What 2 Ride on your Dalmac

Today, I was thinking about bikes of Dalmac past.  It would seem presumptuous of me to tell you what to ride on Dalmac.  I have seen and sold a variety of the bikes on Dalmac over the years.  It's been 10 years since my first Dalmac, I feel I have earned the right share my advice with you.  Before I do, I wanted to talk about the bikes I have ridden on Dalmac.  

My first 2 years I rode a rigid steel 1994 Barracuda mountain bike. Dalmackers would say "wow! your on a Mountain Bike, must be hard to go 90 miles on that"    I felt I had a secret that no one had ever discovered.  It was hard, but I was comfortable.   I loved this bike, and it went up The Wall without drama.  It could also go fast downhill.  Unfortunately for me the friends I rode with the first two episodes both rode road bikes.  I would make it to lunch spent, my legs hurt and I would ride the afternoon by myself.   My friends would get into camp about 1pm unload my bags for me (Rick) and I would roll in about 2pm exhausted and wonder where everybody was. 

My third and forth editions were spent on a 2005 Specialized Sirrus Pro hybrid .  This hybrid was fast with Mavic 700c Speed City's, an Ultegra compact drive drain and Hydraulic Disc brakes.   I rode with my Dad on his superlight Trek 8000 Easton EA60 ProGram aluminum Mountain Bike.  That was the year we rode the East Route.    I rode with Aaron on his vintage Giant steel bike the next year.  I remember 2007 as the year I was quoted as saying.  "This is my first day of training for the Dalmac" as we left the MSU Pavilion.

#5 was spent on the Seven, Aaron had a Lemond.  Greg was on the Cannondale Tandem with Andy, everyone else just wanted to go our pace, Tony amazed me with his endurance on his Mountain Bike.

My advice, ride the same wheel size that your friend has. You will hear a lot less bitching.