more travel questions

OK, so we are traveling soon....

we are going to rent bikes. the bike shop has a road bike for Mr. but only a hybrid in my huge size.

so, it was discussed that we should/could take our own shoes/pedals.....

I've never taken the pedals off before, do I need a pedal wrench to do this or will any old tool do?

will I be able to put my spd's on the hybrid?

what about packing my helmet? I thought about buying an inexpensive helmet to travel with rather than take my Giro Pneumo. I mentioned this to Mr. and he looked at me like I had completely flipped my lid (no pun intended). What say you ladies?

I've never ridden a hybrid, what it will it be like for me?

Yep, buy a pedal wrench.

Yes, hybrids will take your SPD. Riding it will be slower than your road bike and more upright. Take the attitude that you're on vacation, going slow is part of the experience, and it might not bother you. [We've rented some really heavy tanks over the years and never really minded--it is just an excuse to stay out longer and to go slow].

As for the helmet....I suggest taking your usual. If it doesn't fit inside your luggage, attach it to the outside of your carry-on bag (the typical means of porting helmets in Europe)

And, you're taking your own saddles, right?

Definitely take your pedals, shoes, helmet and saddle. If you have crank brothers, you don't need a pedal wrench, instead you need a hex wrench (6 mm I think). I haven't used the quattros, but I'm guessing the installation is the same for all models. If you don't have crank brothers, get a pedal wrench. I wouldn't worry about packing the wrench with you though, I would guess the shop would be more than happy to install your pedals.

As for helmet, I've always just clipped it onto my carry on and haven't had any problems. It is way to big to pack in my luggage!

I have road SPDs and I can put them on and take them off with a hex key. I needed a pedal wrench (and a bike shop guy jumping up and down) to take them off the first time because they were so tight, but there's no need to have them fused on the pedals. He taught me to just put them on with the hex key (and grease).

Regarding the helmet it can be nice to buy one on the road, and to keep it as a souvenir. (It's always handy to have a spare helmet anyway.)

Enjoy the trip!

Where are you going? You could consider shipping your trek1000 by fedexground. Perhaps your LBS would even loan you a case, otherwise since its your less nice bike, if you pack it well in a free bike shop cardboard box it should be fine. Its only $35 each way domestically. It may be better than riding a heavy bike with a bad position. How much money are you spending on this vacation.

Ok, my suitcase has my clothes, two pair of cycling shoes, two helmets, two saddle bags (sans compressed air), two saddles, four pedals, one Garmon. What do you want to bet that we're going to be "overweight" at check in!

Holy Cr@p those pedals were tough to remove.

Bethel Maine...here we come! 40 minutes to make a connection in Cincinnati...we better have our running shoes ready!

Good Luck in your travels.

DH and I are researching the same questions except we are flying to Hawaii. My concern-no road bike small enough for me to rent! I am only 5'1".

Let us know how you make out!

Triskeliongirl, I wish I had pursued that option a bit more earlier, but at this late date, it's too much to think about. I'll know better next time, and maybe I'll enjoy the hybrid for a few days.

amymisk: you may find it easier to find the smaller bike, maybe a bike was bought for a young teen and then outgrew it? As it turned out for us, Mr.'s size was easier to find (the smaller size of the two of us). He rides a 49cm Lemond. The shop has a road bike reserved for him. But they didn't have anything in the larger size that I need....a 58cm.


I found an extra helmet in the garage to use, so I didn't have to pack the Giro Pneumo. And we couldn't get the pedals or the saddle off the 1000, so we ended up taking them from Silverson's pilot. The pedals and saddle must have somehow melded together during the wreck. :confused:

OK, now I've got to finish up a couple more pieces of jewelry before I can go to bed.