Touring - what do you think about my mercier Kilo WT5 as a tourer?

I have put a few hundred miles on it, and find it to be a comfortable and moderately relaxed riding position. It has a sturmey archer IGH 5 speed, that has a really great gear range, and has fender mounts, and rack mounts front and back. I wouldn't be looking to do anything more than just a few weekend camping trips during good weather.

The geometry is close to that of a Surly CC and even closer geometry with the Surly Pacer, except the CC is 2 inches longer overall and has about an inch longer chain stays. Everything else is almost exactly the same. I know a lot of guys are using the Surly CC as touring bikes.

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/kilott_wt5.htm

Should be fine.Do you want to add racks? or tow a trailer.?

I'd like to have a rear rack capable of carrying panniers, but I don't think I'd ever do enough long distance touring to need a front rack and panniers. I have no plans of towing a trailer with this bike; I tow my kid hauler with my MTB.

If you can Ride it all day long, for a couple weeks at a time, it's a touring bike.

You may want to alter the gear range lower,
by exchanging bigger gear on the hub and/or a smaller one on the crank .
So as to not over gear the whole set too high.

and unless the weather always is dry every time you go anywhere, some mudguards ..

BD bikes have not gotten more than quick factory assembly, By definition.

I go over the whole bike and redo the assembly, myself to know it's right
before I depend on it to go out in the places
far from having anyone else help with repairs.

front and rear racks to balance the load helps,
4 small bags rather than 2 big ones on the rear.

If you can Ride it all day long, for a couple weeks at a time, it's a touring bike.

:thumb:

The geometry is close to that of a Surly CC and even closer geometry with the Surly Pacer, except the CC is 2 inches longer overall and has about an inch longer chain stays. Everything else is almost exactly the same. I know a lot of guys are using the Surly CC as touring bikes.


http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/kilott_wt5.htm

it's good that it can take 35mm tires but it's essentially a road bike with 120mm rear spacing. The 15.7" chainstays are 1" shorter than the CrossCheck at it's most forward position, if you shove the rear wheel to the back of the dropouts on the CC you have an effective chainstay length of 17.7". If you're of average weight I'm sure the frame and wheels could carry 30lbs but the important thing would be to distribute the weight towards the center/front of the bike and not cantilevered off the back end with conventional panniers.
I'd use it with the idea of light weight touring. If you use a rear rack don't use conventional panniers, stack the gear in compression sacks as close to the underside of your saddle without interfering with thighs. Attach compression bag holding sleeping bag under bars, not cantilevered out with a bar bag. Search around for a minimal front minirack to put a compression bag on top of or spring for a lowrider and small front panniers for bigger loads. Basically the less gear you carry that's well secured to the bike and close to your mass the more you get to enjoy a quick handling road bike, the more you cantilever weight far from your mass (w. rear panniers) the worse the handling will get and the farther you take the bike from its intended use.
When I did tours up and down the coast of Ca. it was with a road bike with similar geometry, since it wasn't raining and I wasn't carrying a tent or cooking gear my total load was less than 15lbs. Blackburn rack on the rear with sleeping bag, army surplus poncho and camppad. Front bag had a few spare clothes. Wallet in sandwich bag and food in jersey pockets.

I doubled the gear range on my AW3 IG hub by putting a Schlumpf Mountain drive crankset on My Brompton.

the low gear is a planetary, so you don't change the chainline.

The low gear is a internal planetary, so it's like having a 50t 20t crankset.

