Buying a Touring or Race road bike

[Wayne]

Hi,
I'm sort of erring towards buying a touring style road bike as I'm
thinking about how comfortable the riding position is. Have any of you had
the chance to ride both a race and tourer style road bike? I was wondering
on how the comfort compares between the two as looking at photo's the race
bike looks to have considerably lower handlebars. My MTB currently has
bars around 4 inches below the saddle as comparison.

How resilient to pot holes etc are the rims, do touring bikes have
slightly wider rims and if so does it make a much of a difference?

Thanks,

Wayne.

 

[rdclark]

Wayne wrote:
> Hi,
> I'm sort of erring towards buying a touring style road bike as I'm
> thinking about how comfortable the riding position is. Have any of
you had
> the chance to ride both a race and tourer style road bike? I was
wondering
> on how the comfort compares between the two as looking at photo's the
race
> bike looks to have considerably lower handlebars. My MTB currently
has
> bars around 4 inches below the saddle as comparison.
>
> How resilient to pot holes etc are the rims, do touring bikes have
> slightly wider rims and if so does it make a much of a difference?

Speaking in generalities, the more air the tire holds the more cushiony
the ride. Racing bikes usually can't accommodate tires wider than
700x28c, if that (because of frame and brake clearances), while touring
bikes can usually go to 37 or 40. So if you want fat tires on a
road-style bike, go for a touring bike (or perhaps a cyclocross bike;
they usually have similar tire/brake tolerances).

Handlebar height is, within limitations, a function of initial setup.
Even racing bikes can have their bars Up around saddle height if the
steerer tube isn't cut short and if a stem with appropriate rise is
used. But, again speaking in generalities, touring bikes and "comfort
road bikes" and their ilk are usually designed with the assumption that
the bars will be higher. Not always. And not all touring bikes are
really set up for "upright" riding positions -- ie, the reach to the
handlebars is still like a road bike, and even though the bars may be
at saddle height the riding position still reguires the rider to rotate
forward at the hips and put some weight on his arms.

IMO, racing bikes are for racing, club rides, training, and other
sport-like activity where you won't be carrying much and speed matters.
Touring bikes, many cyclocross bikes, and some of the new "comfort road
bikes" are more appropriate for all-around use. How, where, and how
much you plan to ride do much to inform your decision.

RichC

 

[wayne]

On Thu, 12 May 2005 11:22:04 -0700, rdclark wrote:

>
> Wayne wrote:
>> Hi,
>> I'm sort of erring towards buying a touring style road bike as I'm
>> thinking about how comfortable the riding position is. Have any of
> you had
>> the chance to ride both a race and tourer style road bike? I was
> wondering
>> on how the comfort compares between the two as looking at photo's the
> race
>> bike looks to have considerably lower handlebars. My MTB currently
> has
>> bars around 4 inches below the saddle as comparison.
>>
>> How resilient to pot holes etc are the rims, do touring bikes have
>> slightly wider rims and if so does it make a much of a difference?
>
> Speaking in generalities, the more air the tire holds the more cushiony
> the ride. Racing bikes usually can't accommodate tires wider than
> 700x28c, if that (because of frame and brake clearances), while touring
> bikes can usually go to 37 or 40. So if you want fat tires on a
> road-style bike, go for a touring bike (or perhaps a cyclocross bike;
> they usually have similar tire/brake tolerances).
>
> Handlebar height is, within limitations, a function of initial setup.
> Even racing bikes can have their bars Up around saddle height if the
> steerer tube isn't cut short and if a stem with appropriate rise is
> used.

So when the bikes arrive at the dealers they have a fairly long stem then?
And would they be like the threadless types you get on MTBs?

> But, again speaking in generalities, touring bikes and "comfort
> road bikes" and their ilk are usually designed with the assumption that
> the bars will be higher. Not always. And not all touring bikes are
> really set up for "upright" riding positions -- ie, the reach to the
> handlebars is still like a road bike, and even though the bars may be
> at saddle height the riding position still reguires the rider to rotate
> forward at the hips and put some weight on his arms.

