recomendations for touring bikes?

who here has any recomendations for a good steel frame touring bike for my wife and i? we're starting to get gear together little by little, so by next spring/summer we'll be able to hit the road for some self supported rides.

i checked out the trek 520, but dont like the bar-end shifters, i'd like to stay with STI braking/shifting...
i'd love to hear what you didnt like about a certain bike as well, to avoid sinking $$$ into something i'm not going to enjoy.

also welcome are tips and ideas about fully-loaded touring since we're pretty new at the whole touring thing.

thanks!!

peter

 

Bar end shifters are very helpful and more reliable in touring.
Are you willing to "shift" your thinking?

 

sure, i'll try and be a little more open minded about the bar end shifters

 

Binchi Volpe, Fuji Touring, Heron Wayfarer, Koga - Miyata touring, Surly Long Distance Trucker, Waterford T14 and Aventure Cycle 1900, Bruce Gordon Cycles, Trek 520 with lower crank gears, Heron, and Rivendell Atlantis.

 

I've got a 520, it's a real workhorse. I've put about 15,000 miles on it, some daily riding, but 3 good tours also, fully loaded with approx. 70 pounds of gear strapped on and full pans. All I've changed is the saddle. Everything else is definitely set up for the long haul, and works very well. The bar end shifters are bullet proof and trouble free. I had no problem getting used to them.

 

I forgot Co-Motion Americano and Norwester. I road an Americano through the Pacific Northwest.... where it is made. Americano is a true loaded touring machine that is beautifully built and up to any task you can throw it.

 

I purchased a Bike Friday NEW WORLD TOURIST. It rides like your best bike but can also fit inside a suitcase if you fly with it. You also have the option of getting it custom built for you so you can get exactly what you want on it. There is also the peace of mind of the great customer service which can help you out with any problems or send you a part the next day if you are stuck.

 

Daveornee has summed it up. The heck with bar end shifters. We've come a long way baby! If you plan to tour and tour, buy up and it will meet your needs for years. I have a Specialized Sequoia from the 80's They built them to last back then. I still have the down tube shifters.

 

Ditto for me, I agree with the DR. all I changed was the saddle (Brooks B-17) on my 520.

 

Why steel, materials have moved on also !

After months of 'lookin & learnin', particularly on this site, I narrowed my options to a UK steel option or USA aluminium frame. I went for the Cannondale T2000 aluminium. It did at least have a British saddle - but I changed that for an Italian job !
The quality of construction and ride is superb and I would recommend to anyone.

Stephen. UK

 

If you want to open your mind up farther look at the Easy Racer Tour Easy, RANS Stratus, and RANS V2 to name a few. Good for long haul touring they can be equipped with panniers. All can pull a trailer and the best thing is that nothing gets sore after a long day.

 

Three recomendations from my tour ,,,a bicycle stand - the kind that attach near the rear axle ,,, and an umbrella , the folding type ,,,, and fenders front and rear see you on the road

 

Hi,
Check into getting a Surly 'Long Haul Trucker' frame and building it (or letting someone else build it) with the components you want. This frame is great!
david

 

If you are going to be doing some long haul touring don't rule out a LWB recumbent like the Easy Racers Tour Easy or RANS Stratus. These bikes are considered good for touring. Both can tow a trailer. There are also panniers available for them. The best thing is that you don't have to cope with the aches and pains at the end of the day.

 

I own an Americano, it is HEAVY duty bicycle. I have 48 spokes all around and rarely ride without rear panniers and a front bag. The drawback is that it is relatively expensive.

Joe

 

Hi ya'll-
To anyone reading these threads to help them picking out a touring bike: I purchased the Cannondale 2000 Aluminum (same one that the thread's author bought) and I LOVE it. I rode from Paris to Rome on it last year- no problems whatsoever. It's amazing and I would highly recommend it. I will be using it to bike across the US this summer and I anticipate a similar positive experience! Happy biking, Elizabeth

 

I was just looking at the tour bike recommendations and I love your quote :
" We dont stop exercising ... etc

NON -STOP - CYCLING
Cheers

 

Don't forget the Novara Randonee. It has had great write ups in Adventure Cycling Magazine and Bicycling. Good bike at a great price. Just a thought

 

has anyone heard anything about a devinci destination http://www.devinci.com/english/desti.html? the guy at the local bike shop really recommends it but I have never heard anyone say anyting about it. It seems to be pretty well spec'd for the price ($1349 CDN).

Weight 10.88 kg / 23.9 lb
Fork Devinci Aluminum with disc brake hanger
Headset TH Industries IS-3E
Rear Derailleur Shimano Deore LX M570
Front Derailleur Shimano Tiagra 4403
Crankset FSA Gossamer MegaExo integrated 52/42/30T

Shifters Shimano Tiagra 4400
Cassette Shimano HG50 9s 11-34T
Chain Shimano HG73
Bottom Bracket FSA MegaExo
Pedals Shimano M520
Front Hub Shimano M475 disc
Rear Hub Shimano M475 disc
Rims Mavic T224
Tires Michelin Transworld City reflective 700x28C
Brakes Shimano R550
Brake Levers Shimano Tiagra 4400
Stem FSA OS-170 31.8mm
Handlebar V2 Gyro roadbar 6061 butted 31.8mm
Grips / Tape Cork with gel
Saddle Selle Italia XO trans am
Seatpost FSA SL-280 27.2mm
Seat collar Devinci bolt integrated cable stop

Any thoughts?

 

Actually this bike looks quite good and it has room to upgrade parts that might be important to your use in the future and as they wear out ,,it starts out well and can get better,,, ....
however a steel frame would be better depending on your body size ,, smaller people under 125 lbs will find alu too harsh to ride, the frame does not flex because of the lighter human body weight and the less torque it generates,,and the triangle of the small size alu frames are REALLY SMALL,steel transmits less vibration ,titaium even less,
this is the general talk I hear among woman tourers ,, check the womans forum and girlbike.com , I think there might be something to this,, being 5'4" and 115 lbs myself ! ..... this rush to alu is about frame lighting and manufacturing cost ,,but a small size steel frame is light because it is small ,
Something to think about especially if two people of different sizes are planning to buy the same bike.. ,, but remember people have toured the world in the 70's on the bikes of that time and so on threw the decades ,, and it safe to say , components have greatly improved , but the human body remains the same machine in the past and in the future