Cyclesence These bikes are designed as if they are patterns … run the other way. These what most touring cyclists have used TOURING BIKES THAT AREN’T going to budding racers, which is thor- wheels can be vastly more difficult to throughout history. These frames are Or is that non-touring bikes that are? How to tell and what to buy oughly silly. repair. And if the replacement spokes very rigid and strong, and weigh four Regular readers of this space know aren’t in stock, your vacation is ruined. pounds or less. by John Schubert you can get front and rear racks from Old The most-frequently-fretted-over Chainstay length matters more to Man Mountain and a few other vendors component on “real” touring bikes is some people than to others. To abbrevi- for four years and 8,500 miles. On a that will work handily on a bike without the drivetrain. A low gear of 20 to 25 ate a lengthy discussion, long chainstays On a recent visit to Philadelphia International group tour from San Francisco to Los rack mounts, but that’s a complication gear inches is optimal, and the Cypress (17 to 18 inches) make it easier to attach Airport, I spied a well-worn touring bike. The Angeles, he was able to keep up with the the entry level customer shouldn’t have to got it right. Giant remembered to give your pannier so that your heels don’t friendly rider showed me his tattoo of a map from road bikes, but speed is not the issue for overcome, particularly for the rear rack. its customers low enough gears, without scrape on them. This is more of an issue him. He just wants to ride and be com- So look for rack mounts. And if you saddling the bike with useless extra-high for people with large feet. For my petite Philadelphia to Atlanta. 1,200 miles in three weeks, fortable so he can ride some more. want a front rack on a bike with a suspen- gears (above 100 inches). Check before size-9s, I prefer long chainstays, but I can and he had the time of his life, and he couldn’t wait to fig- What do we look for in an upright- sion fork, don’t let the shop tell you it you buy. get by with 16 1/2 inches. handlebar bike for touring? can’t be done. Last but not least are some frame So … with all this in mind … why ure out how to do another bike tour. We had a fine con- Let’s start with Seufert’s Cypress. Another complication is wheels. As considerations: steering geometry, overall does Adventure Cyclist focus on dropped- versation about our shared admiration for bike travel and It comes in five frame sizes, has a light low-spoke-count wheels become more rigidity, and chainstay length. handlebar touring bikes? aluminum frame, Shimano derailleurs and more common in racing bikes, they Hybrids, mountain bikes and comfort It’s a slightly arbitrary choice, driven all of the associated gear. Here’s the technical part: that work well even if they don’t cost are trickling “downward” into other prod- bikes generally have benign steering by tradition, institutional inertia, and much, and easy-to-modulate V-brakes. It uct categories and price ranges. I’ve even geometry. This is so unlikely to be a industry convention. Touring bikes have his bike had upright handlebars and sus- What about upright handlebars? Is has 21 speeds, a very sensible high gear seen them on sub-$200 department store problem that if I were buying one for dropped bars … because they always had pension forks. there some cosmic wrongdoing in tour- of 93 inches (which gets you 25 mph at bikes. touring, I would probably forget to check dropped bars. We all know that lots of people pick ing with them? No. It really is a matter of a cadence of 90 rpm), and a delightful Make no mistake: a low spoke count the steering geometry. I mention it only Back to that status question briefly: upright handlebars for touring. Most folks personal preference. A rider will generally low gear of 22 inches. The stock tires are wheel is utterly unsuitable for self-con- because some folks will ask. In cycling equipment, what I try to get under 40 have grown up with upright be a bit faster with dropped bars than massive 700x40C, which will take rough tained touring. Why? When you’re tour- Hybrids, mountain bikes and comfort people to value, is that you know your bars. Upright handlebar bikes are cheaper with upright bars because of wind resis- surfaces with aplomb, and the inner tubes ing, you want your bike to be as easy to bikes also typically have excellent frame equipment well enough to make informed than dropped-bar touring bikes. If you like tance. (This holds true even if come filled with flat-fixing sealant. repair as possible. That means a bare min- rigidity, since they’re built from oversize choices. Sometimes that means paying front suspension, it’s everywhere; and if the rider rides with his hands Kevin, you’re a smarter shopper than imum of 32 spokes per wheel in a nice tubing. This makes the frame better able a lot, not to impress people, but to get you dislike front suspension, you can I am! That’s quite a bike! And it’s about boring old-fashioned spoke pattern that to resist side-to-side swaying of the pan- attributes you like from equipment that find suspension-free bikes. half what a “real” touring bike costs. uses conventional spokes. Such wheels niers. If you do find a bike that is deficient happens to be expensive. Other times, So what’s not to like? When Seufert tries self-contained load- can be tuned up to be very reliable, and if in this regard, it’s probably an ultralight expensive equipment isn’t necessary. The Adventure Cycling member Kevin ed touring, he’ll buy Old Man Mountain you lose a spoke, the spoke is easily and racing machine, which may shave some money you don’t spend on the bike can Seufert recently wrote and front racks (which fit on his sus- cheaply replaced. Also, if you lose a spoke, weight (and hence some stiffness) from go to the trip. asked me that. And he pension fork, despite its the wheel is still ridable. Not so when the top tube. This is fine for that bike’s wanted to know: lack of rack mounts), you only had 20 spokes to start with! intended use, but not for touring. Technical Editor John Schubert awaits feedback, what about sta- and all will be well. If you see 24 spokes, 20 spokes, 16 The technology that goes into today’s corrections, and blunder notifications at schubley@ tus? Do touring Are other spokes, fat-blade spokes, cutesie spoke inexpensive frame is far, far better than aol.com. cyclists look mountain bikes, down on peo- comfort bikes ple who have and hybrids all so an affordable suitable for tour- hybrid instead ing? of a nice Bruce Usually, but not Gordon? always. Since upright- I hope not. The on the tops of the dropped bar bikes are almost touring cyclists I’ve known bars, because your arms are held in a never marketed specifically for over the last four decades see no need for narrower stance.) But who cares about touring, they may leave off some checklist a pecking order. They just want people speed? items. to head out on the road and enjoy them- The aforementioned Mr. Seufert’s One checklist item is rear rack mount- selves. The more bicycle travelers the Giant Cypress (a sub-$400 hybrid; www. ing eyelets. I still hear of inexpensive better. giant-bicycles.com) has served him well mountain bikes without these eyelets. 32 a d v e n t u r e c y c l i s t j u l y / a u g u s t 2008 adventurecycling . o r g a d v e n t u r e c y c l i s t j u l y / a u g u s t 2008 adventurecycling . o r g 33.