Touring - Build up of new frame

After several years of relative inactivity, I have started riding my bikes again. I want to build up a touring/long distance bike. I am looking at several frames, (Surley/Rivendell,Kogswell, etc) but am really having a struggle what kind of group to put on the frame. Part of me says a Shimano 105 or ultegra triple set up would be fine, but then again I am inkd of thinking that a mountain group like a deore xt would be better suited to unsupported long distance and backroads kind of riding.

Any advise out there?

I'd do a mix and match. If you're doing unsupported then IMHO you want the lowest gears you can get, and not sweat it too much if you lose a bit at the high end of the of the mix.

All the following advice is based on what I know and/or encountered with Shimano Components.
First thing is do you want to use brifters, or go with bar ends. If you use brifters, then any rear derailer will work fine with any brifter, as long as the number of gears is correct. ie, 9 speed cluster needs a 9 speed shifter, the indexing is in the shifter, not the derailer. One thing to watch for, most road DR are 'high normal' meaning that if you release the cable tension, they want to run to the smallest cog, and as you pull on the cable it goes to the largest cog. Many of the newer Mt. bike RD's are 'low normal' meaning that if you let the tension off they move to a bigger cog. If you use a 'low normal' then the brifter will work, but the action will be just bass-ackwards.

FD's are a differnt animal. Road and Mtn FD's take a different amount of cable pull to shift. You generally can't get a MTN FD to work with a road FD Shifter if the shifter is indexed. The 105 triple will work fine with a crank with 48/36/26 rings, takes a bit of tuning, but it can be done. I've not tried it with a true 44/32/22 type mt. crank, It 'may' work, but I suspect that it would be a bit finickey.

I'm planning on redoing the C-dale over the winter, full mtb gearing, brifter for the rear DR, and a barend in friction mode for the front DR. I'm going to a MTB FD, and putting the barend on the right side, so that I can make all my shifts with one hand. I've modeled out the technique and I think it will work great.

As for groups, I've got a mix, Currently XT RD, 105 triple FD, LX Treking Crank, Tiagaria Shifters, CODA V-brakes.

Hope this helps a bit. Rambled a bit, but it's been a long day.

Steve W.
Who had his class applaud him the end of the day. :)

I would add also that you need to decide what brakes you are going to use. I dislike cantilever brakes and feel that V-brakes are easier to use and stronger. But they don't work with "brifters". My setup is the following: Ultegra front derailleur, XT rear derailleur, 48/39/24 on FSA Energy crank, 11-32 XT 9 speed cassette, Ultegra bar end shifters, Diacompe 287-V brake levers (only road lever that works with V-brakes), Deore V-brakes.

For me it seems like the perfect setup - lots of braking power, simple reliable shifting, super low gears for loaded climbing.

I would add also that you need to decide what brakes you are going to use. I dislike cantilever brakes and feel that V-brakes are easier to use and stronger. But they don't work with "brifters". My setup is the following: Ultegra front derailleur, XT rear derailleur, 48/39/24 on FSA Energy crank, 11-32 XT 9 speed cassette, Ultegra bar end shifters, Diacompe 287-V brake levers (only road lever that works with V-brakes), Deore V-brakes.

For me it seems like the perfect setup - lots of braking power, simple reliable shifting, super low gears for loaded climbing.

Humm, sounds like a good mix. When it comes to components I think that most touring folk view it like ordering the Family Special at the local carryout. 1 from column A, 1 from column B, a couple off the 'ala carte' menu, and some of whatever the chef had in back :) If it works, it's good.

I was thinking about doing my crank like yours, just drop in that 24 for a super low, but was concerned about that 15 tooth jump. Any problems with it, and are you using a 'chain-minder' to make sure it doesn't drop off?

I do have to take slight exception with the 287-V's being the only road levers that work with V-brakes. They are the only ones that pull enough cable to work WITHOUT the use of the Travel Agent 'do-dad'. Believe me, not trying to flame you, when I got my C-dale (used, ebay) it was running v-brakes and Tiagra levers WITHOUT any adapters, and I couldn't understand why the brakes were so wimpy. Thanks to the forums I got squared away. If the OP decides to go with barends, you're right, the 287-V are the way to go. :)

Steve W.