Cycling/ Bike Purchasing

[jimmy olsen]

This is crazy. You could easily die doing this, you have to at least get a cell phone for emergencies.

[Martinus]

This is crazy. You could easily die doing this

[PDH]

I bike 80-100 miles a week, I am in fair biking shape and I can do 30+ miles at a go, and I would plan for something like this months in advance.

First of all a new bike would be stupid - a bike you have ridden for at least a couple of months is known and understood. Learn how to change a flat and fix the derailleurs, learn how to tune the brakes and cables (a new bike will have new cables, a big problem), lean how to ride long distances.

Secondly, I would work up to having the legs to do this - a couple of months of intense training of longer and longer distances each day, finishing at 60-80 miles each day.

Third, I would expext to spend on bike, gear, communications, food, repair, and all the other bits around 5k.

Fourth - the Sierras.  Followed by Nevada...then the Salt Flats.  Fuck that.

If you have never biked more than a day trip you are a fool to even contemplate this without training, learning and a partner.

[Norgy]

Increasingly, comfort and a normal life replace political ideals in terms of what is important to me. 

That's good. Political ideals rarely tuck you in at night and them serving tea is even rarer. I can only think of once, and that was in Boston.

"Normal life" is underrated. A bicycle trip across a stretch of the US that at best can be called slightly dry and hilly is not normal life. It's a poorly thought-out plan that makes the Italian invasion of Greece seem extremely well-planned.
Like PDH says, bicycling is something that takes some practice. While I definitely support the idea of taking up biking, you need to think smaller.

A more sane idea would be to buy prospecting gear, a mule and a wagon and head off to the Black Hills. Really.

[jamesww]

I bike 80-100 miles a week, I am in fair biking shape and I can do 30+ miles at a go, and I would plan for something like this months in advance.

First of all a new bike would be stupid - a bike you have ridden for at least a couple of months is known and understood. Learn how to change a flat and fix the derailleurs, learn how to tune the brakes and cables (a new bike will have new cables, a big problem), lean how to ride long distances.

Secondly, I would work up to having the legs to do this - a couple of months of intense training of longer and longer distances each day, finishing at 60-80 miles each day.

Third, I would expext to spend on bike, gear, communications, food, repair, and all the other bits around 5k.

Fourth - the Sierras.  Followed by Nevada...then the Salt Flats.  Fuck that.

If you have never biked more than a day trip you are a fool to even contemplate this without training, learning and a partner.

This.

It's taken me the best part of a year to regain a lot of my fitness, and yet all of my long distance cycling trips are entirely modest, when compared with Lettow's plan.

Oh and I do my cycling in 'aGreenAndPleasantLand' Lettow you're planning to do yours on a Continent, so everything is bigger, further, higher, longer, hotter, colder, nastier, remoter etc .

[Slargos]

 

You fucking dreamkillers.

Your children will aspire towards sanitation and fast food.

Go for it if you dare, you magnificent son of a bitch.

You will most likely perish, but timid people never accomplish anything.

[PDH]

There is a huge difference between being a dreamkiller and pointing out the idiocy of jumping from a plane and hoping someone provides you with a parachute on the way down.

If he wants a vision quest, he should hitchhike.  He will get SOMETHING out of that.

Oh, Slargos?  When Lettow says biking he means pedalling, not the kind with motors like you ride.

[Slargos]

I undestand that.

What I don't understand is this immediate need to stomp on his aspirations.

"It can't be done."

"It's too expensive."

"It's too dangerous."

"I can't stretch my legs that far."

Fucking nay sayers.

[The Brain]

There's no pioneer spirit in Americans.

[11B4V]

If I were planning such a long trip, I would probably not spend less than  $1000-1500 on a bike.

That is true, quality is a good idea.  Lettuce, dont get out in the middle of nowhere and have your Huffy breakdown.

[MadImmortalMan]

I've driven between Reno and Salt Lake a bunch of times. It takes eight hours. That stretch of road is no joke. You have to actually put some thought into where you will stop for gas because you will get stranded if you do it wrong. There aren't any campgrounds that I know of (hwy 50 has some). There are some super small towns. One thing about those towns is that if they do have a hotel, it's likely that it's a mining town and the hotels are geared for the business travelers that go to such places. Which means they are expensive as hell for anyone not on a mining company's expense account. Also, they would be a day or more ride by bike from I-80 in most cases as well.

It's not flat either. The whole GB is a big series of vertical mountain ranges one after the other. There are three mountain passes between Reno and SL. There would be more, but 80 swerves rather dramatically to find the best way through. It takes a big jog north before going east. Taking 50 might actually be a better route for a bike. The towns there are a bit more old-timey and wild west tourist things. They are still far between, but there are camping opportunities that way. Maybe this is the route taken by the people you've read about?

[Slargos]

Well there you go. I knew there had to be someone left with a bit of spirit. 

[Razgovory]

This is crazy. You could easily die doing this, you have to at least get a cell phone for emergencies.

I wonder how useful a Cell phone is out in the middle of nowhere.

[Maladict]

Cycling is allowed on highways?

[Ed Anger]

Cycling is allowed on highways?

Not really. Good way to get killed.