samh537

Hiya gang

Sam here. Hope to glean much advice from the counsels on this forum.

My situation: I hope this is an appropriate place.

I want to do a US bike tour this summer. I'm 26 and a teacher, so would like to do this during the holidays in between an old and new job.

I was thinking of flying out to Boston and cycling south. At first I just considered Washington, but I am a fairly fit guy so reckon I could (averaging 50 miles a day) push on much further. On a budget, I was thinking Atlanta, then fly back to Boston to return home.

Never done touring before - I know mentally I am up to the challenge. Bit of part-time military experience and a zest for the outdoors and camping.

The main issue is: education. Do I invest in a really expensive touring bike (circa £700-1000), or purchase a good second hand one from gumtree/ebay? I know this is an individual decision -- As a first timer, I was kind of thinking of just getting a good second hand one.

Is 1000-1500 miles solo recommended for a first timer?

I know these Q's might come across as juvenile - really tired after a long week and just wanted to get some ideas from experts out there!

Best.

Ekdog

Be prepared for dreadful heat, humidity and mosquitos the farther south you go. Why not ride north?

hueyhoolihan

i vote used... most quality bikes are way overbuilt, especially metal framed ones. they will last, if they're lucky, several human lifetimes. many of the components will too.

samh537

Cool thanks - I guess I concluded that as it's long-distance the only way really is to buy new.

I might spend about £350 for a second hand bike on gumtree or something.

samh537

Oh really - I've travelled the world a bit (Africa, Asia, etc) - so mozzies don't faze me - but is there any other wildlife to be concerned about in North America - particularly for overnight camping in fields, etc?

hueyhoolihan

they say cougars are endangered, but i've seen a couple over the years...



and found that they can be pretty aggressive. brrrrrowwww...

pdlamb

Just to be clear, you're talking about finding a used bike before you get to the states, right? I'd expect good used bikes to have disappeared from the market by June, as everybody wants a cheap ride for the summer.

You might consider how much of a load you're going to carry before you decide. 15 pounds, no problem. 45 pounds of gear on a light/flimsy/racing bike is asking for shimmy, not to mention what it'll do to lightweight wheels. Bikes built specifically for touring are more likely to have a frame and wheels that are built for that kind of load.

indyfabz

Note that there is a lot of developed property and cultivated farm land along the eastern seaboard, especially in the mid-Atlantic states. It's not always as simple as pulling off the road and pitching your tent. And Deer Ticks, which carry Lyme disease, are a concern. Also, if you pas through New Jersey you must be on guard against the Jersey Devil. The males are ferocious and have foul mouths. You can easily tell the females by their big hair.

Are you familiar with Adventure Cycling's Atlantic Coast route? Bar Harbor, Maine to Florida, with a spur to/from Boston It also has a Washington D.C. spur.

samh537

Thanks for this. I guess you're right - maybe I will motel it between Boston and Washington, and camp further south.

So I'm looking out for deer ticks and the legendary Jersey Devil.

Not familiar with it - I'll check it out.

Thanks so far guys.

indyfabz

I was referring to "stealth camping." There are private campgrounds and places like state parks where camping is permitted. Motels in the mid-Talantic states will likely run you an arm and a leg, although some private campgrounds can be expensive for what they are.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_devil

axolotl

There are a lot of warmshowers hosts from Washington, DC northward. In case you aren't aware of it, warmshowers is a volunteer listing of cyclists who will provide free hospitality to other touring cyclists.
see: https://www.warmshowers.org/

boomhauer

I picked a new (cheap) hybrid on the Trek web site. Called local bike shops at my starting point until I found that bike in stock. Flew to the destination city and called the bike shop for a ride from the airport. Purchased bike. Installed the rack and panniers I brought with me. Rode 3600 miles through the Rocky Mountains. No problems. Comfort is your main concern. You don't have to spend a lot of money on a bike.
Here is something similar to what I purchased from the Trek website.

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes...hybrid/verve_1

Good luck.

spinnaker

Take a look at the C&O Canal and Great Allegheny Passage Trails. You could incorporate them into your tour. With 5 weeks. You might even be able to get up to the Erie Canal Trail with your ride back toward the coast.

Personally I would steer clear of the eastern seaboard in the summer. Too much traffic. Been there done that in Maine, won't again. Though a trip well west of the coast would be ok.

valygrl

West is best.

stevepusser

+1
Especially if you are looking for inexpensive or free, yet still incredible, places to bike camp, go west, young man.

Don't forget about gators in Georgia on south. They kind of take your enthusiasm away from stealth camping alongside that roadside slough. Maybe if I could get my hammock about 10 feet up in that swamp cypress...aaughh! Fire ants! Down to the ground, quick. Aaughh! Swamp boar!

ak08820

Bikeshop giving ride from airport is a surprise. I would expect the bikeshop to suggest a taxi.

Darth Lefty 

Hi Sam, you mention Gumtree. You might like to know that probably the biggest website in the States for local classified ads is Craigslist.
Craigslist Atlanta Bikes just for example, here is a search for *tour*, which will capture Schwinn Le Tours, Tourmalets, Tour De France...

and most metro areas will have their own Craigslist site.

staehpj1

+2
The West is so much nicer than the East for touring IMO. Maybe I am biased by living in the East my whole life, but I have found the West much nicer for touring than the East. It is more scenic and usually cheaper to camp.

Cyclebum

Raccoons in campgrounds. They'll unzip your panniers and steal your food. Brazen creatures. Only in campgrounds, where they are used to finding food. No problem when free camping. And yeah, fire ants, black bears, and alligators here and there in the South, too many people in the NE. But, you'll survive and have tales to tell.

1+ for warmshowers.org.

alan s 

Let's not forget legendary attack geese, which can be quite a nuisance around here during the spring and early summer.

boomhauer

Unless there is a dedicated bike path from Boston to Washington I think this is a terrrible idea. I used to live there 20 yrs ago. I was astonished what jerks people turn into behind the wheel of a car but I'm a friendly mid-westerner. I will never tour there again.

UnfilteredDregs

Nothing quite like being cougar prey.... I was seriously taken advantage of in the best of ways when I was 22... she was 34....it's all relative...ha! What was this thread about! (Sorry!)

BobG

There is a designated bike "route" from Boston to DC. I've cycled many sections of the ACA Atlantic "Coast" Route from New England to Richmond VA. I rode NH to VA last September without one honk from a passing car. It's easy to veer from the designated ACA route to make a wider pass around Baltimore, Philadelphia and the bulk of DC using supplemental state maps and the C&O canal into DC. Aside from the trip through Poughkeepsie NY the NE section of the ACA route is fairly rural, pleasant riding.

FKMTB07

I rode from Boston to Key West in about 40 days (I think 37 riding days) starting in late May in 2007. If you're using the Adventure Cycling maps, be sure to take the Outer Banks route through North Carolina. Obviously, it got hotter the further south we got, but it wasn't too bad along the coast.

1000 GBP should get you a very good touring bike. Be sure to account for the extras besides the bike - your saddle of choice, bags/racks of choice, etc. if you're not bringing your own.

indyfabz

+3. Another easterner who prefers the west. Toured from Pitsburgh, PA to Philly last September. Aside from the two nights I spent on the GAP trail (one night free, the other night $10), I paid $25 for one state park, $19 for another and between $25 and $40 at three private campgrounds.