Touring - Questions & Suggestions

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gary c
08-08-07, 09:10 AM
I am thinking about doing some touring.
Questions
1. I have a Trex carbon fiber road bike with a triple crankset. There are no eyelets for bags & racks. so if I use this bike I would have to have a trailer. Will a carbon frame get too much stress on the rear stays pulling a trailer?
2. I also have a old aluminum mountian bike with slick on the wheels for road riding. I only have straight bars so if I use this bike do I want to change the handlebars to curved road bars or get the bar horn type extensions. Just riding with the straight bars seems to get tiring real quick without hand changing positions.
The road bike is by far the most comfortable and fastest to ride unloaded. Not sure about the loaded issue.
Thanks for any help

cyccommute
08-08-07, 12:03 PM
I am thinking about doing some touring.
Questions
1. I have a Trex carbon fiber road bike with a triple crankset. There are no eyelets for bags & racks. so if I use this bike I would have to have a trailer. Will a carbon frame get too much stress on the rear stays pulling a trailer?

I'd be cautious on the use of a carbon fiber bike for loaded touring. You are going to be putting some odd stress on the frame that it probably wasn't designed for. Metal bikes aren't necessarily designed for the stresses either but they tend to be over built for what the bike has to do anyway. I'd check with Trek first.


2. I also have a old aluminum mountian bike with slick on the wheels for road riding. I only have straight bars so if I use this bike do I want to change the handlebars to curved road bars or get the bar horn type extensions. Just riding with the straight bars seems to get tiring real quick without hand changing positions.
The road bike is by far the most comfortable and fastest to ride unloaded. Not sure about the loaded issue.
Thanks for any help

This is probably a better choice. For handlebars you could get barends or trekking bars. Going with drop bars would require new brakes and shifters...not a cheap option. It's doable but not terribly cheap.
DevLaVaca
08-09-07, 01:56 PM
Bar ends are cheaper and easier to install, but trekking bars are more comfortable.

Don't even bother going to drop bars. Drop bar components are hugely overpriced compared to flat bar components. It would be cheaper to buy a used road bike.

audsnico
08-09-07, 02:18 PM
I am thinking about doing some touring.
Questions
1. I have a Trex carbon fiber road bike with a triple crankset. There are no eyelets for bags & racks. so if I use this bike I would have to have a trailer. Will a carbon frame get too much stress on the rear stays pulling a trailer?

You could also do an ultralight credit card tour. Put a couple changes of clothes and toiletries into a bag that fits under the seat, and stay at hostels/motels/etc. instead of camping. You could at least try that for a weekend and see how you like it before buying a trailer or buying new handlebars for the mountain bike.