Lenton58 

I think this is excellent advice. And a Trek MTB in True Temper tubing would be jut fine too!

mnmkpedals 

As the OP, all the advice has been a huge help. Think I have actually got my tourer, and was interesting to see the Raleigh tourer (portage v alyeska) debate. Was sitting on my hands since I'd been hoping to finalize a deal on a Alyeska I stumbled across in my size. So got it done and have the base for my tourer for next year. Even as is, rides great, though can see from pic someone changed out the downtube shifters to stem shifters (will change back) and missing a front gear. Plenty of time to tune her, replace the shifters, and track down nice saddle, new bars, etc... over the winter. Definitely as much of a touring bike as I need for right now. I've got a price-question on a couple bikes I plan to liquidate to help keep the peace at home after another bike, and I plan to post a question in the CV Appraisal section later tonight. (in trying to figure out what to pay, went back over all the old Alyeska price posts and was a huge range!) So here she is..... search went faster than I thought.

Gravity Aided

Pretty nice ride you've got there,mnmkpedals

mnmkpedals 

Thanks. Was surprised to stumble across it in a mixed lot of bikes someone was selling as a group. Had to take them all to make deal happen.

But I'm guessing its an 84 since has the Olympic team sponsor sticker on it.

Standalone 

Ha! Touche' [edit: and they both ride 25cm bikes, right? So you're probably even comparing the same frame sizes....]

What didn't you like about them? Where/ how did you tour?

I had the fork aligned at my shop upon purchase; I think that had a lot to do with how much I dig its ride. That and I kinda dig the half step gearing.

Gravity Aided

This is how garages get filled up, these deals where you buy 4 bikes to get the one you want. Now, all you have to do is figure out which bikes you'll be able to keep, and why. Or make a deal where somebody has to take all 3 bikes.

Standalone 

Cool. I hope you like yours as much as I obviously like mine. And sounds like you've gotten N+1+

As for the DT retrofit-- Have you ridden with barcons before? Since the bike already has stem shifters, you might want to go that route and see how you like it. DT's can get tiring on the really long rides, and some might feel more control over front loads.

I feel more comfortable and less twitchy using DT's. Probably a matter of experience, though. I have a barcon equipped Nishiki International at my inlaws' place in Washington state, and don't get to ride it much.

fender1

Ohh silly! I don't ride bikes! I just offer opinions about things on the internet!

Standalone 

Busted. I should go pester Kevin and Holiday.

daf1009

Oh my goodness...this Cresta looks great!

Gravity Aided

Barcons are super. I am a recent convert. On the right bicycle, they really make a huge difference. I believe they make it easier to control loads and maneuver properly. Are they less immediate than DT, yes. But I don't think that makes enough of a difference to make me quit using them. Bar end shifters make a good day better.

daf1009

I agree...after years of down tube and/or, "gasp" modern shifters, I recently started with barcons...and love them...even on non loaded bikes!

cycle_maven

I'd avoid the downtube shifters- your bosses are "B" type, which means they're only compatible with mid-'80's Shimano shifters. Even making nice-looking cable stops is a bear- you need to spend a bunch of quality time with a file and a dremel tool to fit normal boss-mounted cable stops. I'd bite the bullet and mod some cable stops to fit, then get a nice pair of bar-end shifters.

Cynikal 

Shimano made a DT shifter mount for the B (or aero) mount. They aren't easy to find but they solve the issues.

I have one on my Cresta pictured below.

himespau 

Another option he might like is the Kelly Take Off. Definitely doesn't look original, but I like how/where it puts the levers.

Standalone 

If it's got stemmies, it's already got cable stops, right? And I don't know B from a hole in the ground, but they're not aero mounts. I just went to the garage and looked.

(Thanks for letting us play with your bike, OP)

Gravity Aided

Standalone and I have a long way to reach for DT shifters. My Passage (1987) has barcons, my Voyageur (1981) has DTs, and my Giant Nutra (1994) has trekking bars and trigger shifters.

Standalone 

True dat. We should get to park our DT shifter bikes in a special "sore shoulder blade" parking spot.

gna

Nice score. How does it fit?

treal512

I have to come back to this thread when the time is right. For it has been ordained, my next bicycle will be a vintage tourer.

cs1

My favorite type of bikes. They are plentiful on ebay. If you're lucky you can score a nice one for a couple of hundred. Most early MTBs used touring components. Good luck on the search.

The Golden Boy 

Yea, verily therefore art thou.

I've never been enthralled with the competitive 'go-fast' aspect of bicycling as a sport. Where some people may see a tourer as 'sluggish' and 'slow' I see as 'stable' and 'cushy.' Bicycling is "leisure" to me- and touring bikes are that.

mnmkpedals 

I totally get this sentiment. For the longest time, even though I raced several Tri's I just totally hated cycling. Was torture to get me out to train. Then something switched. Took me a decade to figure it out, but finally understood the issue: I love cycling as recreation and as transportation, but not as competition. I now save the competition for the pool or running. Figuring that out changed my whole perspective.

As the OP of this thread, I realized I never followed up with my before/after. The Alyeska I posted ended up being an 1985. Was my first genuine rebuild, and here's the before and after, but without racks yet. It seems these 80s Raleigh's have as many detractors as they do fans, but I have to say it is a great ride. Lots of folks seem to compare them to like driving in a Buick, and I now totally get why, though the memory that comes to mind is driving in my Grandfather's late 70s white Cadillac-- that sort of bouncy way those big cars float on bumps.

Good luck in your hunt for the right tourer. I accidentally fell into a second Alyeska in my wife's size, sitting downstairs right now trying to decide if she really wants it or not before redoing it. We'll see. Here's before and after (at least almost complete)

The Golden Boy 

That stem looks really cool.

You've really taken that bike from looking like a 'boom bike' to a respectable tourer. I actually don't have a whole lot of hate towards the things that point to a 'boom bike,' the turkey levers are functional, as long as you don't depend on them as your primary braking apparatus. The stem shifters... for being relatively upright- as you're going to be on this bike- shifting on the stem is in a really usable spot. I've considered it with my High Sierra, and still may do it that way- even though it has barcons on it right now.

RosyRambler

Nice job mnmkpedals! The bike looks great. I have a 650B Portage that's way to big for me and need to let go, but for the little bit that I rode it, it was probably the most cushy bike I've ever ridden. I hope your's feels the same.

What are the handlebars you used in the rebuild? They seem to flare out a bit.

Also, what crankset and cogs are you using? I noticed the rebuild has a pretty small chainring.