cycotourer

Please update if you find a good touring bike with disc tabs. I was going to get an LHT until I discovered I couldn't have disc brakes. Then I decided to get a Big Dummy which can have disc brakes, but they don't make a small enough frame. Surly says they have no plans for a smaller Big Dummy frame, and no plans for discs on the LHT! So I guess I have ruled out Surly all together! My LBS recommended getting the LHT frame and Xtracycle (takes discs) and swapping the fork for one with disc tabs .... but I don't like the idea of swapping the fork, thought it might put the "feel" out of kilter??

I am actually now seriously considering a recumbent (for a number of reasons) as many touring recumbents have disc brakes.

vik 

The LHT fork was designed to be a good touring fork and as such uses rim brakes so the fork arms could be curved to provide some added vertical compliance and absorb vibration. You're right that any disc fork you add will not have this quality as they must be built to hand the different braking forces of a caliper down low on the left fork leg. I'd also point out that rim brakes are ubiquitous around the world and provide loads of stopping power. I'd happily tour the world on rim brakes as getting spares for discs would be problematic and the rotors themselves can be damaged easily if you are throwing your bike on or under a bus. If you note Thorn, Surly, Cannondale, Bruce Gordon and Trek [amongst others] do not offer their touring bikes with disc brakes - that isn't an accident.

I also have a Big Dummy with disc brakes as well as a LHT. I can see the advantage to discs if you are doing lots of dirt road/offroad touring - especially if it will be wet. My Big Dummy gets around the stiff straight fork needed for discs with wide heavy larger volume tires and a very long wheelbase which absorbs bumps/vibration nicely. If you were running the same fork on a more typical touring bike with say 30-35mm tires and a normal wheelbase the ride wouldn't be so nice.

Recumbents change the ergonomic equation quite a bit so the shock transmitted from the front wheel isn't the same issue as on a DF touring bike. The often smaller front wheel also heats up faster with rim brakes under hard use making discs a potential benefit - although they can warp/get damaged if overheated as well. If you go the bent route I'd suggest getting a recumbent with a proven history for tackling the kind of tour you have in mind and plan on testing it out over 2-3 shorter tours. Bents can be great touring bikes, but they are radically different than a DF and if you aren't experienced with the particular flavour of bent you plan on using you might get some unfortunate surprises. I have found through, humbling, personal experience that what looks good on paper can sometimes be terrible on tour. Shorter trial tours will weed out these problems and save you from dealing with them when your adventure really begins.

Oh ya back to your question - The Raleigh Soujorn has disc brakes. I'm not sure how good a touring bike it is, but it has potential at least. Peter White is selling some disc brake touring frames. You could also get a custom bike built by a small builder to yours pecs - including disc brakes and any other features you found essential.

cyccommute 

I was thinking more along the lines of an aluminum bike with heat treatment. The fork and rear triangle on a regular bike may not be beefy enough to handle the additional stress too. Although, you could just replace the fork with one that already has tabs on it. I think Surly makes one for the Steamroller (but I won't go check because the Surly site disturbs me)

cyccommute 

Look at a Gunner Rocktour. Not as inexpensive as the LHT but designed very intelligently for a disc equipped bike. They've done a good job of getting rid of the rack/disc interference.

FKMTB07

Rivendell's Tektro Ribbit brakes, https://www.rivbike.com/products/list...product=15-141 seem similar, at 80 bucks a set. They don't have the same kind of adjustability as the Pauls, though, but if you're mechanically adept, you should be fine.

cyccommute 

That's steep. You can get real Paul's from here for $89 and the Cafams for $38 or you can get TRP (Tektro's higher end stuff) from Bikeman for $45.

cycotourer

[QUOTE=vik;7034465]
I also have a Big Dummy with disc brakes as well as a LHT. I can see the advantage to discs if you are doing lots of dirt road/offroad touring - especially if it will be wet. My Big Dummy gets around the stiff straight fork needed for discs with wide heavy larger volume tires and a very long wheelbase which absorbs bumps/vibration nicely. If you were running the same fork on a more typical touring bike with say 30-35mm tires and a normal wheelbase the ride wouldn't be so nice." end quote.


Vic, thats the problem ... with world touring, especially in countries with unsealed roads, we are bound to run into some very bad weather and very bad touring conditions. We are also going to experience some extreme descents. That is why I wanted a disc braked, "rohloffed" Big Dummy (which Surly doesn't make in a small enough size). If I do go DF I still want the Xtracycle, rohloff and discs.

I'm not so concerned about cost, this will be my only vehicle, and I want it to be safe, comfortable and sturdy for 2 to 5 +, non stop, years of touring. I am also not concerned about speed, I want to take a few years and enjoy the ride!

So Vik, if I Xtracycled an LHT frame and used a more upright fork for discs, would I get a Big Dummy ride?

