cyclezealot

Fubar. In front of my favorite shop once had a chance to talk to Marine about to retire and he was about to see the world. He had a modified "Rockhopper," think Speciallzed?. He had modified it with slicks and drop type handlebars. He had put a trailer behind the bike. Seems did come with eyelets for panniers. He said it was very comfortable. Bigger tires, he could go off road when needed, as long as road was not too soft. Think Rockhopper without suspension sells for under $1,000.

MichaelW

You can get 26" wheeled touring bikes. They are as bomb proof as any MTB, but the geometrty is designed for loaded touring.
I'm not sure suspension is wise on a touring bike. If it breaks down, you are in a fix.
My standard touring bike handles trails without a problem. The handbuilt wheels will outperform factory wheels whatever the rim size.

I ve been comparing my cantelever brakes to Shimano 105 long drop calipers. I would be happy road touring on the calipers, they have plenty of stopping power, they just lack clearance for wider tyres.

I think most bikes are a lot more versatile than people imagine. In Ireland a motley crew of tourists met up at Kenmare hostel, and we crossed the mountains of Kerry using lanes, tracks, trails, and at one point, streams. We had touring bikes, hybrid bikes, road racers and city bikes. We all started together and finished together and had loads of fun.

bikeboy

Late last year I got a GREAT deal on a brand-new (2000 model year) Cannondale T2000, their top-of-the-line touring bike. It has replaced my 10-year-old Cannondale road bike.

Most of my riding is year-round commuting and local recreation/fitness riding, but now I'm hankerin' to gather my bedroll and hit the open road.

The T2000 is STURDY! Fat forks, cantilever brakes, slightly-stretched geometry, braze-ons everywhere. Built to go the distance.

Things I like about my first 1000 miles:
- full fenders (after-market) have greatly improved the quality of the commute on wet, rainy, snowy days. The brown stripe is a thing of the past.
- fatter tires (38 or so, as compared with 25) are so trouble-free by comparison. NO flats so far.

Things I miss about the road bike:
- lighter weight. The T2000, with fenders, lights, etc., probably weighs 8-10 pounds more than my lean, mean road bike.
- rolling resistance.

There's no getting around the fact that the touring bike takes more effort to get from Point A to Point B, than the road bike. But so far, the peace-of-mind I've gained has far outweighed the compromise of slightly more effort.

MichaelW

Bikeboy. Stick some 28mm slicks on you new Dale and it will fly. 38mm rubber is fine for loaded touring and trails, but give yourself a break, do you need it on your commute ?

bikeboy

Thanks for the advice, MichaelW.
Actually, I was thinking as soon as the roads are tolerable again, I'd try just that.
(Currently 2-3 inches of snow on the ground. And, they put sand/salt on the roads or anti-ice spray... it all combines to make for a treacherously slick road surface. Rolling resistance is NOT a major consideration right now; survival and getting to Point B is what I'm focused on!)
(-;

dennisk

I was thinking on getting a Cannondale T2000..... Please keep us updated on the condition of that bike.....