PDA

View Full Version : Long Distance Hiking vs. Cycling



RedneckRye
09-24-2006, 21:57
I've begun toying with the idea of trying out long distance bicycle touring, possibly even cross country. Anyone with experience doing both care to point out any similarities and differences? Also, anyone have any suggestions for other info sources?
Thanks. RYE.

Sly
09-24-2006, 22:23
Me no bikey...

Hey Rye, :welcome back from the great wide open....

Tinker
09-24-2006, 22:26
If you hike on a regular basis, long distance bike riding is not going to be a problem. The big difference is where you get sore! Your butt takes on the bicycle what your feet take on the trail. If you have bad knees, however, it's my experience that biking might be as hard on them as hiking is.
Storage space is more critical on a bike than it is when hiking, while weight is not nearly as detrimental to bike touring as it is to hiking. (Your bike may not agree, nor will you, when you reach a steep uphill). Sunscreen is more critical when cycling than while hiking. Roads are pretty much wide open to the sun.

How much riding do you do now, and where do you ride?

Natchez
09-24-2006, 22:42
I have done some long rides from Chattanooga TN to FL I also race at a CAT 4 level which is low. I love backpacking and cycling but cycling to me is much more physical demanding. However, when we "toured" we averaged almost 20 miles an hour and rode over 100 miles a day. When i back pack most of my mileage is well short lol.

The both are fun

mrc237
09-25-2006, 07:06
I just got back from hiking the C/O Canal Path where there is plenty of tour biking. Saw only one other b-per. Camped a few times with bikers and liked the distances they covered each day. The path is repetitive so biking it works real well as there are plenty of places to stop refresh, resupply and move on. Got out my old Cannondale and started riding around town. It'll take awhile to get to 12 mph never mind 20 but I think 12 works fine for me. I think its a good alternative to Bp-ing esp. the extra stuff one can haul. I may take a crack at the C/O - Allegeny Trails from DC to Pittsburg.

sourwood
09-25-2006, 08:51
I have done quite a bit of both and love both activities. On the bike you have to deal with traffic which can be intimidating to some. Of course, if you choose your route carefully, you can avoid a lot of that. With bike touring I find you have more flexibility as it is easier to cover long distances. It is easier on the bike to reach towns more often and it is much easier to get about towns. On bike trips you tend to meet more "local" people in the areas through which you travel. You do need to be able to deal with bike repair issues and need to carry a certain amount of bike parts and tools with you. Bad weather on a bike can be bad. You get wetter and colder in the rain, colder in the wind, and riding into a strong head wind can be a very frustrating experience. If traveling on dirt roads in New Mexico, try to avoid getting caught in a rainstorm. Trying to push a bike through that sticky mud is something you will long remember. Both modes of transportation and seeing the world are great ones. A cross country bike trip is a great experience and lets you see lots of different things.Adventure Cycling is an organization which has mapped many bicycle routes across the country. Their Great Divide route offers a great backcountry bicycling experience. Their web site is: adventurecycling.org

Julie

MOWGLI
09-25-2006, 08:52
I think Peaks has done some long distance biking. Send him a PM.

Peaks
09-25-2006, 09:18
I think Peaks has done some long distance biking. Send him a PM.

Sure, I've done "some." I biked from Anacortes WA to Bar Harbor ME in 2004. A great trip, but different from thru-hiking.

One big difference is that on a bike you can eat! You are almost always going through small towns where you can stop and get something to eat. You have the appetite of a thru-hiker, but you can also find things to eat.

Adventure Cycling Association has a 30,000 mile network of long distance routes mapped out for biking. They typically route you through small towns and away from major urban areas. It's kinda like the AT Data Book with maps. Check them out on the web. (we did the Northern Tier with some optional links like going across the UP of Michigan and Lake Erie connector).

Just like backpacking, I tried to keep the weight of gear to a minimum. Even though it's not on your back, you still need to pull it all up the hills. I used much of the same gear like tent, sleeping bag, pad, stove, cook pot, rain gear, etc.

At least on the Northern Tier there were not a whole lot of other long distance bikers around me. We were the only bikers much of the time. And we found it hard for non-bikers to relate to us when we stopped in towns.

