Touring - My custom Giant OCR Touring

Finally got a digital pic of my bike to show everyone.

Love it! How do you like the disc brakes?

I feel safe when bombing down a trail and having to brake quite often. It's like having a solid connection with the brakes.

How are the touring handlebars working for you? I have an OCR Touring with drops and have considered changing them to the touring bars; just hadn't wanted to spend the money to buy new shifters/brakes levers. I love my disc brakes too.

Let's put it this way once you use the bar that I have on you'll never go back to any other bar. The multi-position is quite handy. If you really think about it and look at how I have it set-up, the bar gives you three basic grab position. One up close, another at the bar ends, and third one that streches you out into an aero posture. So when I am grabbing onto the part closest to me I am sitting almost straight up and that's quite a comfortable position I will say. Yet the difference from the very front of the bar really streches me out nicely when I want some wind cheating position. Or when I want to stand up and hammer up a steep hill the ends are just right for that. What more can I say. I bought the bar from Nashbar when it was at a discount for $9.99, so it wasn't exspensivel.

Actually, I have those same bars on my backup commuter, that I used until I got my OCR Touring. I agree on how useful they are. I looked at your pictures and I was trying to see what shifters and brake levers you are using. I have seen Deore brake/shifters for about $45, but I thought I would see one winter through with the stock drop bars before committing to a change. Would you mind explaining what your setup is?

Wow! Do much drinking out of a water bottle from the bottom cage? Or, is that just for refilling?

Oh... I see. The front fender helps keep stuff off of the bottle... maybe.

Wow! Do much drinking out of a water bottle from the bottom cage? Or, is that just for refilling?

Oh... I see. The front fender helps keep stuff off of the bottle... maybe.


Most touring bikes have a bottle mount under the downtube. My LHT does, Trek 520's, BG's, pretty much all of them. Fenders tend to keep them clean.

I'm using Shimano XT shifters with Avid 7 adjustable brake lever. I have these brake lever extenders added onto my levers http://www.unicycle.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=516
I added to the extender a piece of steel from a beach chair, where I cut off about four inches and pound it out to a flatter shape and then epoxy it onto the extender. I use a portion of the curve on the frame of the chair. It's something that I have been messing with for about 3 years. Works awesome because I can brake at the front of the bar as well as on the bar end part of the bar. If you decide to do this I would be glad to show you how to start. Just send me an e-mail message.

No dirt flying up on my bottles or water splashing on me while crossing the stream or rain water kicking up on me, or just anything that will cause debris to be kicked up. And it keeps the local thieves from noticing my bike for some reason. Having fenders that is, because without them before they use to follow me while I was riding through different parts of town where I live. And did you notice my Marzocchi comp '29er fork.