Originally Posted by Burton

You should try the touring forum! According to the reps at Shimano - touring products represent 1% of their bike related sales worldwide, and NA represents 1% of THAT 1%!

But most sales are in China and Japan and since this is an English forum and 99% of the Chinese don't have Internet anyway - we're getting a very Americanized view of bicycle touring. Don't know about your experiences but in the countries I've visited the word 'tourist' is usually said with a condesending sneer. 'Traveler' is a different story altogether.