Just like the AT, some of our best memories are of the people we met in small towns.

If anyone is interested, I'm doing my slide show at the Highland Center in Crawford Notch over Columbus Day weekend. One night it's going to be about my AT thru-hike. The other night it's going to be about my bike trip.

After finishing the AT, people look for their next great adventure. For many, it's another long distance hike. For some, like Metro and myself, it's a coast to coast bike trip.

Scorpion
09-25-2006, 19:11
Rye
I thru hiked in 04, and found that many thru hikers were also long distance bike riders. I then rode cross country this year. As Sourwood and Peaks mentioned, I used Adventure Cycling maps, and I rode the Southern Tier from San Diego to St. Augustine. Actually my ride was with an Adventure Cycling group. It was still an unsupported ride, and I rode my TREK 520 touring bike with panniers on it.

For my bike tour I used much of the same gear as backpacking; tent, sleeping bag, clothes, etc. I did carry more gear when biking than backpacking, particularly clothes. Although it's easier to have weight on your bike than on your back, you still have to get it up the hills, and the heavier your bike is the harder it is to get it up the hills.

Peak is right that you will always have more food available than when you thru hike. Thru hiking I lost 50#, but stayed the same weight when biking.

I found biking easier physically, and much easier mentally. As previously mentioned you pass stores daily, and it's nice to have a shower and clean clothes every day. I'm not saying that cross country biking is easy, I just feel it's easier. You still have to bike every day, and the western mountains are challenging.

Take your pick, they're both great experiences.

Scorpion GA-ME 04
Southern Tier 06

grizzlyadam
09-25-2006, 23:07
i've always considered myself a hiker and not a biker.

but, while i was hiking the north carolina mountains to sea trail (http://www.trailjournals.com/grizzlyadam05) last year, i got really bad shin splints once i reached the section of trail that is on roads (about 450 miles of trail are on back roads from the foothills to the outer banks).

i realized i'd never make it to the ocean on foot, so i hopped on a bike and never looked back. long distance bicycling is great. i was amazed at how much distance i could cover and with such ease. of course, i'd already walked 300 miles before my biking began.

when i finished the MST i continued to bicycle and still do. this summer i've used my bike to do self shuttles on hiking trips plenty of times. for instance: a few times i locked my bike to a tree in the woods near the VA603 crossing at fox creek, then drove to damascus, parked my car, and walked back to my bike on the AT. then, i'd ride my bike back to damascus using roads and the creeper trail. what a fun time it was.

i'd say in the next few years i'll be riding my 1981 schwinn 10-speed across the country. i'm pretty sure the road warrior (as it's affectionately called) is up to the challenge.

MedicineMan
09-26-2006, 02:00
seems like all outside activity is a good thing. i was road biking alot to stay in shape until a friend went down and ended up badly but need to get back on the bike...the website you mentioned for long distance biking is excellent.
One question on the CandO....would one have any problems hammocking along that path while biking?
Thanks

The Will
09-26-2006, 02:38
A few years back I cycled from the Beaufort Sea (Arctic Ocean) through the Northwest and Yukon Territories, British Columbia and Alberta, terminating in the Calgary area. The trip covered roughly 2,400 miles in two months. The first 800 miles were primarily gravel road that they call "highways" up in northwestern Canada.

Despite this trip I do not consider myself a cyclist--it was simply the selected mode of travel at that time. My previous backcounty experience, especially my thru-hike, were of great benefit...knowing how to dress, how to eat, what expectations I should have for caloric requirements, etc. I enjoyed putting out about the same energy and getting 12mph out of my effort rather than the 2.5-3.0mph of hiking. Others have already mentioned some important things like the necessity to maintain a machine (the bike) as you travel--that is much different from backpacking or even paddling. As

As mentioned, dressing is much the same and you will find there to be a lot in your knowledge of backcountry foot travel that will assists you in a cycling tour but there are some differences.

