Touring - Tough choice...

If you had to choose, would you rather tour on a fixed gear or a mountain bike? Assuming both can be fixed up to hold a pannier.

The mountain bike is the easy choice assuming it fits, it can handle more weight, it has gears (nice when hauling a bunch of weight up hills), and you can coast which will save your knees if your tour is long.

The only way I would consider fixed gear touring would be if I was credit card touring and did not have to carry much weight at all, if it is a brakeless fixie I would not consider it at all.

Agree, there's nothing tough about that - mtb for sure.

The mountain bike is the easy choice assuming it fits, it can handle more weight, it has gears (nice when hauling a bunch of weight up hills), and you can coast which will save your knees if your tour is long.

The only way I would consider fixed gear touring would be if I was credit card touring and did not have to carry much weight at all, if it is a brakeless fixie I would not consider it at all.

+1000.

There is no choice. Mountain bike wins. If you are going to tour on roads then fit it with narrower tires.

I don't know why anyone would want to tour on a fixe except maybe if they are going after the less to go wrong category but a well maintained multi gear bicycle presents very little risk of something going wrong.

Sometimes I think people do it just to impress others. I'm not impressed. Or maybe to prove something to themselves. But prove what?

If you had to choose, would you rather tour on a fixed gear or a mountain bike? Assuming both can be fixed up to hold a pannier.

Nothing wrong with either choice. They can both be quite comfortable.

I'd probably go fixie if my tour were on paved roads, and the mtn bike if there were going to be lots of gravel sections to the tour.

Why do you ask?

I've toured fixed.

It's not that difficult. Get the right gear, choose the right terrain, choose the right load, and you can tour fixed without any trouble at all.

I just wish that people offering up negative advice on touring fixed actually did have some experience in it and so can validate their opinions.

Depends on the terrain and the weight of the load. I wouldn't be touring on my fixed gear through challenging hills. Every hill becomes a strength workout, and that gets tedious after a while even if you're strong enough. Plus if you gear down low enough to get up them, you're spinning like a demented hamster coming down - either that or descending on the brakes all the time. And I wouldn't be touring fixed with 30 - 40lbs of luggage on the bike unless it was absolutely pan-flat; and generally pan-flat tours aren't my style. Ultralight tour through moderately testing countryside - maybe. Challenging one-day ride - certainly. Otherwise, I'd be taking the bike with the gears.

I believe that your question is fixed mtn bike vs geared mtn bike, since most bikes can be run either way. Also, do you want to run fixed or singlespeed. I've cycled on singlespeeds for day road rides and also mountain biking on trails. It is an aquired taste in my opinion and unfortunitely one that I never could fully embrace. I found having one gear somewhat liberating, but riding became much more of a workout.

No reason not to tour on a single geared bike, but it aapears you have no experience riding one. If that is the case, I'd get one or convert an old bike anduse it on your normal rides. You could also just leave your current bike in a gear ratio that mimics the ratio on a single geared bike, no shifting allowed, and just ride for a week that way. You'll get a taste for single geared riding.

I have owned a fixed gear in the past and rode the tires off of it. For touring, I would pick the mtb. Just more versatile and you don't have to plan routes around major hilly areas.

I'm thinking of some of the local s24o routes I go on and only one of them would be really decent with a fixed gear, meaning my knees don't hurt just thinking about it. Just too many rolling hills, steep inclines and most important, the backwoods trails that meander all over the place that would not be suitable for a loaded fixed gear.

Fixed gear touring has been done. I guess it depends on how much you carry and where you tour, but I would not even consider touring on a fixed gear. A single speed with a freewheel maybe. It would have to be flattish terrain and a light load before I'd consider even that myself.

Get the right gear, choose the right terrain, choose the right load, and you can tour fixed without any trouble at all.


Or just use the MTB.

Or just use the MTB.

Too slow!



But appropriate if you're riding gravel, which is slow anyway.

ugh hate riding on gravel. just a poll question, I will definitely be touring on a road bike.

Actually, probably a touring bike. I don't have enough money to credit card tour so I need the eyelets.

Which makes me think of another question, I know people are crazy about getting weight down. So why don't the makers cut eyelets, bits of metal out where they can to make the bikes lighter?

Why would they spend a lot of money on cutting out holes that save literally 3 or 4 grams?

Too slow!



But appropriate if you're riding gravel, which is slow anyway.


:sigh:

Actually, probably a touring bike. I don't have enough money to credit card tour so I need the eyelets.

Which makes me think of another question, I know people are crazy about getting weight down. So why don't the makers cut eyelets, bits of metal out where they can to make the bikes lighter?

Well, a Tubus Airy and two of these panniers (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=50709) weighs 20 ounces, a Carradice SQR Tour weighs close to 35 ounces, and has less capacity. Well worth the weight of a few eyelets.

Of course, some bikepacking gear works pretty well without eyelets, a Booster Rocket from Porcelain Rocket (http://www.porcelainrocket.com/products/seat-packs/booster-rocket/) is only 11 ounces, but you need to supplement it with a few more bags to get enough capacity.

