Thinking of a good touring bike
 

I've always ridden bikes. Mostly inexpensive 10 speeds. Now that I'm back in Canada, and have the time, I seem to require a couple...

My "best" bike was a Dawes Galaxy from Condor (London) in the 70s which saw about 4500 km in Europe and around the Med (broke my jaw and bent the crank and front wheel in an altercation with a blue Fiat in Athens)... and for me, there is nothing like the soft geometry and long wheelbase of that sort of bike. Any love of competition I ever had vanishes when I see someone disappearing out of sight ahead of me...

I've recently owned cheap Trek and Fisher hybrids, which were o.k. for around town, so I may add something like a MB from BD for fun riding... but my '70s Raleigh / campy just doesn't give what I want from a bike. So it still has the original tires.

I distrust carbon... we used to burn that, not ride it... and the LBSs have mountain bike eyeballs... sigh... plus I have this thing about paying list price.

What is the closest available thing to a Bob Jackson super tourister?

Rick

Not familiar with your Dawes, but I like my Banchi Volpe. It's steel. I think all the big companies make touring bikes. Fit is more important than anything else so try some and see what you like.

Joe

Surly Long Haul Trucker is my pic if you want something bombproof and inexpensive.

Attachment 44240

If you can get the angles and measurements for the bike(s) you like, you can compare with the specs and geometries of available bikes.

From what you have said, long chainstays will help to provide the sort of ride you like.

You may or may not be interested in looking into mountain bike frames from the '80s. One can still find these in good condition. The angles are very relaxed, and the wheelbases are long. They ride well and make excellent touring bikes.

For new bikes, there is a long list. If you do an advanced Google search, specifying bikeforums.net as the domain, you can find a lot of discussions in the threads on these forums. [Someone should compile these -- this question comes up again and again, and people could simply be directed to a list of good threads on the topic....]

The Surly LHT is a reliable standby that a lot of people like.

Fuji, Cannondale, Jamis, and others also make reasonably priced touring bikes that are good values.

If you want to waste... I mean spend a lot more money, there are plenty of (vastly) more expensive options out there.

(I shouldn't be too cynical here -- some of these are very fine bikes, with high-end componentry... but you often pay an extra thousand or more for the handmade frames....

Independent Fabrications make a beautiful touring bike. You can specify the geometry. Bob Jackson, Rivendell, and many others also make beautiful bikes. The Rivendell Atlantis isn't terribly overpriced, and many people love that bike................................................................................................ .................................................................................................... .................................................................................................... ...........
really one could just go on and on.......................,
but holding this button down..........................................
is................................................................... morefun............................................................................................. .................................................................................................... .................................................................................................... .................................................................................................... .................................................................................................... .................................................................................................... .................................................................................................... ............................................................................................)

[please forgive me -- I rather enjoyed that somehow............................................................................................. ......]