bikemig 

I've searched the threads and it seems that the sports touring bicycle is the Rodney Dangerfield of bikes; they just don't get a lot of respect. There are long threads on touring bikes and racing bikes but not on these classic in between bikes.

There are only 2 rules. The first is that the bike should have long reach brakes. Of course back in the day, long reach brakes were just called standard reach brakes, . Still bikes with cantilevers (mainly touring and cross bikes) and short reach (39-49 mm) brakes need not apply; they have their own threads. The second is that the bike should have eyelets front and rear too (otherwise it's just a racing bike).

Sports touring bikes were designed to be in-betweeners but they're sweet bikes that can take a 28 or even a 32c tire. They'll work fine for light touring and fast day rides. They make good randonnee bikes. And they get no respect.

This is mine. It's a 1984 Trek 610; I bought the frame (and headset) from a fellow BF member and built the bike from my parts bin. The bike rides great with 700 x 30c tires:

markk900

Well, hopefully it won't be a Trek only thread: here's my 83 Trek 600 (converted to IGH but still a sport tourer):

gomango

My John Hollands.

Comfy, zippy.

EL-OS

I'm trying the Soma Vitesse SLs on this for kicks.

I'll get a fresh pic when the roads aren't pure ice.

Untitled by gomango1849, on Flickr

pastorbobnlnh 

Not complete without a bit of '80s Cannondale aluminum. My '88 ST400 pressed into winter service.

nlerner

I think that sport tourers get plenty of attention in C&V land (well, maybe not as much as flat out tourers, but I'd like to know how many owners are actually touring on those bikes!). I find that the early to mid 1970s were a sweet spot for sport touring geometry, particularly from Great Britain. In my fleet:

1971 Raleigh International w/ 30mm tires and fenders:


1973 Condor Italia w/ 30mm tires:


1976 Wes Mason w/ 30mm tires:

gomango

Agreed on the tourer comment!

All of yours are superb examples Neal.

Riders bikes for sure.

Your International is a classic beauty.

I built so many of those bitd........

cb400bill

My departed Fuji Sagres would fit the Sport Touring criteria.

Velocivixen

According to the 1978 Univega catalog the Gran Rally was a "performance touring" bike. Center pull brakes and no bottle cage brazeons. It's a 5-speed with a 32 big cog & Suntour Cyclone long cage, so I guess that's the touring aspect of it.

Erwin8r

Sweet bike!

OldsCOOL

My winter build project is this '76 Fuji "The Finest", the classic sport touring bike of the '70s. If you wanted to race it, just pedal faster. Very light, which translates to very fun. I may even put some miles on it.

NJgreyhead

I just got mine from a PHL CL ad this week, 1982 Trek 614, original.

mstateglfr 

'80 Schwinn Voyageur 11.8 which was heavily modified and changed over to a full SunTour drivetrain.
Fantastic for day rides and b&b trips.

nlerner

Thanks! I've also read that Raleigh Int'l geometry strongly influenced what Grant Petersen designed for Rivendell. And my Riv Romulus is definitely in this category (with 32mm tires and fenders):

Scooper

Classic, but not vintage.

John E

To me, this is the sweet spot of frame geometry, in the sense that these are the best all-rounder bikes available. They are practical, comfortable, and stable, yet reasonably fast at the same time -- sort of the sport sedan of bicycles. (My preferences in cars run to sport sedans and sport sedan based wagons.)

Pompiere

Miyata 310, purchased in 1984 from Stone's in Alameda, California. This is an old picture. I have built new wheels and will be putting a B17 on it for spring.

dazevedo

74 Sports Tourer with 700 x 32 can take 35s with fenders and 42 without

CuttersRidge

Nice Schwinn, I'm partial to yellow bikes, someone in our neighborhood had either that color or orange but it was a nice bike. The others are nice too.

Toomanytoys

The new term for "Sport Tourer" is "Endurance Bike", and all the bike companies make them. They even conform to Bikemig's rules. They sell more of them than all of their racing and touring bikes combined. Why? They are less expensive and fulfill most riders needs.

It was the same way back in the day, most of all of the road bikes made were Sport Tourers. They don't get as much attention because they weren't as unique and expensive. They are our daily riders. They do everything well. We are more apt to customize them to our riding needs, mix and match if you will.

Thanks to Bikemig for starting this thread, Sports Tourers are the bread and butter of C&V bikes.

Velognome 

gugie 

I see a vintage sports tourer, I think low trail, 650b conversion, and dream of firing up my torch.

daf1009

A bike that has been seen here several times...

My 72 Sports Tourer from Scott...

eschlwc

motobecane's best sport tourer model was their grand record. this one is from '76 or so.



this one's a 700c conversion with modern tektro dual-pivots (with a longer caliper in the rear).

in addition to the geometry, clearance and eyelets common to sport tourers, this grand record also has a beefier rear triangle, facilitating stability when loaded down with touring gear, or in my case, with box wine, a gallon of milk and rest of the week's groceries.

Cougrrcj

Again, I'll stick with the bike that I have ridden for close to 40 years -- My '75 Fuji S-10S.
Longer wheelbase than most other bikes of its day (I had to adjust the rollers for this longer bike so I didn't drop off the front)
In the first few years I had this bike, I rode it well over 30,000 miles.

gomango

Heh thanks!

As a brand, Hollands doesn't get much love on line, but let me tell you that this frameset is a total keeper.

It has some idiosyncracies, but the ride is out of this world.

Everyone should try an EL-OS frameset at some point.