| A bike is a wonderfully elegant
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| | your pedaling-the shank reduces the
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| creation-true technological genius.A
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| | flexing of a normal shoe or runner.
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| well-made bike can take you thousands of
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| | Biking shoes reduce the strain on your
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| trouble-free miles. When it does break
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| | feet, and happy feet are good things to
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| down, even the most mechanically
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| | have on a long trip.Biking gloves make
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| challenged can repair it. The near
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| | those hundreds of miles easier on the
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| universality of bikes-even in countries
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| | hands. Even on paved roads (and
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| like Bangladesh-means parts and skilled
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| | certainly off-road) there can be a lot of
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| repairmen are readily available-at
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| | jarring. You can get the ones that
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| reasonable rates.I use a 21-speed Norco
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| | enclose the whole hand or the ones that
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| with DX gearing and a light frame, a
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| | leave the fingers free. Either type is
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| pannier rack on the rear with two
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| | good as long as they have good thick
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| panniers, mud guards on rear and front,
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| | padding in the palms.One thing that I
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| bell, two water bottles with
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| | didn't bring on my first trip was a pair
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| corresponding attachment points, flat
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| | of proper biking shorts. This was a very
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| bars with extension grips, a bike lock,
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| | big and painful mistake-don't go without
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| reflectors, a tool kit (see below), a
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| | proper bike shorts. The Lycra type with
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| helmet, biking shoes, a spare inner tube,
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| | thick padding in the crotch and bum areas
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| and biking gloves.ASIDE: With the
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| | is the best.I didn't bring a bike
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| exception of the extension bars I
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| | computer the first time. Get one as you
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| strongly recommend all this equipment-the
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| | will want to know how far and how fast
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| bell and helmet are legislated in some
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| | you are going. Using the bike computer
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| countries. Extension bars are only
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| | in conjunction with a daily mileage log
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| required if you purchase a mountain or
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| | will help you plan your itinerary-point
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| hybrid bike-they allow you to hunker
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| | to point-and of course will allow you to
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| down, making you more streamlined. A
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| | exactly state how many hundreds of miles
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| road bike does not require the extension
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| | your journey has taken you.Panniers
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| bars. DX refers to Shimano's middle cost
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| | (portable suitcases for bikes) fit on
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| range for bike gearing-not bad but not
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| | either side of your back rack. Do not go
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| the best. My Norco is a hybrid-a cross
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| | cheap on them as they are carrying all
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| between a road bike and a mountain bike.
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| | your worldly goods. Bring small garbage
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| A limited budget with a desire for
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| | bags to stuff your clothes into-then into
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| flexibility-to ride on paved roads and in
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| | the pannier-as well as Ziplocs for your
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| wilderness areas-made the purchase of a
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| | food, because panniers are
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| hybrid clear to me. The cost for the
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| | water-resistant but not waterproof.Front
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| bike and listed accessories was $780
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| | and rear fenders may not look chic but
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| CDN-still about the same in 2006.ASIDE:
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| | they are extremely effective at
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| I never rode my bike on any rough
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| | preventing water/mud going up your back
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| terrain, always on paved or good gravel
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| | or in your face.I strongly recommend that
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| roads. I never regretted my selection
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| | you bring a small bike tool kit. Most
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| and used the same bike on other
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| | bike stores sell these kits. They
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| long-distance tours as well as around my
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| | usually consist of four or five Allen
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| hometown-to this very day. I will not
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| | wrenches (hex heads), a fork and pedal
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| get technical about bikes but will give
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| | wrench, a tire repair kit, and a spoke
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| you some sound advice. Get as much bike
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| | wrench. I augment the kit with a plastic
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| as you can afford but never buy a cheap
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| | bottle of bike grease for the chain, a
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| one-medium- to high-quality only. Cheap
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| | chain breaker to join the chain together
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| department store bikes cannot take the
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| | if it breaks, a bike pump, two spare
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| punishment of a long-distance tour and
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| | spokes, and a spare inner tube. A small
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| you will have nothing but
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| | book on basic bike repair would be
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| problems-problems that will eat at your
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| | advisable-there are plenty of those
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| soul and pocketbook. The threshold for
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| | around. Bike repair is not rocket
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| medium bikes varies, with a bottom of
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| | science and is very easy to learn and
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| around $350 (US or CDN dollars).
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| | do.The need for a water bottle should be
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| Spending more, if you can afford it,
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| | obvious to anyone but the need for two
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| makes very good sense, as a good bike
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| | may not. The more water you have and
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| will last for decades.ASIDE: Expensive
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| | drink the less dehydrated you will be.
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| bikes are attractive targets for thieves
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| | Dehydration can be a serious health
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| all over the world. If you do buy one,
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| | risk-especially when you are exerting
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| you'll have to be more vigilant than you
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| | yourself. Even low levels of dehydration
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| might like-certainly extra security
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| | can affect your strength and, therefore,
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| precautions are in order. A few words
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| | your pedaling speed. Two bottles and/or
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| about accessories:Biking shoes are a good
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| | a Camelback give you enough water to
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| buy even if you only plan one
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| | maintain hydration between stops.Alex G.
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| long-distance tour in your life. They
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| | Landels is the author of 'Bike Guru
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| are constructed with a steel shank, which
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| | Dairies: Travels in Europe'.
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| means you can impart more energy into
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| |
|
