Which bike to take, Trek 2200 or 520, that is the question …

I’m feeling a bit better but not ready to ride just yet, I haven’t been able to eat a proper meal and until I can it’s probably best not to be exercising, right now the target to resume training is the weekend. So to fill this void until I get better I’ll share one of the many issues that turn up when planning a cycling trip across a continent.

So I have a bit of a dilemma here, initially when I made the decision to do the trip I thought that my trusty Trek 2200 “Betsy” and I would be doing it together, after all I just love that bike and have had so much fun with it.

But then I got thinking, a very bad habit of mine and at times like this, not all that helpful. I wondered would it be strong enough for the abuse of such a long ride ( bad roads , construction, possible dirt roads , etc, etc… ) And I wondered if I would regret not having a granny gear in front during all the climbing there will be.

So a lot of research later I came up with the idea that a touring bike would be better suited for the job , simpler components, easier to fix on the road , granny gear , comfortable for long rides , sturdy, etc , etc … and I settled on a Trek 520 which I bought in early august last year.

Once I got the bike home I dug out my mountain bike shoes and off I went riding, initially very happy, but after a few rides I realized that I was slower on the 520 (a whole 2 km/h slower on average) and it bugged me, so I started pushing a bit harder and of course instead of enjoying my rides they became hard work. The reason for the slowness is that the bike is 3 kg heavier and has wider tires. I removed every possible unnecessary part I could off the bike but it made no difference. Then it just became a psychological thing and that is deadly in biking, once you start doubting something look out !!! it only gets worse. Eventually after 600 km I switched back to the 2200 and joy returned !!!

Ever since I have been hemming and hawing about which to take.

So I decided that this year I would start out riding the 520 and leave poor Betsy in the basement, that way I’m not being pulled to the fast bike, not being spoiled !!!. I’m going to give it a fair shake and ride it all of March and April. I’m going to have patience, accept the bike for what it is, teach myself to ride it , and see if I can accept the fact that I’ll be just a bit slower and, hey , it’ll give me a chance to enjoy the scenery a bit more!!!

And if that does not work out, then good old Betsy comes out of the basement and goes on tour with me !!!