And if you can find them and they fit your budget, Ortleib panniers front and back are absolutely the way to go. Completely watertight and mine have seen hard use for seven years now, battered but still good as new functionally.
I hear you on all that equipment and components. I have been thinking much the same. I don't have the Schwinn in hand yet. I do have the sellers word that it will be there tomorrow. It is supposed to have been completely serviced at a LBS including packing bearings. I have a series of master mechanics classes scheduled through a local bike Co Op and intend to completely go through it anyway. Then the Natchez Trace before Colorado. Going to try to stay with the 27's for a while. I've had some good suggestions for touring tires at the bike forums.
Ringman I am a little hesitant to just post my address. Sort of feels like if I do I might be expecting gifts for nothing. I'm gracious enough to accept a gift,I just want to be classy enough not to ask,so anyone can PM me and talk cheap equipment or trades or whatever. Besides,I could wind up with more than one of something if folks just sent me something they were done with.Thanks!
Re touring tires: I’d be curious as to your tire recommendations. I’m funny about tires, over the last seven years I’ve destroyed about every model of tire there is, including THREE Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tours, which is the toughest/heaviest street tire I’ve found.
So when I read some tire recommendations I wonder where these people have been riding. In particular avoid Panracers like the plague, they get their “compliant” ride from thin sidewalls, I tore em the first time out.
‘Nother thing to watch is how low a gear you can get on that ‘80’s Voyageur. The available five-speed freewheels don’t go that low and I dunno if the early Voyageurs had a triple crankset up front.
Your steel frame bike will weigh a tad north of 30lbs, racks and panniers will add another 15, so your looking at a 45lb bike BEFORE you add gear and water. Plan on riding a 70lb bike, add another gallon of water in reserve some stretches out West.
When you get your bike, load it up and then go find some hills to climb, you will quickly learn if you have low enough gearing. If not, this can be remedied somewhat by switching out cranksets, but you’e gonna have to stick with freewheels on those 80’s hubs.
"...if the gentlemen of Virginia shall send us a dozen of their sons, we would take great care in their education, instruct them in all we know, and make men of them." Canasatego 1744
Re touring tires: I’d be curious as to your tire recommendations. I’m funny about tires, over the last seven years I’ve destroyed about every model of tire there is, including THREE Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tours, which is the toughest/heaviest street tire I’ve found.
So when I read some tire recommendations I wonder where these people have been riding. In particular avoid Panracers like the plague, they get their “compliant” ride from thin sidewalls, I tore em the first time out.
‘Nother thing to watch is how low a gear you can get on that ‘80’s Voyageur. The available five-speed freewheels don’t go that low and I dunno if the early Voyageurs had a triple crankset up front.
Your steel frame bike will weigh a tad north of 30lbs, racks and panniers will add another 15, so your looking at a 45lb bike BEFORE you add gear and water. Plan on riding a 70lb bike, add another gallon of water in reserve some stretches out West.
Where you get your bike, load it up and then go find some hills to climb, you will quickly lean if you have low enough gearing.
10-4 on all that. Tripple on the voyager up front. It should be closer to 25 unloaded but that's fine. My MTB is close to 45 with just one rack and bag.I might tour on the Schwinn or just learn if I like a drop bar touring bike. I had considered buying a new bike but it would be a stretch and I don't need to buy before I've spent some serious time with a drop bar touring bike anyway.
I could stretch things and buy either a Surly Ogre or Long Haul trucker. The Ogre would be much like my current MTB so I know I would like it but I want to try a more road oriented bike first before buying a LHT or Ogre for that matter. Worst case,I'm just renting the Schwinn to learn on and I shouldn't even take a loss if I sell it as long as it is represented correctly.
I have no use for drop bars on a touring bike myself, partly on account of my target speed is only 7-10mph, I prefer to just dawdle but ride all day. I'm using figure-eight "trekking" bars but 99% of the time my hands are on the bar adjacent to the steering head anyway, just as they would be 99% of the time on a drop bar. I ride slow in a large part so I can actually look around at the scenery and stuff, otherwise the faster you go the more your eyes have to be front and center. 'Nother thing with riding relatively slow and upright, it lets you see cars and avoid potholes and stuff easier. Eight hours averaging 8mph still translates to 64 miles in a day.
You asked about my $50 a day. A good day for me goes like this:
Wake up at first light at an inconspicuous spot at the side of the highway right-of-way (unlike a lot of guys, I never trespass if I can help it). Quickly pack up bedding and tent (if I used the tent). Drink Coke Zero (ya its warm but its also caffeine).
At first opportunity stop to eat big, greasy, local breakfast (in France this was a problem), my main meal of the day. Get a sense of the locals, read the local newspaper, charge your phone or backup battery as needed. Mid-morning or shortly after, roll out again. Stop along the way for snacks as needed (you can eat all day on a tour, you become a bottomless pit). Ride until darkness is gathering. At an inconspicuous spot, roll out the bedding and put up tent (REI Quarter Dome) if needed due to bugs or weather.
I bring along a 32oz copper mug I use in re-enacting. After stopping for the night I fill it equally with dry old-fashioned oatmeal and granola, add water or milk (bought at the last convenience store I passed) and eat it. Not fancy but it IS calories and that's all that counts, plus if you do not consume fiber you may not crap again until you get back home.
