1-track-mind

The biggest surprise of my first tour was how well my steel, rigid mountain bike (Giant ATX 780) performed during the trip. I'm starting to wonder how a MTB with a short travel front shock would do on my next trip and also whether it si mandatory for the frame to be steel.
Anyone else touring on a MTB ? If so, what model ?

jamawani 

Trek 8000 Aluminum
Stem Shock

I've heard different things about full shocks and touring. Certainly in the back you lose too much. I'm not sure how much extra you get out of your shoulders and arms when climbing. I get some and you lose a little with a front shock. My stem shock takes just a little of the edge off.

1-track-mind

By a stem shock, I guess you are talking about something like a head shock ?
I'm seeing older, used, MTBs selling for under $200.00, and wonder why more people don't see them as a
poor man's touring bike. I think the biggest misconception floating around is that you need to buy a "touring bike" to tour.

Erick L

I see them as poor's man touring bike. Actually, I find MTB more adequate than many "touring bikes". Better gearing in most cases, stronger 26" wheels, no concern with large tires. The only downside is the suspension fork and in some case, the shorter chainstays. Then even some touring bikes have rather short chainstays. Rigid forks are rarer, but you can always change it. If I had the knowledge I have now when I bought my bike, I would've passed the tourers and looked at MTB first (my bike is fine, just want 26" wheels).

1-track-mind

I agree. It's almost as if you could recycle old MTBs as dang good touring bikes. Put em out to pasture, so to speak.

14R 

Most of the new front shocks come with a blocking device, so even suspension is no longer an issue iin most cases I guess...

mtnroads

There are a lot of posts going back on this forum about converting older steel hardtails to touring use. They work great and can often be purchased for under $200 off Craigslist, and with a small investment are ready to go. I have a 1993 Trek 970 with a rigid fork that I setup, including Jandd HD racks, for under $500. The higher end models have lighter frames and better components and often cost about the same.

CL39

I did three loaded tours in France including the Alps and the Pyrenees on Bianchi Volpe,
which many would say is a good tourer.
As fun as it was, I just never felt comfortable in Volpe, so I decided to sell it and spent some of the $ on
upgrading my old 1993 DiamondBack Topanga MTB with rigid forks (rack, thinner tires, crankset, cassette, RD) and just finished another tour across the Alps. Felt so much better. The only thing I wished
I had during the tour was bar extension.

Saw many others on the Alps w/ panniers/trailiers, about half of them I would say
were MTB (some with shock and full MTB tire).

I guess it's whatever one feels comfortable with.

khuon

I used to do offroad touring on my 1990 Nishiki Ariel. By this, I mean, we'd mount racks and panniers, fill them with camping equipment, plot a route that would take us all around the midwest to MTB areas using mainly unimproved roads, ride to them, set up camp, go bash our bodies on singletrack, come back to camp, sleep, wake up, rinse and repeat.

The Figment

I Did a tour from Boston Ma. to ElDorado Ks. on a 19" REI Novara Bonanza MTB,Manitu Axel Elite Front fork,STI Shifters, Alvio/Deore Deraillers,Truvativ riser bars,Truvativ platform pedals with chepo toeclips and straps(I like my hiking shoes), 42/32/22-11/32 Front/Rear gearing,WTB 32 spoke rims (which I upgraded after getting home) Shimino cable disc brakes, Schwag-mart Beach Crusier tires,Pulling a 80-100 Lb B.O.B Yak Trailer. Got lotsa S**T from the Roadie/Thin Tire Crowd, but I also got to ride road,railtrail,singletrack,fireroad,uphill,downhill thru the rain,mud,rocks,gravel,anywhere I wanted to go! Pavement Optional
Would I get a "Real" touring bike? Sure (Surly LHT!!!)
Will I tour on a MTB again?? You Bet Yer Ass I Will!!!!!
Go the places I went on a Trek 520? Not in a Thousand Years!!!

The Figment

Ps...Alumunim Frame,80 mm shocks

chrisch

Hi! I recently did a four week tour from Switzerland to Sweden on a 1999 Gary Fisher Big Sur. The bike was slightly modified with thinner tires and I carried my gear with a Bob Yak. The bike performed well. chris

My Tour, photos, and map.

Bekologist

Hi. yes, MTB is a great touring choice, and you see many Europeans touring on these types of machines.

I first toured with mountain bikes in the 1980's, before suspension forks or SPD clipless pedals. A well set up mountain bike will treat a rider real well on tour. Jannd expedition rack is my standard recc' for a mtn bike touring build.

At the same time, have owned and toured extensively on both a Surly LHT and a Trek 520 and taken them on many off road/two track/ trail tours. in fact later this morning, i ride off on a big overnighter on my 520 that will include about 60 miles of gravel trail, over a mountain pass...

I can state that a well outfitted, drop bar, fat tired, 700c touring bike will treat a rider very well on all but the roughest or sandiest of paths, and a hoot of a lot more fun while tackling the concrete portions of the tour.

MichelleE

I've toured about 2500km's on an aluminium Specialized HardRock with front shocks. Mostly fully loaded with camping gear front and back.

Current setup:
Specialized HardRock, front suspension, 70psi slicks, seatpost shock, bar ends, SPD pedals.

But I am actually looking for a dedicated touring bike right now. I just feel that it's time to splurge.

There is no hard and fast rule for touring. On my US Pacific Coast tour I met more cyclists on "non-touring" rigs than ones with "true" touring bikes. There were Kiwis on hybrids, US drifters on MTB's, Canadians and a German on road bikes and a couple of Americans on Canadian made DeVinci touring bikes.

Just go out and tour!

