[Drew22]

Hi there everyone,

My name is Drew and the only thing I know about bikes is how to ride one... and not even that well.

I am actually a filmmaking student at NYU and i think in May 2007 I am going to document my friend and I riding our bikes from New Jersey to California.

I have a few question for You experts.

The question is pretty simple actually: Roughly, How long would it take me?

Now, I know it depends on a few things. First of all, I tried to Google earth the distance and the path I would take and do all the math but I think all that is inaccurate. How long does it typically take a person to ride their bikes cross country going the fastest route? To be specific, the town I would start in is Old Bridge, NJ and we're trying to get to LA.

Keep in mind, We are not going to be racing... No high speed Lance Armstrong stuff... We may go fast for 1/8 the trip but the majority will be cruising speed. (and anyway, fast for us is not that fast).

Thanks for your help.

 

[heman91]

Check out this website: http://www.adventurecycling.org

They have maps and as well as tours that ride across the country.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Drew. Welcome
How often do you ride? What kind of bike? What route do you plan on riding? What time of year do you plan to start? Any support?

I ask, because all of these things will factor in.

 

[Drew22]

Okay, well.... I hardly ever ride... I don't ride as a hobby I ride to get from Point A to Point B and that distance is never really that much... So lets just say... I DON'T RIDE... But i know how to ride a bike, i do it from time to time.

I don't know yet what kind of bike I'd ride. I'll start my journy in May 2007, so I'll try and get my hands on a suitable bike by then.

I have no idea on a route yet... But I'm going for the fastest possible route... not the scenic route.

I plan on riding with one or two friends.

 

[formica]

Very few Californians call it "Cali". I thought maybe you were riding to Columbia, SA.

 

[Rev Bubba]

I knew two people who rode across the US

A couple thoughts.

They were not new to riding. They trained for a long time for something that will take lots of endurance.

They each has custom steel touring road bikes built for them and got used to the bikes before attempting the ride.

They carried what they needed and purchased what they couldn't carry.

They had extra brake pads that came in handy decending the Rockies.

They learned how to make major repairs to their bikes.

Maybe most important, they rode west to east, not east to west, so the prevailing winds were generally at their back. Wind direction on a road bike is a major concern.

If you ride only 50 miles a day and take no rest days, you will take at least 60 days. That is pretty unreasonable so figure more like 120 days. Have a nice summer!

 

[Hollywood]

couple more links...

http://www.adventuresforthecure.com/

http://bigfix2006.blogspot.com/

both crossing US on fixie road bikes!

 

[Maida7]

Do you really know what your getting into? Why not do a test run first. Try to ride to ohio and back. Depending on how that goes you will have a much better idea of what to expect on a cross country ride. How far is Ohio anyways?

 

[TLud]

Far enough to where I wouldn't want to turn around to go back to NJ.

 

[Maida7]

but not anywhere as far as cali. Call it research or call it a gut check!

 

[TLud]

This is one of those ideas that seems so grand when you come up with it while baked with your best friends. Once you start looking into it the next day, you realize how baked you actually were.

 

[Eric Hoefer]

I would definitly start riding now to build up endurance because if you just hop on a bike and try to ride across country most likely you will not get very far.

 

[adamantane]

This is one of those ideas that seems so grand when you come up with it while baked with your best friends. Once you start looking into it the next day, you realize how baked you actually were.

precisely my dear mr puffin stuff

 

[InvictaS1]

here's a good article that was in my local paper a few months ago that you should take a look at. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/living/travel/s_433945.html

 

[CrankyMonkey]

I think the conversation goes like this...

Dude 1: "Man... I'm so freaking high... we need some pizza!"
Dude 2: "I think we should ride our bikes to get some pizza cause he takes too long..."
Dude 1: "We should go to get some California Pizza Kitchen at Safeway..."
Dude 2: "We should ride to California!"
Dude 1: "Duuude!"
Dude 2: "Duuuuuuuuude!"
Dude 1: "Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuude! Let's do it!"

 

[TLud]

I think the conversation goes like this...

Dude 1: "Man... I'm so freaking high... we need some pizza!"
Dude 2: "I think we should ride our bikes to get some pizza cause he takes too long..."
Dude 1: "We should go to get some California Pizza Kitchen at Safeway..."
Dude 2: "We should ride to California!"
Dude 1: "Duuude!"
Dude 2: "Duuuuuuuuude!"
Dude 1: "Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuude! Let's do it!"

Exactly...

 

[bill-now]

Based upon the facts...

18.75 years.

 

[Offrampmotel]

I'll bet that 30 miles down the road, this is not going to seem like a very good idea.