Touring bike chat...
- Thread starter iow tom
- Start date
My son makes them in standard sizes or custom made.iow tom":3pj4da2y said:
https://www.mackworkshop.com/
dirttorpedo
Senior Retro Guru
If you are into drop bar mountain bike conversions for touring there is a thread on that in the mountain bike area. Personally I think old fully rigid mountain bikes make nice tourers - might need extenders on the rack for heel clearance. You can run them flat bar too if that's what you like. Old vintage hybrids can be developed for touring as well - again drops or flats work. If you want to go crazy get a Miyata 1000 or a Trek 720.
Dirttorpedo ideally i want a 700c touring bike for tarmac and gravel roads, and a 26" touring mtb for off road stuff.
You are right about heel clearance. I seem to recall my heels knocking on the bags when i did a mock up a few years ago.
Out of curiosity...can you get wheels that are thin like a cx bike but in 26" size?
You are right about heel clearance. I seem to recall my heels knocking on the bags when i did a mock up a few years ago.
Out of curiosity...can you get wheels that are thin like a cx bike but in 26" size?
Joe_Rides
Senior Retro Guru
Re:
I have a Trek 520 which is a bonafide 'touring' bike (a mixture of road and MTB componentry). It's great, but I've not toured on it! (I commute on it)
When I tried touring a couple of months ago I opted to go for my cannondale M400, with flat (ok riser) bars. Heel clearance was not an issue at all. Chainstays are same length as the trek or therabouts.
I want to tour more but I'm still not sure whether to use the more "road" set up of the trek (drops) or stick with the MTB.
Joe
I have a Trek 520 which is a bonafide 'touring' bike (a mixture of road and MTB componentry). It's great, but I've not toured on it! (I commute on it)
When I tried touring a couple of months ago I opted to go for my cannondale M400, with flat (ok riser) bars. Heel clearance was not an issue at all. Chainstays are same length as the trek or therabouts.
I want to tour more but I'm still not sure whether to use the more "road" set up of the trek (drops) or stick with the MTB.
Joe
Attachments
Joe_Rides whatever bike i end up tpuring on, it will have flat bars with bar ends.
I vannot ride drop bars. I have tried and tried to change all the settings (seat height, level, fprward or back...stem length, pivoted the bars, a smaller road frame, a larger road frame etc etc) and i get a bad back every time, guaranteed!
I have given up on the whole drop bar thing.
I really like both the trek and the m400 you have.
I found that i can climb way way better with bar ends than i can with normal flat bars or drops. Can really get the power down.
I wouldn't mind trying 26" wheels that are like 30-35c wide with 35c cx tyres....if there is such a thing? Im guessing the smaller wheel will be a stronger wheel?
I even considered putting some drop bars onto a carrera crossfire 2 (hybrid bike) i was given. The geometry of the frame would put the bars quite a bit higher than the seat, not way lower like on a conventional road/touring bike. I dunno. It would cost a fare bit to buy everything to build it, only to find it doesnt work.
Maybe ill just stick to the kona 700c flat bar and one of my old vintage mtbs.
I vannot ride drop bars. I have tried and tried to change all the settings (seat height, level, fprward or back...stem length, pivoted the bars, a smaller road frame, a larger road frame etc etc) and i get a bad back every time, guaranteed!
I have given up on the whole drop bar thing.
I really like both the trek and the m400 you have.
I found that i can climb way way better with bar ends than i can with normal flat bars or drops. Can really get the power down.
I wouldn't mind trying 26" wheels that are like 30-35c wide with 35c cx tyres....if there is such a thing? Im guessing the smaller wheel will be a stronger wheel?
I even considered putting some drop bars onto a carrera crossfire 2 (hybrid bike) i was given. The geometry of the frame would put the bars quite a bit higher than the seat, not way lower like on a conventional road/touring bike. I dunno. It would cost a fare bit to buy everything to build it, only to find it doesnt work.
Maybe ill just stick to the kona 700c flat bar and one of my old vintage mtbs.
Joe_Rides
Senior Retro Guru
Re:
Since taking that photo of the Trek I have put a shorter and high-rise stem on in an attempt to get on better with the drops. I'll take a photo of it - it looks horrible but is an improvement to ride. The geometry as standard seemed wayyy to aggressive for a tourer.
I run 26 x 1.50 tyres on my M400 but there are loads of options out there.
Since taking that photo of the Trek I have put a shorter and high-rise stem on in an attempt to get on better with the drops. I'll take a photo of it - it looks horrible but is an improvement to ride. The geometry as standard seemed wayyy to aggressive for a tourer.
I run 26 x 1.50 tyres on my M400 but there are loads of options out there.
