# touring at 63



## surly boy (Sep 8, 2011)

I'm planning a cross country tour in spring, summer 2013. I will be 63 at that time. I plan to do some short (4-5 day) trips in spring- summer 2012. I'd like to hear from some other 60+ riders, with advice. I was a road racer for a number of years, and retired from that in 2002, but I'm new to touring. I got rid of my racing bike and put together a touring rig using a Surly CrossCheck frameset. Thanks for any comments and/or advice.


----------



## Tonyc9075 (Jan 4, 2012)

Heck, your my age. Thats great that you want to tour, I havn't done this in years but when I did do it I did Colorado for one week. I have a steel frame bike, Schwinn Superior 1976 which is a great touring bike. I set it up with rear bags and a front handle bar bag. I carried a tent, sleeping bag, and repair tools, including spokes. I stayed both in a tent and some motels. 
Here is what I found that is important.
Carry both food and water, you can never know where your next meal will come from. If you bonk you need to eat and its best if you have something.
Same is true about overnight gear, even if you plan a motel stay you may not make the destination. Its your slowest rider that will pace you. .
Spare parts will be used so carry them. I used spokes, a lenght of chain, inner tubes, folding tire, all were used.
Go with other people, you can help each other and share the load.
If you do go with a group, its the slowest rider that is the pace rider.
Plan your stops and leave some slack in you plan.

Thats about it, enjoy the ride.+
Tony


----------



## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Seems to me that at your age (and our) you have nothing special to worry about. Just the usual fitness and mechanical issues that need to be worked out in advance.

With good preparation the riding should be the easy part.


----------



## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

I'm 69. There's a good chance that a friend, who's just a young punk of 65, & I will ride from San Diego to Maryland this summer. To be fair, if we do it will be a supported ride so we won't have to carry anything on our bikes. Camping at night. I'll be on my Giant Defy Advanced.


----------



## listenermark (Feb 20, 2009)

Will you have support? What's your plan for food and lodging?


----------



## surly boy (Sep 8, 2011)

I'm planning on going solo. Camping, with some Motel nights.


----------



## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

I'd recommend front and rear panniers, low riders in the front, and hang a 3rd water bottle under the down tube. The 3rd bottle cage can also be used to carry a sig bottle of fuel if you have a small backpacking stove and the low rider front panniers will balance the load out and greatly improve your bikes handling.

I've been looking at the Cross Check myself, but why'd you choose it over the Long Haul Trucker for loaded touring?


----------



## PomPilot (May 17, 2006)

Not near my sixties yet. However, I have a friend on Facebook, who lives in Great Britain. He is planning a bike tour across Europe next year, for his 70th birthday.  The main thing he is doing, is trying to limit his daily distance to about 50 kilometers (roughly 30 miles) each day. He wants to enjoy the trip, make memories, and meet people.:thumbsup:

Since you are in the planning stages, I'd suggest looking into the map sets from the Adventure Cycling Association. While they may not have exact route you want to follow, if their maps cover a section you want to cover, those maps can be a wealth of information.


----------



## surly boy (Sep 8, 2011)

I selected the crosscheck because I wanted a do everything bike(short of racing), general riding, commuting, grocery getter, and tourer. The crosscheck seems to foot the bill.


----------



## surly boy (Sep 8, 2011)

In fact I have joined Adventure cycling and have purchased the full Trans AM set of maps.


----------



## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

surly boy said:


> I selected the crosscheck because I wanted a do everything bike(short of racing), general riding, commuting, grocery getter, and tourer. The crosscheck seems to foot the bill.


Yeah, except for any touring on my part those are the same reasons that the Cross Check catches my eye. I just asked because with such a big trip planned I wondered if you purpose built the bike for touring.
That should be a hell of a trip.


----------



## surly boy (Sep 8, 2011)

I built it for touring in terms of the gearing. I have a 48-34 double crankset and a 10spd. 13-28 cassette.


----------



## PBike (Jul 6, 2007)

On my trip from Pittsburgh to Washington DC I met and rode with Jack Day. Jack was 67 and had ridden solo from San Fransisco. We hit it off and we rode together for five days. He went on to finish his cross country ride. At 67, Jack wasn't having any difficulties. He has a site here with good information. http://jacksvelosafari.shutterfly.com/


----------



## listenermark (Feb 20, 2009)

I did my first solo/camping tour last year at the age of 43. My greatest fears (fitness and mechanical bike stuff) were unfounded. The unseen butt kicker was freakin raccoons. They terrorized my food stores and shaving kit every night. I am buying a small backpacking-size bear bag next time. My experience was in north Texas State Parks in June (in the middle of a drought....the ***** were skinny and motivated.)


