Touring - possible touring bike?

Ive been thinkin bout traveling for a while now and have recently been obsessing over going to seattle from Topeka, Ks (scince yesterday) anyways, my buddy hit me up today sayin he picked up a raleigh that was to tall for him (60cm raleigh gran sport) and that I could just have it. Ive been ridin single speed and fixed gear for the last 3 years and have done a good amount of 40-60 mile rides so Im confident Ill be able to knock that out and plenty more with gears. my question is will this be a good base for a touring bike. Ill be putting bar end shifters on it rather then the down tubes and 700c rather then 27''s

Hey man, if the frame fits and it'll take rack(s), it can be made into a touring bike. Tweek 'til it's perfect for YOU. With your experience, you already know what that is.

Remember: Put the gear in one pile, money in another. Halve the gear and double the money.

Touring is an activity, bike is a tool.. can you ride it all day, go to sleep ,
and get up and go further the next day?

then you are on a Bike Tour.

Hopefully the pic doesn't show your seat position. If you go minimalist mini front rack , frame bag and rear rack with no panniers otherwise front lowriders and rear rack load.

It looks to be an OK frame for touring, as long as it fits you. If you are going to go with a different wheel size you might want to think about 650B.

Ive been thinkin bout traveling for a while now and have recently been obsessing over going to seattle from Topeka, Ks (scince yesterday) anyways, my buddy hit me up today sayin he picked up a raleigh that was to tall for him (60cm raleigh gran sport) and that I could just have it. Ive been ridin single speed and fixed gear for the last 3 years and have done a good amount of 40-60 mile rides so Im confident Ill be able to knock that out and plenty more with gears. my question is will this be a good base for a touring bike. Ill be putting bar end shifters on it rather then the down tubes and 700c rather then 27''s

Those old Raliegh make excellent touring bikes. I'd check the clearance because you might want 35mm or larger tires, the 650B option is a good one to look at, especially sincy it looks like the old Weinman centerpulls which might have the reach you need. Anyway good luck, good choice.

Marc

I found that old bikes with clearence for 27"x1 1/4 did fine with 700x35

Leo, thanks for that reply! I have some 700c's with 35s currently on em off my peugeot im going to see if I theyll fit in there tommorow. I work at a volunteer bikeshop down here so Im going down thursday to have a field day re-packing bearings and running new cables and seeing If we dont have some bar end shifters down there I can snag. also, thats def not the saddle or saddle position ill be going with in response to u as well lee g. Im going on a tight budget here though of however much cash I can come up with as I go along so im trying to use as many parts as I can scrounge up.

ill also be adding rear paniers/rack trying to stay away from the front just cause I feel like that will allow me to over pack but if I need extra room for food/water then I may go with a handlebar bag atleast.

ill also be adding rear paniers/rack trying to stay away from the front just cause I feel like that will allow me to over pack but if I need extra room for food/water then I may go with a handlebar bag atleast.

The reason for front loading isn't to over pack but to balance. You could load the equivalent of a small rear pannier load from front to rear w/o panniers for better handling. Just because you can install a rear rack doesn't mean that's where you should put 90% of your gear. A small front rack is better than a big handlebar bag for front loads .

if you can get everything in the 4 panniers, and nothing on top of the rear rack then that is good..

Small dense heavy stuff in the front, bulky stuff in the rear,
Sleeping bag and tent In rather than on top.

I hear ya on the weight distribution thing leeg hadnt really thought in depth about that though. I was really diggin on these paniers http://www.upgradecycle.com/inertia-designs-cam-touring-panniers-3316-ci.html?utm_source=googlepepla&utm_medium=adwords&id=19136088729&utm_content=pla&gclid=CNX5_M-16bQCFYKPPAodmCwAOQ#.UPTM2B0W0zc and then I could throw a tent in the middle and have it secured from moving side to side then bungee tent on top and roll.

really* not leeeg. too much lysol fumes.

I hear ya on the weight distribution thing leeg hadnt really thought in depth about that though. I was really diggin on these paniers http://www.upgradecycle.com/inertia-designs-cam-touring-panniers-3316-ci.html?utm_source=googlepepla&utm_medium=adwords&id=19136088729&utm_content=pla&gclid=CNX5_M-16bQCFYKPPAodmCwAOQ#.UPTM2B0W0zc and then I could throw a tent in the middle and have it secured from moving side to side then bungee tent on top and roll.


Yr "diggin" on 3316 cubic inches of panniers and you are worried that a front load will lead to overpacking?

