Conclusion - Northern Arizona 2003 - CycleBlaze

May 17, 2003

Conclusion

Here are some statistics for this trip.

Number of days: 15

Biking distance: 627 miles (1003 km)

Gravel roads: 61 miles (98 km), which is 9.7% of the total distance

Total Climbing: 35,390 feet (10,790 meters)

Maximum speed: 48.1 mph (76.4 km/h)

Hiking distance: 36 miles (57.6 km)

Camping: 11 nights (3 nights for free)

Motels: 3 nights

Flat tires: 1

Coldest night: 32F (0C) on the first night

Warmest day: 80F (27C) on day 14

Rain: a few scattered drops on day 1 and day 11

I biked everywhere I had planned to bike but didn't do quite as much hiking as planned. I have no riding partners and no daily reservations, so I'm free to change the itinerary if I feel like it. On day 2 I got ahead of schedule by going to Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. On day 12 I got ahead of schedule again by not doing a second hike at the Grand Canyon. That allowed days 13 and 14 to be easier than originally planned.

My average daily biking distance was 41.8 miles (66.9 km), but on 3 days I spent more time hiking than biking, and on the first and last day I spent more time in airplanes than biking.

Overall it was a successful tour. The scenery met my expectations. The weather was slightly cooler than expected. I had no injuries or mechanical breakdowns during the tour but the bike was getting gradually more "creaky" near the end of the tour. At home I discovered that the bottom bracket shell is cracking loose from the aluminum boom at the front of the bike. The crack goes almost halfway around the boom tube, immediately behind the weld that attaches the bottom bracket shell to the boom. I am lucky that the bike didn't have a catastrophic failure during the tour. I won't ride the bike again until I get a new front boom assembly. The new boom is heat treated which will be stronger than the old one.

The bike is a short wheelbase "Speed Ross" which is virtually unknown in North America. It is made by Peter Ross in Cornwall, England. The unloaded bike weighs 38 pounds, including tools, spare tubes, cable lock, pump, and 4 empty water bottles. The stuff on the rear rack typically weighs nearly 50 pounds, depending on how much food I have. Add almost 8 pounds when the water bottles are full, and the bike often weighs more than 90 pounds. I don't have trouble pedaling the load up most grades because my lowest gear allows me to spin the pedals at 80 rpm while going only 3.5 mph. That's a 20 tooth chainring and 28 tooth cog driving a 26-inch rear wheel.

I use 47mm wide (1.75 inch) "Continental Top Touring 2000" tires which allow me to ride rough gravel roads with low tire pressure. The suspension fork compensates for the inherently rougher ride of the small front wheel. All of my gear is on the rear of the bike. Most of the stuff (including the tent) goes in Maddden Buzzard panniers on the rear rack. On top of the rack is my sleeping bag and a large fanny pack which contains valuables that I carry with me at all times. I can't use a handlebar bag because it would obstruct my view of the road and my knees would bump into it. Tools, spare tubes, and a cable lock go in pouches attached to the back of the seat, so those items are with the bike when the panniers are removed. On the front of the bike is a pump and 4 water bottles. I don't have front panniers, but the recumbent body position puts a lot of weight on the front wheel. My front wheel is probably loaded about the same as an upright bike tourist with large front panniers.

Adding to the myth that recumbent cyclists are handicapped.
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Mike AylingWelcome to CycleBlaze Wayne.
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3 years ago