Is Carrying a Bicycle a Good Idea ?

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Khagan1227

Can't imagine a reason not to have a bike on board.

3.

Storage space?

My father had two on board his boat; finally got sick of them taking up space and gave them away.

And I just did the opposite - bought two folding bikes, one a really good one at considerable expense. They are seriously in the way, even on a 54' foot. We shall see if the plusses outweigh the storage space issue. But I love bicycles (have all my life), and think it will add a whole new dimension to cruising. Hope so.

[boatpoker]

Bicycles are mandatory for us but we got tired of the fold up junk (even the expensive ones) and full size bikes rusted in a few weeks when we hit salt water. We purchased two Trek Districts.... Aircraft aluminum, carbon fibre, no chain (belt drive) and no gears. Nothing to rust, they weigh nothing and are an amazing ride.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

................. Trek Districts.... Aircraft aluminum, carbon fibre, no chain (belt drive) and no gears. Nothing to rust, they weigh nothing and are an amazing ride.

I really like the Trek's that have the quick disconnects for both the fore and aft wheels. Do your's have that feature? ....and tell us about how much they really weigh,- "nothing"?

[ArtM]

Our working assumption is that crappy bikes are available everywhere, and the words for "bicycle" aren't so different around the world that finding one would be a challenge. So our plan is to hit the shore and buy a "beater" for $20, put on our racks and our good locks, and use them as shoreside transport. When we are leaving a given area, we remove the racks and the panniers and the locks and sell the bikes for $10, probably with bonus bike grease and tuned up. Cost to us: ten bucks and no bikes to store. If we are cruising inshore around an entire country or between islands, we can opt to carry the bikes aboard on a temporary basis.

This is more or less true to some degree, but I can tell you that in areas where bicycling is popular, even used bicycles (if they can be found) sell for as much and sometimes more than the same bicycle new (i.e. look at the Goodwill or check Craigslist for Morgan Hill, CA or for Salt Lake City, UT)

In the US, you can always get a new bike for $100 at Walmart, if one is nearby, and sell it later for ??? probably at least half that.

I think it depends on your ratio of land vs. sea time, and how you will use your onshore time, but for me I would purchase the best bike that I can safely stow and maintain on board, then make it as easy as possible to get that bike to/from wherever it is needed.

[boatpoker]

Trek does not publish weights as they are built to size and your specs but I (5' 7", 165lbs.) pick up one in each hand and carry them off the boat without even a taking a deep breath. My wife can do the same.
Here is the link to Trek District

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

I really like the Trek's that have the quick disconnects for both the fore and aft wheels. Do your's have that feature? ....and tell us about how much they really weigh,- "nothing"?

I don't know about theirs, but I have seen high tech road bikes that can be easily lifted with a few fingers, and can be lifted to a ceiling or wall mount by a woman. I don't know if such a bike has enough durability for third-world use, though.

[oldragbaggers]

I was happy to see this thread. Lance and I are regular bike riders and I wouldn't even consider going cruising without a bicycle, so I was glad to see everyone's suggestions and solutions here.

[janice142]

I've got an old three-speed stainless steel (frame too) folding bike... it's a pain to store underway and at anchor but when I need to get someplace, it's perfect. Someday someone will offer me around $250 and I'll let it go... not really for sale but when the junkers are $200 at West, and goodness knows how much a stainless bike is nowadays. What say the experts? (tempted to sell so I could get more solar)

[Hudson Force]

I searched and found the Trek Districts listed at 20.19 lbs and my folding aluminum Dahons, which are easy to handle, weigh in at 26.7 lbs. This makes the Trek District very appealing, but I would still select the Trek with the fore and aft quick disconnect wheels over some other features just so they could match my Dahons for storage capability.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by ArtM

......... So our plan is to hit the shore and buy a "beater" for $20......... When we are leaving a given area we... sell the bikes.......

I think it depends on your ratio of land vs. sea time..............

I can see how this plan would be very good for those making long distance passages and spending a long time at a new destination. For those that are coastal cockpit potatoes like us, and visit as many as five different ports in a month, the buying and selling would not work. We also utilize a number of carrying baskets and accessories that allow us to carry a lot of groceries, laundry, etc. and these would not transferable to many different bikes. For some, ArtM's idea would suit well!

[roverhi]

The Trek District is a good bicycle for riding on flat land. Unfortunately, unless you are in good shape, you are going to die on the first hill with no way to downshift. If they made the District with a 3 speed hub it would be a bike to consider if you can figure out how to store it. Without gears it's too limited in the terrain it's usable in.

Will stick with my 25# Bike Friday (bikefriday.com) and its 27 gears. Lets me climb trees or go real fast on level ground without much effort and fits in a suitcase in the forepeak for passages.

[oldragbaggers]

Originally Posted by rusky

We had 2 alloy mountain bikes on the back rail - looks like the back of a SUV. The amount of alloy is the same as on an expensive folding bike.

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/v.../StAnna005.jpg

I sprayed lots of lanolin and used chain grease on the chains. These bikes lasted 4 years whilst cruising. It was our only means of transport except for walking or paying for a bus etc. One bike is still in use now, 7 years after we started. They got wet many times.

I really wanted to see this, but the link did not lead me to anything except a default photobucket page.

[SunDevil]

Cruising Older :: StAnna005.jpg picture by saintanna - Photobucket

Try that one.

Or it's the last picture here.

Cruising Older pictures by saintanna - Photobucket

If things don't work still, that out the two spaces, and change the %20%20 to two spaces.
http:// s665.photobucket .com/albums/vv14/saintanna/Cruising%20%20Older/

[SunDevil]

Does anyone have pictures of their bicycles in a dingy? Or do you off load them at the marina normally?

[oldragbaggers]

Originally Posted by SunDevil

Cruising Older :: StAnna005.jpg picture by saintanna - Photobucket

Try that one.

Or it's the last picture here.

Cruising Older pictures by saintanna - Photobucket

If things don't work still, that out the two spaces, and change the %20%20 to two spaces.
http:// s665.photobucket .com/albums/vv14/saintanna/Cruising%20%20Older/

That works, thanks. Great idea!!!