mijome07

I bought a brand new Bianchi Bay City hybrid/fitness bike 3 months ago. So far I've been riding it around town and trips to the beach [I reside in Southern California]. I know you can convert almost any bike into a touring bike, but I'm wondering if this aluminum bike would be suitable. It has riser bars with SRAM grip shifts. I wanna install dropbars with bar end shifters. Also put Jandd Expedition front/rear racks and panniers. It came with Alex wheels and Kenda Kwest 700x35 tires. After I'm done upgrading the components on the bike, I can still use it to commute to work, weekend trips, etc. So it can be my commuter/fitness/touring bike. Any advice on upgrading the bike would be appreciated.

https://www.bianchiusa.com/07_bay_city.html

kipibenkipod

If you will look at the forum back threads, you will see that people are touring with Trek 3700. Everything can be done, but is it good? You will decide.
If you will go with dropbars and barends, you will need to change the brakes. All this setup will cost a lot of money. You can buy an expedition bar. You will have the comforts and don't need to change anything.
The front crank is high. you can change the rings to 22 the lower and decide what will be the higher rings.
I would go with rear cassette of 34 but 32 is good enough for now.

My advice to you, if you don't really attached with your heart to the bike, just try to sell the bike and buy a real touring rig.
nJoy

slowjoe66

Get an aero bar so you have a different position for your hands, and use the jack saved from the drops and all that, and get a Bob or a Burley Nomad. Your set. Probably $250 and your ready to go. This assuming you can find a good deal on a trailer.

Takara

I'm less skeptical about touring with this bike. The main important criterion for a touring bike is that it makes you happy to sit on it all day, and it sounds like you're alreay pretty happy with its fit and comfort.

Why not give it a whirl on a couple of short, not-so-ambitious tours before making any modifications at all? Just pick a motel 40-50 miles away and do an overnight. See what you think. Then do it again, maybe this time with a rear rack and a pair of panniers. If you find that your hands are wearing out on these handlebars or that your low gear isn't getting you up hills, then you'll know what to change. (Plenty of people tour on upright bars, and your gears look fine to me for a lot of Southern California terrain.) Or maybe your handlebars and gearing are fine, but you'll discover you can't stand the dang seat for more than a couple of hours.

Customizing, upgrading, and modifying a bike is great fun, but it's especially satisfying when you do it to meet real defined, experienced needs. There's no strict formula for what's a successful touring bike except it's got to make you happy -- and that's something the two of you have to work out together.