Originally Posted by
dubes
Getting back to the OP's query, for me the "ultimate" touring group is the 9-speed XT of a few years ago. (9-speed LX would also be fine with me.) Which is why I continue to stock up on spare / replacement parts, these days at clearance prices.
This is what my girlfriend's Kona Cinder Cone circa 1993 is specced with (maybe upgraded by the previous owner- who knows). At any rate, it shifts smoother than either of my bikes (Shimano XT cir. 2010 and Shimano Deore cir. 2009) and I suspect the entire bike will outlast anything I've got from this generation.
She spent $200. Next time I need an expedition touring bike, it'll be a 90's steel 26 inch mountain bike.