without fail despite my abusing it worse than I care to admit. Late January and February are a good time to catch sales prices @ Dick’s--I think that’s the annual low of their price cycle. Good luck with whatever you end up doing!

Thanks for the information and welcoming. I will post more as I find a bike that suits.

Welcome to the Bike Forms. Sounds like you have a good plan, there is a lot of info here to check out while you find the right bikes for y'all! tom

Welcome to BF. If you know someone you trust that rides and tours have them help you with the selection of a bike or bikes. Sizing and quality are the key. Then check out craigslist or the local thrift stores for those selections. Most new bikes from the Box stores are not that good. I am on a fixed retirement budget and so I understand the sticker shock. Good Quality Used is the way to go, get good advice from a knowledgable friend before spending your money. Then ride the heck out of them.
Peter

Another thing with big-box store bikes is the quality of the nuts and bolts are really bad. Years ago a friend of mine who owned a bike shop told me he wouldn't take them in for repair because the nuts and bolts break so easily and he would be responsible for that - not worth it!

Well, I've been mostly looking in the "Pictures of your loaded rigs?" sticky.
So has my wife. The scenic pictures and all the tourism has almost sold her on the idea!

So far, I think I want a Surly LHT, or a Surly Ogre. Those two have really caught my eye. So it looks like I'll be saving a bit for one of those! Haha!
The wife is still undecided. I think she likes the Surly LHT.

The things I'm still looking into will be the gearing. I plan to have front and rear panniers, a basket on the handle bars for my Chihuahua, and a trailer for camping gear and whatever else.

We're actually going to find a local shop to see what they have and test some out. That's the plans for now! We're in the process of researching and all that now. The thought of this excites me. My mind is all over the place right now!

Thanks again for all the advice and welcoming. I appreciate it all!

https://shreveport.craigslist.org/bik/4221534162.html

I have found several bikes on Craigslist. This one has my eye. Can I get some opinions on it? I'm 6'3, 280lbs. Long torso, shorter legs. I don't know of that description of myself was needed...but here is a link to the bike. It's a 15 year old Cannondale R300 triathlon bike. Well, that's how it's listed.

Hey neckisred ,,welcome to the forum I couldn't to notice you wrote touring and tourism in your description of what you and your wife would like to do ,,,, that bike you're looking at is for neither of that,,, a tribike has the most aggresive stance of all bikes ... it's made for competition,,, going fast !!! I think you need more of what someone suggested above,, like the diamondbacks!!!!! it'll be better for your wife,, unless you anticipate doing some competition**********IMHO

No competitions. Just touring. It'll be my wife, our two little dogs and myself.
Thank you for your input. Tomorrow we will be going to a local bike shop. Again, thank you for your input on the bike.

Welcome to Bike Forums!

Again, thank you all for the welcoming. I think I found a bike I want. It's cheap and used. It's a Trek 500, 62cm frame. Not to bad of shape. And only 150$. My plans for this bike is to have it tuned up and what not. Upgrade necessary parts. Basically rebuild it if needed. I'm going to use it as a commuter until I get everything for tour.

I've been lurking in the loaded rigs sticky a lot...I'm excited to do a tour one day. Until then, I can tweak and build on this bike. Get it how I want it. Thought about building my own racks and mud guards. I've seen a few bikes where people have used tires for that. I like DIY projects. So it might be a few things I can do myself.

As soon as I get a hold of the fella with the bike, and get it home I'll post some pictures of it.

Welcome.

Only thing I got to say is....buy now at your local bike shop (LBS). They are blowing out their last years stock. You can get used stuff through the LBS as well (some will and do deal in used). Save up and get something entry level, and quality. Don't waste your money on a big box store bike. I did and regretted it.

Start small, don't get to carried away to fast.

I totally agree with this!

Did the same last year with a group of friends! Awesome and a humbling experience...
I recommend touring on a bike to everyone!

Much happy.
So fun.
Wow.

With two pooches? Dawww...!
Good luck to you, buddy!