Too slow!



But appropriate if you're riding gravel, which is slow anyway.

Is there some rule that says you can't put narrower tires on an MTB?

I actually did put narrower tires on my mountain bike. There is a significant increase in speed. Only problem though is you have to keep the mountain bike wheel and inner tube, or it won't fit, or mod the bike, if I wanted to spring for new wheels I would have just bought a road bike. But yeah. I inflated the tube once to the recommendations on the tire, and it blew up on me. Up to 80 psi when the max was 60. Learned that using a skinny tire with a fat inner tube is a royal pain in the bum.

Like I told my son who raced cyclocross on a SS: Riding a SS is like playing a round of golf with only a 9 iron, sometime during the round there is a chance you might have the right club:)

Like I told my son who raced cyclocross on a SS: Riding a SS is like playing a round of golf with only a 9 iron, sometime during the round there is a chance you might have the right club:)

That might possibly be a good analogy for a SS, but the OP asked about a fixed gear. :)

:sigh:

And :sigh: right back at all the fixed gear naysayers who have absolutely no experience with anything remotely fixed gear like ... who are providing information based entirely on imagination. :)

rowan, the main thing I find a mystery with fixies is the cornering aspect. I love, really love to go around corners fast, and for that reason mainly, cannot see riding a fixie due to the pedal-down-maybe-hitting-the-ground factor. Just an observation, but knowing how I ride and how my instincts are going downhill and around corners, I see real potential for unpleasant incidents. Machka, you have noted in the past that you do not like going down hills fast, thats fine of course, but to mention naysayers about fixies doesnt address my concern about this aspect of riding them, specifically about downhill and fast cornering.

but for the original question, mtn bike. They can make great trip bikes.

Like I told my son who raced cyclocross on a SS: Riding a SS is like playing a round of golf with only a 9 iron, sometime during the round there is a chance you might have the right club:)

I actually really enjoy riding SS, even on longer rides and many times would consider it more fun and dare I say easier than riding gears (forced to coast on downhills) on many rides.

My fixed gear riding is fairly limited as when I set my bike up for it I just did not find it as fun as SS or gears. I like being able to coast and being able to push myself in corners and with fixed gear I never found the groove in those areas. I have never tried to tour fixed but with a touring load I can not see being able to get the right gear to make going up bearable as well as still not killing your knees on the downhills. If your tour is fairly flat that would not really apply though.

Personally as some one who has done a bit of touring here and there on a mountain bike, I am happy to go on the mtb including on the road for long stretches into the Fremantle Doctor.

Not having toured on a fixie and doubt I ever would, I cannot comment on that aspect.

Enjoy your choice of ride.

Andrew

rowan, the main thing I find a mystery with fixies is the cornering aspect. I love, really love to go around corners fast, and for that reason mainly, cannot see riding a fixie due to the pedal-down-maybe-hitting-the-ground factor. Just an observation, but knowing how I ride and how my instincts are going downhill and around corners, I see real potential for unpleasant incidents. Machka, you have noted in the past that you do not like going down hills fast, thats fine of course, but to mention naysayers about fixies doesnt address my concern about this aspect of riding them, specifically about downhill and fast cornering.

but for the original question, mtn bike. They can make great trip bikes.

Pedal strike is an issue of crank length and BB height. Oddly, a fixed MTB would be an interesting combination because of the higher BB. Anyway, I run 170mm cranks rather than normal 175s, and on my old Shogun 400 conversion, I have never had pedal strike. It does need a little care but it's not something that bothers me. Riding fast downhill on a fixie is a function of gearing, but then, of course, there are trade-offs with a harder-to-turn gear for uphills.

And riding fast downhill has no influence on the health of your knees, unless you use your legs to slow the bike. That's what brakes are for. High cadence needs practice and a good bike set-up.

The gearing I chose to tour in Europe in 2007 was a 39x17, which is quite low, but it wasn't really an issue because I could ride the brakes on downhills. I wasn't riding in the Alps, but there were quite a few hills. I got off only once to walk up around a 12 or 13% incline. I toured with two panniers and a handlebar bag and the load included cooking gear, a three-person tent and full sleeping gear -- not a credit card load by any means.

I've toured on an MTB, too. I wouldn't go back to it, but that is a personal preference rather than a damning of the idea.

Ahhhhh... I've just noted the OP is the same one who wants to ride across the US at 100 miles a day to raise money for charity and is looking for advice on fundraising strategies and training programs and bicycle choice and equipment options... with the aim of starting the tour next month!

I'm out of here.

Ahhhhh... I've just noted the OP is the same one who wants to ride across the US at 100 miles a day to raise money for charity and is looking for advice on fundraising strategies and training programs and bicycle choice and equipment options... with the aim of starting the tour next month!