----------



## Reynolds531 (Nov 8, 2002)

surly boy said:


> I built it for touring in terms of the gearing. I have a 48-34 double crankset and a 10spd. 13-28 cassette.


I'm 10 years younger and would want much lower gears. When tired and challenged by a steep incline I drop into a 26 tooth granny gear in front and a 32 cog in the rear. I'd be walking and pushing the bike up if my lowest gear was 34-28. And that's with a loaded bike weight of 30-35 lbs.


----------



## Art853 (May 30, 2003)

Enjoy your tour.

My advice is to go as light as you can. I've decided in most seasons and places to use just a rear rack and handlebar bag. There are lightweight tent and sleeping bags available. I like the cross check for touring a lot but I put the LHT triple gearing on it. I remember MB1 writing that "you can never have too low of gearing for loaded touring." I met a guy with a cross check double riding along Highway 1 and he was wishing he had lower gears. And he was in his 20's. Back roads can have steep grades to them. Same with coastal roads to light houses. 

Taking a few practice trips will be helpful to work out what you want to bring and how to pack. 

Campground raccoons can be aggressive. My dad hung a food bag over a tree limb at camp. He said they pulled up the food bag, hand over hand, and threw it over the branch so it fell to the ground and they could try to get inside it. I've had them under and then on the picnic table as I'm having dinner. Consider a bear can if the area is known for the raccoons.


----------



## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

I'll be riding San Diego to Delaware in April 2012. I'm riding unloaded (fully supported), but I'm a big guy - 6'3" 200+. I've decided to do it with a compact front & an mega range 12X34 cassette. I've always been a terrible climber, but I'm hoping that a 1:1 ratio will be enough for me.


----------



## surly boy (Sep 8, 2011)

I'm about the same height and weight as you. What type of bike do you have? What are the components on it? DO you have a mountain bike rear derailleur? Is it 9 or 10 spd? Good luck and have fun!!


----------



## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

I've got a Giant Defy Advanced. It's carbon fiber with Dura Ace running gear. I have a 50X34 compact on the front & will put a Shimano 10spd mt. bike derailleur with a 12X34 on the rear. The tour I'm on will be fully supported so I'll just be carrying an under seat wedge.


----------



## surly boy (Sep 8, 2011)

OK I took the advice of several and changed my gearing. I have a 48-34 double crankset up front and a 10spd 11-36 cassette in the back which gives me a small gear of 25.6 gear inches.


----------



## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

I'm 58 and riding across the US is on my bucket list. It might have to wait until I retire unless I can figure out a way to get enough time off work to do it sooner. I've got a Bob Jackson World Tour that I was using as my main commuter until I got a Salsa Casseroll last year. I'm now collecting parts to convert the Jackson to a full-scale loaded tourer with a triple crankset, front and rear racks, panniers, larger tires, etc. I've got most of the expensive parts already (frame, fork, wheels set, crank, derailleurs) but all of the stuff you need for touring really starts to add up, so I'm spreading out the costs by buying parts on sale or used.


----------



## B2 (Mar 12, 2002)

surly boy said:


> OK I took the advice of several and changed my gearing. I have a 48-34 double crankset up front and a 10spd 11-36 cassette in the back which gives me a small gear of 25.6 gear inches.


If you're going fully loaded I would recommend a 26Tor 28T front chainring / 32T rear cog combo. On the other hand, if you've got a route that avoids anything over 8% grade and/or long climbs over 6% you might be OK.


----------



## rward325 (Sep 22, 2008)

Good luck on your ride! At 51 I am just starting to look at these things and this thread has a lot of great information in it. Going to start off with a few 3 day trips and work my up to a week. Don't know where this will go from here


----------



## RtR Pir8 (Feb 24, 2009)

Go for it, you won't be any younger later. My bro-in-law and I are both 63 and just finished last summer campaign with Ride the Rockies, Bicycle Tour of Colorado,in June, and the Great Divide from Jasper to Mexico in August/September. There is a lot of good advice in the posts above. The only thing I would add from my experience is to be patient with yourself and plan for rest days (at least one a week if it's a multi-week ride) depending on how many days you want to ride. Low gears are pretty essential for loaded touring, I rode a 30 front and 32 rear combination using a BOB trailer and it was a good choice for me but I'll get a longer wheelbase bike for the next one (Baltic to the Black Sea). I think steel is a great choice for touring as well.


----------



## surly boy (Sep 8, 2011)

Yea, I made a further modification to my gearing. I changed my chainrings to 44-34. With an 11-36 cassette I should have adequate gearing.


----------



## Trek2.3 (Sep 13, 2009)

I started riding at 64. In 3 years, I've done two month long tours in Europe, 2 weeks in the Old South and about 5000 miles a year in our 6 month season (Minnesota). Cycling is the only exercise my knees will take. I can't wait for May, followed by July in France. The only advantages of aging are time and money (5 bikes in 3 years), PLUS good health.

