Touring Bikes?? Can 2 people even own 7 bikes?

[Blueberry]

Take a look at crazyguyonabike.com - there are some journals from folks who have traveled with dogs (though I don't think any are quite that large). It's also a great place to get information about different touring bikes, and what works for different people.

I have 2 touring bikes - a Bike Friday Crusoe and a Trek 520. ISTR that my 520 was not much over $1000, and I bought it at the end of the year. I've not done loaded touring on either (though it is in the plan for the future). I love both bikes. What kind of bikes do you have now? Is there a possibility one would do for short tours to try it out? Since you're touring with your DH, one of you could be lightly loaded and pull the pup in a trailer, and the other could carry most of the load. There really isn't that much more gear for 2 people than 1. You could pull gear in a trailer or use panniers. It's a matter of preference.

Good luck, and let us know how your decision process goes - as you said, we're great enablers

ETA - Make sure you think about how to get you, your pup and your gear to AK - 50lbs would have to fly cargo, which would worry me...

[Torrilin]

My partner and I have been talking about doing some touring. Mostly "ride to local state park and camp" sorts of things. Crazyguyonabike is very helpful. Lots of equipment lists, reviews, "what would I do differently" articles. Tour diaries can also help. Most people there feel disc brakes on a tourer are a bad idea, for a laundry list of structural and engineering reasons. The short version is "they break. a lot."

We want to start small, because it will be easier on the budget *and* on us. Plus, then we can start doing lots of short trips on weekends and get out more. And short trips means we can combine biking and hiking. He likes bikes, but thinks camping and hiking are more fun. I like hiking and camping fine, but like bikes a bit more. Compromise! (well that and we both think more excuses for fire and peach cobbler are win/win propositions)

Since you already *have* lots of bikes, take a look and see if you've got one that will take a rack. Add a trailer for your dog, pick a date and go for a minivacation. A 20-50 mile jaunt with an overnight in a motel or at a local state park should help shake some of the kinks out of your gear. Next time, go a bit further, and fix anything that didn't go so well. If you discover you need a touring bike, the Trek one gets good reviews. But for testing the waters you probably don't need it . Trailer and panniers first.

[Skierchickie]

Hi Nicole,

Ah yes - the shoes! Nope - Matt got his degree in elementary education, and has been teaching on a tiny little Island off Alaska for a couple of years. My DH did see him recently, out riding - he comes back here in the summers, but I haven't seen him in the shop. The shoe thing was pretty odd - I always refused to give him any, and eventually he gave up on me. DH would sometimes produce a pair, which just kept it going.

The shop has really changed - still really relaxed and laid back, but, dare I say, far more efficient than before? My favorite thing is stopping in and yakkin' with the owner. I've been buying all my toys there since 1984 (geeze, I'm old!), in spite of the occasional frustration. They've opened a second shop, too, in Houghton. A couple of the guys who worked there in college have stayed on, and run the new place.

[anakiwa]

It sounds like a touring bike would be a great addition to your stable

I own a 1991 Trek 520. It went across the country (fully loaded with me on it) in the summer of 1991. I think it's a great bike- I can't comment on the current componentry (I'm sure it's changed) but the bike I have has held up remarkably well over the years (it's needed the obvious things- tune ups, new tires, chain etc but is in great shape despite several years of near complete neglect).

I still ride this bike regularly (in fact I rode it this morning). Nowadays it's used more as a commuter and for riding on dirt roads (it's got a lot more speed and climbs so much better than my mountain mike, but it's still a lot more stable on the dirt than my road bike would be).

As far as fit goes- for me the touring bike is a little different from my road bike. A few years ago I had a road bike fitting done and discovered that most of the non-WSD bikes have top tubes that are too long for me. I changed the stem and seat-post on the Trek to shorten the reach and it's quite comfy now. Even though the distance between the seat and the handlebars is still farther than my road bike numbers, it still seems to work (I think the fact that the handlebars are not as low means that I can get away with the fact that they're a little further forward). So I don't really know much about how you're supposed to fit a touring bike- but for me handlebars a little higher and further forward than on my road bike seems to work. (I'm pretty sure Trek doesn't make the 520 in WSD sizes- if you have WSD type proportions you'll probably want to consider a different stem and seatpost to shorten the reach if you decide on this bike).

I know what you mean about getting an idea in your head and then not wanting to let it go- I probably drive people crazy when I get on a new idea.

Good luck!

[Torrilin]

We-ell... The *other* good thing about a touring bike is it makes a great commuter bike. And a great utility bike. So if your husband doesn't want to go on tours with you, a touring bike for you could still be a good addition. Getting groceries by bike is fun . So is commuting. The extra stability would probably make it a good "walk the dog by bike" platform too. There are some tools out there for walking dogs with a bike.

Note that some cyclocross bikes can work as touring bikes (mostly the steel ones). The geometry isn't as good for heavy loads, but the two styles of bike seem quite similar.

Can't really tell you much about fit on 'em. I've got gorilla arms, a long torso and short legs, so standard bikes fit me fine.

[Skierchickie]

Well, I called the lbs to get prices on the Trek 520, Surly LHT, & Kona Sutra. In his research Mr Lbs found that both the Trek and the Surly are sold out in my size for the year. I'm still not as keen on the Kona, although it is still in the running. So I will probably end up waiting until next year (my instant gratification addiction has been denied! ).

On the bright side, my lbs has a price of $999 for the Trek (MSRP=$1239, per the Trek website), the Kona would be ~$1200 (MSRP $1499), and the Surly "much less", per the owner (didn't get the actual amount, as he was looking at the availability at the time, and there was nothing close to my size).

My next step is to go and look at the 21" Trek that he has there, which will likely be just a smidge too tall for me - my 50cm road bike's top tube is 29.5" from the floor, with very little extra clearance, and the 21" 520 claims to be 30.1". Wish I weren't so deformed (okay - true story - in college, one day I was sitting next to a rather tall male acquaintance. At the end of class, we both stood up, and he literally exclaimed "You look like a normal person, sitting down! But you're short!"). I should be able to ride it, anyway, to see if I love it. Wish I could do the same with the Surly, as I am intrigued by it. I realize that I could possibly find what I want this year, if I look elsewhere, but this guy has been great to us, and his prices have been great, for many years, so if I buy something he can get, I'd like to remain the loyal customer.

Alas, I must away! My in-laws are sitting downstairs, unattended, and we were gone most of the day, at our favorite Tri.