I'm out of here.
Well I can see where you are coming from. He doesn't seem to have a clue. But... I have to say that I know three riders who were similarly clueless and planning last minute and all three finished their coast to coast tour. Like you I am skeptical, but I wish him well.

Ahhhhh... I've just noted the OP is the same one who wants to ride across the US at 100 miles a day to raise money for charity and is looking for advice on fundraising strategies and training programs and bicycle choice and equipment options... with the aim of starting the tour next month!

I'm out of here.

OP you're going to find a lot of different opinions on bikes/gear/nutrition/fitness/safety/security/gadgets/health/clothing/etc/etc/etc, and everyone is right because it works for them.
Honestly the best bet is to visit the LBS and kit out a bike and get going.
A weekend mini tour will tell you an awful lot about what to expect and where you are at.

Ahhhhh... I've just noted the OP is the same one who wants to ride across the US at 100 miles a day to raise money for charity and is looking for advice on fundraising strategies and training programs and bicycle choice and equipment options... with the aim of starting the tour next month!

I'm out of here.

Seriously, there is enough noise on these forums. Don't ask ridiculous hypothetical questions, then chage the subject to some other absurd topic like worrying about the weight of eyelets. I mean this is a touring forum. It isn't that hard to understand why they are they. And if you really can't figure out that there are different size tubes, well, good luck on that cross country charity tour. Troll or ablsolutely, utterly clueless. I can't belive I wasted my time.

Seriously, there is enough noise on these forums. Don't ask ridiculous hypothetical questions, then chage the subject to some other absurd topic like worrying about the weight of eyelets. I mean this is a touring forum. It isn't that hard to understand why they are they. And if you really can't figure out that there are different size tubes, well, good luck on that cross country charity tour. Troll or ablsolutely, utterly clueless. I can't belive I wasted my time.

Did you quote the wrong person? Or were you agreeing with Rowan?


I agree with you about the OP. There are several things that don't quite add up, and I can't help but wonder if this thread in particular is the evidence of a troll at work.

If not a troll, then clueless and very lazy ...
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/816182-Pannier-Racks-backpack

Did you quote the wrong person? Or were you agreeing with Rowan?


I agree with you about the OP. There are several things that don't quite add up, and I can't help but wonder if this thread in particular is the evidence of a troll at work.

If not a troll, then clueless and very lazy ...
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/816182-Pannier-Racks-backpack


I was sort of agreeing with Rowan while commenting about the OP. Anwyay, after looking at some of the other posts, I will recant a little bit and say, don't let anyone stop you from trying. But seriously consider all of the things that people are saying on these threads. And mosty importantly, whether you succeed or fail, be willing to look at the things you could have done differently and learn.

Rowan, thanks for the heads up on the OP. Along with Steapf, I shall wish him good luck.

about the gearing 39x17. Last summer one day I thought about if I had one gear which would I want to use, and I went back and forth between 39x16 and 39x18 on my bike. 16 was good for flat, but I figured that with hills, some weight on the bike and the fact that Im a skinny feller whose legs prefer spinning than grinding, Id go with the 18 myself, but its a moot point as I dont really ever see going the single route (but who knows, thats why I was curious with noting which gears would work)

ya, I see what you mean by crank length and bb height, I still see lean angle as an important issue (and concern) as I really do enjoy cranking a bike over in a turn. Re speed downhill, I can see how with a fixie, this isnt really an issue, as you say, you will always be keeping it in check.

again, even though I really dont have an interest in singles, as a lover of bikes in general, its fun to see them as an alternative and especially with fixies, a diff style of riding.
cheers

I was sort of agreeing with Rowan while commenting about the OP. Anwyay, after looking at some of the other posts, I will recant a little bit and say, don't let anyone stop you from trying. But seriously consider all of the things that people are saying on these threads. And mosty importantly, whether you succeed or fail, be willing to look at the things you could have done differently and learn.

If he's for real ... then I wish him well too. And if he really wants to do this, I would suggest he start putting in some effort.

Too slow!



But appropriate if you're riding gravel, which is slow anyway.

Really? I crossed the country on asphalt with a 60 y.o. guy who was riding a full suspension MTB (he had back problems) pulling a BOB with a very heavy load that included a homemade tent that we affectionally called "the condo." (When the zipper crapped out in mosquito country he traded down to a lighter tent in the 8 lb. range.) He was the strongest rider in the group, and he was fast. Not even the three highly athletic youngsters in the group could outride him. And believe me, there were times when we all tried.

Regarding the fixie vs. mtb question, it is not even a consideration for me as I have ridden an mtb for just about everything for the past 20 years, until a couple of months ago when I added a road bike to my small bike collection, so now use that for day rides. But for touring I will keep my trusty mtb, which has served me well on many tours, and many years of commuting and recreational riding.

Take the knobbies off, lose the Sus fork, or lock it out 99% of the time.

i like My Bike Friday [door #3] they design their bikes to cut the handling surcharge
that Air carriers charge for bikes , to get to the places you want to see,
other than the loop out your front door.