Twanker, you're already overpacking with those panniers. Jesus man you're piling 40lbs on the back and I'm talking about 5lbs on the front with 20lbs on the back.

is that alot? lol, I liked the option of being able to unbuckle the top so I could keep valuables in there and easily bring it along if I went into a store or had to leave it unattended.

is that alot? lol, I liked the option of being able to unbuckle the top so I could keep valuables in there and easily bring it along if I went into a store or had to leave it unattended.

Lol, see ya after you have figured out how much stuff yr carrying.

Lol, see ya after you have figured out how much stuff yr carrying.

I guess I didnt understand that because I had space meant I had to completely pack it to the brim. perhaps you could suggest a better set of paniers?

I toured on a Raleigh like that when I was first starting out. It was a 10-speed with steel rims. I could have used a granny gear for hills, but I was young and strong and could grunt my way up. I broke a few spokes and the rims dented a few times - had to "straighten" them out as best I could (with pliers?) and so braking was a bit jerky. But I was young and didn't know any better and couldn't afford much anyway....and I had a fantastic time on those early tours!

I'd see if I could fit some strong wheels. If there isn't enough room between the rear dropouts, use Sheldon Brown's method for cold setting the frame (http://sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html). I did it on an old steel Schwinn frame I bought for my wife. It was relatively easy.

I'd also make sure I had a triple crankset in front with a nice low granny - 24 or 22 teeth. Now that I'm a more serious tourer my routes often take me over mountain passes. I wouldn't want to grunt up those without a good low gear. With a really low setup mountain passes are slow but not painful.

Have fun. It sounds like a great project!

I guess I didnt understand that because I had space meant I had to completely pack it to the brim. perhaps you could suggest a better set of paniers?

Not so much better as in smaller. A partially loaded bag will be loose and floppy unless you add more straps.

Your average 10spd or sport tour bike isn't designed to carry a large weight on the rear wheel. It was designed to have a rider between two wheels. Many people have piled stuff on the rear rack and gone touring but at some point you're no longer riding a bike but handling a whippy wheelbarrow. The fun part about touring is riding the bike as opposed to hauling a whippy load that makes the bike wallow like a wet noodle.

Front low riders are the best way to carry a pannier load on old road bikes because it puts a significant weight under the control of your arms instead of letting that weight lever oscillations from behind the rear wheel to the head tube. It may not feel right or normal at first because bike handling gets slowed down a LOT with front low riders. A heavy rear load makes the front end quick and light which might seem like a good idea for maneuvering but what's really happening is that the bike gets driven by that weight in ways you struggle to control.

The front wheel is stronger than the rear wheel so moving some weight forward ensures the rear wheel lasts longer, which might be an issue if you're using used or light wheels.

If want the potential to carry a kitchen sink I'd pick a mtn bike w 26" wheels instead of huge panniers.

If you want to pull together a touring bike from old road bikes and have the potential to carry that sink don't put 90% of the weight on the rear wheel.

If you start with small panniers you can always add more if the bike can take it and you need it. Listening to others stories you'll hear a lot more folks who mailed stuff home mid trip than increased their load.

that makes sense, I may see what I can pick up from the shop in lines of cheap new wheel set. my 700c have alot of miles on them and the rear already has a couple blown spokes that need tending to. And ill start looking into front paniers. oh and im going to see what we have at the shop for different chain rings....I dont for-see a 52 being utilized all the much. anyone know a fairly average travel speed for touring? im guessing somewhere around 10mph? I can move but by no means am I a powerful beast either. I love sprinting up hills but Topekas also relatively flat/long gradual hills so they arent exactly the hardest things to conquer.

I hear ya on the weight distribution thing leeg hadnt really thought in depth about that though. I was really diggin on these paniers http://www.upgradecycle.com/inertia-designs-cam-touring-panniers-3316-ci.html?utm_source=googlepepla&utm_medium=adwords&id=19136088729&utm_content=pla&gclid=CNX5_M-16bQCFYKPPAodmCwAOQ#.UPTM2B0W0zc and then I could throw a tent in the middle and have it secured from moving side to side then bungee tent on top and roll.

$.02 put these or similar on the front then load the rear rack. Don't bother getting mondo duty rear rack if money is tight since you won't be putting a mondo pannier load back there.

http://www.upgradecycle.com/axiom-monsoon.html#.UPWNRmt5mSM

that makes sense, I may see what I can pick up from the shop in lines of cheap new wheel set. my 700c have alot of miles on them and the rear already has a couple blown spokes that need tending to. And ill start looking into front paniers. oh and im going to see what we have at the shop for different chain rings....I dont for-see a 52 being utilized all the much. anyone know a fairly average travel speed for touring? im guessing somewhere around 10mph? I can move but by no means am I a powerful beast either. I love sprinting up hills but Topekas also relatively flat/long gradual hills so they arent exactly the hardest things to conquer.

