recommend a COMFORTABLE touring bike?
 

Greetings -

I'm looking for recommendations for a bike that'll be used for a (not particularly taxing) daily commute, jaunts around town, and touring. No MTB, no off-road trails.

I currently have a 15-year-old hybrid Aquila, a boutique brand from Racer Sportif in Toronto. It was (and is) a good bike (particularly in its day), but to make it comfortable for me, I had to replace the straight handlebars with drop-downs, and get a significantly longer stem.

Since suffering a ruptured disc (L5-S1) 1.5 years ago, and subsequent (successful) surgery, I can no longer
cycle comfortably on the bike, and so am looking for a replacement.

The key factors are:
1) comfort (relaxed geometry, relatively upright riding position)
2) weight (the sucker should be reasonably light)
3) rack/pannier friendly

Happily, I'm not unduly constrained by budget, but can't really justfy spending more than $2K US, and then only if I can really feel it in the ride (comfort, handling, shifting). If I can find something suitable for half that, so much the better.

I rode a 54cm Specialized Tricross Sport the other day ($1K), which I found to be rather comfortable -- not crazy about the shifters, tho. (I've got the old-fashioned end of handlbar kind.) The shop didn't have a Tricross Comp available in my size to try. I also rode a Specialized Roubaix, which I did *not* find particularly comfortable -- it required me to be pitched forward more than was comfortable.

Any and all recommendations / suggestions welcome.

Thanks.

- Richard
[richard AT oldWithoutMoney DOT c o m]

So many ways you can go with this.

There is a bike shop in Toronto than makes a nice tourer off an imported steel frame. They get good reviews and would be able to give you the relaxed geometry you want: http://ucycle.com/bikes/item.php?nam...r&cat=urbanite

What is your budget and what country are you in?

I'm in the U.S. (Boston area).

I plan to check out Harris Cyclery later today to check out the Surly offerings -- they may have a Long Haul Trucker I could check out.

Budget is < $2k (but less is more).

LHT is a great bike, but not on the light side of things.

Also check out some the offerings by Marinoni, such as the Turismo. If I'm not mistaken they do custom geometry at reasonable pieces, so they might be able to offer suggestions to help with your back.

http://www.marinoni.qc.ca/EN/Bikes/Touring/Turismo.htm

Take a look at the geometry of the Trek Navigator series of bikes. Before anyone shoots me, let me make clear that I'm NOT suggesting that a Navigator is what you're looking for, because you'd end up changing out the handlebars, shifters, brakes, fork, complete drivetrain and wheels to get what you're looking for. What I'm suggesting, however, is that if you happen to be in a Trek shop, take a spin on one. It is the most upright / relaxed bike that I know of without going to something like a Townie or a recumbant. The componentry on the Navigator is a bunch of crap, but if somehow you could find a bike with similar geometry but decent components, you'd probably have a super-comfort tourer that would be easy on your back.

Just a thought....
http://www2.trekbikes.com/images/bik...ilverblack.jpg

How about a recumbent?

+1

I've ridden one once. Not a fan. Nice in theory, but I don't like being that low -- particularly in the city.

Considerations
 

Richard,
Ever consider a recumbent? The bike may be just what your back is asking for, comfortable seating, the road vibrations are better dampened through a longer wheelbase and hits you differently than a wedge (up right). Recumbents usually can accept the same type of panniers as traditional bikes
Enjoy
Journey On
chris

With your back, I doubt you will be camping. So would be correct to assume your touring will involve motels and not tents?

If it does, you don't need a touring bike. Just as an example, the Surly Pacer is what I think of as their best bike. For lite touring and riding it would be a better choice ( but the frame does weigh! You can lose quite a bit of weight by ditching the Surly fork, it is amazingly heavy.
http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.aspx?PART_NUM_SUB='2789-35'

Belmont Wheelworks had a 54cm IF touring bike for years, they may still have it. It was there in the winter. The price is absurd, if it fits. The whole bike costs
less than the just the frame would at today's prices. I guess the harvard kids consider touring beneath them.