There are good reasons to buy a dedicated touring bike but don't get too hung up about that.

arctos

I started touring on a Swiss Mondia Special touring bike in the 1970s. I switched to a Ritchey Team Comp Mountain bike in the mid 1980s. I served me well but I missed some of the advantages of the 700C touring bike when on pavement.
I solved this split preference when I received my Ti Bruce Gordon RnR in 1989. I am still touring on the RnR with 700x47 tires on and offroad including the Divide Ride in 2003. All rigid so I adjust tire pressure as my shock absorber. A great all around touring bike that I would recommend to anyone for the long haul.
As Bekologist says above:
<<I can state that a well outfitted, drop bar, fat tired, 700c touring bike will treat a rider very well on all but the roughest or sandiest of paths, and a hoot of a lot more fun while tackling the concrete portions of the tour.>>

1-track-mind

I was a little apprehensive about pulling my Bob Ibex for the first tour after reading a few wobble and crash stories on descents. I have to think that running 26x1.95 Specialized Hemisphere's provided more stability than a conventional touring tire for pulling a trailer, because it was never an issue on my trip. The tires were also a huge upgrade over knobbies in the way they rolled on pavement. As Khuon stated, the great thing for me about touring with a MTB is tackling some singletrack (unloaded) along the way. Unfortunately the combination of spacers in my steering column and rigid fork are no good for any kind of technical single track, which is why I'm asking about front suspension.

Michigander

I tour on my 98 Giant ATX 1200. With more than generous travel, and weighing in at 24 pounds, I think its a great bike for touring. I'm an oddball in that I use downhilling tires and pass most people on Hybrids, so many people dissagree with my choice of bike for touring.

hoogie

i have toured on an older model Giant Yukon ...

the older model steel framed ones are perfect for touring on ... relaxed geometry, long chain stays, rack mounts front and back ...

more on my Giant Yukon MTB tourer

Bikr Beast

Yeah I used a MTB on my first tour to its a 2005 Diamondback Topanga EX with Judy tt Roc shox and it held up for 1700 mile from Canada to mexico and I'm only 13 years old. I really liked how it worked and id like to try a rode bike though.

Mark

Nigeyy

Yes, I did some good touring on an old Raleigh Technium (circa mid to late 1980's I think) and it was great.... well up to a point. The geometry was an older style of mtb -very long wheelbase and very stable -so it was supremely suited for touring. Had it got a spoke holder, you could have sworn the frame was a touring specific bike.

Anyway, after riding it for 15 years, it started to sound very "clunky". I thought is was the bb, so I replaced it, but still the same result. Went through many things trying to identify the clunking source, but no luck. After a while I figured out what it was: the frame is a front alu triangle with steel rear chain and seat stays bonded together (probably by McGuyver with a packet of Wrigley's chewing gum, dental floss and Elmer's glue) and one of the joints was separating. I bought a like new 26 inch Dawes Sardar touring frame off ebay for $100, swapped the parts over, and haven't looked back since. The problem with the Raleigh frame was confirmed when I hacksawed it apart (it really does feel like you are disposing of a dead body when you do that!) and a couple of the joints just allowed the tubes to seperate with no force needed.

My next door neighbour is touring with his old Trek 950, and it looks the business to me. Based on what you can see on Craigslist, I'd definitely recommend people who want to get into touring cheaply buy an old mtb bike and go from there. Assuming an old mtb is in reasonable condition, the outlay of a couple of tubes and slicks and a rack make it a very attractive and effective proposition.

1-track-mind

I must admit that I have a heavy bias to steel MTB frames, but it sounds like a loaded alu MTB frame is pretty smooth as well. Are there any hardtails that you would steer clear of for touring ?
What would be ideal ? Would also like to hear more about tour-tested front shocks.

Cyclist0094

I became a fan of 26" wheeled tourers about 10 years ago when I rode with a guy on a Koga Miyata. Later I toured a little on a rigid MTB a few times . Then 3 years ago I got serious and built a 26" tourer frame with 49cm chainstays and full touring braze-ons. It has turned out to be a great touring bike! with 1.75 or 2.0 semi-slick tires it goes anywhere. I now mix tours up with both on road and off road riding. If I am on a narrow road and get forced off it usually isn't a big deal. and if I pop a tire and can't find a bike shop I can always find a hardware store or a walmart for a 26" tire. The only downside is the MTB tourer is about 4 lbs heavier than my 700c touring bike. I only notice the extra weight on the steepest climbs.

edtrek

May I ask a question that shows my ignorance? What is a stem shock?
Are the various options?
Thanks in advance,
Ed

mikethebike

One sure can take the road less traveled on a mt bike, even go off road. Your camp can be remote, as in away from the noisy road.
I tour on a Moots YBB and pull a Burley Nomad.
peaceful, mtb

Miles2go

I'm sure you've seen all the mountain bikes in The Fully Loaded Touring Bike Photo Gallery and the third one in is my wife's. It's an old aluminum mountain bike from 1995. A bike shop owner buddy of mine originally owned it. He used it for three or so years to commute on, year round. I bought it and used it for the same purpose until Nancy wanted a rigid forked touring bike. The Schwinn was supposed to be her temp tourer until we could decide what to buy. That was years ago and she wont let go of the old thing. She rides it to work three times a week, tours on it and when we go on weekend day rides this is often what she takes.

Here's a shot from yesterday...



Less than a year ago I saw one of these go on auction for less than $60 in pristine condition with the original components. If it had been my size I would have bid. My Thorn Nomad (26" wheels) isn't something I want to leave outside when I commute to work and I've wanted a mtb based touring bike with a simple front shock and front rack. The more the merrier, right?

Cheers,