Originally Posted by
atnyc
I’m guessing you’re not familiar with the Cannondale line? The Synapse isn’t a “race bike”. It’s an “endurance” bike, fast and efficient to do centuries with minimum effort. But not counting seconds at the finish line or duking it out on the sprint finish. Its geometry is pretty relax, quite friendly for touring as long as one doesn’t carry a huge load of cr*p!
Moreover, if you’re a backpacker, especially during the last 10 years, you would know camping gear had shed a huge amount of their weight. You can camp in comfort without carrying 50lb of gear any more. (I backpacked for a few decades. But recently, when I needed to replace my threadbare tent, I was shocked at how much lighter tents had became! I went a little overboard and replaced a few other items. Now, my backpack weights only 20lbs even with a few leftover heavy itesm from the old days)
Last but not least, I’m considerably below average in weight. Me and my camping gear together will only be about average weight of rider of my size, well within the handling envelop of any non-racing bikes.
I’m very familiar with Cannondales. I’ve had 5 of them…three touring bikes, a tandem, and even a Synapse.
The Synapse was an art project bike that I regret giving away. I really liked the ride.
I’ll agree that the Synapse isn’t a race bike but it is a sportier, shorter wheelbase bike than the touring bikes.
As you can see, I’m not unfamiliar with touring. Yes, equipment is lighter than it used to be but how light depends on a bunch of factors. I’ve also noticed a lot of people report loads without taking into account food and water. They still have to be carried.