Originally Posted by
wheelinthai
Have you ridden a titanium frame? May be I'm being critical, but Cannondale made aluminum framed tourers that were not giving an inch to the 520. Same for Blackburn aluminium racks. Their lightness is god bless when you ride up a steep incline. BTW, I ride a Bianchi Volpe as a light tourer, because it's my style, yet I don't look down on Merida CX riders with the aluminium frame steeds. Components can make a lot of difference, i.e.,wide tyres.
I have not. However I have heard from people it is a very soft more flexible ride and maybe not the best for touring. I do with to try one but as I haven't I didn't mention that frame material.
Components do make a huge difference but I think frame does have a lot to do with it. Plus steel racks can be light. Tubus stuff isn't too bad from what I have heard and the Blackburn racks my store carries for "touring" are clunky and have extra weight that doesn't need to be there and while the stainless steel rack they make is nice looking it is not great for mounting panniers and could have some weight reduction as well.
I think the 520 and the Fuji Touring are decent bikes but more at the lower end of touring bikes at least from what I have read and seen of them. They aren't bad bikes but like I feel about aluminum just aren't quite up to snuff. I ride both steel and aluminum regularly and my steel bike takes the bumps and abuses of the road more comfortably than my aluminum bike. If someone wishes to ride aluminum go ahead but I will tour steel till I die ; )