Back Bay Bike in Portland has a Burley touring bike for about $1600 in what I think is a 54cm, might be a 56. It may be less, and it's also on sale. I have ridden it. It's a really sweet bike, I wish I had an excuse to buy it.

ooops, I am wrong, it's 1489
http://www.backbaybicycle.com/specials.htm

Just FYI, I ride a Gunnar Sport, and it's terrific. As far as lite touring goes, I rode it coast to coast across Italy.
http://www.gunnarbikes.com/sport.php

Mine doesn't look anything like the one in the picture, I have 28c tires on it. the bars are higher than the seat by a hair, and it has a leather saddle and an English saddlebag. Old School, you might say.

I have back trouble, and some other problems, and went to a recumbent. I didn't really like it or find it more comfortable. In the end, though I have several damaged discs, I just found a standard bike with drops was the most comfortable for me.

I love my Jamis Aurora
does Harris carry them?

anyway, nice practically priced steel tour bike

Since you say you'll be doing in-town rides most of the time, I can highly recommend the Trek 520 as an all-rounder. I use mine for commutes, family rides and weekend club rides. At purchase, I swapped out for an adjustable Ritchey stem that brings the bars higher up for me, since I don't want to reach so much. I don't yet have back trouble, and I'm trying to keep it that way.

The 520 still surprises me in my first full year of riding it. I can ride pacelines (within reason), roll up the steepest hills in the area (slowly but surely), and tow my 4-year old's Trail A Bike down the local rail trail. And I'm a mid-40's Clydesdale at 210.

Just my two cents. Good luck with your search, and you're lucky to have Harris Cyclery in your back yard. I'd like to visit there sometime.

Cheers,
Ken

These hybrids are called "Comfort" bikes and are comfortable for 10 or 20 miles. Afterward, they become very uncomfortable for longer rides because you'll be sitting straight up for all the ruts, bumps and potholes! You have to practically lift up your whole body and this gets tiring after awhile so you end up siting down on all the road disruptions.

I agree with the recumbent idea. The OP needs to test more of them.

What about a Breezer Range Bike?

No, he doesn't. ;)

I've tried 'em. Don't like 'em.
Being down that low makes me *very* uncomfortable, both on pedestrian/bike paths and on roadways with motorized traffic.

YMMV.

- Richard

Harris carries 'em, but didn't have one in my size, nor could they get one.
But I will be trying a Bianchi Volpe 55 there later today.
Seems comparable to the Aurora.

- Richard

Ken -
Thanks. Indeed a nice bike, but at 21" or 23" sizing (which, * 2.54, comes in at 53.3 and 58.4), may not work well for me -- 54-55 tends to be my sweet spot.

- Richard

Interesting. But I'm a neanderthal curmudgeon much more partial to old-fashioned geometry.

- Richard

I don't pretend to know much but aren't there some recumbants that sit higher, like as high as a regular bike? I'm not trying to push recumbants though, just sayin'.

Richard,

I test rode a Tricross and was very comfortable on it. I ended up buying a used 21" 520 and that size/geometry felt very good too. I would highy recommend trying it if for nothing else to see what its like. Also, the Fuji Touring is not a bad choice either.

One point that might be of interest: the Tricross Sport may be more comfortable than the Comp, because of the longer chainstays. (There has been some misinformation on the website and in the Specialized catalogue, indicating that the chainstays are the same length. They are not. You can measure them yourself, or you can compare the photographs.)

***
Tire pressure has strong effects on comfort. Sheldon Brown talks about this on his site, and it's easy to confirm yourself. Many cyclists are brainwashed into thinking that higher pressures are more important than they really are -- and they get unnecessarily harsh and punishing rides this way.

***
Fit can be a very individual thing. Your back problems may be lessened by some special postures. There are many variations possible. Handlebar height and reach (in relation to saddle position) is highly individualizable.

***
A suspension seatpost might also help with back comfort.

With wide tires and a Brooks saddle, no need to stand up over rough surfaces. Very comfy.

Yep. Try that, dude. The Brooks'll break-in and conform to your butt, and fatter tires=more comfort.