Until I read the newly revised Sierra Club “how-to” guide for bicycle touring, I would have argued that bike touring hasn't changed much over the past 30 years.
In fact, it has changed a lot. Just consider the new brands and types of bicycles we now ride, the new components that are now available, and the different styles of touring that we can choose.
Acclaimed bicycling author Raymond Bridge covers it all in 450-some pages in the second edition of “Bike Touring: The Sierra Club Guide to Travel on Two Wheels.”
Some things haven't changed so much. Padded shorts are still prefered for long distances in the saddle, longer chainstays allow more stable load-carrying, and traveling under your own power is still the best way to experience new places.
Changes
But consider some of the changes since 1979, all covered in detail by Bridge in the guide:
— Mountain bikes were just a blip on the radar; recumbents, trikes, and folding bikes were unheard of. Now they're all considered viable for different styles of bike touring.
— Cannondale introduced the first aluminum frame for bicycle touring in 1983; now aluminum is a widely accepted alternative to steel, and expensive but light magnesium and titanium also is available.
— Adventure Cycling Association (named Bikecentennial at the time) had one cross-country route; it now has more than 38,000 miles of developed bicycle routes. Some people still carry all their gear for camping, while others join supported tours that do all the heavy lifting.
— If you were well-prepared in the “old days”, you followed a line you had drawn on a highway map. Now a computerized gadget on your handlebars guides you to pre-set points with the help of a satellite, as well as gauging your elevation and mileage.
The bicycle
Although this book would be most helpful those adventurous souls just getting into bicycle touring, there's plenty here for grisled veterans who might have racked up their miles in earlier times. I'd recommend it for both. For instance, I learned a lot about the shortfalls and advantages of GPS mapping systems.
Because the mode of transportation is critical in bicycle touring, nearly half of the book is devoted to what makes a good bicycle and how to choose the best bike and components for you. Here are his top choices:
Road touring and world touring
Cannondale Touring 1 and Touring 2
Cannondale T800 and T2000 (older models)
Trek 520
Fuji Touring
Specialized Sequoia
Specialized Sequoia Elite
Specialized Tricross Sport
Novara Randonee
Bianchi Volpe (up to 2007)
Jamis Aurora
Raleigh Sojourn
Kona Sutra
Terry Valkyrie Tour (women only)
Novara Safari (world touring)Custom or Semi Custom
Bruce Gordon
Rivendell
Co-Motion
Zinn Cycles
Bob Jackson (British)
Waterford Precision
Robert Beckman Designs
Tout Terrain Bikes
Kogswell
He also mentions Surly Long Haul Trucker as a good choice. He even explains what you'll need to do to upgrade certain road bikes and mountain bikes for touring, and the advantages and disadvantages of using trailers.
Bridge also compares in detail all other aspects of the touring bicycle, such as frame material, wheels, handlebars, brakes, drivetrain and pedals. This culminates in a chapter about bicycle maintenance and some make-do, on-the-road repairs.
Choose your style
But the book isn't all about stuff. As Bridge writes:
“It's easy to get bogged down in the minutiae of equipment choices or training regimens without even having formaed a clear idea of what should be driving your choices. Thinking about trips you want to make is a good way to begin learning how to plan serious tours and to tie your training and equipment choices to those goals.”
Along these lines, Bridge explains different styles of touring — indepedent camping, credit-card, or supported — and how to prepare for each. He covers the resources online that are now available for preparing for a bike tour, such as Google Maps and Google Earth, as well as the Warm Showers list for people offering mutual hospitality.
The book concludes with about 40 pages of books, magazine articles and websites that offer more help for bicycle touring. My Biking Bis web pages on charity rides and across-state bicycle tours are even mentioned.
Reflecting on some of the huge changes in bicycle touring over the past 30 years, it's interesting to consider how much this form of recreation will evolve in the next three decades.
See the book also reviewed at Chico Gino blog and Kent's Bike Blog
Other bicycle touring guides:
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