I have two bikes, both more than twenty years old.

One a stock '89 Schwinn Voyageur, bought for me by a dear friend after I suffered a knee injury. The mountain bike craze came in about that time and the Voyageur mostly hung on the wall.

The other is an '88 Rockhopper rigid mountain bike, a premier bike of the genre in its day. Road bike-like geometry on the mild steel frame, the bike fits me like a glove and is fun to ride.

I've worked up to a twenty mile round-trip daily commute now, and in addition I have put in fifty milers on each. The Voyageur is wearing 27" x 1 1/4" Pasolos at 95psi, the Rockhopper 26" x 2.0" Serfa Drifers at 65psi.

I have been surprised to find that my times for these trips are about the same on either bike, tho' the Voyageur is noticeably quicker rolling downhill.

Both bikes have rear racks and I can fit the same saddlebags on each, setting them further back on the rack on the Rockhopper on account of the shorter chainstays. I presume both can be fitted with front racks and that either bike could pull a trailer.

A 2,000 mile self-supported camping tour to New York State from Texas is on my bucket list and I am working towards that goal. Hopefully I can manage 500 miles every seven days, I know I will have to train on a loaded bike too.

I will observe that fat tires have gotten very good over the last twenty years.

Is there any compelling reason NOT to choose the Rockhopper over the Voyageur?

Thanks,
Mike