The Devinci and Norco are closer to MTB geometry, with a sloping top tube and high bottom bracket..

Amongst the others, check what is the clearance for wide tires under the fork and stays. Also, for the same reason, the bike should use cantilever brakes or V-brakes, instead of sidepull brakes, because it's hard to fit wide tires and fenders with sidepull brakes.

Shifters also make a difference. The Trek 520 uses bar-end shifters, which I prefer (I also put my bars high... and ride from the drops), but some others use STI (brake levers that also serve as shifters). Many people prefer STI, but if they break, they usually are unreparable and expensive to replace.


As for the actual gearing, the Trek (and I think most of your other choices) come with 52-42-30 chainrings and 11-34 9-speed cassette. Even for commuting, the gears are too high, and for touring, they are way too high. I would suggest that whatever bike you select, you have the small chainring replaced for a 26. Eventually, when you decide to replace the cassette, something like the Cyclotouriste 14 (ratios from 14-34, with close one at the driving range) would give you closer ratios in the gears we typically use on the flats.

BTW, I have a 2000 Trek 520 that I enjoy very much. It's a very stable bike, even when fully loaded. My front tire is still the original 700 x 32, but my rear tire is now a 700 x 37. With fenders, the bike could fit 35 mm front and 42 mm rear (with fenders).

If you look at the other bikes, the chainstays and seatstays of the Trek 520 are much beefier than on many other bikes. It's one of the factors that prevent shimmy when fully loaded.

Regards,