Fany Ride (And Hello Again)

Hello All,
It seems that I have a drop in mode for this forum. Every winter/soon to be spring I log on again to share and see what other team estrogen mates are up to. :) I have signed up for the Great Big Fany Ride across NY state this summer. Will anyone on here be there? It's my first time for this tour. Last year I did my first tour ever - the Cycling the Erie Canal ride across NY. This one averages 70 miles per day - much more than I have accomplished yet.
I was wondering what your thoughts are on which bike to take. I took my Surly LHT last year because of the dirt pack trails on the canal. This one is all road with big hills. I don't know which bike to take - the Specialized Road bike or my tried and true Surly.

Two things come to mind: are the gears for the road bike that much better for hills than the LHT? And will the road bike accommodate any racks and packs that you will need to affix to your bike?

Well, the LHT currently has a granny gear. The road bike doesn't but I have the old crank it came with that does so I can switch that out. The LHT can certainly carry more but I could put a bigger seat bag and a handlebar bag on the road so it can carry more. Of course, even if I add a bag - the LHT still carries more. However, the LHT is heavier by far but it was very comfortable to ride for the last tour. Very comfortable.

The FANY is a great ride and one that I would definitely recommend!! I did the ride in 2010, and would definitely think about doing it again. Very well managed :)

In terms of bikes, first you truly don't need to carry a lot of gear with you... unless you are choosing to. If you decide on that option, remember that's also extra weight that you need to carry up each and every hill. There are shops along the way for extra water/snacks, so you won't have to carry alot in that area. Perhaps a rain jacket??

Although touring bikes are a great option, I also would think about putting the crank with lower gears on my road bike... just to carry less weight. At any rate, you definitely have some time to 'think' things through and perhaps experiment on the bike as well. Let us know what you decide to do. AS you mentioned, it is hilly and that definitely takes its toll on your day after day.

One last recommendation, I received this from a friend the year before I did the ride, and was greateful for it. If you still have the option to either buy a meal plan or not, I wouldly HIGHLY recommend buying it! It is all homemade food , much of it being supplied by the small towns that you are staying in, and far exceeds the cost!! Some of the towns are often are a bit far from the camp site, so it can make it difficult and time consuming to get away from camp.

Have a great time training for the ride, and trying to decide 'which' bike to take. I'd be glad to answer more questions if you should have any.


http://chasecyclery.blogspot.com

If it were me, I would take the LHT however I suggest you spend some time prior to the ride on both bikes, covering the same number of miles and see which one is more comfortable, I would do at least two days back to back of long miles on similar roads using your road bike to see what your body feels like the next day. Of course I am a comfort over speed rider any day and what I love about my steel bike is that ability to ride many many miles day after day without discomfort.
Sounds like a fun ride

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Originally Posted by ridebikeme

One last recommendation, I received this from a friend the year before I did the ride, and was greateful for it. If you still have the option to either buy a meal plan or not, I wouldly HIGHLY recommend buying it! It is all homemade food , much of it being supplied by the small towns that you are staying in, and far exceeds the cost!! Some of the towns are often are a bit far from the camp site, so it can make it difficult and time consuming to get away from camp.

Have a great time training for the ride, and trying to decide 'which' bike to take. I'd be glad to answer more questions if you should have any.


http://chasecyclery.blogspot.com

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Thanks for the suggestions. I already signed up for the dinner option. I do not want to have to think about finding food after a long ride. :)