Loved my 2007 Fuji Tourer!
The Windsor and it are clones.
Several thousand miles on it.
Wheels were an issue. But I think that's one place they are different. But just in case check the front dust caps...

But I'm WAY over it's weight limit so now on an Disc LHT.

If you have parts you could consider the Nashbar aluminum touring frame and build it up yourself.

Buy a new el cheapo WallMart bike.
As you pedal along the Mississippi, stop at each W-mart and return the bike as 'faulty' and get a new one under the famous W-warranty.
Cheap enough?

I love the concept... but I only see a couple of flaws. 1) Will the bike actually make between WM's and 2) will the next WM have a suitable bike. :P

Aaron :)

Given your start date, you'll be hitting the southern portion of the MRT in the midst of heat and humidity season. We're talking 90+F and 85 or better relative humidity. The problem with rain gear at those numbers is you have a choice - get wet from the rain or from being inside a sauna (the rainsuit will not allow sweat to evaporate/escape). So, being wet is just one of the issues you'll face - overheating and heat injuries are a bigger threat to completion, imho.

As a Lousyannian for decades and having spent 3 years in the St. Louis area, trust me, once you reach there, rain is probably NOT your primary concern. The chance of the temps dropping below 70F south of there is minimal and then, only at night for maybe an hour if that. North of there, well...ask someone else.

As for flats, I don't see how fixing a flat on a BD Windsor Tourist would be any different than doing so on any other diamond frame bike. It's got a 700c wheel and a derailleur. Big deal. Just do it.

I recommend bringing a GOOD pump - something along the lines of a Topeak Road Morph. Small. Ultra-reliable. And it has a built-in gauge. Check eBay for decent deals. I got mine for $15 though it regularly sells for much more. Practice patching at home before you leave. "Wasting" a few patches in a dry setting to learn will benefit you later while on the road in the rain for a really low cost. Seriously. Learn how to patch correctly and you'll save yourself time and frustration later. (Ex., I learned to NOT spread he glue with my index finger - but instead with my little finger... Why? I don't NEED to have "traction" with my little finger pad but often do with my index finger(s)!)

And practicing taking off and putting on tires at home will give you confidence while possibly identifying that your technique for doing so causes pinch flats or requires 3 brake levers not just one or two.

Last piece of advice --- water. Take 3 750ml water bottles and/or a hydration pack. Even though towns may be "easily reachable" mileage wise, the heat in late May/earlyJune in So. Missouri, Ark and Loiusiana can be brutal!. If you feel lightheaded, find shade and drink drink drink. You've heard the desert is a "dry heat"? Well, the Deep South is a wet and steamy one. Sweat doesn't evaporate in a humid environment. So, no cooling. Trust me. A little more weight due to carrying water may save your day if not something more valuable. I carry 3 bottles and/or a 3L hydration pack every ride in the summer in the New Orleans/Baton Rouge area - and that doesn't count the Gatorade I may also be carrying. (Of course, I've been called conservative --- but I've also suffered heat injuries by trying to tough things out.)

Oh - almost forgot --- sunscreen. At least 40SPF. Slather it on no later than 9am daily and every 1.5-2 hours throughout the day. You WILL burn otherwise. Badly. Even on overcast days.
(Some people wear loose long sleeved shirts and/or long pants instead.... your choice.)

Obviously - YMMV.

http://www.rayjardine.com/adventures...Bike/index.htm

Go to last page then hit back 10 twice. It starts at day 42. He paid 150 for his bike.

