Originally Posted by
elcruxio
>>>
But you didn't address my main point. After which year have all advancements in bicycle technology been rendered useless for bicycle touring specifically?
After introduction of sealed bearings in the '70s (e.g., Phil Woods). Even today, you're pretty much stuck with friction shifting-- given that and the utility of a wide range triple, a 5 speed hub is about all you really need. The biggest innovation in the TdF since the '70s, for example, was better drugs.