With cycling, you create your own windchill. When backpacking, it is the rule that you can "walk yourself to warmth" on cold mornings. This was not my experience when cycling. If it were a chilly morning, some times (of course depending on air temp) the activity of cycling was not enough to overcome the windchill created by moving at cycling speeds. Whereas when backpacking, when starting the day I'll put on sufficient cloths to keep me warm at the temperature I will reach AFTER hiking for 15 minutes, when cycling I often was colder when moving. There are a couple of solutions: the obvious is to put on more clothes, but I would also seek out a campsite at the base of a hill that way I could exert a lot and get warm...or at least that was the idea. It was not always sufficient.

Also, I found that my feet were more vulnerable to cold when cycling. When hiking, the muscles of the lower leg and foot are very engaged. When cycling, even after an hour or two (or the whole day, again depending on temps) my feet would be cold because those muscles are not seeing tremendous use. Of course, there are neoprene booties and other things to combat this (I had none because based on my backpacking experience I expected my feet to be warm when I was active).

I'd also recommend getting some good hours in on your bike before the trip. More important than having a comfortable seat is having a bum that is already broken in and ready for the saddle.

Roland
09-26-2006, 05:52
~~~
If anyone is interested, I'm doing my slide show at the Highland Center in Crawford Notch over Columbus Day weekend. One night it's going to be about my AT thru-hike. The other night it's going to be about my bike trip.
~~

Can you post details of this? I don't see it listed on AMC's calendar.

Peaks
09-26-2006, 08:39
The essentials for long distance biking are:

1. A good seat
2. Good bike shorts. (and even then you still need to beat your butt into submission)
3. A granny gear.

Peaks
09-26-2006, 08:52
Can you post details of this? I don't see it listed on AMC's calendar.

I'll jack them up on this. About all I know is that I'm doing one program Saturday evening, and the other Sunday evening, probably at 8:00 pm each evening. I don't know which one when. Maybe drop a dime.

mrc237
09-26-2006, 08:59
would one have any problems hammocking along that path while biking?------Not at all being a former hanger I was always saying to myself "thers a good place to hang". Lots of camping and potable water on C/O

anneandbenhike
09-26-2006, 12:28
My husband and I are section hikers and are nearly at the 1000 mile mark. (I am doing the Smokies in October with several friends.) We are also cyclists. We have just started touring and will be doing the Cross North Carolina, Mountains to Sea ride, 458 miles or so in 7 days, beginning this weekend. It is supported (they carry the camping gear, we ride) But, we are using all our lightweight gear...Tarptent, Western Mountaineering sleeping bag, raingear, etc. I like going distances and there is food more frequently! We have hiked long distances and biked long distances and there are different muscles for each! Time in saddle is our mantra for cycling!! Amen, Peaks!! We find that the time riding is good for the overall endurance on our hikes, though.

I will be cycling the Souther Tier (supported) using Adventure Cycling Maps with a group of over age 50 woman staring March 9, 2007, when many will be starting their through hikes!!

bogey
09-26-2006, 13:44
seems like all outside activity is a good thing. i was road biking alot to stay in shape until a friend went down and ended up badly but need to get back on the bike...the website you mentioned for long distance biking is excellent.
One question on the CandO....would one have any problems hammocking along that path while biking?
Thanks

Last Fall I hiked about a third of the C & O from HF to downtown DC. turns out it probably would have been better had I gone the other direction. The rules say you can hike and camp there free, but can't camp anywhere EXCEPT the designated sites. Well, I passed the last site at Swains Lock about 1:30 in the afternoon of my second day, and still had about 15 or so miles to finish. Ranger asked what my intention was, so I told her that I'd passed the last camp, so the only alternative was to keep going to the end. It was a very long day, 35 miles, but let's face it, there were no hills and no obstacles.

I also biked portions of the trail that I can reach from DC on a two day break.

I'm always very aware of the hanging accomodations because the park service has really cleared the sites out for tenting. The trees I saw were mostly huge and far apart. BUT, depending on your cringe factor, I believe you could reach into the brush for the trees along the edges of the campsites that are more appropriate for hammocking.

