Trikin'

I've been a riding a tadpole trike for 3yrs. and have done many weekenders. Last summer ( with another triker) we camped for 5 days on the Icefields Parkway, Alt. I live on the B.C. coast and have many routes to explore, I don't often see recumbents (2 or 3 wheel)out there, so I was wondering what are are your perferred tour machine?

crawdaddio

I thought pretty long and hard about this. I ended buying a surly LHT last weekend and I couldn't be happier.
Hopefully I can say the same thing after I have been on the road for awhile without any mechanical issues.
It seems like a very solid touring bike.
Your trike is certainly intriguing.....

Bruce Enns

Hmmmmm, after searching, finding and rebuilding my Miyata 1000 I don't think I could ever consider selling her.

bragi

This isn't original, but I like my LHT. It's solid, carries a load well, is reliable, comfortable, and easy to maintain on the road. It's not the perfect bike, but for the money it's quite satisfactory. I also use it for commuting, and it's a nice bike for that purpose as well.

firequall

I'm looking to buy a Cannondale T2 this summer. Can't wait.

staehpj1

Personally I think that any of a good handful of bikes are very adequate with a few tweaks. I find that the overall experience of touring is affected very little by bike choice once you reach that adequate level. So my choice of a Windsor Touring could have just as well been an LHT, Fuji Touring, Cannondale T2, etc. and it would make little difference in what it is like to be on the road for a few months. It just really isn't about the bike.

antokelly

im down to two bikes now (had four) my road bike look kx light full carbon super bike ,then i have the thorn sherpa touring bike, as you can imagine completly different animal.obviously the main difference is weight ,smaller wheels ,heaver steering,but having said that the thorn is a great bike to ride loaded or unloaded ,i have to keep reminding myself that im not on the look ,and to take it easy enjoy the ride.i would say one of the secrets in touring bikes is finding the perfect rubber (tyre),i was riding the schwalble marathon plus ,made the bike sluggish ,i changed to conti city contacts big difference,so now im on the lookout for some slicks,should make things even better.so there you go my friend my choice is the thorn sherpa for touring and the look kx light when i want to go groop riding with the wannabe racers.(oh that's a nice set up you have btw.)

paul2

I tour on a bent. An HP Velotechnik Street Machine Gte. It's perfect for touring.

mev

I tend to like the bike I've been riding the preceding two weeks

With that said, I have a variety of bikes I've enjoyed touring on:
= I really liked the ride on my 1991 Al Cannondale T1000. It was the right combination of rigidness and flex and was a workhorse for many tours before having the frame crack near Shark Bay Australia.
= I've had a pair of Trek 520s (one currently in a friend's garage in Russia the other in my garage). I liked the ride better on the Cannondale, but both 520s have been very reliable and good riding across some rough terrain. The one in Russia is awaiting me to pick it up and cycle from the Volga river to western China.
= I bought a EasyRacer long wheelbase recumbent in 2003. It has only a little over 10,000 miles on it. It has been a little awkward to transport and having mixed sized wheels means extra tubes. However, it is very comfortable and easy to ride long days while still seeing a lot. I typically like switching off between recumbent and non-recumbent bikes. For example, if I'm doing long weekend rides on one style of bike - then I'll do my work commuting the next week on the other style. I know a number of fanatical recumbent riders, but I tend to like the variety of switching.
= I bought a Lightfoot Ranger long wheelbase recumbent in 2005. The bike is sold as a "recumbent mountain bike" with twin 26" wheels and I had it set up with couplers, dual brake capability (disc brakes and bosses for v-brakes). Original plan was to take this bicycle across Russia - however, I went back to tried & true Trek 520 because the large Ranger bike is a bit awkward to transport/fly and also can be awkward to bring into hotel rooms.

There are definitely some tradeoffs in my choices of how easy to transport, my riding position and how the ride feels. However, by the time I've been riding for a second week on a trip, then it is all second nature and I tend to like the ride that I'm riding. For short weekend rides combined with commuting, I tend to like variety of swtiching between a recumbent and standard bike - riding one on the weekends and the other during the week.

BigBlueToe

I have an LHT. One big tour. No complaints. Very happy.

cyccommute 

A very nonstock Cannondale T800. To me hands down better than any other touring bike I've used.



