Touring Bikes: Your favorite.
01-26-13, 10:12 PM
#27
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T. RYX
316 West Mission Ave
Suite 123
Escondido, California
760.741.0411
and Kirk's in Ramona:
https://www.kirksbikeshop.com/
Last edited by EriktheFish; 01-26-13 at 10:17 PM.
01-27-13, 10:06 AM
#28
Senior Member
Good point and as close as you can get in most shops. I once had a TREK and Surly dealer tell me that if I wanted a touring bike I had to order a custom titanium, because "nobody" makes touring bikes anymore. Well I went elsewhere. I had an LHT for a while but upgraded the frame to a Rivendell Hunqapiller which is by far my favorite touring bike if not my favorite bike in the world.
Marc
Marc
01-27-13, 10:45 AM
#29
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In looking at various bike shops there are so few touring bikes( steel) on their shelves. . It must be steel. All the steel touring bikes carried by most shops seem to be the Trek 520 and Fuji touring bike. What are your opinions of these two touring bikes. Any other favorites out there. It would nice to find a shop with more varieties of touring bikes in store. Because don't we like to test ride them first...
. thanks...
. thanks...
It surely is a pity that touring bikes aren't readily available in shops. But that's mostly our fault. Many people have a touring bike that they bought decades ago and aren't willing to change with the times. No sales, no market. I did the same myself. I owned a 1983 Miyata 610 and kept it until 2003.
Touring bikes also suffer from a...um...bike block if you will. All kinds of people look at cyclocross bikes as the 'do everything' bike which they really aren't. A touring bike would do all of the stuff that a cyclocross bike will do...including cyclocross...but better because a touring bike is purpose built to carry stuff. A good touring bike has rack mounts, fender mounts, a slightly lower bottom bracket, a longer wheelbase, more stability, a better all day ride feel, etc. Everything fits on the bike rather then have to be adapted to the bike.
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Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
01-27-13, 11:33 AM
#30
Senior Member
Rambouillet back in the day when I though I needed racks to tour
Evolution to Cervelo RS with no racks
Evolution to Cervelo RS with no racks
Last edited by nun; 01-27-13 at 11:41 AM.
01-27-13, 01:47 PM
#31
Senior Member
I couldn't agree more, cyccommute. As far as an aluminum tourer goes I think the only thing available now is the Nashbar frame.
Brad
Brad
01-27-13, 07:25 PM
#32
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...which seems quite good for the price. I haven't used it as a touring bike, but I bought one and built it up as a city commuter bike (upright position, riser bars, and a ridiculously high stack of spacers). In that configuration at least, it rides very well and isn't harsh at all.
01-28-13, 09:42 AM
#33
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Either frame will work just fine. The Fuji has somewhat lower priced components, for the most part, than the Trek, but I wouldn't expect much difference in performance -- the crank might wear out in four years, instead of five, or something like that.
As for wheels, the hubs and rims are not going to be the problem. The problem is going to be how the wheel is built. If you can find a local mechanic who understands wheels and touring (most don't), get him to tension, true, and stress-relieve the wheels. If you can't find such a person, buy Brandt's book, "The Bicycle Wheel," an inexpensive truing stand, and a spoke wrench, and do it yourself.
Then go for a bike ride. (Tourists call it "training" if you can keep the smile off your face.)
As for wheels, the hubs and rims are not going to be the problem. The problem is going to be how the wheel is built. If you can find a local mechanic who understands wheels and touring (most don't), get him to tension, true, and stress-relieve the wheels. If you can't find such a person, buy Brandt's book, "The Bicycle Wheel," an inexpensive truing stand, and a spoke wrench, and do it yourself.
Then go for a bike ride. (Tourists call it "training" if you can keep the smile off your face.)
01-29-13, 01:22 PM
#34
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have you seen the p38? I think it's probably one of the more pricey recumbents, but I've seen more p38s and tour easy bikes than anything else. The longbike looks pretty awesome though. There's also challenge recumbents. They are also on the more pricey side, but I guess that's with all recumbents
01-29-13, 01:25 PM
#35
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Gotta admit, Delcossv nailed it. if.. the shipping ,to get to or from the trip start /finish is not a problem..
Dick Ryan' s LWB USS recumbents were near perfect.. longbikes added refinements..
I'd add: a front rack and panniers on the front wheel , as a friend in '90 said of his vanguard, after a long tour, said,
the steering stabilized with the extra mass on the wheel, let you ride no-hand s for a while...
Dick Ryan' s LWB USS recumbents were near perfect.. longbikes added refinements..
I'd add: a front rack and panniers on the front wheel , as a friend in '90 said of his vanguard, after a long tour, said,
the steering stabilized with the extra mass on the wheel, let you ride no-hand s for a while...