Breakfast, newspaper and tip + $15-$25 . Miscellaneous stuff along the way ($5-$10) = $20 to $35 for mostly food.
Throw in a $75 to $100 motel about every fourth night works out to about $50/day.
Remember what they say about travel money: Figure out how much money you are going to need and then double that figure.
"...if the gentlemen of Virginia shall send us a dozen of their sons, we would take great care in their education, instruct them in all we know, and make men of them." Canasatego 1744
I have no use for drop bars on a touring bike myself, partly on account of my target speed is only 7-10mph, I prefer to just dawdle but ride all day. I'm using figure-eight "trekking" bars but 99% of the time my hands are on the bar adjacent to the steering head anyway, just as they would be 99% of the time on a drop bar. I ride slow in a large part so I can actually look around at the scenery and stuff, otherwise the faster you go the more your eyes have to be front and center. 'Nother thing with riding relatively slow and upright, it lets you see cars and avoid potholes and stuff easier. Eight hours averaging 8mph still translates to 64 miles in a day.
You asked about my $50 a day. A good day for me goes like this:
Wake up at first light at an inconspicuous spot at the side of the highway right-of-way (unlike a lot of guys, I never trespass if I can help it). Quickly pack up bedding and tent (if I used the tent). Drink Coke Zero (ya its warm but its also caffeine).
At first opportunity stop to eat big, greasy, local breakfast (in France this was a problem), my main meal of the day. Get a sense of the locals, read the local newspaper, charge your phone or backup battery as needed. Mid-morning or shortly after, roll out again. Stop along the way for snacks as needed (you can eat all day on a tour, you become a bottomless pit). Ride until darkness is gathering. At an inconspicuous spot, roll out the bedding and put up tent (REI Quarter Dome) if needed due to bugs or weather.
I bring along a 32oz copper mug I use in re-enacting. After stopping for the night I fill it equally with dry old-fashioned oatmeal and granola, add water or milk (bought at the last convenience store I passed) and eat it. Not fancy but it IS calories and that's all that counts, plus if you do not consume fiber you may not crap again until you get back home.
Breakfast, newspaper and tip + $15-$25 . Miscellaneous stuff along the way ($5-$10) = $20 to $35 for mostly food.
Throw in a $75 to $100 motel about every fourth night works out to about $50/day.
Remember what they say about travel money: Figure out how much money you are going to need and then double that figure.
Appreciate it buddy. I don't eat processed anything anymore. The Oats are great and I would get some fruit to go in them. I make my own trail mix with toasted oats,nuts,dates,raisins. I might mix some with a banana or apple. I would cook beans rice and meat every night as well. Heck I ride 30 miles in a day sometimes now and only eat once a day. Still need a couple weeks on the road refining everything though. I still have to get most of my kit together too. I had cheap big tents and heavy sleeping bags but too heavy to carry on a bike.
Re touring tires: I’d be curious as to your tire recommendations. I’m funny about tires, over the last seven years I’ve destroyed about every model of tire there is, including THREE Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tours, which is the toughest/heaviest street tire I’ve found.
So when I read some tire recommendations I wonder where these people have been riding. In particular avoid Panracers like the plague, they get their “compliant” ride from thin sidewalls, I tore em the first time out.
‘Nother thing to watch is how low a gear you can get on that ‘80’s Voyageur. The available five-speed freewheels don’t go that low and I dunno if the early Voyageurs had a triple crankset up front.
Your steel frame bike will weigh a tad north of 30lbs, racks and panniers will add another 15, so your looking at a 45lb bike BEFORE you add gear and water. Plan on riding a 70lb bike, add another gallon of water in reserve some stretches out West.
Where you get your bike, load it up and then go find some hills to climb, you will quickly lean if you have low enough gearing.
10-4 on all that. Tripple on the voyager up front. It should be closer to 25 unloaded but that's fine. My MTB is close to 45 with just one rack and bag.I might tour on the Schwinn or just learn if I like a drop bar touring bike. I had considered buying a new bike but it would be a stretch and I don't need to buy before I've spent some serious time with a drop bar touring bike anyway.
I could stretch things and buy either a Surly Ogre or Long Haul trucker. The Ogre would be much like my current MTB so I know I would like it but I want to try a more road oriented bike first before buying a LHT or Ogre for that matter. Worst case,I'm just renting the Schwinn to learn on and I shouldn't even take a loss if I sell it as long as it is represented correctly.
Both the Surly Ogre and the LHT are nice bikes. My 62 cm LHT weighed about 28 pounds unloaded with a cheap Topeak rack setup on it. I never weighed it bare. The Ogre was about 31 or 32 setup with the same rack. They both run a little long in reach for a given size.
For tires I had good luck with the Continental Tour Ride for riding on the gravel and paved roads here near Colorado Springs. Those were on the LHT. I'm not sure they are availablle in a 27 though.
For a dedicated pavement bike I usually buy the Continental Ultra Sports. I've had good luck with those even though our driveway gets quite a few goatheads. They are cheap too.