If you haven't done the math comparing ratios of different gear combinations it's easy to obsess but it'll help to eliminate useless gears. Most cassettes have an 11 tooth small cog which gives as high a gear you will practically use with a 42t chainring, yea 52 tooth was common back when freewheels had a 14t small cog for the average "10 speed" but in your swapping wheels around you might find silly combos. If you have an old road crank like the bike in the picture you can get adequate low gears with a wide cassette in the rear while carrying a couple of useless high gears. You may find it difficult to find smaller big chainrings without spending as much money as a cheap mtn. crankset. If you can get a mtn crank on that bb. You'll have all the low gears you need even if it means taking off the inner ring to fit the bb.

10mph is an easy average over time while your riding speed might be closer to 12-14.

http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/

If you've got a co-op nearby or an active craigslist/kijiji look out for an older hybrid... I've seen more than a few at my co-op that are basically flat-bar touring bikes... some even have low-rider eyelets on the front forks. It wouldn't be hard to put the drop bars and use bar-end shifters. I built my first touring bike around a modern specialized sirrus hybrid and it worked fine but the wheels were only 32 spokes so I bought a new one for the rear before my trip. Honestly if I were starting over I would just buy an older ATB style bike from the late 80s or early 90s and put drop bars on that. The 26" wheels are stronger and tires are available pretty much everywhere in that size. A lot of those older ATBs have really long chainstays and relaxed geometries that make for comfortable riding.

If you've got a co-op nearby or an active craigslist/kijiji look out for an older hybrid... I've seen more than a few at my co-op that are basically flat-bar touring bikes... some even have low-rider eyelets on the front forks. It wouldn't be hard to put the drop bars and use bar-end shifters. I built my first touring bike around a modern specialized sirrus hybrid and it worked fine but the wheels were only 32 spokes so I bought a new one for the rear before my trip. Honestly if I were starting over I would just buy an older ATB style bike from the late 80s or early 90s and put drop bars on that. The 26" wheels are stronger and tires are available pretty much everywhere in that size. A lot of those older ATBs have really long chainstays and relaxed geometries that make for comfortable riding.

Yep, a 90's Specialized CrossRoads would work fine.

I find the old MTBs work great as 26" tourers. Last one I fixed up had flat bars with front and rear racks . I preferred most weight on the front rack . I think it was a really old Specialized Hardrock . I'm currently building a drop bar tourer from a Fuji Thrill . But back to the Raleigh , do you like the ride ? I think that is a really nice looking bike and if the clearance is okay for your heels with panniers on a rear rack, that may be a faster bike for you . Sometimes, front racks can be hard to find outside of mail order. LeeG has a good idea with low rider mounts in front . My reasoning is that the rear wheel bears more weight, usually has tighter spokes due to the cogset , and can break spokes easier on the cog side due to the tension being different due to the offset from having the cog there. It is also an easier handling bike with the load in the front. Your results may vary. I wish you the very best of luck and skill in your travels

That's the simple definition I like. Really, there's no way to know if the bike will work until you try it. It the bike has long chainstays, odds are good that it can be a good touring bike. I have an old Schwinn Varsity, girls frame, with long chainstays. I had read that these old Varsitys can get really whippy with a load on the back. I just came home this evening with my panniers loaded to around 40 lbs and the bike is rock solid. In fact, it rides better loaded than it does empty! Of course, that's with the cheap Kenda tires. I tried Bontragger T2s on the old girl and the front end shimmy almost threw me off the bike and that's with the bike empty. So, lots of variables to play around with but a steel frame with long chainstays should work.

No reason it won't work OK IF the chainstays will allow a rear rack and panniers to clear your foot reasonably well. That said, you could probably find a bike with much better gearing for pretty cheap. Most folks would have to replace all the gearing on this Raleigh as well as the wheels to make it a good touring bike and at that point you'll have as much money into it as you would if you found a decent bike on craigslist or at a bike swap.

295994 itsgunna have to do :-) i ran into some minor setbacks this weekend that cost me 200 dollars in bail so now im on a mission to just get the hell out of kansas asap. having never used bar end shifters before, I decided to swap out the bars....noone told me they were left hand threaded so now ive gotta figure out how to get my front deraileur shifter out of the old bars. some guy at the shop I volunteer at went to pound town on it when I couldnt get it to budge and stripped the head.....helps if turn bolts the right way :-) been ridin it with the rear deraileur, got the front brake hooked up today then had to jet to court. hopefully I can have everything functioning by the end of the week though and start focusing on accessories. Im super stoked to take it for a long haul. think im going to stick with 27's on account of them being a dime a dozen. Im super pumped to start this adventure and experience the world outside of kansas. as it turns out winter has left me a bit out of shape as well so Definately time to start logging some serious miles and getting back to my former summer glory, whatever that was.

