Touring Bikes

Being American, it's a little bit tricky getting visa, but you should be able to get them in the end, do you also have back-up route as well?

We done south america on motorbikes a couple of years back and visa's were a nightmare. Route wise I wanna go south taking in india where's he wants to go north through mostly Russia/Mongolia.

You seen Long Way Round then?

Yep. The long way round + my dad's mid-life crisis = me dragged into doing excitingly scarey stuff! And again two black guys cycling through the Russian tundra is not something I imagine is going to turn out well! My dad however merely say's it will be an adventure! The last time we had an adventure we were being chased by some dudes in Columbia with machetes who wanted our motorbikes.

I think it's fantastic you're doing that, at least you did watch Long Way Round, as it does appear to be a very useful documentary if you were to do something similar.

Yep. The long way round + my dad's mid-life crisis = me dragged into doing excitingly scarey stuff! And again two black guys cycling through the Russian tundra is not something I imagine is going to turn out well! My dad however merely say's it will be an adventure! The last time we had an adventure we were being chased by some dudes in Columbia with machetes who wanted our motorbikes.

Sounds Epic - from what i recall isnt your dad the kind of dude who makes Chuck Norris shit his pants? I have some friends doing a charity ride across Europe this september for Cancer Research, they have a variety of tasty, but not too expensive kit that they will be selling afterwards, maybe something suitable for you

Also check this site out - and make sure you use some Phil Wood touring hubs!

http://www.downtheroad.org/

if you need any help with planning the Japan part, just ask :) I have been living here for over a year, and have done a bunch of touring around Japan (on fixed though, so HTFU!)

Sounds Epic - from what i recall isnt your dad the kind of dude who makes Chuck Norris shit his pants? I have some friends doing a charity ride across Europe this september for Cancer Research, they have a variety of tasty, but not too expensive kit that they will be selling afterwards, maybe something suitable for you

He is 6'9" ex US special forces so he can look after himself. However neither man, machine or beast could make the Chuck shit his pants!

Let me know about the kit. Especially panniers, lights etc.

@pete, my dad lives in Japan (Okinawa) so we should be fine. Thanks though

well, ive just come back from a lovely trip from Hiroshima to Matsuyama in Shikoku (just a few days).. you can cycle across some pretty awesome bridges :D from what i have heard, with gears.. cycling around Kyushu and Hokkaido would be best :) i have to stick to the coast ;)

For visas go to the thorntree forum, they have loads of tips on what visas and how long they last and current situations. They even have a bike section.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forum.jspa?forumID=32

He is 6'9" ex US special forces so he can look after himself. However neither man, machine or beast could make the Chuck shit his pants!

Let me know about the kit. Especially panniers, lights etc.

@pete, my dad lives in Japan (Okinawa) so we should be fine. Thanks though

Will do - just saw this and thought it is the perfect bike for what you are going to do

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Salsa_Fargo_2009/5360042515/#more

**Crafted of Salsa Classico CroMoly, the Fargo is a bit of a bicycling anomaly: a disc brake only, drop bar mountain bike designed for fully-loaded touring.

Drop bars provide multiple hand positions for long days on the road or trail. A full compliment of braze-on’s on the frame and fork allow for both front and rear racks and fenders. The investment cast chainstay-mounted disc brake mount is conveniently tucked out of the way, eliminating accessory mounting interference. Load as much or as little gear as you choose for your next adventure.

Six (count ‘em, six) water bottle cage mounts (on sizes 18 – 24") help keep you hydrated on a long journey. The sloped toptube allows plenty of standover clearance for those fully-loaded starts and stops.

Both frame and fork offers gobs of tyre clearance. Run pavement friendly 700c x 35mm rubber, or throw on some big 29 x 2.4" meat (29 x 2.3" with Planet Bike Cascadia fenders).

The Fargo is designed to take you wherever it is you wish to go. Throw a dart at a map, make some plans, load up your gear, and hit the two-wheel highway.

Fargo. Go far.**

Our paper work queen has one.

With a rohloff.

How do you rate it

It's a lovely ride.
A bit heavy, but the rohloff makes up for it. I think that the angles on it look wrong for a lady, but she seems very comfortable on it, so what do I know.

It is expensive.

Very expensive.

Hobo sounds like the Surly's going to do what you need it to do. All the mentions of the CTC forum are worth listening to though. Try posting a friendly WANTED thread, as well as trawling the for sale ads. Put in all your background story, (your motorcycle diaries thing sounds mad!) and see what happens. You've got nothing to lose. Some very nice bikes are hiding in the sheds of the people there, just waiting for the right person to ask.

Japan! Man.

It is expensive.

Very expensive.

I think I'm a bit in love with it... how much?

I think I'm a bit in love with it... how much?

£1600 rrp

fucking hell, it'd be a lots cheaper just to get a good frame and build it up with reliable component.

come to think of it, would the surly big dummy be a good alternative? I notice other use those as their touring bike.

fuck that, if you need to take that much crap just get yourself a Vdub camper and be done with it. bike touring is about the ride, seeing the world and simple living. if you want creature comforts and the kitchen sink dont do a bike tour. a massive heavy bike like that has got to take all the fun out of riding and must be frustraitingly slow.

a couple of years ago i thought £1600 was expensive for a bike. these days that sounds about right.

Salsa do the classic Casseroll, which has been around for a while. Its much like the Long haul trucker TBH. It has horizontal drop-outs so you could build up a clean looking, and reliable (Alfine) hub geared tourer for not too much money. If you have a 135mm wide fixed rear wheel lying around, you can use it to do some light fixed touring as well.

@Vinylvillain - The Fargo looks amazing but the price is a bit steep. As my dad is buying the bike I couldn't really justify the expense especially when his custom bike will probably come out costing less.

@Edcsoble - The Big dummy is amazing but a bit excessive! We will take minimal gear so a regular touring frame should be fine.

No offense smallfurry, but the cassarole is nothing like a LHT.

First off, the lht has verticle drop outs. Second, the lht has a longer wheel base in the rear. This is not a bike that you could put Alfine gears on, the brakes are calipers not cantilevers, tbh, the only thing about the designs that is simular is that they are both bikes made of steel.

I would love to tour on a big dummy. I borrowed the one from BC to take my cats to the vet; it was literally the nicest thing I've ever ridden.

you moved your cats on a big dummy?
ew.