Wilderness biking / boating aka hell biking
 

Alright guys, this may be a unique question. Im from alaska and wondering if anyone knows about bike/rafting in an Alpacka raft? Basically, I take the wheels off of my bike and stack the frame + wheels on top of a small inflatlabe wilderness boat (weighs 6lbs) along with a 20lb pack. This way I do long stretches of trail and whitewater/float rivers (week long). Ive been doing these kind of trips for awile and I NEED A LIGHTER BIKE. What would be a good frame option...I drag the bikes up steep rocky embankments, and paddle glacier fed rivers with them. It would have to be very light(but tough), as I commonly shoulder the bike for 2 or 3 thousand verticle feet over a mtn pass. I dont want to spend over 600$ on a frame though...Im afraid I will ruin it. What do you all think?

Look for a cheaper titanium frame. They're light and resistant to the elements. One off the top of my head is the "on one" brand, check them out but there is others too. BTW, that type of adventure sounds like a blast!

One of the dudes over at Surly did some bike rafting on an aplacka raft with various bikes [including a unicycle]

http://surlybikes.com/blog/im_-_9012009_013600_pm/

Where at in Alaska you live?
I spent 14 years, born and raised there lol.

You describe a dream situation. Do you ever run into Sarah P. in the wilderness?

I like to canoe and hope to take the bike with me this summer. I wouldn't be able to do your aggressive portaging. But what a great combo, biking and paddling.

Do you ever get to fish on these trips, if so what is the quality of more native, remote fish compared to those who see people?

Hah, sorry I dont fish...but yeah, its a very liberating feeling to be so mobile. I lived in Anchorage in the winter but the summers Im in Healy. Wow a titanium bike would be awsome, and places to start looking?

http://bikeisland.com/cgi-bin/BKTK_S...ls&ProdID=1723

or

http://bikeisland.com/cgi-bin/BKTK_S...ls&ProdID=1722

Ti and if you really wanna stay below your $600, you can come close by selling off the fork.

Sounds like fun with your dirt and water trips! :)

bryan d