I can climb mountains with it now, though I often like a nice walk instead.

it's good that it can take 35mm tires but it's essentially a road bike with 120mm rear spacing. The 15.7" chainstays are 1" shorter than the CrossCheck at it's most forward position, if you shove the rear wheel to the back of the dropouts on the CC you have an effective chainstay length of 17.7". If you're of average weight I'm sure the frame and wheels could carry 30lbs but the important thing would be to distribute the weight towards the center/front of the bike and not cantilevered off the back end with conventional panniers.
I'd use it with the idea of light weight touring. If you use a rear rack don't use conventional panniers, stack the gear in compression sacks as close to the underside of your saddle without interfering with thighs. Attach compression bag holding sleeping bag under bars, not cantilevered out with a bar bag. Search around for a minimal front minirack to put a compression bag on top of or spring for a lowrider and small front panniers for bigger loads. Basically the less gear you carry that's well secured to the bike and close to your mass the more you get to enjoy a quick handling road bike, the more you cantilever weight far from your mass (w. rear panniers) the worse the handling will get and the farther you take the bike from its intended use.
When I did tours up and down the coast of Ca. it was with a road bike with similar geometry, since it wasn't raining and I wasn't carrying a tent or cooking gear my total load was less than 15lbs. Blackburn rack on the rear with sleeping bag, army surplus poncho and camppad. Front bag had a few spare clothes. Wallet in sandwich bag and food in jersey pockets.

My goal for this bike would be for weekend camping (between 50-75 miles from home, 2nights max) so I shouldn't need 30+ pounds of gear. When I'm ready and able to do week long or longer trips, I'll spring for a true touring style bike, that's intended for long hauls and heavy loads. So do you think the bike (from a structural standpoint) will handle 15-20lbs of gear, when packed right?

Thanks for your advice.

My goal for this bike would be for weekend camping (between 50-75 miles from home, 2nights max) so I shouldn't need 30+ pounds of gear. When I'm ready and able to do week long or longer trips, I'll spring for a true touring style bike, that's intended for long hauls and heavy loads. So do you think the bike (from a structural standpoint) will handle 15-20lbs of gear, when packed right?

Thanks for your advice.

no problem,it's not the weight that's the limit, it's the relatively shortwheelbase and chainstays that make solo rear pannier placement awkward. Simply move the weight closer to your mass and make it well secured. Touring on racing road bikes with light loads is no problem if you're not trying to take huge pannier loads . I'd get some basic cheap rear rack and possibly a front rack like this that you could secure with p-clamps on the fork blades. Cram a sleeping bag into compression sack and put it on this rack then put the rest on the back rack, no panniers needed.

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/accessories/racks-decaleurs/racks/vo-randonneur-front-rack-stainless-steel.html

I have put a few hundred miles on it, and find it to be a comfortable and moderately relaxed riding position. It has a sturmey archer IGH 5 speed, that has a really great gear range, and has fender mounts, and rack mounts front and back. I wouldn't be looking to do anything more than just a few weekend camping trips during good weather.
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http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/kilott_wt5.htm

I put the numbers in Sheldon's calculator and it seems a little high for 5 speed. The 50' inch 1st gear is not low enough. You'll be riding in 2nd gear most of the time.

Inches

1-----54
2-----63
3-----81
4-----102
5-----121

Buying Sheldon's 23T cog, the numbers are much better. You'll spend most of your time in 3rd gear giving you two lower gears for climbing.


1----37.6
2----44.5
3---- 56.3
4---- 71.4
5-----84.5

Rather than Panniers, a Big British Saddle bag., like Carradice camper long flap,
Plus a good sized handlebar bag ,
will cope with the short rear stays, just have to shrink your 'must have' list to fit.

FWIW, With the mountain drive , my 3 speed is now a 6 speed, with these gears :

77.1
57.9
43.4
30.0
22.5
16.9

the 43.4 is low in high range, the 30 is high in low range
with a 5 speed the jumps between gears are a bit smaller .

I put the numbers in Sheldon's calculator and it seems a little high for 5 speed. The 50' inch 1st gear is not low enough. You'll be riding in 2nd gear most of the time.

Inches

1-----54
2-----63
3-----81
4-----102
5-----121

Buying Sheldon's 23T cog, the numbers are much better. You'll spend most of your time in 3rd gear giving you two lower gears for climbing.


1----37.6
2----44.5
3---- 56.3
4---- 71.4
5-----84.5

I've been thinking about bumping up to a bigger gear, thanks for the calculations.