Parts Description
Frame Complete bike
Headset Red Chris King
Front Derailer Stock
Rear Derailer Stock
Front wheel Phil Wood/Mavic
Rear wheel Phil Wood/Mavic
Handle bar Salsa Bell lap
Seatpost Race Face
Saddle Brooks B17N
Crank Race Face Turbine
Bottom Bracket Race Face
Pedals Shimano 520
Cassette Sram
Brakes IRC canti
Stem Salsa Moto
Levers/shifter Shimano 105
Rack, rear Tubus Cargo
Rack, front Tubus Tara
Tape Cinelli/Fiz:k
red bits Purely Custom
Pump Topeak
Headset spacers stock
Computer mount Cateye
Bottle cages King cages

jbpence

my preferred rig is this one. Custom built TI frame (by Blacksheep Bikes), S&S couplers, Nitto campee rear rack, IRD stainless front rack, Shimano XTR drivetrain, salso delgado cross rims, chris king ISO hubs, Avid bb7 road disc brakes -- rides like butter.

Trikin'

For many years I rode a mountian bike, we blazed our own trails. Many of those are now built trails. But, I think all that crashing through scrub forest had at 1st resulted in Crapel Tunnel, then soon after that osteo in my wrists. I quit riding,(it was a huge loss)for 20 years, then I stumbled onto the tadpole trikes through an ad in the paper. I rented a couple trikes at the LBS, where I met afellow who had a trike forsale as he had bought another one. Bought that one and with 48 gears thought that would be a great learning platform.

kayakdiver

Oh the horror.... your front rack is not straight and it's not a LHT er

Just kidding... damn nice bike.

oldranger

When my beloved Shogun perished in a crash, my highly competent LBS didn't even blink - "LHT". I have been commuting and day riding for the last month and couldn't be happier.

KevinMJones

I went for a Fuji Touring model myself. I really thought about the Trek 520 but I wanted STI shifters, not bar-end, even though bar-end shifters are more fool-proof. And since I bought a previous year's model, the price was marked down around $250. Nice!

arctos

I have been very pleased with my Bruce Gordon RNR since my first tour on it over twenty years ago. It has carried me to wonderful places near and far for a few days or many months on and off pavement.

The bike has improved with age something the rider cannot claim!

wahoonc

I tour on my bicycle(s)

I have different bikes and use them for different types of tours. I usually use my Giant Excursion for road based tours where I am camping a fair amount and need rack space for the equipment, I also have a Giant Iguana MTB that is being set up as an expedition tour bike for more off the pavement touring. I do B&B type touring on my 1972 Raleigh Superbe. First long haul tour I ever did was on a Motobecane Nomade.

Aaron

Bacciagalupe

I wound up with a Surly Cross Check, modded for lower gearing, as I wanted something a little snappier and more versatile than a typical full-on touring bike.

I have to say that I am a bit intrigued by trikes though. I'd likely use one if I had back problems and still wanted to tour.

aroundoz

Thorn Sherpa. Hopefully will post a few pics on the "pics" thread when I get a load on it.

I must say though I would love to get my hands on an older lugged Specialized, Schwinn, Miyatta...w/ a crown fork. They are works of art and great tourers. Nice ride Bruce.

Supertick

I have a Cannondale T2000 and an LHT and they are both good bikes. But my dream bike, if I ever get rich, will be a Co-Motion Pangea.

Bruce Enns

Thanks, I love the Miyata 1000. I just love everything about a quality lugged frame. Here is a full on picture with my new Brooks saddle. I hope to tour the Oregon coast late this summer with this bike.
She is all rebuilt and almost ready to go. I acquired a NOS 28T inner chain ring for the triple and I'm now looking for a freewheel with "more ideal" gearing.

I also found a full set of NOS Madden panniers for her, all loaded up she appears to have come out of a time machine. The best part is the way she rides. What a wonderful bike!

m_yates

My cheap and lovely Windsor Tourist (modified with Nitto Noddle bars, bar end shifters, platform pedals, planet bike fenders, E3 gel form saddle, and somewhat ridiculously large D-cell Maglite for seeing the road at night):

wellshorton

My Bruce Gordon Rock and Road XT!
Wells

mwoeber

That's quite the light setup. I'm just curious, why did you decide to use a Maglite for a front light?