Young Cyclist

im not a teenager but at your age i remember the best cycling moments of my life !

Awesome! I was just wondering because I have talked with many tourers but none seemed to have started as a teenager. Explaining the thrill of cycling across the country is difficult for many young people to understand because i constantly get the reply "why not just drive?"

[IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif[/IMG]To me there is as much difference between "driving" and "bicycling" (without a motor of ANY kind) as there is between wearing clothes and being naked.[IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/drool.gif[/IMG]

I definitely agree. I got into cycling by lending a friend my car for a weekend and in return he lent me his giant defy 2.0. I fell in love immediately and searched craigslist for a road bike that fit my fancy. I settled on a purple and pink Miyata Prologue(yes i love flashy colors). From that point on, it has been cycle cycle cycle. Now I am just trying to outfit my touring bike for my 3rd trip, Brooks saddle is my next big purchase i think.

What kind of saddle have you been using up to this point? Cant be hurting you too bad if you've done long trips like that. Ive had a few brooks saddles and they can be a bear to break in. I actually had the one with the springs on my old mountain bike and it was super comfy. Then I had their top end racing saddle, swallow, and couldnt stand it. Saddles are such a personal thing!

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Dfleming [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Explaining the thrill of cycling across the country is difficult for many young people to understand because i constantly get the reply "why not just drive?"

yes and be wary of people downplaying or laughing about your touring holidays, its a great effort and you should thoroughly enjoy them and take pride on them.

I don't remember what my saddle was exactly, but it was the same one that the man i bought is from used from oregon to florida. It isn't bad but i do get sore after 20 miles, so I would like to fix that. From what i have read and hear Brooks is the way to go, with no respectable alternatives. I think i have settled for the great old B17. Most people laugh at me when i tell them how much i have invested into cycling, then i ask them their weekly gas bill, and i chuckle to myself.

Saddles, as you say are very personal, but happy to give you our expereience.

Karen and I have been mountain bikers for years and came to cycle touring late in life (when we were a spritely 52 and just starting our second childhood, so we are not even teenagers yet). In Aug 2009 we sold just about everything we own and have been touring the World for the last 2 1/2 years. (see our web site my-bicycling-adventure.commy-bicycling-adventure.comOpen ↗).

In our mountain biking days we used gel saddles, but since starting touring we have both graduated to Brooks B17 saddles. I, when I bought my Thorn Raven Nomad tourer and Karen just last year as she was having problems with soreness caused by her gel saddle.

I use a solid rail type and karen uses a spring saddle. Having gotten used to them we would not go back to our gel saddles.

The nice thing I find is that you slide on the saddle rather than stick to it, so your shorts are constantly moving on your backside causing soreness.

Initially they feel hard but they do loosen up and you come to find that they feel part of you.

Hope this helps.

Steve

Dfleming said:

Hey everyone! Was just wondering if there were any other teenage tourers around? I am 19 and have done 2 tours so far. One to maine from florida and the blue ridge parkway

Hey, I am also 19, the same age as you back in 2011. 😉 I have also done 2 tours so far, but the route is the same. It's a short 5 mile ride from my town to the next town. I remember that I did the first one on a whim, without preparation at all. The second was because the day's weather was good. 🙂