Originally Posted by
brotherdan
I think it depends on how soon you are planning to go cross country. If you might head out next summer, it might be wise to upgrade now, before your tour from Seattle to Sacramento. If you aren't expecting to do a cross country type tour for several years, you might be better off waiting for a few seasons before investing in a major touring bike.
+1. I leave for a tour in less than a week, and I'll be riding a bike I bought
last week - not my choice, believe me. I'll be breaking it in on a 340 mile ride. I'm also switching to drop bars from flat bars at the same time. This is an extreme case, but I would have asked that car to dart in front of me maybe a few months earlier, if they were gonna do it anyway.
I'm gonna be having the new-drivetrain blues real bad.