Originally Posted by
marmot
3. & 4. I want the bike as an all-round ride, good for commuting, errands, shopping and all-day jaunts in and out of town. I'm not contemplating any long, unsupported tours. I'm more interested in weekenders, inn-to-inn tours, and trips to and from our cottage, which is about 30 miles from home. Around here, routes range from dead flat to gently rolling, to very hilly. I'm a fan of the flatter parts, and prefer rail trails and back roads -- paved and gravel -- to highways and city streets.
...
I have yet to do any real touring. Sightseeing yes, touring no. I now have the free time to tour, something I've been thinking about for quite some time. I love to ride, and I love my current bike, which has helped to transform me from a 260-pound couch spud into a fairly lean, fit and active codger. I am planning some trial runs using my current bike, but I believe a touring rig would suit my plans -- and even my current needs -- better.
Excellent. You'll get quite a few opinions on this forum based on the information you've given us.
First of all, 60 and healthy basically means no limitations given what you want to do. Once you make sure the gearing has a low enough granny gear, you'd be fine with any of these bikes. Since you don't intend to do extended self-supported touring at this time, if I were you, I'd stay with the hybrid and invest the 800 dollars on
1) a better saddle, Brooks or WTB recommended, and a blinkie light for the back
2) good road tires like Marathons
3) good fenders and racks (Tubus recommended)
4) water resistant panniers, Ortlieb recommended
5) a good rain cape and booties for when the whether gets nasty; a reflective vest
6) if there's money left over, a good GPS and a trekking handlebar
The rational here is that 800 is really not enough to get both a good new touring bike and to outfit fit it well. Your bike is adequate for short jaunts and all this equipment will transfer to your next bike when you are ready monetarily. A good basic purpose built touring bike is 900 to 2000 USD, with the iconic Surly LHT going for about 1200 with tax give or take. Then you have to "dress it."
You should not postpone touring because you don't have the "right" bike. Instead, focus on safety and comfort and the all-important fit. And remember to leave a little cash to actually tour with! Plus, after you do a couple of tours, you'll have a clearer idea of which of these bikes you'd like on your next trip.
Enjoy.