Trip Costs

A Couple of Figures

Wheel full 70pxI just realized while posting on facebook today that my Surly Disc Trucker as equipped including the racks and panniers cost just under a dollar per mile for each of the close to 3,600 miles (5,800 kilometers) that I rode it last fall.

 

Surly LHT 800px

At the Bike Gallery, the shop in Portland that put it all together.  The pedals
at this point were temporaries and that bottom water bottle clip came off and
was replaced by a frame pump, but that’s pretty much the way it looked (plus
an Ortlieb seat stem tool bag) when I rode down the Atlantic coast.

Wheel full 70pxI’ve also figured that the 80 or so pounds (36 kilograms) I lost in preparing for and during the trip cost me a little less than two hundred dollars apiece when you figure in the cost of the whole trip. You can do the math- it’s why I never want to gain any of that weight back.

Three Grand? Oh Well…

Wheel full 70pxI now have the detailed price quote for the Surly Long Haul Trucker kitted out for the ride prepared by Darrin at Bike Gallery.  Here it is.

Bike quote p1 800px

Bike quote p2 800px

So that’s how you turn a $500 frameset into a $3,000+ road bike.  Note that there are front and rear racks and panniers and a handlebar bag included in that amount.  Also included is a Shimano dynamo hub and converter for generating onboard power, among a couple of other add-ons.  I’ve been assured the components chosen meet my “bulletproof” standard.  Now that I know about what my biggest item of expense will be, I will begin developing a budget for the overall trip.

Wheel full 70pxI’d like any comments that any of you who are road bike savvy and can read the item descriptions in the quote might have.  Please note that I have deliberately chosen flat instead of drop handlebars and am sticking with a classic road (i.e. hard) seat despite what I’ll suffer early on in the ride.  Call it penance for gaining all that weight since the 90s, eh?

Wheel full 70pxAgain, your recommendations, criticism, applause, whatever are urgently requested and will be very much appreciated  I’ll meet with Darrin on Thursday or Friday to confirm the order, so I need to be ready with any changes I would be persuaded to make.  Thanks in advance.

David Edgren