I was hoping to continue the process this year, like maybe from HF to Hancock, but can't get the time off.

On the other hand I could be in Iraq.

twosticks
09-26-2006, 15:37
True, you can cover a lot more distance cycling than hiking, but I think over all they are very comparable. I'd second the suggestion of getting a good pair of shorts or two or three, you need the chamois and also applying a layer of vasoline or butt butter to the inside of your legs to protect against chaffing. I'm of the self sustained group and like to carry everything that I'll need. There are many different things you can use to carry your gear. I like the bob trailer the best. Not only did it carry everything i needed, but it tracks directly behind you and i used it as a stand to fix a rear spoke. If you're not much of a mechanic, I would say take a clas or two or buy some books on how to fix what you need fixed.

Alligator
09-26-2006, 16:02
True, you can cover a lot more distance cycling than hiking, but I think over all they are very comparable. I'd second the suggestion of getting a good pair of shorts or two or three, you need the chamois and also applying a layer of vasoline or butt butter to the inside of your legs to protect against chaffing. I'm of the self sustained group and like to carry everything that I'll need. There are many different things you can use to carry your gear. I like the bob trailer the best. Not only did it carry everything i needed, but it tracks directly behind you and i used it as a stand to fix a rear spoke. If you're not much of a mechanic, I would say take a clas or two or buy some books on how to fix what you need fixed.Can you give a rough breakdown of what weight loads would be consider light, medium heavy for a trailer? Sort of like ultralight to packasauras.

twosticks
09-26-2006, 16:31
Can you give a rough breakdown of what weight loads would be consider light, medium heavy for a trailer? Sort of like ultralight to packasauras.


It all depends on your comfort level. Biking and hiking are so much alike that you can use the same gear for one as the other. The only difference being more shorts, some tubes and tools. I don't mean a tool box full of them, just enough to get you to the next bike shop. I enjoyed the bike riding I've done because I was able to bring the crazy creek chairs and the pie i bought at the store and the left overs from eating at a resturant. One big difference is, you'll drink more water, but bringing the trailer or paniers or that extenda bike thing means you can bring more water... more of everything. And as for getting the weight up the hills, it's all about the gearing on the bike. I was pulling 80lbs in the bob and another 20 in the bags and I carried my bike up the steps from the C&O canal, rode across the railroad bridge and all the way up to the hilltop house hotel in harpers ferry. You just have to spin ...

crane egan
09-26-2006, 16:41
Not advise on cycling or hicking, but did a cool thing this weekend. We hiked from Neels Gap to Unicoi Gap Friday & Saturday then did the six-gap century ride in Dalonaga on sunday.The bike ride was the hardest i ever did.

Peaks
09-26-2006, 16:50
Just to be clear, there are several types of bike touring, just like there are several types of AT hiking. They include long distance self-supported bike touring (perhaps comparable to thru-hiking), and week long group tours (perhaps like section hiking). Each is different and has their own attributes. Certainly if someone is sagging my gear, I pack much differently then if I am hauling it all on my bike.

Panniers or trailers is another debate when doing self-supported. Part of the answer depends on what type of a bike you are using. BOB Trailers aren't light. They weigh 14 pounds, plus the weight of the bag is another 3 pounds or so. I'll definately reconsider that decision before I use trailers again.

Jeff
09-26-2006, 17:12
Are there forums similar to Whiteblaze for the long distance biking issues we have been discussing???

Spock
09-26-2006, 18:06
After 18,000 miles of cycle touring, here are some thoughts:
1. Ultralight is as important for cycling as backpacking. UL is also COMPACT! Try to get everything in one big stuff sack lengthwise on a rear rack - in addition to a handlebar bag. That will minimize wind resistance.

2. A mid-range bike has the best cost/benefit IMHO. A quality bike is easier to repair and service, but you don't need to spend as much as a top drawer racing bike. Not even close. Spend money on rims and tires. An ounce on the rims equals a pound on the bike. Get Spectra or Kevlar tires and carry 2 extras. Glass slashes and tumbleweed seeds eat tires and the Western Auto in Buzzard Crotch, West Dakota don't carry no 700 mm tires. And carry enough tools and know how to use them so you can do major overhauls. Just try to march your bearing cartridges at the Eat Hear - Get Gas (I'm not making that up) in Sweat Hog, Sascatchewan.

