300+ and Looking to ride.



dramspringfeald

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Feb 26, 2013
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Hello, wasn't sure where to put this do to it being a Multi-headed issue.

The Plan is to make a Trailer strap it to my bike and ride from Albuquerque New Mexico to Seattle then back by way of heading west to Cali then north from there. here' the catch.

One, I'm seriously looking at riding across the states but beyond that I have VERY little know how. I have basic survival training but beyond that I've never really traveled that long of a distance on foot or alone for that matter. I use to be an avid biker a few years ago and would ride from Seattle to the Norther boarder every few months.

Two, As it stands I'm 25/26 about 6 foot and 300lbs+ Which is an Issue because every bike I've owned got destroyed (Been 250+ since 8th grade) I'm looking to do a long range trek mostly to loose weight and just.. I don't know see things.

Three, I'm broke so I'll be making most the things I'll be using from scratch. I'm thinking of using a trailer to carry most of my supplies. It'll be made out of a Futon frame and some wheels welded to them.


Any Suggestions?
 
A couple of thoughts:

1. Ditch the Futon frame idea, and make your trailer out of EMT (Electrical Metallic Conduit for electrical work). It's cheap, light, easy to bend to shape with a bender and you can use couplers to attach all the pieces together. Find a cheap kid's bike at a yard sale and use the wheels from that on your trailer. There are a lot of DIY trailers and ideas on the web. A Futon frame is likely to be much heavier than you're going to want to pull that far.

2. Your biggest worry for breaking things is likely to be your wheels. Get some touring wheels designed for riders who are carrying panniers full of stuff, with a high spoke count. They are wicked strong and are built for long-range riding while carrying a load. (I was 270-ish when I started riding more seriously, and I've lost 40 lbs. over the last year even including our loooong winter this year). You'll want strong wheels more than light wheels for something like this.

3. If you don't know them already, learn some basic mechanical skills. Changing tires, fixing flats, adjusting shifters and brakes and fixing/replacing your chain. Carry a few small tools, a pump, patches, tubes, perhaps a foldable spare tire (kinda pricey, but invaluable when you trash a tire a long ways from anywhere).

4. A small tent and camping supplies. If you aren't familiar with camping, get the tent and start spending a night or two setting it up and using it. You'll want a small stove, maybe a backpacking stove to cook with and for that all-important morning coffee. :)

Sounds like an adventure, good luck!
 
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I think slowrider 47 has a good idea with some intro to basic maintenance. Park Tool Company has some good videos on YouTube and on the web at http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help about basic bike maintenance. There are also lots of videos about stoves for camping on YouTube and at http://zenstoves.net .
 
I reckon this is the best site for touring. It has some great journals. I am sure, if you look, you will find similar if not identical routes to to.

There is an abundance of reviews, resources, articles & forums. Everything you need is there.


http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/
 

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