Down East Circle Cruise?

[gulfcoast john]

Tom,

Re your search for a seriously capable full size folding bike…
We have heavily used a pair of Montague Paratrooper folders for the past 25 years. They are the same bikes that the Marine paratroopers jump out of planes with one tied to their back, but theirs have more titanium and less aluminum (I wish I could buy one).

We sometimes bike the saltwater Gulf beaches at low tide and just hose ‘em off and spray on some Boeing Shield. We only use 7 of the 21 gears and converted the mountain tires to trail tires. Last major maintenance was 7 years ago with new rubber, SS chains and tune ups. We’ve had lots of bikes, but they NEVER before lasted 25 years. (Our tastes are simple...we like The Best).

It’s an easy 30-60 seconds total folding operation. They COULD be stashed folded in canvas and secured to the bow rails to conserve cockpit space, but we haven’t done that. We stash them in the truck when boating. Stashing a single one in the cockpit would be easy when cruising. Mock up the web site folded dimensions in cardboard to try it (and now a rubber drive belt? How cool is that for saltwater)? Today we biked 20 miles on base. Our bikes are scratched but indestructible. The pro-rated cost per year over 25 years (to date, and these bikes, like us, hopefully still have a lot of life left)...a bargain.

Agree with Bob that many if not most bike trails near waterways would be best done with ‘trail’ bikes, not “mountain” bikes. Most of the canal old mule trails that run alongside the Trent-Severn and Erie and Canadian canals are often hardpack gravel or dirt rather than asphalt. Some Looper crews will trade places driving the boat and biking for exercise while in sight of each other.

Don’t give up on a quality full size folder until you research a Montague. If a Marine can parachute out of a plane with one, assemble it under fire in the dark and scramble with a bunch of other heavy gear, perhaps it will meet your needs, too!

Happy Shopping!
John

[Moxieabs]

You could enter the Bras d'Or Lake at the north end of Cape Breton and exit the lake at the south end. Or do what Bob suggested the Canso Canal using Prince Edward Island for protection from large seas.

Dave

[tparrent]

I'd forgotten about the Paratrooper. Looked at it briefly when I was living in an apartment in New York but ended up getting a regular bike instead (bikes are perfectly acceptable as furniture in NYC apartments).

Price doesn't look too bad either. Your recommendation for rideability is a real plus.

Thanks!

[tparrent]

Bras d'Or is definitely on the list.

I've Google Earthed the whole area and there are certainly some passages without good bailout options in the wrong wind conditions. Just need to keep a real close eye on the weather and look windows to get through those areas in a hurry on a calm, clear day.

If it was all easy, it wouldn't be much of an adventure!

[Robert H. Wilkinson]

[quote="tparrent"]Bras d'Or is definitely on the list.

Growing up near the birthplace of Alexander Graham Bell we learned about this brackish sea in an island. It was where many of his inventions were tested. Many "firsts" were recorded here as well as many world records broken both in the air and on the water. His hydrofoil set a world speed record of over 70mph in 1919.

Enjoy the heritage of this beautiful area.

Regards,

Rob

[hardee]