Sixty Fiver

Catweazle... Perhaps this is the kind of bike you remember ?

I won't be flipping the bars anytime soon and will be taking my 1955 RaleighLenton on a 100 mile ride at the end of the month since the bike is so well suited for distance riding.

The Lenton came as a fixed gear but I also have a 1954 Raleigh Sports 3 speed road bike that would have been a popular choice for touring... increasing the size of the rear cog can give a 3 speed a pretty decent gearing for climbing.

Catweazle

Yep. That kinda thing. Does that'n weigh so much that you'd need to be about 10 years old before you could take on lifting it up when it's laying on the ground?

Around here it was 'Malvern Star' who were the biggie manufacturer. Home grown mob who made world class bikes, until Pacific finally swallowed them up a while back.

Sixty Fiver

CW - The Lenton weighs about 32 pounds with it's rack, fenders, and Wright's leather saddle, the frame is Reynold's 531... there is not a speck of allot parts on the bike as it is all quality English steel.

The rims are stainless Dunlop EA1's with stainless spokes done in a 40 4 cross which makes them pretty much bombproof.

With it's 46 16/18 gearing I have been able to pull down a sub hour 35... the bike is as smooth as they come with it's oiled bb and hubs.

I'm looking forward to probably being one of the only people taking a fixed gear on a century ride and will probably be riding one of the oldest bikes as well.

I expect that the kids will have a hard time keeping up with me and "Reg"...

d2create

This thread just proves how the marketing departments for modern road bikes have totally distorted the general public's view of cycling. Now when anyone things about cycling all they picture is mountain bikes, beach cruisers, or ultra modern racing road bikes.

I love my Atlantis which was designed to be a fully loaded touring bike. And I never planned on touring with it and probably never will. It's just a great bike for all around riding. Commuting, relaxed club rides, running errands, fast sprints... had it up to 28mph on short flat sprint the other day... with platform pedals. Tips the scales at around 32lbs as seen in this pic...

ablang

Is it possible guys, that touring bikes _are_ still being sold in the US, but perhaps they are so popular that one can never see them in stock at their LBS?

BarracksSi

Not at my shop. I'm in there so often that I see when individual bikes finally leave the shelves, and I rarely -- if ever -- see a single bike that fits the definition of "touring". Comfort hybrids, road hybrids, four Bianchi flatbar commuters with dynohubs, hardtail & FS MTBs (some singlespeed), SS/fixies, cyclocross, entry- and mid- and high-level road, but no touring bikes.

rfomenko

https://www.faughnan.com/touringbike.html