HEKTakun

Hi everyone. I'd like to start off introducing a few things about myself.

I have been riding competitively for the last 3 years now. I will be moving up to Cat 4 this upcoming race season. I am able to do long distances in a day and have plenty of mountain climbing endurance.

I do some part time work at a bike shop as a mechanic. I have built up all the bikes I ride. I have 5 bikes now.


I am posting here to get some ideas about touring and hopefully get some questions answered.


Route
First off I'd like to get my route figured out. I plan to ride from Los Angeles to Portland Oregon. Everyone I've talked to has said this is a bad idea. Do to constant head wind and the all uphill trek. I'll be going the wrong way essentially. Is it really that bad? I'd like to know if there is anyone out there who has done a tour of the west coast north bound. If so, are there are any particular routes to take? I'd like to go up the coast if at all possible. But more than anything on this tour I want to see the Red wood forests, the old growth in particular, even if it means going an extra 200 miles out of the way. I'd be ok with dirt roads too. Any info would be much appreciated.


Bike
I'll be riding an early to mid-80's Nishiki Cresta. I don’t know what exact year it is, but if anyone could tell me that would be cool. Here are some pictures of it. https://imageshack.us/g/717/cimg4596z.jpg/

I don't have many concerns with my bike. I am still debating if I want to use the 27in wheels the bike came with or use a more modern 700c. I would prefer to use the 700s because I am all around more familiar with them. I especially like how I’d be able to choose my gears with a cassette whereas with a free wheel is a little more difficult. Using 700s will also help keep consistency with my other bikes. However the current 27s were made for touring with 40 spokes in the back, 36 in the front. Keeping the 27s mean one less thing I'd have to buy. Any opinions?


Gear
I have never done a tour before so I don't know what type of gear to get. I'm pretty sure getting racks is important.... this is the extent of my knowledge of racks. I know even less about panniers. I know I'll need them. So I'll pretty much need a crash course on these two items in particular. Any suggested sites to read up on?


I can't think of much else but I'm sure more will come up as this discussion goes on. Thanks for reading.

Booger1

Crazyguyonabike website....nothing but touring.

I have ridden from L.A.-S.F. both ways many times. North to south is much better.Your on the ocean side of the road,the wind can be a major factor at times and you'll be going in the direction of most the the tourer you will meet.If you want to gaze at the ocean while you eat lunch,you may need to cross the street and back,which can be exciting at times.

The road gets narrow in many spots,in both directions,but being pinned between a sheer rock face and traffic seems MORE terrifying than traffic and a dropoff into the ocean...

Your going to love it,it's a stunning ride.If you have never seen a giant redwood tree in person,your in for a big surprize.They look big in pictures,they are MASSIVE in person.I can't believe people actually cut these down with an axe or saw.Some of these trees are 3500 years old.

Cyclebum

Keep the wheels you got, since they were made for touring. Really, what would be the point of switching to 700s? Just make sure the tires have good puncture protection.

Nashbar sells good, reasonably priced and water proof panniers. No need to go for higher quality and price unless you figure touring to be an avocation. Otherwise, check with The Touring Store for expedition panniers.

Booger 1's points about routing are right on. Amtrak to Portland and cycle back.

Be aware, cycle touring is not a race. Slow down enough to enjoy the scenery and the people you can meet. Just sayin'.

mtnbud

I like the bike and the wheels. I'd change the saddle and add a front rack. I'd buy some quality brake pads if you haven't already. Once you buy panniers, make sure your heals don't hit the packs. If they do, you'll need to buy a longer rack or a rack shaped more like this to keep the panniers from angling in towards your tire.

I prefer drop bars for more hand positions, but adding bar ends or possibly an aerobar might help. I've never tried one, but I think you can use your existing brake handles with a trekking bar.

MassiveD

You can google up some wind maps, from what I know the winds run down the coast, as a sailor that means the beat up north is miserable, whether you have sufficient reason to ignore an obvious problem is up to you. For instance it would be easier to bail if you went south to north, at least in the early parts of the trip.

I run lightweight panniers loaded style, but one option you have is to go ultralite. It just means lower cost and gear so light you don't really need all the racks and panniers. If you can stay away from extreme weather, and extreme bugs you aren't really paying a penalty in comfort. There are lots of ultralite threads on YOutube.