Back to the trainer.

Where else can you find healthy young (50's) women?


----------



## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

Great to hear that you're going to do that. I to have plans when I retire to tour across the USA, but I might be 65 to 68 before I do go. I ran into a lady here in Fort Wayne Indiana last year that was a retired school teacher from Portland Oregon and she was on her way, alone, to someplace in North Carolina then return, she was 65 and only trained for 3 weeks! I've done some weekend tours and a few 3 day weekend tours but nothing extended yet. Biking is also the only thing my knees will take.

There are lots of websites and books on touring, read as much as you can before you start touring. Here are few of those sites:
Bicycle Camping and Touring -- Cycling Travel Advice and Long-Distance Touring Travelogues
Bicycle Touring 101: Complete Table of Contents
Bicycle Touring Tips, Lessons Learned, and Tricks of the Trade
Myra VanInwegen's Bike Articles

And books, the one I really like is The Essential Touring Cyclist 2nd edition by Richard A. Lovett published by Ragged Mountain Press.

That's enough for starters. Once you decide on the gear and how to pack etc, then you need to go on a few weekend touring rides to figure out how things operate and what you need you don't have and what you have you don't need. During these shake down rides you get to test your components on the bike to make sure their up to the task including gear ratios. 

I did buy a new 07 Mercian Vincitore to do the trips but found a 85 Schwinn Le Tour Luxe in mint condition for $100 so I decided to use it instead of the Mercian, and so far it's worked out great.


----------



## surly boy (Sep 8, 2011)

possible monkey wrench in the works!!! As you know I am planning a cross country tour for the summer of 2013. I will be going east to west. Pennsylvania to Oregon. Something has come up which may prevent me from leaving on the ride until mid July. So that gives me two options either leaving in mid July or postponing until 2014.. What is the general concensus of those who have done a cross country trek? I appreciate any advice.


----------



## Art853 (May 30, 2003)

Just go. Do what you can when you can. You don't know when you will have the opportunity again. Life can be unpredictable. 

Why ride east to west? I think it depends on the location and month but in general I thought the winds come from the west.


----------



## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Art853 said:


> Just go. Do what you can when you can. You don't know when you will have the opportunity again. Life can be unpredictable.
> 
> Why ride east to west? I think it depends on the location and month but in general I thought the winds come from the west.


I agree with Art. If you get a chance, take it. It might never come along again.

I'm riding west to east. A friend has assured me that traveling in that direction is virtually all downhill with the wind at your back. I like & respect the guy, so naturally I'm taking his word for it.


----------



## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

Mr. Versatile said:


> I agree with Art. If you get a chance, take it. It might never come along again.
> 
> I'm riding west to east. A friend has assured me that traveling in that direction is virtually all downhill with the wind at your back. I like & respect the guy, so naturally I'm taking his word for it.


Prevailing winds do blow from the West going East, so since your starting on the west you should get to the east coast in about 3 to 4 days...

I'm planning a tour across the US when I retire but I won't have the luxury of starting on the West side because I live in Indiana thus I will be heading west. I won't be on a time limit so if the winds slow me down I won't really care. The biggest problem for me going west will be what's called the mountain wave which is air flowing across a mountain range then crashing like a surf wave down the east side and blowing for quite a ways. I experience that wind when I use to live in Palmdale and Lancaster Ca, right around 2pm (give or take an hour) this wind would start to blow and sometimes blow extremely hard creating sand storms. So I'll be in for a load of fun going west, the good news is once I'm at the Pacific and start to head back then the wind will be pushing me.


----------



## RtR Pir8 (Feb 24, 2009)

surly boy said:


> possible monkey wrench in the works!!! As you know I am planning a cross country tour for the summer of 2013. I will be going east to west. Pennsylvania to Oregon. Something has come up which may prevent me from leaving on the ride until mid July. So that gives me two options either leaving in mid July or postponing until 2014.. What is the general concensus of those who have done a cross country trek? I appreciate any advice.


Surly - If at all possible DON'T put it off. As far as Mid-July goes it will be HOT going across the plains, and generally August in Colorado is monsoon season meaning dry and cool in the a.m. with probability of rain in the p.m. I rode through Montana and Wyoming in August last year and the weather was glorious. IMO the Rockies are absolutely the best in the Aug-Sept timeframe. I don't know the weather in the east but it seems to me that June/July are going to be pretty hot anyway so it's a matter of how much hotter. Another benefit is that if you really enjoy it then next year you can maybe take another trip so it's almost a twofer :thumbsup:


----------



## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

late June, July, and August are really hot in the desert areas, this year may be hotter then normal? I don't know but the forecast is showing a possibility. So make sure you take enough water and know where more water can be had.


----------

