robow

I'm not saying that even a general consensus is reached on many issues at this forum but again you'll find more knowledgeable opinions from people that have actually toured than the hit or miss from a young sales kid that knows somebody who knows somebody that has done it before. It's up to the reader to glean the useful information from the chaff. But if you take a question that is often asked repeatedly such as, "What's a good rim to build a set of touring wheels on?", if you do a search, you'll find the same 3 or 4 rims mentioned every time. Now some might offer strong opinions on which of the 4 they feel is "best" but I guarantee if you go to many of the lbs around here and if one is an exclusive Trek dealership, he's going to put you in a 32 spoke Bontrager wheel, because: #1 He doesn't know any better and #2 that's what he sells and will stand to make money on.

These forums have been a blessing to even someone such as myself who has toured for decades because I can still come on here and learn something new that I have not tried nor would have I known about it if only talking to local bike shops.

So a Big Thank You to all those that post on here with knowledge that they have obtained first hand and do so in a respectful manner (most of the time)