Touring - need advice...deciding btw. 2 bikes?

hello all... im looking for some advice as to which bike to use for my tour coming up. i will mostly be on paved roads, but forsee me riding gravel and dirt paths at times along the way. i have 2 bikes right now that both ride really nicely and from what i can tell (im a newbie though remember :) they both have potential to be great touring bikes. heres what i got, along with a link to see their specs. (great vintage trek site)


-1984 Trek 520
www.vintage-trek.com/TrekBrochure1984Touring.htm#23 (#20 for pic)

-1987 Trek 400 Elance T
www.vintage-trek.com/TrekBrochure1987.htm#23 (#13 for pic)


Any advice or troubleshooting is greatly appreciated :)

Hi,
tough call. No way to do it from here. But, I can give you me 2 cents onthe subject.
1)The T will be more fun to ride
2)The 520 will be better heavily loaded
3)If one bike is in a lot better shape than the other....get the good one
4) The T looks like it uses standard brakes, if you want a fender that limits you to 28c tires. I happen to love 28c tires; but I am unusual.
5)With EITHER bike I would do the same thing I am doing with my 20 year old Fuji... I am adding a Brooks B17 Champion Special saddle/new ergo bar like the Ritchey Biomax/clipless pedals/Conti Top Touring tires/Specialized Bar Phat (I am using something similar)/and a conversion to bar end shifters. Whew.

hello all... im looking for some advice as to which bike to use for my tour coming up. i will mostly be on paved roads, but forsee me riding gravel and dirt paths at times along the way. i have 2 bikes right now that both ride really nicely and from what i can tell (im a newbie though remember :) they both have potential to be great touring bikes. heres what i got, along with a link to see their specs.

I own two Trek 520s, an 88 and a 96, and will attest to their durability and ride qualities. Both are great bikes. Trek completely changed the geometry and specs on the bike somewhere around 92/93. The earlier frame has more flex than the later model. Mostly, this only matters to purists but could be an issue in some situations if heavily loaded.

thanks for the responses... the elance is in better condition than the 520. i noticed a very small dent in the top tube of the 520 yesterday...i took it to a shop to get their opinion and told me it was nothing to worry about at all... (too itty bitty of a dent) This still makes me a bit nervous... my gut tells me to go with the elance t, though the 520 feels nicer to ride. My shifters right now are on the top tube... whew, this has been a learning experience!
anyone use these while touring? opinions?

i appreciate your help alot, cheers!

Hi,
"feels nicer to ride" That's your bike. Enjoy.

"feels nicer to ride" That's your bike. Enjoy....... i wish it was this easy :)
ive been weighing out the pros and cons, and though the 520 'feels' better, the frame has alot more wear and tear. i would have to switch out the handlebars and put drops in, theres eyelets for only 1 water bottle cage.. Also, it has 27" wheels (im not sure actually, but im thinking that finding tires this size in other countries could be problematic?) Im also wondering if the Suntour components on the 520 are ok? if i should worry about their compatibility to newer components if they need to be fixed or switched or whatever else i know nothing about and could possibly do??? (yarg) :)

thanks so much yall

Hmmm,
see what you mean. I had Suntour on a bike 10 years ago, loved it. No idea about replacement parts. One of the better tires in the 27" size is the Conti Top Touring, they last a long time. I am surprised there is only one bottle cage.
If the T is in a lot better shape, you might try a different stem to get a better fit. The Nitto Technomics lets you really get the bars a lot higher if that's your wish.