Touring - First touring bike...

Hey all.

I am looking at two bikes to do some light (five day long trips, staying at hostels) touring on, and I'm pretty much wondering, comfort factors aside, which would go faster/be easier to push along all those ks...

Mongoose Randonneur EX (http://www.mongoose.com/bikes/detail.php?id=224&brandLine=Pro_International&brandID=16) (looks like the Randonneur, but with more of a compact frame design) or the Trek 7300FX (http://www.trekbikes.com/bikes/2004/citybike/7300fx.jsp).

any help appreciated

Why are you considering mtn. bikes for touring?

you consider them to mountainbike like for touring? what would you recommend then?:)

There is a photo of the EX on this website:

http://www.australiancyclist.com.au/showarticle.php?s=4&a=433

and it appears to be a standard road-touring bike.

The Trek 7300, IIRC, is a flat-bar hybrid that isn't really designed for loaded touring. It might work for the kind of touring you describe in your post if you aren't going to carry much with you and are happy with a flat bar setup.

I've converted my Trek 520 to a flat bar setup and find it much more comfortable for casual long distance riding (i.e. touring instead of fast or competitive riding) than using drop bars. Some people prefer drop bars.

would the Ex be faster though?

thanks for the reply

would the Ex be faster though?

thanks for the reply

Depends on how you wish to ride and what your comfort level is.

The drop bars would allow you to get into a more aerodynamic position, which would yield higher speeds. If I recall correctly, the bike comes with very large tires (38c?), and if you got something narrower you could go a little faster.

But if you don't see yourself slumped over the handlebars all the time, but instead riding with your hands on the brake hoods, the speed difference between the EX and the Trek might bit be minimal.

If you just want speed, and don't wish to carry more than water and tools with you (and a few snacks in your pockets), then a standard road bike might be best. The EX is designed for hauling a load, and is therefore a little heavier and probably a little sluggish compared to a light tourer or sport bike.

On the other hand, a performance-oriented road bike will not be so comfortable. The frame is stiffer, the tires are thinner and less forgiving.

As always, you should go test ride these bikes. Ride each one a few miles and see how it feels. Touring bikes, sport bikes, hybrids, etc. Evaluate your needs as far as hauling cargo and the need for speed.

Good luck!

The Trek 520 is a little less expensive then the Mongoose Randonneur EX, and the 520 is made of more durable steel tubing that will also be more comfortable on long rides; plus it has a lifetime warranty-if that means anything to you.

would the Ex be faster though?

thanks for the reply


No bike will really be faster, as long as it's set up right. After all, once you put some weight on the bike, even if one is a pound or two more than the other, it will be a small piece of the overall burden.

On the other hand, some bikes are better than others. I try my damnedest not to be brand snob, but I would never buy a Mongoose for touring. Mongoose as a bad reputation for the quality of their builds and has recently issued a recalled on some 20" wheels. At your price point, there are several good options that would be better bets. Somebody already mentioned the Trek 520, which many people dearly love. Check out the reviews on roadbikereview.com for the last several years of the 520, the reviews are quite positive. By the way, you will see no reviews on the Mongoose model you are looking at. You can interpret that as you wish.

REI has two touring bikes in its Novara line that are inexpensive: the Randonee, and the Safari. The Randonee is similar to the 520 (both are chromoly steel bikes with drop bars and touring geometry, and the Safari is a trekking (off-road touring) bike with flat bars, 26" wheels, and an aluminum frame.

There is a newcomer to the block that you might want to investigate: the Surly Long Haul Trucker. You can probably get an inexpensive build on that bike, and from what I've heard it is a well thought out bike. The link for that is : http://www.surlybikes.com/longhaul.html. The bigger sizes have 700c wheels, the smaller have 26 inchers, if that makes a difference to you.

You should read the older threads in the touring and commuting forums, and check out the archives in bikelist.org (you do searches in the touring list). So many people have tried to figure this out already, no need for a new thread on it. You'll see plenty of options. The most important thing is to figure out what your size is, and I suggest four touring getting a bike with the handlebars level with the saddle.

Good luck!

In addition to the advice offered above, consider the two touring bikes that Cannondale offers. The T-700 and T-2000 (http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/04/cusa/model-4TR2.html).

thanks for the replies all, very informative.

come to the conclusion that I should probably go for a modified roadbike, suited to light touring:)