Aero Road with aero bars. I wouldn't go too deep. 404's or something similar. Clincher with 700x25s.

Lots of butt butter.

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NCCP certified Comp coach

I hope to ride cross country within the next 2 years. I'm not racing anyone and don't care if I'm aero or not. It's a trip I've daydreamed about for 40 years, so I'll be smelling the roses the whole way. That might mean stopping and talking to strangers, or blasting up and down a mountain, whatever feels right at the time. I want a relatively lightweight durable bike that handles smoothly, provides good road feel, sucks up all the high frequency road vibrations that come my way, and yet can still crash into an unseen pothole with barely a whimper. My choice -- an old-school Litespeed -- Tuscany or Arenberg -- with reliable wheels (Mavic Open Pro CD rims, 32 spoke -- 3 cross) and durable tires. I can't wait.

find a friend and do it right:

Unless you are talking about RAAM, I would go with a nice but basic road bike, probably with a compact. Ultegra hubs laced to Open Pro hubs with 32 spokes, brass nipples. Even with a support vehicle, I would want stuff that is reliable and easily serviced by any bike shop.

Softride road bike, with clip-ons, 25mm (or maybe even 28mm) tires. Sounds a lot like my commute rig!

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Some are born to move the world to live their fantasies...

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This:


Steel CX bike w/ Chris King hubs, laced 3x to Open Pros, compact crank w/ 11-28 (may choose 11-32) cassette, 32mm file-tread tires. If I'm riding across the country, I would definitely want to take the scenic route and enjoy some gravel along the way. Throw a little bag on front and have the option of adding fenders, another bag, etc.

It's a little heavy, but my legs would be strong enough for the Rockies after going through the Sierras. The comfort of 60psi in 32mm tires would be worth it.

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/kj

http://kjmcawesome.tumblr.com/

My TitanFlex Transition set up with drop bars and aero clipons. Might as well throw on my FLO 60/90 wheels too. Basically what I ride everyday.

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Formerly DrD

By far my favorite fat tire road bike. The Hampsten Strada Bianca.

I rode self supported cross country in 2008 on a caad 4 cannondale, dura ace 7700, mavic open pros w/ 700x25's. I made the clamps for the rack myself since it's not a touring bike - it was just my old racing bike at the time. Camped almost exclusively, went 3800 miles from Bellingham to Boston in 45 days. Best thing I've ever done. Went with 4 of my xc team mates from college.

If I did it again, I'd probably ride a cross bike so I'd have room for fenders and 700x28's on 36 spoked rims - at least in the back.

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I'd probably go with a road glide

Assuming no need to carry gear I'd go with a steel road frame with "brevet/randonee" geometry. I wouldn't want razor-sharp crit handling on a bike that I'd be spending really long days riding. Fat stays to handle wide tyres (28 or 32s), and a fairly upright position for all day comfort/enjoying the view. Compact crank, nice comfy bars/saddle with a layer of "bar phat" under the tape - and handlebar bag. Yes, they're dorky as hell - but super handy. Oh - and lights like a mofo. I wouldn't go crazy on the wheels - some solid 3x 32 spoke handbuilt wheels with good parts will get the job done and will likely be a bit more comfortable than a deep dish carbon wheel.

Toss a 2nd pair of shoes in the vehicle as well. The ones you "think" are comfortable may not be after the first thousand or so miles... Wear the best shorts you can find, good gloves, and use Assos chamois cream. And don't try to shoot with an SLR while riding unless you're very experienced doing so.

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
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That is awesome!

You'd probably want a solid touring bike like a Trek 520 (http://www.trekbikes.com/...oad/touring/520/520/) - something designed for a journey rather than a race or time trial. Touring geometry designed for super-long distance rides, with nice comfortable wheels so your back or neck isn't under all that stress in an aero position. Aero / wheels shouldn't matter for a ride across the country because the purpose (I assume) isn't to get from point A to point B as fast as possible, but to enjoy the journey along the way. Instead, you're probably going to opt for comfort over the long term (thousands of miles). After thousands of miles, comfort will take precedence over 2 watts of energy savings.

i biked vancouver to toronto a few summers ago, towing a BOB trailer. did it on a lemond poprad - a steely cyclocross frame with a steel fork and carbon seatpost. the compact 'cross gearing was basically perfect. i also used syntace C2 clip ons, and box-section (although low-spoke-count) wheels.

honestly, biggest thing is fit. if you're riding cross-country, you're averaging 20km/h. sure, some 404s would be nice. but what kills you on that ride isn't speed, it's injury. i would go for a very high stack and a fairly short reach - if you're a fit rider your shoulders and neck are going to give out LONG before your legs do!

-mike

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https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/

I chose a look 695 with he'd stinger 4's and yes it had an slr on it to do 1600 kms in 8 days last year, being soft I had a 25mm tub on the rear... It was a bloody great ride up Queensland in oz...

Sounds like you speak from experience.

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"Unless you have a ... GF who might put out that night and that night only ... skip it and race." - AndyPants 3-15-2007

Is this supposed to be a fast ride or a tour?If it is a tour then go for comfort so you can look at the scenery and worry about how many beers to drink instead of how many watts to push..

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I'm amazed on how disconnected most posts are. Absolutely a steel or Ti build with 28mm tyres (or larger) in case the route takes you onto some poor surfaces or even dirt roads. You'd want clinchers not tubulars, (maybe road tubeless with Stans?) a comfortable ride, not stiff, rack mounts, just in case etc etc

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http://theworldthroumyeyes.tumblr.com/

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Surly Long Haul Trucker. Brooks saddle & matching leather bar tape over carbon fiber bars. 650 wheels with schwabe tires. I'm all set for a week here. Nothing to teather me down. Just ride.

I think 50lbs over 500 miles in five days is a great training base.



Teach me how to load pictures???

my Shiv...... i don't have much vacation time, so i'd have to hurry.


Tim

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Tim

I am planning on riding across the US sometime in the next decade or so when I retire so I have actually thought about this and done some research. I will not be racing across, it will be for fun much like hiking the Appalachian Trail would be.

My choice is a steel bike, strong aluminum wheels, Brooks saddle, cushy and reinforced tires for rough roads and heavy loads from panniers and other accessories, clip on aero bars for both headwinds and added flexibility while in the saddle. I am considering setting up the bicycle with downtube shifters as opposed to brifters simply for the reliability, although that is not set in stone right now. I will decide on that in the next year or so as I am planning to begin building that bike in 2013.

I plan on riding in a supported manner, so that I do not have to also carry a tent, sleeping bags, etc., those will be carried by a support vehicle or staged throughout the ride route. I will likely use one of the tour companies that specialize in cross country rides, so I will likely be riding with others who may chose completely different bicycles for their journey.

My Novara Randonee with the Bob Yak hitched on the back.

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DISH is how we do it.

This, I have one and am able to do 150 miles on it with no issues. Thats loaded with 40lbs of gear, my road bike? Anything over 80 miles is pure torture. Oh and I don't race or train anymore which means my engine isn't the best and my hind quarters aren't as used to the saddle anymore. Let me see if I can find a pic of mine. . . Nope they are on my other machine, here's one set up almost exactly as mine is.

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Jim

**Note above poster works for a retailer selling bikes and related gear*

What do you think accounts forthe difference between riding one for over 100 and the other for less than 80 comfortably? And not to be an ass but why dont you make changes to the roadbike to make it just as comfortable?

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Styrrell