>> Drops are NOT tour bars. Butterfly bars are goofy too. I never used either. LOL
>> Rim scratch brakes are 100% STUPID on a tour bike. I just replaced one that got basically gouged in a few days of frozen mud in China. I was slow getting a disc set up on my so complicated custom bike.
>> Belt and suspenders all bolts. 5 mm is NOT a rack bolt. Nylock nut on everything.
>> Schwalbe tires ALWAYS for durability. They have all sizes and thickness.
>> Have a BIG bar mount mirror. I can see behind half a mile easily. And have some thermos bottles that hold ice ALL day. I choke on hot water.
>> You want stuff to NOT NEED adjustment or fiddling or daily lubing. Rohloff14 rear, SA XL-FDD dyno DRUM brake. 32,000 miles and still stopping.
Cable TRP Spyre calipers are the BEST, on my Rohloff. I never tried belt drive. Pinion drive is getting more popular and reliable too. Sorry deFaileur fanboys.
>> Use a FLOOR mini pump. Flailing your arms in the air while pumping 100+ times is STUPID. These pumps are NOT much heavier either.
>> For medium width tires, nothing beats Velocity DYAD machine side rims with NO stupid eyelets. ZERO chance the holes will EVER crack. Use 2.3/ 2.0 spokes if possible. NO magic voodoo spoke tensioning needed. LOL. Mavic rims are all GARBAGE.
>> Steel racks are far stronger. Fact.
>> Coasting downhill because you have less than 99 GI is laughable. I used 114 GI just as much as the 22 GI low. Walking a couple miles/ hills won't kill you.
>> If you aren't enjoying the adventure and experience every day every mile, then go HOME.
Yah my bike here weighed 6% of a ton. LOL. And I don't even carry a tent or stove. >>>>