Biking in Maine (Portland, South Portland, Brunswick: sale, how much, home)

[Boomerang]

Hi everybody,

Took our bikes out for the first time (this year) today. We tried out the Eastern Trail in Scarborough first.

The established route crosses the marsh and leads to Black Point Road (BP Road is really too busy, at least on Memorial Day weekend for my liking). From there you can continue following the Eastern Trail along roadways towards Cape Elizabeth, South Portland, etc. Walking across the marsh is a good long stretch of the legs. Biking, you're across it too fast . We turned around after riding BP Road for awhile and headed back toward the marsh trail head on Route #9 near the Scarborough Nature Center.

A brand new portion of the trail currently under construction goes in the opposite direction, towards OOB. We gave it a shot but it's not yet graded/packed and is similar to trying to bike on beach sand at present. But it does lead to some quieter side roads and we're anxious to see what it's like when finished.

On our way home we stopped in Brunswick and biked around town for awhile, just for fun. Pretty flat there and nice quiet side streets to enjoy.

Most thrilling part of the day? Stopping at L.L. Beans on a hunch to buy a new bike rack! We use a trunk-mounted model since we don't have a trailer hitch or adequate roof mounting possibilities on either car. Originally we bought a cheap trunk rack at our local bike shop ---- a real monster, that took at least 45 minutes to put on the car, get the bikes on, stuff blankets or other padding between the bikes to keep them from damaging each other, then bungie the whole mess down and hope it didn't fall off along the way. Then you get to your destination and have to unwrap it all. Going home, another 20-30 minutes putting it all back together again. The thought of going biking was filling me with the dread of fighting with the beastly rack. It's not really safe to bike right out of our door as some of the roads can be fairly busy at times, with no paved shoulder to ride on. So we take the bikes to parks or other quiet areas.

So at Bean's I run in and say, please tell me you sell a rack that both protects the bikes adequately and lets me put them on/off in like 5 minutes. They pointed me to a Thule model that fits the bill perfectly. It's like getting a washing machine after years of washing your clothes in the river. Heavenly. Once the rack is on, you can put the bikes on or take them off in about a minute. I almost never spend money on anything but the barest necessities. But sometimes I feel like the torture of using some bad quality thing that just doesn't work is worth every penny of the cost of replacing it with something that makes your life easier and more enjoyable.

Best of all, I reluctantly checked the price of the bike rack online when we got home. I figured holy cow, I'm going to kick myself when I see how much I could have saved by buying it somewhere online. Well --- color me hang-jawed, because Beans was actually cheaper than almost all of the websites, and the best savings I could find was $2-$5 cheaper. Considering I vastly prefer to do business face to face, especially if something isn't quite right out of the box or I want advice, I'm feeling pretty good about this purchase.

Oh --- for any bike fanatics out there, Beans had their yearly old-model clearance sale of bikes a few weeks ago. They had a boatload of last year's Specialized bikes for dirt cheap; some really beautiful machines. One salesperson told us that the bikes were flying out of there as soon as the sale began. I need more bikes like I need 2 heads, but....just can't help admiring them anyway

Anyone have special places they like to go biking in Maine?

[Maineah]

I haven't had my dirt bike out yet, just the road bike. The dirt bike needs a new battery but I haven't bothered putting one in yet. I need to change the fork fluid and seals too. I built the engine myself two years ago. It's a 175 though I have my sights on a 250 four stroke.
There are some great enduro quality trails off the route 201 powerlines in Topsham.
There are also some good long trails in the Waterboro area and more in Turner. On some of the railroad beds you can hit 50+ mph quite easily. There are also some good sand pits in the area though you'll need at least a 175 to make some of the higher walls.
I had been hauling the bike and riding gear in the back of the truck though now that I have a cap installed I think I'll build a three bike trailer to haul behind. The old truck had a bed extender which worked well as a place to corral mud covered clothing,riding boots and other gear like leaky gas tanks.
Oh you were talking about BICYCLES??? Kids ride Bicycles.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

I went to the new Cabelas last week. I didn't see one single bicycle in the whole place. Gotta love it. About 15 years ago LL Bean took a hard left turn and never looked back.

[Boomerang]

Originally Posted by Maineah

I haven't had my dirt bike out yet, just the road bike. Kids ride Bicycles.

Hmmm.....well, if I'm a kid - and rather long in the tooth to be a kid, I might add then what does that make the folks who stick to motorized models? Old folks? (insert innocent look here). Just askin'

Cycling is good exercise! All my relatives overseas use their bikes for daily transportation as well as recreation, and some are 70+. My brothers-in-law (in their 60's) do cycling-camping trips through France and Italy every summer. I'm not so fanatical that I'm willing to spend every night for 3-4 weeks in a pup tent, but I do enjoy scenic day rides.

Yesterday we biked to Songo Lock from Sebago Lake State Park and spent some time watching boats go through the lock.

There's a lot more to cycling nowadays than the single speed 50-lb bikes many of us rode back in the day. Bikes are faster, lighter, with suspension and good gear ratios for climbing Maine hills. You don't need to buy a racing bike and wear spandex shorts to have a good time Best of all --- you can outbike the skeeters!

