Help! Seeking a suitable long-distance touring bike for cross-country sojourn

[heyskipper]

Hello Everyone - I am brand new to this forum. I owned an electric RANS recumbent that I put a motor on several years ago so I am somewhat familiar with electric bikes.

I am planning a long cross-country trip in 2016 (via the American Discovery Trail-ADT). The ADT is around 3,200 miles from Delaware to California with over 50% road travel and 50% trail. Some trails are hiking trails which I plan to bypass to stay on pavement, but easy trail paths I would like to follow. I plan to try and pull a bike trailer with about 60 lbs. of stuff if possible.

I am a bit bewildered in looking at the variety of electric bikes that have come of age in the past few years.

Your advice please. Which electric bike brand/style/manufacturer should I consider for a cross country ride? I would prefer one that is tough and can stand up to a little punishment that is relatively uncomplicated and straight forward to maintain? Maybe there is not one that fulfills all these requirements, but I would like to get as close as I can to this ideal.

I am concerned that when I break down in the middle of nowhere I will have to depend on myself and/or a country bike shop to help me fix it. So a simple, tough, capable electric bike would be perfect.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Carl Jackson
Lake Forest, CA

 

[RoyL]

One of your first considerations would be two batteries, and pretty hefty ones at that.

 

[George S.]

Cargo bike. Maybe a kit. Mid drive for hills. Big batteries like kit builders sell. Maybe solar. Parts to get to the next town. Consider Better World Club.

 

[Tara D.]

Hey I'm not sure if you have heard about Marissa Muller, she is riding cross country on a Specialized Turbo S and pulling a trailer. I can't wait to hear which bike you pick and then all about your journey! Good luck and happy riding.

 

[Ann M.]

Question Carl, if you had converted a recumbent before, have you considered putting a higher wattage motor on a recumbent along with a couple of extra batteries? If the recumbent is the most comfortable bike for you now, then it's a good candidate for a long ride unless you spend a fair amount of time on a different design of bike. A small solar system like George S. mentioned doesn't have to be super expensive since that could be the charger for the extra battery (or 2) while you ride--even Harbor Freight has inexpensive solar kits with enough watts output to be useful.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Hello Everyone - I am brand new to this forum. I owned an electric RANS recumbent that I put a motor on several years ago so I am somewhat familiar with electric bikes.

I am planning a long cross-country trip in 2016 (via the American Discovery Trail-ADT). The ADT is around 3,200 miles from Delaware to California with over 50% road travel and 50% trail. Some trails are hiking trails which I plan to bypass to stay on pavement, but easy trail paths I would like to follow. I plan to try and pull a bike trailer with about 60 lbs. of stuff if possible.

I am a bit bewildered in looking at the variety of electric bikes that have come of age in the past few years.

Your advice please. Which electric bike brand/style/manufacturer should I consider for a cross country ride? I would prefer one that is tough and can stand up to a little punishment that is relatively uncomplicated and straight forward to maintain? Maybe there is not one that fulfills all these requirements, but I would like to get as close as I can to this ideal.

I am concerned that when I break down in the middle of nowhere I will have to depend on myself and/or a country bike shop to help me fix it. So a simple, tough, capable electric bike would be perfect.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Carl Jackson
Lake Forest, CA

Sounds like a terrific adventure.
I will be starting around end of May from DC area.
Feel free to discuss the route and perhaps we could share the journey for few hundred miles.