Originally Posted by
maxfieldl
However, I've both read and been told that some bikes commonly listed as "road" can be retrofitted for lightweight touring (e.g. Specialized SECTEUR).
What are your thoughts on buying a road-centered bike and obtaining the necessary equipment that could enable light/medium touring on it? Has anybody done it themselves? What equipment exactly would I need to do this (if it's even possible?). I am looking at the SECTEUR as a potential ride, but I could be off the map on that one.
Just so you know, I'm a complete novice in the technical world of biking, so I might be tossing around terms and statements that could (and most likely are) completely wrong.
Buying a road oriented bike that's suitable for touring is a great idea, trouble is, the sectuer isn't that bike.
Here's an example of what i mean by specialized and trek missing the mark with their bike lineup. ALL of the non-disc secteurs have compact, short reach brakes on them. This means no slightly wider tires plus fenders.
It's bizarre huge bike conglomerates can miss the mark so wildly when specc'ing bikes.
I'd avoid the sectuer, and go with one of the bikes on the market that offers long reach brakes. A rider can easily swap between light wheels with 23c tires on them, to beefier rim/tire combos, throw on the fenders, and shazaam, mondo rando.
Jamis makes a good bike too, is it the satellite? that is a road bike, relaxed geometry, with rack/fender fittings and LONG REACH brakes.
The Raleigh clubman is like a road riders custom build of a bike for all day and light touring comfort, without the custom price.