295994 itsgunna have to do :-) i ran into some minor setbacks this weekend that cost me 200 dollars in bail so now im on a mission to just get the hell out of kansas asap. having never used bar end shifters before, I decided to swap out the bars....noone told me they were left hand threaded so now ive gotta figure out how to get my front deraileur shifter out of the old bars. some guy at the shop I volunteer at went to pound town on it when I couldnt get it to budge and stripped the head.....helps if turn bolts the right way :-) been ridin it with the rear deraileur, got the front brake hooked up today then had to jet to court. hopefully I can have everything functioning by the end of the week though and start focusing on accessories. Im super stoked to take it for a long haul. think im going to stick with 27's on account of them being a dime a dozen. Im super pumped to start this adventure and experience the world outside of kansas. as it turns out winter has left me a bit out of shape as well so Definately time to start logging some serious miles and getting back to my former summer glory, whatever that was.
Good luck ! Check in and let us know how it's going. Enjoy the change of scene.

I guess I didnt understand that because I had space meant I had to completely pack it to the brim. perhaps you could suggest a better set of paniers?
I strongly suggest figuring out what you need to carry first and then getting the appropriate capacity to carry it.

If you really plan carefully you will find that you can get by with surprisingly little gear and not sacrifice comfort. I like to go very light with 15 pounds or less of gear weight including bags. Not everyone wants or needs to go that light, but I mention it as food for thought. I manage to cook and camp in comfort with that setup. While I don't especially recommend that everyone adopt my approach I do recommend that you tray to get down to 20 pounds of gear (bags and gear with no food, fuel, or water) and that you consider going over 30 pounds to be cause for further trimming of the packing list. With that mindset you will find that you can get by with pretty small panniers.

Even if you choose to carry a lot of stuff... remember that you can compress many items a lot. I like to use very small light weight sil-nylon stuff sacks that I can barely cram their contents in. Doing that reduces the volume of clothing greatly. Also remember that you can typically restock water and food pretty frequently so you will not need a great deal of space for food and water on most tours.

295994 itsgunna have to do :-) i ran into some minor setbacks this weekend that cost me 200 dollars in bail so now im on a mission to just get the hell out of kansas asap. having never used bar end shifters before, I decided to swap out the bars....noone told me they were left hand threaded so now ive gotta figure out how to get my front deraileur shifter out of the old bars. some guy at the shop I volunteer at went to pound town on it when I couldnt get it to budge and stripped the head.....helps if turn bolts the right way :-) been ridin it with the rear deraileur, got the front brake hooked up today then had to jet to court. hopefully I can have everything functioning by the end of the week though and start focusing on accessories. Im super stoked to take it for a long haul. think im going to stick with 27's on account of them being a dime a dozen. Im super pumped to start this adventure and experience the world outside of kansas. as it turns out winter has left me a bit out of shape as well so Definately time to start logging some serious miles and getting back to my former summer glory, whatever that was.

If you stick with 27's, let me go ahead and recommend the Panaracer Pasela TourGuard (TG) tire. I've run the 1 1/8" and 1 1/4" versions with great results for a number of years. Kinda hard to find good quality 27's otherwise.

If you stick with 27's, let me go ahead and recommend the Panaracer Pasela TourGuard (TG) tire. I've run the 1 1/8" and 1 1/4" versions with great results for a number of years. Kinda hard to find good quality 27's otherwise.

+1 on the TGs. One of my favorite tires. Bummer about the bar ends.

Troy, it looks like you switched forks. I can't tell but it looks like your rear wheel has a steel rim. If these are old wheels with corroded nipples you should try and figure ways of carrying gear on the front wheels as old rear wheels don't last long when a lot of weight is put on them. Looks like you're on the very low to no cash budget so go fun and funky. With any kind of front carrier. While small panniers and low riders might be ideal any kind of front rack that puts the load close to the head tube and off the front tire is good compared to piling up a rear rack. Maybe there's a metal basket somewhere.

had to switch forks. the other ones were totally shot. the left side was bent in some weird s shape. no good. .

Ill be getting a good idea of what im in for and Ive got more time to prepare but, I just registered for bike across kansas today! 509 miles of scenic southern kansas bike tour :-D