These data are preliminary and have not undergone final quality control by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). Therefore, these data are subject to revision. Final and certified climate data can be accessed at the NCDC - http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov.
[h=3]WFO Monthly/Daily Climate Data[/h]
000CXUS53 KILX 020416CF6BMIPRELIMINARY LOCAL CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA (WS FORM: F-6) STATION: BLOOMINGTON IL AIRPORT MONTH: MAY YEAR: 2013 LATITUDE: 40 28 N LONGITUDE: 88 56 W TEMPERATURE IN F: :PCPN: SNOW: WIND :SUNSHINE: SKY :PK WND================================================================================1 2 3 4 5 6A 6B 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 12Z AVG MX 2MINDY MAX MIN AVG DEP HDD CDD WTR SNW DPTH SPD SPD DIR MIN PSBL S-S WX SPD DR================================================================================ 1 82 56 69 M 0 4 0.00 M M 8.7 15 180 M M 1 22 180 2 77 47 62 M 3 0 0.70 M M 9.7 22 40 M M 5 123 23 20 3 68 43 56 M 9 0 0.64 M M 15.0 20 70 M M 7 13 40 150 4 65 54 60 M 5 0 0.03 M M 12.7 17 130 M M 7 1 24 130 5 70 53 62 M 3 0 T M M 9.9 18 90 M M 6 1 M M 6 74 53 64 M 1 0 0.00 M M 10.2 16 50 M M 7 M M 7 80 51 66 M 0 1 0.00 M M 6.7 12 60 M M 3 M M 8 81 54 68 M 0 3 0.00 M M 3.7 10 240 M M 1 M M 9 67 59 63 M 2 0 0.54 M M 9.2 17 200 M M 6 1 M M10 63 48 56 M 9 0 T M M 11.3 16 340 M M 10 12 M M11 64 42 53 M 12 0 0.00 M M 14.3 30 300 M M 5 1 38 30012 58 36 47 M 18 0 0.00 M M 12.1 22 300 M M 0 29 30013 68 37 53 M 12 0 T M M 7.2 13 230 M M 1 17 28014 89 52 71 M 0 6 0.00 M M 16.0 22 220 M M 0 30 20015 85 69 77 M 0 12 0.00 M M 11.7 21 240 M M 1 3 30 25016 83 64 74 M 0 9 T M M 8.2 16 200 M M 1 3 M M17 80 59 70 M 0 5 0.00 M M 8.5 16 160 M M 3 1 21 16018 82 62 72 M 0 7 0.00 M M 7.7 13 120 M M 6 18 16 18019 89 61 75 M 0 10 0.00 M M 13.6 23 160 M M 2 18 32 16020 88 64 76 M 0 11 0.82 M M 18.4 30 190 M M 3 13 39 19021 81 62 72 M 0 7 0.08 M M 15.4 21 210 M M 4 13 27 21022 73 60 67 M 0 2 0.16 M M 12.8 20 230 M M 9 1 25 23023 60 44 52 M 13 0 0.01 M M 13.5 25 30 M M 8 1 29 3024 69 38 54 M 11 0 0.00 M M 8.9 14 60 M M 0 M M25 55 45 50 M 15 0 0.31 M M 9.4 15 90 M M 6 1 M M26 64 50 57 M 8 0 1.03 M M 12.3 20 130 M M 9 13 23 14027 71 57 64 M 1 0 1.00 M M 10.5 17 130 M M 8 13 M M28 78 64 71 M 0 6 0.47 M M 17.5 29 210 M M 4 13 39 21029 85 64 75 M 0 10 0.02 M M 17.0 23 210 M M 2 13 28 21030 84 63 74 M 0 9 0.71 M M 19.6 30 200 M M 4 13 43 18031 76 63 70 M 0 5 0.38 M M 15.1 21 140 M M 5 13 30 140================================================================================SM 2309 1674 122 107 6.90 M 366.8 M 134================================================================================AV 74.5 54.0 Can still be rather cool north of St. Louis, and overnight, cold. Snow is not unheard of in Minneapolis in mid-May, normally just flurries, and we have seen flurries as far south as Central Illinois. As you can see, 30's and 40's overnight are few, but not uncommon. A mild Spring, this year.

Any bike tire can get a flat, except those whacky ones with foam inner tubes. Be prepared.

Those spring thunderstorms can drop temperatures in a hurry--I'd bring along a pair of leg warmers and rain pants (or cape). If you're cheap, one can make serviceable leg and arm warmers from women's knee-length socks from discount stores.