3. Outfit for going off the beaten track. IOW, fatter rather than thinner tires so you can lower the pressure and haul ass on gravel roads. Some of the more interesting routes are off pavement, but if you have to beat yourself or your rig to death to take them, you won't.

4 You won't be carrying much food or cooking stuff - at least not for long. It is too easy to eat on the road. Have dinner, ride to camp; pack up in the morning, ride to next town for breakfast. In between, a stop at every country store for ice cream bars. Or get burgers to go for dinner. I just carry a metal mug and a simple Esbit pot support (not the one they supply) and use it for hot drinks in the evening.

5. Carry first aid for road burns and LOTS of sun screen. You will get more sun than you can imagine. And you will lay it down more than you like. So, be prepared.

6. Organized campgrounds catering to automobiles and RVs suck large. There is no way to sleep on the bare, rock hard, gravel tent sites unless you carry 1. a huge Thermarest or 2. a hammock. Hammocks rock. Also, ear plugs and benydril will help you sleep through the rumbles of late arrivals and blaring tvs. Better yet:

7. Be prepared to stealth camp. Highways offer lots of stealth opportunities at places like river crossings and un-fenced, non-posted land. New England is the best for this and Ontario is the worst. But I'm from Texas, land of bob war and landowners with thutty-thutties, where I first learned to stealth camp and do it all the time.

8. Cycle tripping means meeting lots of people - small town and otherwise. You may make new friends, so carry protection. No, not a gun, trojans. They don't take up much room.

9. Cycling in sub-freezing weather is uncomfortable. Neopreme booties help. Avoid sweating.

10. Comfortable shoes to wear when off the bike or going into stores is really important. You will want to take side hikes, and shopkeepers don't like cleats on their floors. Crocks are good. Nike Free 5.0 Trails are more versatile. Flipflops will do.

11. I have stopped carrying extra clothing except for extra warm stuff for cold weather and rain gear, dry socks, extra T-shirt, change of underwear (wask nightly). Some folks carry nice stuff so they can get a room in town and go places such as better restaurants. That's 7-10 pounds and a lot of volume any way you cut it.

12. Peddle your own bike. Have fun. Be careful. Wear a helmet.

Red Rover
09-26-2006, 19:59
I've begun toying with the idea of trying out long distance bicycle touring, possibly even cross country. Anyone with experience doing both care to point out any similarities and differences? Also, anyone have any suggestions for other info sources?
Thanks. RYE.

We still road ride a great deal in the summer in addition to hiking (30 -50 miles per trip). We did some bike touring many years ago. For us it was not a lot of fun riding with that extra weight on a bike. Much more of a chore than carrying a backpack. We also simply prefer walking in the quiet of the woods. Touring requires the use of many main roads in order to cover greater distances and the traffic can be brutal at times. You have to be really careful, cyclists get run over every year. When we day trip on bikes we always pick scenic back road routes. We obviously still enjoy riding, but if we were forced to make a choice, there is no doubt in our minds we would ditch the bikes.

MedicineMan
09-26-2006, 23:50
my favorite:
"8. Cycle tripping means meeting lots of people - small town and otherwise. You may make new friends, so carry protection. No, not a gun, trojans. They don't take up much room."
That's it ,i'm buying a bike :)
OK, teasing, already got a bike,,,maybe more motivated to do a distance ride now.

JoeHiker
09-27-2006, 12:04
This summer I went on a 3-week bike tour of the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Very different experience from hiking. We didn't camp out, we stayed in towns along the way so there was always a way to get clean and clean your clothes. That was HUGE difference from hiking. Plus, unless you are biking in very remote places, you'll see many more people along the way. You don't usually feel nearly as alone biking as you do hiking.

The bike I took was a cyclocross bike. Seemed then (and now) to be the perfect choice. Tougher than a road/touring bike but still plenty fast and smooth. I carried some Ortlieb Panniers with a handlebar bag. A couple of pairs of bike shorts and shirts were all I needed, plus some clothes to wear for evening stuff in towns

Assuming you are not camping out on the bike, your concerns biking are different from those hiking. Security involves mainly a) not getting hit by cars and b) making sure your bike is secured/safe at night. You don't worry about animals so much (yes, yes, I know, you long-time trail veterans NEVER worry about that stuff) or finding a place to sleep, or protecting your food or mice, etc.

