Going From 0 to Touring in 2 Summers --

[Zen]

Are you familiar with Adventure Cycling Association ?

[shootingstar]

Ok, please don't collapse from verbal diarehea.

Get your bike first. Make sure it fits, ride it lots around town with back rack on. Fall in love with cycling outdoors this summer and fall, if you can. Do you lack time to cycle outdoors during these fine weather seasons?

And build in cycling into your lifestyle regularily..and permanently if you love it enough.

Start to go grocery shopping and work commuting regularily. That's how you learn to ride long and regularily with ....real weight. And include a hill or 2 in those sorts of loaded pannier rides, several times per week.

I did my lst 500 km. self loaded bike touring ride in Vermont about 4 months after returning to cycling at 31. When I hadn't cycled for 12 years before. I had to buy a bike.

It was abit of a killer but ok... Good thing I was bike commuting to work and shopping regularily before that trip with weight in panniers.

I have cycled with just 2 loaded back panniers, plus sleeping bag onto of back bike rack. and handlebar bag. It was fine.

I was approx. 95 lbs. in weight back then. I'm just a few lbs. more 18 yrs. later.

Yes, perhaps front pannier rack would be useful to be more balanced. Then buy a bike that will allow front rack installation later on after you get used to bike.

I didn't plan at all like you in terms of preparing for touring. It was just allowing myself to fall deeply in love with cycling and taking longer and longer rides every single summer weekend in home area. Plus riding with panniers loaded with groceries every week. I lived in the suburbs and did a 30 kms. trip from downtown at the market.

I stress riding outdoors so that you learn to ride well when it rains/windy with heavy weight also.

[jamijo]

Ok, please don't collapse from verbal diarehea.

Get your bike first. Make sure it fits, ride it lots around town with back rack on. Fall in love with cycling outdoors this summer and fall, if you can. Do you lack time to cycle outdoors during these fine weather seasons?

And build in cycling into your lifestyle regularily..and permanently if you love it enough.

Start to go grocery shopping and work commuting regularily. That's how you learn to ride long and regularily with ....real weight. And include a hill or 2 in those sorts of loaded pannier rides, several times per week.

Unfortunately, the money to get the better quality bike in the size I need just isn't in my account right now, and I don't want to go into more debt to do this -- otherwise I would be writing less and riding more On top of that, while I would love to commute to and from school, it would be a 3+ hour ride each way (not great for those 8 am classes) AND I have to frequently haul a violin, viola, and sometimes a few flutes. Weight-wise, I'm sure they'd be fine, but they're not exactly conveniently sized to pack in panniers. I'm planning on doing as many errands and trips as possible by bike next summer to make up for missing out on these kinds of opportunities now. Our suburb isn't exactly bike-friendly, but I can always haul out to a trail or into Pittsburgh proper for better riding if I get bored of the subdivisions, strip malls, parks and boonies that I have safe access to.

You've got a great point about learning to ride in all kinds of weather, though... guess I won't be able to be picky about weather on days that I plan to ride next summer, huh.

Speaking of riding with weight... do you think it's better to have actual gear in panniers on training rides, or just approximate gear by weight (like adding rocks or canned goods or whatever else is laying around to make an appropriate weight)?

[jamijo]

Are you familiar with Adventure Cycling Association ?

Yep -- came across their website a few times while deep in the throes of bliss about this new idea.