Triple End-To-End: By Bike (Pt. 1)
It's the 15th of August, 2020, and I just began pedaling my way out of downtown Buffalo. My bags were packed, batteries charged, and I was anxious to begin the first trip along the Erie Canal. I didn't get to this point without a significant amount of preparation and I was concerned about potential challenges that lie ahead. In this three-part series, I'll be discussing the preparations, planning, and execution of becoming the first person to bike, hike, and paddle across New York State.
Prep
Long before I became invested in bike touring, my grandmother took me to Buffalo for my birthday to pick out my first real bike. It was a Raleigh Talus 2.0 that was mostly used to kick around town. During college, I started getting into mountain biking and, while I desperately tried, my Talus just couldn't cut it on the local trails. But when I began preparing myself for the long trek across the state, I decided to give my beloved bike some new life.
A lot of things can go wrong in 362 miles of riding and I would need to know my bike inside and out if I was going to make it to Albany in one piece. I taught myself the inner workings of bikes and how to service them by performing a full strip and rebuild. I packed bearings with fresh grease, installed a new drive-train, and spruced it up with a few nice parts to make the ride more enjoyable. I also spent a great deal of time watching and reading about other bike touring trips, keeping in mind that the Erie Canal isn't exactly remote. This provided me with an abundance of information on what to pack and how to pack it. Test rides and gear shakedowns were an easy way to get familiar with riding and packing everything efficiently.
Daily check at Lock 11, Amsterdam, NY
What To Bring
Above all else, I encourage all first-time bike tourers to attend a class, either at a local bike shop or online, on how to service bikes. This will teach you important information to help you better understand how a bike functions and how to fix it. Many shops also offer trail-side repair clinics that will teach you the most common issues you'll face such as broken chains, snapped cables, flat tire repairs, and more. If you pack fairly light, you could get away with bags that sit within the frame of your bike, unsurprisingly named frame bags, otherwise, a rear rack and pair of panniers are the easiest and most convenient. On trips where you pass through towns frequently, you need to carry even less as you can pick up anything you need in the next town. During my 2020 tour of the Erie Canal, I had 2 rear panniers, a handlebar bag, and a top-tube bag. My tent was simply strapped onto my handlebars. The list below is what I took with me, however, everyone is different and will require more or less depending on the trip and their riding style.
For The Bike:
quick-link for the chain
small bottle of lubricant
extra brake and shift cable
bike-specific multi-tool
tire patch kit
spare tube
tire lever
small hand pump
bike lights (to be seen by others)
bags and storage such as panniers, racks, frame bags, etc.
For You:
helmet (WEAR ONE!)
riding gloves
padded shorts (plush saddles are more uncomfortable the longer you ride)
anti-chafe cream
sunscreen
moister wicking/UPF protective clothing (normal hiking clothes work just the same)
Camp Gear:
tent
sleeping bag
sleeping pad
headlamp
stove and fuel
eating utensils
map/guidebook
small power bank
This list is fairly vague and does not go into great detail about specifics like cycling shoes, food, and technical requirements of a bike, but it will at least provide a general idea of the kind of equipment and preparation you will need for a tour. As always, I recommend a few weekend rides with a friend and visiting your local bike shop to talk about gear or insight the employees may have. REI also has fantastic articles on their website for all different styles of riding, lengths of trips, and tips & tricks.