Sorry hope the OP finds this discussion of some benefit too???

vik 

I can't seem to get my reply to post correctly so I placed it here.

mattlavallee

the surly karate monkey fork might work, it's for 29ers and has both disc and canti brake mounts. from the site photos, it appears to have 1 set of eyelets at the dropouts but none on the blades for a front rack. the brake calipers might also interfere with a rack if you used one of the hardware options to mount it. also seems like the LHT small frame fork would be a good option if someone wanted to use their mtn bike for a tour with front racks.

i've got a 60 cm LHT that i bought as a complete bike. i didn't mind the shifting action of the bar-end shifters, but i did mind the fact that they got bumped a lot when i lean the bike against a wall or brushed by something. i replaced them with downtube shifters like i have on my old c-dale T400, i think it's the most simple and uncluttered shifter arrangement you can get. the bike came with tektro cantilevers and they are fine for me.

i don't know about your riding style, but i usually coast down hills, and i found myself never using the large chainring, mostly cruising along in the middle and adjusting the rear derailleur to fit wind/slope conditions. i'm quite happy having the tractor-scale low gears when i get to hills though. my rear wheel was destroyed when i got rear-ended by a car a couple months ago, so i'm taking the opportunity to build up a stronger wheel using a hope pro 2 trials hub. parts are still in the mail, but i *should* be able to build up an undished rear with 6 cogs without messing with the frame spacing. plan is to use some of the cogs and spacers from the old cassette to keep the low range and set the high combo at a similar ratio to whatever ratio i was using before on a regular basis, but now using the large chainring. on the downside, in addition to being significantly more expensive than a 1 for 1 replacement, it's been more challenging than expected to find a shop with a good touring rim in stock. was going with a black velocity dyad 36 hole, now am going with a black mavic a719 36 hole. everybody had the rims silver, nobody had black, and i already damned myself to an intervention by the fashion police by ordering black spokes instead of silver. such is life.....

jchabalk 

hopefully posting will work today, i was unable to for a couple of days there.

I had a chance to test ride the Raleigh Sojourn today. All in all i found this bike rather disappointing. I think i probably did it a bit of a disservice by convincing myself i'd really like it. The fit was good - i rode the largest size available (59cm i think it was) but comparing the geometry and overall feel of it the LHT was the winner hands down. And man, that raleigh is a heavy mofo.

The shop that i visited also carries a pretty good selection of gunnar and waterford frames and built up bikes.

I'm not in a big rush to make this decision and the option of one of those is certainly interesting. The frame would certainly be an added expense over the LHT frame but i certainly wouldn't be building one of these!

Waterford Ultimate Commuter

I am going to look into them some more though..

jchabalk 

I have a question pertaining to the original post. As i'm tracking down - or attempting to - parts i'm coming across some incompatibility/availability problems and wanted to get people's advice.

My intent was/is to build at 9-speed triple (mostly) Deore XT drivetrain using Shimano 105 9-speed STIs for shifting. It would consist of:
- Shimano 105 triple x 9 speed shifters
- Deore XT(r) long-cage RD
- Deore XT 9-speed 11-34t cassette
- Tiagra triple FD

I haven't had much luck finding any 105 (or ultegra or DA) 9sp STIs that don't have a million miles and half as many wrecks on them. It seems like the only thing available (with any Shimano brifters) are the current 10-speed models. I'm trying to stay away from 10 speed on this bike - i've got it on another and i'm going to low(er) maintenance on this one. Problem is that the XT cranksets are all 9sp compatible rather than 10. I guess 9 is the most dense for mountain bikes and roadies are at 10sp.

I could go road the entire way and then i end up with the same availability problems with the triple, or maybe i'm making that up, but it's what initially pushed me over to the XT(r) stuff. I'm trying to get to an 11-34t on the rear and a 46/36/26 on the front. Not dead set on the gearing, but something close.

Any suggestions on what i should do? I continue to troll the auctions, craigslist etc. i'm sure something'll come up eventually but is it a good idea to build with something that seems to be infinitely difficult to find?

Cyclesafe

9 speed Ultegra is still readily available:

https://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...x?sc=QBIKE&x=y

https://www.beyondbikes.com/bb/items.asp?cc=CMR-SHI-SHIM

https://www.speedgoat.com/productB.as...t=43&brand=226

FKMTB07

Properly built up, an A719 laced to a Hope Pro 2, dishless, will probably outlast your riding career. Props on the hub/rim choice. Diesel.

FWIW, I rode Hope hubs on my downhill mtb for a while, never had any trouble what-so-ever, and I ride A719's on my touring rig. Combined... wow that would be gnarly.

mattlavallee

the "properly built up" part is the only piece in question at this point. this will be my first wheel build, but i've got some wheelsmith double butted spokes and nipples waiting on the rest of the parts to come in. i'm about 2/3 of the way through reading "the bicycle wheel." this is really more about tinkering than an actual need for a wheel that strong. if it really does outlast my riding career, i'll just have to look at building up a dynamo hub wheel for the front to keep myself occupied.....