Im used to being fairly canted forward on the MTB it's just I was
wondering if a race bike is considerably lower and also how others find
they get on particularly on longer rides say of 2+ hours duration.

> IMO, racing bikes are for racing, club rides, training, and other
> sport-like activity where you won't be carrying much and speed matters.
> Touring bikes, many cyclocross bikes, and some of the new "comfort road
> bikes" are more appropriate for all-around use. How, where, and how much
> you plan to ride do much to inform your decision.
>
> RichC

I should have said that most of my riding will be daily commuting and
leisure rides at the weekend of around 30 - 50 miles (tops)

I doubt I'll be doing any real touring, only commuting / pleasure rides
although I might be tempted into doing some time trials in which case then I'd
would really have to go for full race bike.

Regards

Wayne

 

[Will]

wayne wrote:
>
> I should have said that most of my riding will be daily commuting and
> leisure rides at the weekend of around 30 - 50 miles (tops)

If you're commuting, fenders are nice to have along as is a rack for
your gear. A full bore race bike won't have the clearance for fenders
and the chainstays will be too short for racking. Your heels will hit
the bags. There are a lot of manufacturer's sites to get info. I'd look
on the Waterford site at the Road Sport and Road Tourer models. It will
give you an idea of the geometry and decision issues involved. I've
seen some nice cross bikes rigged for commuting around town (Madison,
WI). They look pretty fast to me despite all of the amenities.

I'd bag the triple unless you're climbing walls.

Will

 

[Rich Clark]

"wayne" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> So when the bikes arrive at the dealers they have a fairly long stem then?
> And would they be like the threadless types you get on MTBs?

The unassembled bike should not have had its steerer tube cut. And swapping
stems to adjust reach and bar height is a standard no-additional-cost
feature of bike fitting at any decent shop

> Im used to being fairly canted forward on the MTB it's just I was
> wondering if a race bike is considerably lower and also how others find
> they get on particularly on longer rides say of 2+ hours duration.

They're lower because the aerodynamic position is important for racing, and
because professional cyclists are trained to ride in that position. Unless
it's a comfortable position for you, or it gives you some sort of
competetive edge that you need, there's no reason to ride in it.

> I should have said that most of my riding will be daily commuting and
> leisure rides at the weekend of around 30 - 50 miles (tops)

IMO, a bike that can accommodate a rack, fenders, and wide enough tires to
wtthstand urban streets is indicated for regular commuting. That points at
touring or (some) cyclocross bikes, rather than racing bikes. My commuter, a
'cross bike with rack, fenders, and touring wheels/tires, is also a real
pleasure on 50+ mile country rides.
>
> I doubt I'll be doing any real touring, only commuting / pleasure rides
> although I might be tempted into doing some time trials in which case then
> I'd
> would really have to go for full race bike.

I don't race, but I've seen aerobars on all sorts of bikes. Some people even
own an extra set of lightweight wheels with skinny tires on them and swap
them onto their commuter bikes for weekend training or racing.

Life sometimes demands compromises. The ideal bike for time-trialing will
probably be seriously flawed as a commuter, and vice-versa. On the other
hand, for short commutes, almost any bike will do. (When I discuss bike
commuting, I think in terms of 25 or more miles per day, which I guess is
not really typical.)

RichC

 

[[email protected]]

>>The unassembled bike should not have had its steerer tube cut. And
swapping
stems to adjust reach and bar height is a standard no-additional-cost
feature of bike fitting at any decent shop <<

Every shop in NJ is glad to swap stems--- FOR A PRICE!!!!!! If I had
to only have one "road" bike it would be a cross bike with an extra set
of wheels. One with skinny tires and one with cross tires. If the
wheels are the same there are no adjustments to be made and bike will
be a great all rounder Avolid aluminumwith aluminum forks though.

