Touring - Braze-ons and Bike Geometry

Here is my dilema. My bicycle was retrofitted with S & S couplings in the spring. I've held off getting it re-painted. Now I am considering a 60 day self-supported tour. Since I will be re-painting the bike, do you think I should get braze-ons welded on my steel Lemond for panniers, or pull a bob trailer. I was trying to compare the geometries of a Trek 520 (which I don't own), a Trek 7500FX hybrid (first bike) and my 51" Lemond BA. I went to Sheldon Brown's website and a couple on the net in an effort to understand frame sizing and geometries. But I lack a basic understanding of the terms. What difference does the seat angle, bottom bracket, etc. make. What is shallow? Is 71.5 or 73 considered shallow? I'm pretty much lost. Do I pay for a supported tour? Buy a touring bike $1000, or a bob trailer ($$??) or can I use one of my existing bikes? I know you can buy racks that don't need braze-ons, but I would feel more comfortable knowing the rack/panniers cannot move or rattle loose.

Touring bikes have relaxed geometry to allow more comfort for long days in the saddle and longer chain stays to avoid attached panniers rubbing your heals as well as lower gearing for towing load uphill.Others can give you much more detail on this as well as where your bikes rank on this scale(or how to determine it) I am sure .However if you are comfortable riding one of your bikes high miles day in and day out given that many tour on mtn bikes with far from ideal geometry I am sure it can be done.If you have the attachment points on the rear dropouts for a rack you can get clamps for less than $1 at a LBS to attach a rear rack securely to your bike (on mine the clamps and installation were done at no extra charge). The question is is to chain stay too short that you will be rubbing against the panniers with your heel.The BOB solves this problem which is why it is popular with mtn bike tourers who generally have bikes with short chain stays.

I guess the question comes down to your budget do you want the ideal solution then spring for a touring bike equipted with panniers(some would argue for the BOB here though I am sure)or do you want a more practical solution then a hybrid with the BOB would work given you can tolerate continual 60-80 mile days in the saddle .With what I assume is a road bike IMO your best bet would be to be prepared to go fairly light either cc touring or just attaching a rear rack with minimal lightweight gear or a BOB resisting the urge to add to much weight.For the road bike you will have the heel clearance plus suitable gear issues as well as the comfort issue.

Throw a rack on your bike with the clamp on mounts that RWTD mentions above, load a bunch of weight on it and go for a ride.. The tendency is for people to sit and ponder minutae of a bike for the tour when really almost any bike can be toured. If the racks fit, and if your bike isn't an ultralight racer with ultralight parts then you'll probably be fine if you treat the bike right during the tour. One thing that is important though is being able to fit tires of around 32 wide or greater for load carrying ability, comfort and flat control. Oh yeah and of course, a granny gear! (28-32 min IMHO)

I met 4 other tourers while on my trip.. 2 were on mountain bikes and had been out for 2 months with no problems, one was on a hybrid who had just begun his month long tour (and had years of touring on the bike already) and the last was also on a mountain bike . . had crossed Canada west to east and had two months to go!! RIde what'cha got!

so I guess its up to budget. Go for a sweet touring bike if you can ($$) but if this is a once in a lifetime trip use what you've got. You and your Lemond will become even bester of friends over the two months!

just do it
~Steve

Thanks guys, I'll probably have to buy something. I have race lite wheels on the bike. I use armadillo tires, a trunk rack and a couple of batteries (one is a lead acid-heavy battery) and a trunk rack when I communte which really slows me down. I'm not skinny and I worry that it is too much weight. So, I will probably have to buy a heavier wheel set for the Lemond. I really don't like the Trek 7500FX. I use different muscles when I ride that bike, more quads above the knee. On the Lemond, I use glutes, upper side muscles (?) and upper quads. I priced panniers, and they cost more than a bob. So by the time I add up a new wheel set or Trek520, and either a bob or panniers, I'll probably go with an organized tour. Just feel like I might be missing something, you know freedom of choice on the route and mileage. Well, I have till next spring.