Originally Posted by LV2TNDM

Caveat: The author of this quote rode across the country on a CRUISER! The guy's a glutton for punishment. If it had been me, I'd have probably ridden that bike all of about 50 miles before pulling into the nearest bike shop and ditching the cruiser for an appropriate bike.* Really, riding a bike like that long distances would KILL me, especially knowing that a FAR more suitable bicycle would just be waiting for me to hop on it. Jeez, I bet it would be just as easy cruising through a neighborhood on a weekend, find a garage sale, and a road bike FAR BETTER for a cross country tour.

In other words, the bike does indeed matter. Sure, ANY bike will take you from A to B. But a cross-country ride on a cruiser? That's some serious dedication to riding a "klunker!" I don't think I would have the fortitude to "stick it out" on such a terrible bicycle choice. But that's me I guess.

*But then again, I grew up on a Mongoose BMX bike exploring my local trails and fire roads. Every hill I pushed that thing up, I exclaimed under my breath, "Why don't they put GEARS on these things?!!!" While I was muttering this, the freshly-invented mountain bike was having their finishing touches applied and just going into production. I bought one at my first opportunity. Wow, what an improvement.