Touring - Can I get your opinion?

Well ... What do you think about a Bridgestone MB5 as a touring bike?

This is my beater that I loan to everyone. Now its new mission is to tour on the weekends.

What have I done you ask? Well ... for less than 200 bucks I've put axiom fenders, racks, panniers, compass bell and a greenfield kickstand. Still left to be done ... Brooks saddle, handle bar extensions, 170 cranks, relight wheel magnet led front and back, new wheel set for when these buy the farm and some schwalbe tires. So honesty another 250 bucks (without the wheel set) to finish the set-up.

Thoughts ... suggestions ... guidance ... smart-el'lick remarks :innocent:

Looks like it will do great. Got a plan for a first tour with it?

Looks like it will do great. Got a plan for a first tour with it?

Current plans, and this may sound bad, are to haul (with a car) the bike to one of my favorite national forests. It's very hilly so I'm going to pack very light and give it a weekend of touring and camping to evaluate things.

If the gearing is good. Then no change needed. If gearing is off then I'll just do more upgrading as needed.

I'm new to touring so I'll be doing some two and three day stuff in the beginning. Its mainly going to be used for on and off road touring. And, by off road I mean established fire/gravel/dirt/park/etc roads. So, in reality I can make good use of the frame and components.

It might even turn into my short distance commuter and grocery hauler. :D

Sounds like a good plan honeycomb. Nothing wrong with a good shakedown cruise. It will sure allow you to figure out what you like and don't like about your current set up. Just think of it as backpacking with a bike. You'll learn lots even on two day trips. Have a blast.

FWIW, I've got an old Bridgestone MB-2 loaned out to a friend. I used it on several tours when I knew I was going to doing a fair bit of riding on unpaved roads. The only thing I really modified was the handlebars. It worked out well.

the best advise ive ever heard towards the proper bike to start touring is the one already in your garage.

Once you get more and more into it buying a specialized bike towards touring makes alot of sense. One thing I have noticed in helping alot of people purchase bikes for different types of riding (work in a shop) is that even if they have an almost unlimited budget they still cant tell you what they like and dont like in a bike. Experience is key is finding the perfect bike so I always say ride the hell out of what you already have, decide what you like and dont like and then consider a more specific bike after that.

FWIW, I've got an old Bridgestone MB-2 loaned out to a friend. I used it on several tours when I knew I was going to doing a fair bit of riding on unpaved roads. The only thing I really modified was the handlebars. It worked out well.

What did you use?

(As a point of reference: I have grip shift so I thought about adding just ergo bar ends to maintain the grip shift.)

What did you use?

(As a point of reference: I have grip shift so I thought about adding just ergo bar ends to maintain the grip shift.)

Ergons are OK, but long bar ends that curve in at the tips are more useful. They give you some variety in reach. You end up with 4 or so positions - the flats, the corner where the flats and bar ends join, the body of the bar end, and the curved-in tips.

Consider also shortening your handlebars a little if they are really wide.

I caved and went the LHT route (but I bought it slightly used!) but mtn bikes are a great choice for touring since they have comfortable geometry and usually have adequately low gearing already.

The bike should do great for touring, and like you said, should at least be great for around town utility cycling.