cyclist2000

I was wondering about different types of bikes as I read a different thread, why aren't clydes directed towards touring bikes? I mean touring bikes are designed for carrying loads, typically have wheels with a higher spoke count, have heavier frame, wider tires. This sounds like everything a beefier clyde would need.

I understand that MTB fit this description but why not get a road bike for riding on the road?

It seems that all the newbies get mtbs and not road bikes, and are some useful features that can be appreciated, like road tread on the tires and drop bars.

10 Wheels

Road bikes are more twitchy for new riders.

cyclist2000

I didn't think about that.

10 Wheels

New riders start on neighborhood streets and bike paths.
They don't go far 2 to 10 miles.

Boyd Reynolds

Well, a touring bike won't be twitchy. I think the reason new clydes aren't directed to touring bikes is price.
The starting point for a touring bike that will work for a big guy right out of the box is almost $1000, while a comfort or mountain bike that will work without upgrades can be had for half of that, or less.

sstorkel

There's also availability to think about. Touring bikes are a relatively small portion of the bicycle market. Any bike shop you walk into will have mountain bikes and road bikes. They'll also likely have hybrids and maybe some cruisers, cyclocross, or folding bikes. But touring bikes? They're getting more and more difficult to find. In most shops, you'll be lucky if they carry a single model and have one built-up in your size...

10 Wheels

New LHT owner:
This is my first road bike, and first dedicated touring bike. First impressions based on riding it around the parking lot.....

- the saddle height is too low.
- I feel cramped, which might be from the too low saddle and my too big belly.
- the bike is faster than Roark, the Trek 7.5 fx I've used for touring.
- my feet feel closer to the bike frame, even with extenders on the pedals. (I need extenders, since I'm severely knock-kneed.)
- the bike feels more twitchy in handling. I can't tell if it's the two week layoff from riding I've had during my knee injury, the speedier nature of the bike, or my new riding posture.

Boyd Reynolds

Point taken. Depends on what you're comparing.

Rhodabike

Having the saddle too low could definitely be contributing to that. Is it truly the right size for you? It almost sounds too small. Or perhaps a slightly longer handlebar stem is needed.
I wish there were more true touring bikes on the market, but I guess they passed out of fashion. Now people are using cyclocross bikes, which are a little too high in the bottom bracket to have that true armchair touring bike ride.
Anyone remember the Miyata 600 and 1000 series touring bikes? I belonged to a touring club back in the 80s and it seemed like every other person out on the club rides had one. When Miyata left the North American market they almost seemed to take touring bikes with them.

exile

I think MTB's are more readily available and have more options than touring bikes. MTB's seem to have a lower pricepoint and come in different styles such as rigid, hardtail, full suspension with even more subcategories. However it seems touring bikes are starting to evolve as well with the Fargo, Sherpa, REI brand, etc..

neilfein

I thought Roark was The Historians bike. Did he sell it to you?

10 Wheels

The quote is from the Historian.

CliftonGK1

- the saddle height is too low.
Raise the saddle.

- I feel cramped, which might be from the too low saddle and my too big belly.
Could be a combination of things. First to look at would be your reach to the bars after fixing the saddle height. You might need a taller/longer stem after hiking the saddle up.

- the bike is faster than Roark, the Trek 7.5 fx I've used for touring.
By design, it will be more efficient so it will go faster for the same energy expenditure.

- my feet feel closer to the bike frame, even with extenders on the pedals. (I need extenders, since I'm severely knock-kneed.)
They might be. The cranks on the touring bike may be narrower than the cranks on Roark, even if they're both triples. If they're different pedals, that could play into the equation as well.

- the bike feels more twitchy in handling. I can't tell if it's the two week layoff from riding I've had during my knee injury, the speedier nature of the bike, or my new riding posture
Roark isn't a drop bar, IIRC. One of the things I notice going between my upright townie handlebar bike and my drop bar rando bike is the feel of the steering. The wider your handlebar and longer reach from the steerer tube, the slower your steering will feel for a bike with identical head angle, rake and trail. It's because you have to move the bars through a longer arc to attain the same degree of rotation. For me, moving from a wide upright bar to a narrower drop bar makes a huge difference in steering sensitivity.