Longbikes makes 'em with S&S couplers so they can be pretty small for shipping.
01-29-13, 01:51 PM
#38
Banned
Still : gotta be some hefty surcharges on those to Fly.. one is Oversize or over checked piece count limit.
Im not going to Buy one I would need a House with a garage to park it in, and I dont have that .
Im not going to Buy one I would need a House with a garage to park it in, and I dont have that .
Last edited by fietsbob; 01-29-13 at 01:54 PM.
01-29-13, 02:03 PM
#39
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When I lived in the city, I used to walk the Vanguard up to my apartment. No biggie.
Last edited by delcrossv; 01-29-13 at 03:42 PM.
01-29-13, 05:00 PM
#40
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I have an LHT and absolutely love it! But if I was really dedicated to touring and had the extra cash on hand...No doubt about it, a Co Motion Americano with Rohloff! 
Saaa weeeet!
Saaa weeeet!
01-29-13, 05:11 PM
#41
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Raleigh Sojourn is a lovely bike for touring. Even comes with a brooks saddle.
I own a LHT and love it
I own a LHT and love it
01-29-13, 06:18 PM
#42
Banned
Think of touring as an adverb, a thing you do, on any bike.. you can stand to ride all day sleep ,
get up and do it again.
Last couple apartments I had were not ground floor and so up stairs and turning
off a narrow landing was not a Go..
Regular DF I can stand Up, on its back wheel and turn. pirouette .
my more expedition worthy bike , another with a Rohloff hub: 04 Koga Miyata WTR..
get up and do it again.
Last couple apartments I had were not ground floor and so up stairs and turning
off a narrow landing was not a Go..
Regular DF I can stand Up, on its back wheel and turn. pirouette .
my more expedition worthy bike , another with a Rohloff hub: 04 Koga Miyata WTR..
Last edited by fietsbob; 01-30-13 at 08:52 PM.
01-30-13, 03:11 PM
#43
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My Favorite Touring Bike? Well, after many years of touring on a Trek 720, I grew tired of the butt/back/wrist/neck/hand pain. I tried a number of recumbents and settled on the Rans Stratus XP as my favorite!
01-31-13, 09:45 AM
#45
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Well, it has to be steel because nobody make aluminum ones anymore...mores the pity.
It surely is a pity that touring bikes aren't readily available in shops. But that's mostly our fault. Many people have a touring bike that they bought decades ago and aren't willing to change with the times. No sales, no market. I did the same myself. I owned a 1983 Miyata 610 and kept it until 2003.
Touring bikes also suffer from a...um...bike block if you will. All kinds of people look at cyclocross bikes as the 'do everything' bike which they really aren't. A touring bike would do all of the stuff that a cyclocross bike will do...including cyclocross...but better because a touring bike is purpose built to carry stuff. A good touring bike has rack mounts, fender mounts, a slightly lower bottom bracket, a longer wheelbase, more stability, a better all day ride feel, etc. Everything fits on the bike rather then have to be adapted to the bike.
It surely is a pity that touring bikes aren't readily available in shops. But that's mostly our fault. Many people have a touring bike that they bought decades ago and aren't willing to change with the times. No sales, no market. I did the same myself. I owned a 1983 Miyata 610 and kept it until 2003.
Touring bikes also suffer from a...um...bike block if you will. All kinds of people look at cyclocross bikes as the 'do everything' bike which they really aren't. A touring bike would do all of the stuff that a cyclocross bike will do...including cyclocross...but better because a touring bike is purpose built to carry stuff. A good touring bike has rack mounts, fender mounts, a slightly lower bottom bracket, a longer wheelbase, more stability, a better all day ride feel, etc. Everything fits on the bike rather then have to be adapted to the bike.
The comment about Cyclocross bikes is also right on the money. I was talking to the owner of an LBS that caters to touring, asking why not more touring bikes in his store? Most of his customers are casual tourers that use cycloscross bikes to tour on. The CC bikes fit in more as an all around bike. He understands totally the differences, agrees that CC bikes aren't suited for the purpose, but still doesn't push full blown tourers to anyone.
01-31-13, 09:47 AM
#46
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01-31-13, 11:52 AM
#49
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The comment about Cyclocross bikes is also right on the money. I was talking to the owner of an LBS that caters to touring, asking why not more touring bikes in his store? Most of his customers are casual tourers that use cycloscross bikes to tour on. The CC bikes fit in more as an all around bike. He understands totally the differences, agrees that CC bikes aren't suited for the purpose, but still doesn't push full blown tourers to anyone.
01-31-13, 12:16 PM
#50
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Surly Troll. It's my "everything" bike, whether it's commuting, road touring, off-road touring/bikepacking, mountain biking, luggage hauling...awesome.