@simon_k

I would need actual diameter of that tire to test I am not familiar with the 650c size. I have 50-80mm front suspension, rebound dampening adjust only. I could see on a rigid diamond frame CX tires getting old and painful fast.

Congrats on your attempt!! My riding partner is in late 70's or early 80s and he is strong (recreational club rider) but I hadn't considered him doing the TDR because of his age and dietary requirements. But he grew up in the mountain states and was a real outdoorsman so maybe I should mention it to him.

Have fun good luck, and wave at the trike when you see me go bye.

@Simon_K thanks for your comments and opinions, these trike designs we are developing are unlike anything you have seen before.

Ok since it was brought up what about 622x33mm and 622x34mm cross tires? I have been doing more testing and training on a couple trikes (no weight on rear wheel) waiting for the factory to send me the next pre-production sample and I was loosing traction spinning the rear wheel in terrain I knew I would have to climb on the TDR.

I went and got some CX tires a few different well accepted brands and tread designs to test and my current rides won't take anything in a 700c larger than 34mm so that is what I had to work with. I have no idea about the durability in rocks and goat heads by they can be run tubeless are very fast and light with strong but subtle 120tpi sidewalls.

So what is your opinion of a CX tire, I can't run a 2.1 on my trike with out design changes in 29", I could if I went down to 26" though. So forget this is a trike and lets hear about tires.  

Ok lets here the ups and downs of these new Fat Bike Tires from QBP brands (surley/salsa/45N).

I would just use a Schlumpff 2 speed crank or the new Patterson crank from SRAM.

@T-Race, how was it on the tandem, was there any sections that were hike and bike or that were not feasible for the tandem, what training did you do together to get use to riding the tandem? One video on Youtube suggested you only had a month to get use to the bike.

I am considering a tandem for 2013.

I still can't get the idea of doing it on a tandem out of my head.

For TDR I will probably double that that plus some trail mix and fruit, between stops. Since it's my first TDR I will carry more than I think I will need. Off to go train on the dirt.

Speaking of training it's time to go hit the trail I was lazy yesterday and only did 40 miles on a paved rail trail. So today it's hit the nature park mountain bike trails for high intensity short interval work.

understandable.

@BobM As to TDR I have been studying them for months along with google earth and GPS files.

My comment was about my general experience in long routes, I was saying to the OP you can do unsupported Ultras if you wanted to without carrying all your food or using UPSPS drops. I think according to the route guide posted yesterday by a former racer the longest distance was like 130 miles.

Yes I have been aware of her tour for a long time she isn't the only recumbent triker to do the route. But I am not riding a recumbent that would be a different set of challenges.

I don't even know what gluten is but I do know my mom who has thyroid and diabetic issues can't have it. I eat what I want but have started doing steamed rice and veggies and cutting out all junk food which for me is not very much at all. Got rid of all fast food and greasy foods much better for my tummy. Looks like I can start eating candy bars on rides now though, I must admit sometimes after 20 Powerbars a nice crispy Reese's FastBreak, Wafer Sticks, and Nutrageous bars are very tasty.

I have done several organized double centuries, some 50K road races, and some underground cyclocross events all without carrying any more food than a few power bars in case of an emergency. I don't ever use food stops if available at event rides or any of there services. The lines slow me down and I never like the food selection. I ride self supported from town to town. The only thing I would consider sending to USPS offices is some spare parts, and batteries if budget allowed.

I can do the STP Bicycle classic each year in between 9-17 hours unsupported with very little training. I usually wait for my riding buddies on first 100 and use that as a warm up to go barn storming the second which I have done in under 4 hours. I don't carry anything more than 1 spare tube, Park multi-tool, zipties, and an emergency patch kit. I use about 3-5 20oz bottles of water and gatorade per 100 miles, I eat at subway at 100 miles and snack on fruit and power bars between. I don't even have a bag or rack on my trike, just 3 water bottle racks, and a small Pedros recycle inner tube seat bag for my tube,tool, and patches.

It is very easy to do self supported rides town to town with a few simple reserves like powerbars and hammer gels. I find that eating a good carb heavy dinner the night before helps me as I don't like to start a ride on a full stomach.

Notice most people don't ride like me and nee more calories more often. I am an anomaly:)

Until today I assumed that front suspension would be a requirement for TDR; but after going through older posts from 2010-11 TDR riders I have seen where several have switched to carbon rigid forks or full rigid Ti and steel.

@Phil_Rad, Yes suspension on front wheels. We are shooting for 24-27 lbs. complete for my bike.

I love rail beds have ridden and found many long forgotten rail lines here in the PNW. Max trike width is 30inches. I do fine on single track, I looked at Sheppards Picsaweb stream. The jeep trails, fleecer, and some sections of rocky trail in NewMexico all look like a blast for a trike.

http://picasaweb.google.com/100868251972982348537/TDR?gsessionid=UpaIGPT52qPd3R7ZA0PFzA#

@denisVTT,  what makes it hard going down is it the grade or trail conditions. I have been down A-line at Whistler bike park how would that compare videos of that are on youtube.

@TheArtist, Thx for the info! My only real concerns are very steep loose climbs, where traction is an issue. Or long sustained climbs where I may loose momentum and have to hike-a-bike. The only sand I have ridden is on beaches and that is where allot of recumbent trikes are used. I generally fair better than a bike in sand because i have more wheels.

Can anyone give me detailed info about route areas that may be technically challenging or impassable on a 30" width trike? I would love to see pics and video these areas. I have ridden cyclo-cross events and toured some scary roads, routes, trails in Asia and on a low trike so I can hike-a-bike and ride single track. I am particularly interested in sections that may not be physically passable with a trikes size.

I have read accounts of several recumbent and recumbent trike riders than have done the route and they had no issues on much larger heavier, and road oriented machines. But I want to get a better feel for the most demanding sections. I have ridden A-line at Whistler at 45mph on a trike, thats a groomed fire road compared to my riding in Asia.