Recommendations for long-distance bike riding

[silver200167]

What do you recommend for long-distance bike riding?

[hikermor]

My immediate response was a specialized touring model, like thee Surly Long Haul Trucker, which I rode for several seasons.  But then, consider racing bikes - stages of 100 miles and more are common.  The longest I ever rode my touring bike was 108 miles.

I suspect the answer is any bike, preferably light weight (25pounds or so) that you can comfortably pedal.  A light weight is desirable, but not at the expense of reliability.  The most critical component is the saddle.  Be sure yours fits well or else....

[REI-CarterC]

Hi @silver200167 -

Thanks for reaching out! It’s great to hear that you are interested in some long-distance bike riding. We agree with @hikermor that there are a wide variety of options available.

Are you looking specifically for bike recommendations or also route info and general tips and tricks about getting into the sport? Knowing how long you want your rides to be and what your previous experience is will also help us steer our advice in the right direction.

A lot of people enjoy having long days out with road bikes, which can provide anything from slow, scenic rides to a rigorous cardio workouts at whatever length you choose. This article on Road Biking Gear and Techniques is a good look into some road biking basics. If you let us know what area you are in, someone might also have local experience and be able to pass along route suggestions as well.

Bike touring is another popular option, where you bring everything you need with you on the bike and can be out on the road from a single day to months at a time. Differentiating these two styles of biking gets into the variety of choices @hikermor mentioned. Our Expert Advice page has a great series titled Intro to Bike Touring, which includes specific articles on how to choose a touring bike, what to pack, how to plan and more. 

We look forward to sharing some more specifics with you once we know what you are looking for in your biking experience. Hopefully this is a good start!