Biking this way is certainly more expensive than hiking but I found I preferred it. I like being able to see a LOT of terrain in one day. My curiousity was much more satisfied than it was when I was hiking. Hiking, I'd see some mountain I needed to reach and it would be hours before I'd get there. The terrain around me was nice but after a while there was quiet a bit of sameness to it. Cycling, I'd be at that mountain in 30 minutes tops and the terrain beyond could be completely different. I just liked that better. Plus the bike gave me a TON more flexibility as to where I would end up each night.

I suspect some of this preference has to do with where I am in my life. I was able to cycle much of the Camino in just a few weeks and that was going very easily, stopping often to smell the roses, etc. The pilgrims walking it took MONTHS. I don't have that much vacation time in my life right now and I really like my job so I'm not about to quit it.

I do love long-distance hiking, don't get me wrong. I plan to do it many more times in the future. But I think I like bike touring better. It seems to be the perfect vacation.

Peaks
09-27-2006, 17:49
Well, I'll tell you another difference between backpacking and bike touring. My wife enjoys a week long bike tour, especially if it has a sag wagon. But she will not backpack with me for more than a few days.

the_iceman
10-01-2006, 12:58
Okay, I might as well throw in my two cents. Being overweight (and out of shape) IMHO hurts a lot more on a bike than on the trail. On a long climb hiking you can climb two steps rest two steps. On a bike you are either riding or stopped and starting again on a big hill with a big load is really hard.

I have hiked about 1/3 of the AT and done numerous 100+ days on a bike, both supported, (someone carried my gear) and unsupported. I have also done multi-day mountain bike trips. I have biked in the US and the French Alps. I think some of the toughest rides have been in New England with 9,000+ feet of climbing in 100 miles.

I ride a Litespeed, which is a sweet ride, but does not really have the braking capacity to handle a huge load on a steep downhill. It is nice to be able to stop the bike and I start to freak out when the speedo starts reading 50 mph. Get a bike that matches the task,

I have used panniers before and front bags have an impact on handling. I have heard the Bob tracks nicely but you still need to stop it. And like someone said, that is another 14 pounds.

I weigh in between 180 and 200 (depending on the season) and I have been known to break spokes on certain wheels when I stand on a climb from the combination of weight and torque. If you are going to tour make sure you have strong wheels that can handle the weight and your power.

Spare parts:
Shift cable, brake cable, spoke or two, spare tire, 2 -3 spare tubes, patch kit, a really good pump. The cables are important because you do not want to lose shifting or braking for a 50 mile ride to the next shop.

Arm and leg warmers, a rain jacket, helmet liner for sun or bugs. A balaclava for cold weather. Gloves, wind proof for cold weather.

Pearl Izumi Amfib tights are for cold, wet weather.

Get a flashing red light to wear in the rain and dusk. Some drivers just do not see you.

I like to ride with a end plug rear view mirror so I can see what is coming behind me and how close they are.

In closing, I worked hard to get my bike weight below 18 pounds. I was riding with a friend one day and he said to me: “You fat ass, skip a lunch and save some money if you want to save weight.”

JojoSmiley
10-01-2006, 19:59
Well, back in 2004 we were hiking the North Country Trail from the Cincinnati area east the the Finger lakes Trail section and decided we had had enough of bug and mud. We bought a couple recumbent bikes and biked some 1000 miles from N New York down to Richmond, VA where we quit due to incoming hurricane. We really enjoyed biking. We had panniers and a bob trailer. We got very good at packing bikes in elevators as the front desk clerks let us have them in our room but didn't always put us on the ground floor. We actively sought out bike paths in addition to the Adventure cycling maps. Most of the time we found out about local paths thru bike shops. We even went 33 miles to get to a 100 mile bike path going our way. Like hiking, we loved meeting all the folks along the way.

A-Train
10-01-2006, 20:34
I was looking thru my friends bike mag this week (forgot the name), but it had an article about a guy named "hIrSh" who was biking from Vancouver to Cape Horn in Chile. Incidently enough, it said he hiked the AT and PCT as well. Anyone know this guy??