Time to take this show on the road

Time to take this show on the road again! A group of friends and I will be headed to Los Osos along the Central Coast on a 10-day tour just as great spring weather is about to make a showing. After the wet winter, I've got my fingers crossed. As a member of the Sacramento Small Wheel Society, I've decided to ride my 20" wheeled bike. Compared to traditional sized bikes, using a small wheel bike like my Bike Friday for loaded self-contained touring does have its small benefits. For example, the small bike usually looks so overloaded with all the panniers that it invokes a response from people who see it. Thus, it's a great way to start interaction with locals along the way. In addition, the smallish bike is easier to store in crowded motel rooms, storage rooms, cellars, and trains; or in a vehicle should the unexpected occur. From past road experience, it's easier to get a great draft off another bike because the small front wheel allows you to get right up on their tail. Just hope they didn't have beans for lunch. The small wheel bike handles the weight of heavily packed panniers better due to its lower center-of-gravity. Also, with my Bike Friday, I can easily swing my leg over the top tube when mounting and dismounting; a real godsend after a long long day in the saddle. Finally and not the last, it's so cute and you look like a clown on a little bike.