[peachie_in_maine]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

I went to the new Cabelas last week. I didn't see one single bicycle in the whole place. Gotta love it. About 15 years ago LL Bean took a hard left turn and never looked back.

Hold the phone.. where's the new Cabelas????? I love to save on shipping if I can just go for a afternoon drive.

Oh, and Boomerang, hows that new rack looking?


I have bought gel seats after gel seats. I always ache when I bike. Any one want to tell an ole "peach" what works the best for a seat. I gave up my bike about 5 years ago to walking the miles instead and I miss the distance a bike would take me.

Tami~peachie

[Boomerang]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

I went to the new Cabelas last week. I didn't see one single bicycle in the whole place. Gotta love it. About 15 years ago LL Bean took a hard left turn and never looked back.

Ooh, then I hate to blow it for you --- Cabelas sells bikes online
Not any recognizable brands, but they do have them....

[Boomerang]

Originally Posted by peachie_in_maine

Hold the phone.. where's the new Cabelas????? I love to save on shipping if I can just go for a afternoon drive.
Oh, and Boomerang, hows that new rack looking?
I have bought gel seats after gel seats. I always ache when I bike. Any one want to tell an ole "peach" what works the best for a seat. I gave up my bike about 5 years ago to walking the miles instead and I miss the distance a bike would take me.Tami~peachie

The new Cabelas is in Scarborough, on Payne Road (past jct of 114 going south).
They have satellite parking lots and everything right now...haven't been there but it looks pretty impressive.

The new bike rack is looking darned good to me. Coming back from Sebago Lake, rain was threatening, and it was so nice to just hop off the bikes, toss 'em on the rack and go before the deluge. Bean's photo of it doesn't show the anti-sway cages that lock the downtube to the rack, but this website does Thule Speedway bike racks: #961XT or #962XT rear trunk or hatchback bike rack, speed way bicycle carriers

Gel seats: I've only had 1 that ever worked for me, made by Avocet. Very expensive by my standards: $65 at the time - and I stupidly let it go when I sold that particular bike No brain, much pain P.S. I've read a lot of reports about gels in general having the capacity to be more painful than a regular saddle for various reasons.

A lot of Bike Forum people swear by Brooks saddles. One website claimed their least-returned model was the B-17 saddle, about $80. Gulp. (At least they're returnable if it doesn't work out). They're all leather with springs - old fashioned types - made in England. The idea is that the saddle conforms to you and then you both live happily ever after.

Next year I'm going to the big used bike swap event at USM-Portland. I hear people get some very good bargains on bikes and bike equipment and accessories there.

You know what, cycling isn't any different from hunting and fishing when it comes down to the enjoyment people get out of it. It all comes down to having fun with the "toys" that go with the sport as much as the sport itself I grew up around guys who could spend the better part of each winter discussing the merits of different guns, scopes, hunting boots, lures, rods, boat motors, and so on. So I don't feel the least bit guilty or leftish for enjoying my bike.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Two for the price of one Peachie:

The new Cabelas is in Scarborough. It's just off the Maine Mall exit from the Pike. There are signs to direct you.

As to bicycle seats, Get a set of old handlebars with parallel handles. Sew some stout nylon material to them and you will have essentially a bench seat for your bicycle. It worked great for my wife several years ago.

[Maineah]

I have nothing against bicycles. I own three. I do call them bicycles so as not to confuse my friends when talking about real bikes (motorcycles). As for excercise Bruce Jenner used to train riding motocross as he said there was no better physical workout on the planet. He's just an olympic medalist after all so why would he know anything.
I equate the influx of helmet and spandex clad ninnies in our state parks as nothing less than annoying. Equal to that of skateboard nerds in the city. You could make a bicycle out of unobtanium if you want to but it's still a bicycle in the end. Adults should act like adults and kids should act like kids. Watching "grown ups" doing things on bicycles that we did as 10 years olds (because we were not old enough for a REAL motorcycle) makes me cringe."Mommy look at me I went over the big bump on my mountain bike!!" Grow up...and get out of the parks with the damn things! Spandex cowboys! I still do find pleasure in roosting mud and rocks at bicycle babies when ever I see one on an ATV or real dirtbike trail. Some people never grow up I guess.

[peachie_in_maine]

Originally Posted by Maineah

I have nothing against bicycles. I own three. I do call them bicycles so as not to confuse my friends when talking about real bikes (motorcycles). As for excercise Bruce Jenner used to train riding motocross as he said there was no better physical workout on the planet. He's just an olympic medalist after all so why would he know anything.
I equate the influx of helmet and spandex clad ninnies in our state parks as nothing less than annoying. Equal to that of skateboard nerds in the city. You could make a bicycle out of unobtanium if you want to but it's still a bicycle in the end. Adults should act like adults and kids should act like kids. Watching "grown ups" doing things on bicycles that we did as 10 years olds (because we were not old enough for a REAL motorcycle) makes me cringe."Mommy look at me I went over the big bump on my mountain bike!!" Grow up...and get out of the parks with the damn things! Spandex cowboys! I still do find pleasure in roosting mud and rocks at bicycle babies when ever I see one on an ATV or real dirtbike trail. Some people never grow up I guess.

I never looked at it that way.