 

[John Everett]

On Thu, 12 May 2005 18:06:26 GMT, Wayne <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Hi,
>I'm sort of erring towards buying a touring style road bike as I'm
>thinking about how comfortable the riding position is. Have any of you had
>the chance to ride both a race and tourer style road bike? I was wondering
>on how the comfort compares between the two as looking at photo's the race
>bike looks to have considerably lower handlebars. My MTB currently has
>bars around 4 inches below the saddle as comparison.

I have three "racing bikes" and one touring bike (Fuji Touring
Series). IMHO you can set up the fit any way you want to. I'm
convinced with the proper combination of stem height and reach I could
duplicate my "racing" position on my touring bike.

That being said, I do have the touring bike set up with the bars
slightly higher and the reach slightly less on the touring bike.

The biggest difference, the touring bike has a triple while the
"racers" all have double chainrings. Also, the touring bike has canti
brakes, while the "racers" have calipers.

>How resilient to pot holes etc are the rims, do touring bikes have
>slightly wider rims and if so does it make a much of a difference?

As someone else has pointed out, touring bikes generally have greater
tire clearances than "racers". Thus you can use fatter tires which
provides more protection for the rims. Also, touring bikes generally
have 36 spoke wheels which are typically stronger than the lower spoke
count, boutique wheels that have become fashionable.


jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

 

[Wayne]

On Fri, 13 May 2005 15:22:50 +0000, John Everett wrote:

> On Thu, 12 May 2005 18:06:26 GMT, Wayne <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>>Hi,
>>I'm sort of erring towards buying a touring style road bike as I'm
>>thinking about how comfortable the riding position is. Have any of you had
>>the chance to ride both a race and tourer style road bike? I was wondering
>>on how the comfort compares between the two as looking at photo's the race
>>bike looks to have considerably lower handlebars. My MTB currently has
>>bars around 4 inches below the saddle as comparison.
>
> I have three "racing bikes" and one touring bike (Fuji Touring
> Series). IMHO you can set up the fit any way you want to. I'm
> convinced with the proper combination of stem height and reach I could
> duplicate my "racing" position on my touring bike.
>
> That being said, I do have the touring bike set up with the bars
> slightly higher and the reach slightly less on the touring bike.
>
> The biggest difference, the touring bike has a triple while the
> "racers" all have double chainrings. Also, the touring bike has canti
> brakes, while the "racers" have calipers.
>
>>How resilient to pot holes etc are the rims, do touring bikes have
>>slightly wider rims and if so does it make a much of a difference?
>
> As someone else has pointed out, touring bikes generally have greater
> tire clearances than "racers". Thus you can use fatter tires which
> provides more protection for the rims. Also, touring bikes generally
> have 36 spoke wheels which are typically stronger than the lower spoke
> count, boutique wheels that have become fashionable.
>
>
> jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

Excellent thanks for the info.
What do you think about integrated v semi-integrated headsets, am I right
in thinking if the bearings and race wear on an integrated headset your
frame is basically useless as the race is the head tube rather than a
replaceable insert ?

Regards
Wayne.

 

[Pat]

: Excellent thanks for the info.
: What do you think about integrated v semi-integrated headsets, am I right
: in thinking if the bearings and race wear on an integrated headset your
: frame is basically useless as the race is the head tube rather than a
: replaceable insert ?
:
: Regards
: Wayne.

Wayne, ever since the integrated headsets came out, there have been
discussions both pro and con. If you want more people to discuss it, start a
new thread with integrated vs non-integrated in the subject line.

Pat in TX
:

 

[Bartow W. Riggs]

If you race, like my son, by a racing bike. If not buy a touring bike.

This is a diverse sport. My Cannondale T-2000 is very comfortable...


"Wayne" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> Hi,
> I'm sort of erring towards buying a touring style road bike as I'm
> thinking about how comfortable the riding position is. Have any of you had
> the chance to ride both a race and tourer style road bike? I was wondering
> on how the comfort compares between the two as looking at photo's the race
> bike looks to have considerably lower handlebars. My MTB currently has
> bars around 4 inches below the saddle as comparison.
>
> How resilient to pot holes etc are the rims, do touring bikes have
> slightly wider rims and if so does it make a much of a difference?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Wayne.
>