Originally Posted by
Acrossamerica8
Hi All,
My twenty-year-old son and I (55) are thinking of riding the TransAmerica route. I am curious if you have taken it? What is the deal with the headwinds? Does it make a difference in the amount of energy required if you start from the West Coast (headwinds at your back?) or the East Coast?
What type of bike do you suggest? I currently have a twenty-five year old Trek multitrack (730?) and a couple of others, but we are looking for good used Trek 720 or other touring bikes. I am in southern California. Are there any good resources around for good used touring bikes and equipment?
Also if you plan on rebuilding a vintage bike for a touring trip, you can post the bike and ask for ideas on the C&V forum. There are a lot of people there who like touring and know old bikes.
Thanks
I did the northern tier in '97 on a 1983 Trek 720. Loved the bike but to do another ride like that, I plan on rebuilding a 1993 Trek 750 I just picked up for that reason. A vintage hybrid makes a fine touring machine and will fit a fatter tire than the 720 can. The 720 tops out around 32c; the hybrid should be able to take a 38c (or at least a 35c with fenders).
That said you will want to overhaul the bike and replace the consumables. It's a good project as that way you learn your bike. On a hybrid, you will have to think about hand positions. You can do a drop bar conversion but I plan on using trekking bars for my Trek 750. They're a cheap upgrade since your old parts (brake levers and shifters) will work just fine on the trekking bars. And they give you plenty of hand positions which is really important especially on a long trip.
If you want a resource for vintage touring bikes and gear, you should post what you are working on in the C&V forum. A lot of the posters have done touring and they certainly know old equipment as well. You can save some money by rebuilding your own bike to get it ready for the trip.