Introductions - New Bicycle Tourer

Hi all, im new to bicycle touring and am now looking for advice on a great start up bike and equipment. Im looking at spending about $1500 on the bike and around $600 on equipment (tent/stove/panniers). Im looking at touring around Southern Ontario.

Thanks and safe riding

Welcome to Bike Forums, Mark. Stop by the Touring forum and feel free to ask questions.

You have a lot of choices on new touring bikes at that price range. I happen to like the Jamis Aurora Elite due to its classic good looks (the plain Aurora looks just as great but has lower level of components but cost less then $1,000), but there are other excellent choices like the Trek 520, and the Fuji Tourer.

http://jamisbikes.com/usa/thebikes/road/aurora/12_auroraelite.html

You have a lot of choices on new touring bikes at that price range. I happen to like the Jamis Aurora Elite due to its classic good looks (the plain Aurora looks just as great but has lower level of components but cost less then $1,000), but there are other excellent choices like the Trek 520, and the Fuji Tourer.

http://jamisbikes.com/usa/thebikes/road/aurora/12_auroraelite.html

Or you can buy used. I got lucky and found a mint condition 85 Schwinn Le Tour Luxe, which was the best year for that model, for $100 and it has less then 250 miles on it. Also Schwinn Voyagers are fantastic touring bikes that can be found relatively cheap, under $600 and less depending on condition. The Schwinn Le Tour (not the Luxe), and World Travelers etc are cheaply made, they could work but I wouldn't buy one. And only the 85 Luxe was brought up to the standards of the Voyagers, the other years of Luxe were just copies of the World Traveler's!

Your best bet would be to visit your LBS and ride some touring bikes. I just recently did this and really liked the Jamis Aurora Elite and the Surly Long Haul Trucker.

Welcome to the forums Mark. :)

Thanks all for the welcome and help