road vs touring

Hi, I want to buy a new bike but dont know much about road or touring bike. What I'm looking for is one that i could go on light gravel bike path and road. I also want to have a rear rack for a little commuting and I want the option for fenders too. I want tire for the trail so probably 28c to 35c. I would prefer a light bike too for going fast sometime. Any suggestion I really dont know what to look for thanks.

 

sounds like touring might be the best option. you run the risk of running into clearance issues otherwise not just for the fenders but for the tires themselves as well. you arent really losing anything with a touring bike either i think, youll still be faster than all those peeps on hybrids, assuming all else is equal

 

ok thanks. So should I go with a aluminium frame or steel frame is there a difference in performence without load? I was looking at the cannondale T800.

 

I also found a marinoni turismo who look like a great bike here in canada. anyone have test one ?

 

I haven't been on one, but Marioni has a great reputation here in the states too -- one of those small companies that hand-builds simple, sturdy steel frames with throwback Euro-paint and a touch of craftsmanship.

Steel, in general, has qualities that make it a good choice for touring -- it's sturdy, it's got good stress and fatigue characteristics, and people like the way it feels in comparison to buzzier aluminum.

Touring bikes do tend to outweigh dedicated road machines, but not by too much. Don't worry about speed. The geometry on such rides is a bit more upright, but it ain't a hybrid or a mtb bike. If you want to go fast, you'll push that thing along. All road bike variants are speedy... you'll see.

 

I ride the Cannondale T2000 which, if memory serves, is not _vastly_ different from the 800. I used it primarily for commuting at first. The ability to throw on the panniers, load it with clothing, lunch, and the laptop and still retain excellent stability on the 40mph way-home downhill was great.

Now I'm logging a few purely recreational miles -- 50-60 mile rides a few times a week. Invariably, I come up on some (incredibly beautiful) Merlins, Hollands, Sevens, Treks, etc. I'll always hang comfortably with them on the flats, then get dropped on the hills -- unless I choose to work pretty hard (I always do!). No matter. Two minutes after the crest of the hill, I'm right back with them, and this with three bottles, lunch, my lock (way too heavy for serious roadies to carry!) and a portable cd player all in the bags.

I've also taken the 35c tires on miles of non-technical trails. It's very much at home here. Stable handling, poised, sure-footed, and with gobs of braking power provided by the canti's.

Do I want a road bike? Ohhhhh, yeah! But I bought the right bike for the time and will happily keep it for the forseeable future, adding some low-budget credit-card touring to the activities.

Best,

Neil

 

You should also consider a cyclocross bike. Some come with rear eyelets for a rack. They are a little lighter than touring bikes but will still accept larger tires. They also typically come with a double crank rather than the triple you'd get on a touring bike.

A sport/racing bike *might* also fit the bill. The problem is that these days most don't have eyelets and only accept tires up to about 28mm. My sport/racing bike is from the mid-80', has eyelets, and can accept tires up to 35mm. That's what I use for commuting/touring/gravel roads.

 

I ride a Bianchi San Remo (Cro-Mo frame) which is sold as a light touring bike. It has the long chainstays and cantilever brakes of a tourer and the braze-ons to carry a rear rack. I commute on a light gravel trail with 4 to 5 kg on the rack. Tyres are 700x32. It's very capable and stable even in loose gravel. Original tyres were 700x28 but they weren't much good in the loose stuff.
Make sure that the bike you get will take a reasonably wide tyre and that you can get it in/out between the brake pads without having to deflate the tyres. No problem at all with cantilevers as you can flip the yoke off and the brakes swing way out. On mine the rear brake pads foul on the seat stays when released and the 32 mm tyre needs a push to get it in/out. A wider tyre would be a real problem.
Last note. I don't recommend the San Remo as mine occasionally gets a speed wobble above 60 kmh (no idea why) but the Cro-Mo touring bike idea is the way to go unless you want to race. I don't have any problems keeping up with the local racers until they get really serious even though I probably carry a 3 to 4 kg weight disadvantage in the frane and solid 36 spoke wheels.

 

As other suggest, a touring bike sounds like the right idea. Adventure Cycling, a nonprofit cycle tourist association has some good info:

http://www.adventurecycling.org/features/buyersguide_bikes2004.cfm

PS--If I were making the decision on a light touring bike, I'd give serious thought to the Rivendell Romulus.

www.rivbike.com

 

I agree with the suggestion about the Romulus. I have one and have been very happy. I use Ruffy Tuffy tires that they(Rivendell) sell, they are 700x28. It will take wider tires as well. With any wide tires you need to make sure the bike will accept them as well as the brakes. This bike accepts fenders, too. They sell their own saddlebags which attach to the seat, a Brooks, which are really nifty. The steel frame almost feels like it has a little spring to it and is very comfortable. I ride mine on some dirt roads but riding on gravel could be tough.

 

I can second Gonzo Bob's motion to consider a cyclocross bike -- one that can accommodate fenders.

OTOH, I'm currently building up one of these: http://www.kogswell.com I have the D model. Haven't ridden it yet, having thus far only installed the fenders and wheels. It fits 4.5mm fenders and 32c tires with plenty of room to spare. Check the price on the Kogswell -- it is really very low.

MartyLane

 

Regarding the Rivendell suggestions... I'd love one of those. Being a race-bike digging sucker, I can't fully subscribe to the company's revisionist philosophy, but I can deeply admire it, and I can covet one of their bikes...

I want one...

 

I've got the romulus, good bike, wanted one for a long time. I've been riding carbon fiber, and an old steel bike. This is the most versatile, comfortable, one I've got. Also can hang with the club rides on it. You might also look at momovelo.com. They have some reasonable cross bikes, and they look like quality builds.
Romulus was the first bike that I didn't have to change anything because they cut corners. They even use cloth rim tape!