There are three ultralite cycle tours on this site, and lots of info on how to do it for minimal dollars.

https://www.rayjardine.com/adventures...nsAm/index.htm

Machka 

Regarding the bicycle and wheels, make sure you'll be able to get what's needed for repairs, and in the case of wheels, be sure you can get tires and tubes along the way.

As it happens, Canadian Tires in Canada still sell 27in tires and tubes, so if you were doing a tour in Canada, you'd likely be all right. But I don't know whether bicycle and/or hardware shops in the US sell that size.

Get some good maps at your local Automobile Association, Tourist Information place, Bookstore, or Sporting Goods store. You may be able to find some alternate routes rather than taking on heavy traffic if that becomes an issue.

TacomaSailor

I've sailed a boat from Washington (thats north of Portland) to San Diego four times - spending about 75 days within 30 miles of the coast. I've experienced SOUTH WINDS on fewer than four (4!) days and seldom for more than 12 hours.

OTH - I've enjoyed North or NW winds for over 60 of those 75 days. The typical wind is NW 0 - 8 knots (0-9 mph) from daylight till noon or so. It then slowly builds to NW 13 - 18 knots most days reaching it's peak about 5 PM and dying a couple hours after sunset.

Dozens of sailors migrate from the Pacific NW to San Diego in the mid-June to late September because the NW to N wind is SO DEPENDABLE!

Just my observations from the water side

PS - I do a lot of day trip bicycling during these sailing adventures - my personal experience is that going North in the afternoon is a PITA!

BigBlueToe

It sounds like the amount of riding won't be an issue for you. Going north to south is strongly recommended, but plenty of people have done it the other way. Plan on some headwinds and some frightening spots where you're squeezed between a rock face and traffic.

Also important is the time of year. The coast can be extremely rainy for extended periods of time. I've ridden the Oregon coast twice in July and August, and have seen very little rain. My nephew did it in October and got rained on incessantly. Even the Big Sur coast can be wet and miserable. If possible, go during July and August.

I like panniers front and rear, plus a handlebar bag. I like waterproof Ortliebs. There are plenty of other waterproof panniers out there. I also rode for years with REI panniers that needed rain covers. They worked fine; I just prefer waterproof panniers so I don't have to deal with the covers.

Bike touring is like backpacking - the less weight you carry, the happier you'll be. Save ounces wherever you can. However, you also want to be reasonably comfortable, so you may carry some ounces that aren't necessary but make you happy. I carry a lightweight air mattress and a pillow. Others sleep on foam pads and stuff clothes in their sleeping bag's stuff sack for a pillow. Your solution to this weight/comfort equation will be very personable; the choices someone else makes may not be right for you.

Common wisdom is to take some shakedown cruises before the big one to see how things work - what you didn't bring that you should have; what you brought that you can do without; and what you brought that turned out to be indispensable.

Clarabelle

I've done all (or part) of the north to south from Washington to the Oregon-California border three times. The wind is definitely a factor. I've observed people heading North who were battling headwinds while I had the winds pushing me along. There were a couple of days when a storm came in and the wind direction shifted, but that was a rare occurrence. If possible, I'd think about starting from the north and heading south.
Although mine aren't water proof, my next set of panniers will be. You might think about that, otherwise I'd pack all my clothing, sleeping bags, etc. in plastic garbage bags. I speak from bitter experiences. Weather in the Northwest is changeable, especially this time of the year, so you need to be prepared to get wet.

simplygib

If you want to stay on the coast then I agree with what everyone else has said regarding direction. Not sure, but it sounds like you're planning on going soon, which would be good. The weather in Oregon will be deteriorating before too long, and going north to south will get you out of there and down to California where fall is usually beautiful on the coast. IMO September is the perfect time to start the coast due to the lighter traffic after Labor Day and the weather is usually great.

Another option would be riding up 395 and eventually taking Sierra/Cascades or Lewis and Clark, or some other route over to Portland. It'll soon be too late in the year for that though. Depending on when you leave, it could be pretty cold by the time you get to Oregon, and east of the Cascades is colder than the west side.

On the wheels, if you're planning on being heavily loaded, you might opt for the cassette over the freewheel just due to the drive-side bearing positioning. I have a freewheel now and usually have to replace my axle at the end of a tour because it ends up bent (one of these days I'm switching back to a cassette). If you're going light it probably isn't an issue.