Cyclist and Bike

This is my 49th independent bike tour. I'm 60 years old, will turn 61 soon after the tour ends. I'm not a gifted athlete. I'm not a nutritional role model. I'm not disciplined about training. This is my longest tour since 2019. Fortunately the route has only half as much climbing per mile as last year's Silver and Gold bike tour.

I started and finished the tour weighing 186 pounds. A little heavier than last year, but lighter than some years.

Here's a photo of me arriving at the Wayne Estes Center in Logan, Utah.

Photo by Cache Valley Herald Journal photographer Eli Lucero.

The bike is a 2007 Bacchetta Giro 20 short wheelbase recumbent which I have pedaled more than 65,000 miles. The seat is a Bacchetta Euro-Mesh with Ventisit pad. Under the seat are a Terracycle rack and Arkel RT-40 panniers. The panniers are 2 years older than the bike. They were once vivid red and black.

Tires are 40mm wide Schwalbe Marathon Racers which I find to be fast, durable, and suitable for gravel. The lowest gear is a 24 tooth chainring and 34 tooth cog driving a 26-inch wheel.

I thoroughly cleaned the bike before the tour. The frame is more vivid yellow than I've seen in many years. Almost "Mormon" clean, I think. The bike won't stay clean very long because the beginning of the tour has a lot of red dust.

Bacchetta Giro 20 ready to tour, minus 2 panniers and 2 water bottles.

I only changed two things since last year. On the rear of the bike I now have two 350 Lumen red flashers. I also removed the Kleen Kanteen insulated bottle and cage from the handlebar riser. Now I carry a larger and better insulated 24 ounce bottle inside the pannier.

New Bike

Four days before departure I got distracted by buying a vintage bike, a 2005 Bacchetta Titanium Aero. It weighs 8 pounds less than the Giro 20 thanks to titanium frame, carbon fiber seat and fork, and ultra light wheels. The frame is strong enough for touring but it doesn't accommodate racks, fat tires, or fenders. This bike is only suitable for fair weather fast day rides, not touring.

Newly acquired 2005 Bacchetta Titanium Aero.

The tour will be on the old steel bike. Tried and true with 65,000 miles of use since I bought it new 15 years ago.

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Kelly IniguezI travel with two bottles on my handlebar riser. Is there a reason you decided to remove yours? I like the convenience.
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2 years ago

Wayne EstesMy knees churn very close to bottles on the handlebar riser. I used to have 2 bottles on the Speed Ross handlebar riser. My thighs routinely brushed the bottle that was closest to me.
I find it just as easy grab a bottle from a cage on the back of the seat. When 2 water bottles is enough, the bottle cages behind the seat are my preference. When I need to carry more water (during tours) I have plenty of capacity in my underseat panniers to carry much more water in an insulated bottle, platypus bladder, or other bottled beverages. So for now I've quit attaching bottles to the front of the bike.
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2 years ago