Bike recommendations for Long distance touring

[MarkF]

I feel much better hearing someone else say this. What you said was essentially why i was opting for tourers in the first place too, and then I had the same feelings as yours whilst testing them. I don't feel like an I'm being an uneducated idiot who knows nothing about touring by wanting to tour using flats now! I actually really like the look of yours. It looks like just the sort of thing I want. Maybe thinner tyres perhaps. I'll definitely look into that. Thanks again.

Yes, I'll be putting thinner Marathon +'s on it. I am not saying the steel tourer was any worse than a hybrid, just that it didn't appear to be any better for me and importantly (to me), I can get a mint "named" used hybrid for £200 for a loaded tour, similar tourers carry a premium that'd pay for my flights, rooms & food.

BTW I've used flat barred Trek FX's to tour as well as the Discovery's and Sirrus's, all are all day comfy for me.

 

[Dirk]

.........In fact, I don't even like riding on roads. I'll usually stick to the pavement unless I have no choice. It's just a nice relaxing way to travel.......

And also illegal.

 

[nm133775]

And also illegal.

Yeah and then my not using road bikes means I get totally in the way of traffic, try to compensate for a lack of speed by totally pelting it and proceeding to get absolutely knackered half way down a dual carriageway. I just feel it's physically and emotionally safer. I've been there before where I've been completely spent on a road with fast moving traffic and nowhere to stop and it isn't nice at all. I've never understood why it's illegal to ride on pavements. There's no driving test or registration (or more importantly, theory tests!) required for cyclists but they're required to ride on roads too. Any other road vehicle, (bus, lorry, van, motorbike etc) you need to pass a test in order to not be a danger to other road users but not so for cyclists and I always feel that i would be a danger to other road users and myself. It's what I say when anyone says anything if I'm not on a road. "Sorry, I haven't passed a driving test!" And then of course there's all the kids riding off to the field to play football. They don't use roads either. I happy on small single laned country roads where 1 car will come by every 10 minutes. Thankfully, In america, a lot of the bigger roads which contain a lot of fast moving traffic will have a large hard shoulder that's pretty much your own lane, so it'll be easier for me in that regard,

I really appreciate the amount of useful help I've received. There's lots for me to go away and think about. Thanks all.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Apologies if you are being genuine but you don't sound at all like someone who is, or for that matter should actually be planning on a long distance cycle tour.

 

[Dirk]

Yeah and then my not using road bikes means I get totally in the way of traffic, try to compensate for a lack of speed by totally pelting it and proceeding to get absolutely knackered half way down a dual carriageway. I just feel it's physically and emotionally safer. I've been there before where I've been completely spent on a road with fast moving traffic and nowhere to stop and it isn't nice at all. I've never understood why it's illegal to ride on pavements. There's no driving test or registration (or more importantly, theory tests!) required for cyclists but they're required to ride on roads too. Any other road vehicle, (bus, lorry, van, motorbike etc) you need to pass a test in order to not be a danger to other road users but not so for cyclists and I always feel that i would be a danger to other road users and myself. It's what I say when anyone says anything if I'm not on a road. "Sorry, I haven't passed a driving test!" And then of course there's all the kids riding off to the field to play football. They don't use roads either. I happy on small single laned country roads where 1 car will come by every 10 minutes. Thankfully, In america, a lot of the bigger roads which contain a lot of fast moving traffic will have a large hard shoulder that's pretty much your own lane, so it'll be easier for me in that regard,

I really appreciate the amount of useful help I've received. There's lots for me to go away and think about. Thanks all.

All the excuses in the world will not alter the fact that riding on the pavement is illegal. THIS & THIS may help you understand the legalities.
If you lack sufficient ability or confidence to ride legally, then maybe you should seek advice or training to enable you to do so, particularly in view of your stated aim of doing a long distance tour in a foreign country.

 

[vickster]

Have you been to the US and driven there? I have many times and given most USA drivers don't seem to be able to see beyond the end of their bonnet, and have zero anticipation, I certainly wouldn't think roads where huge trucks, SUVs, pick ups etc are thundering along at 60 are safer than UK roads and their hard shoulders are littered with rubbish, blown tyres and all manner of detritus. Many drivers will rarely have encountered a cyclist either. Also, if traveling slowly, especially in warmer weather, make sure you have solid plans about getting water, places can be very few and far between outside the main urban areas

Also to your earlier point about taking the bike, most US taxis that pick up at airports will not be able to take a bike and other luggage. Do more research before you go on your trip, you'll want to pre arrange transport

 

[Pale Rider]

Have you been to the US and driven there? I have many times and given most USA drivers don't seem to be able to see beyond the end of their bonnet, and have zero anticipation, I certainly wouldn't think roads where huge trucks, SUVs, pick ups etc are thundering along at 60 are safer than UK roads and their hard shoulders are littered with rubbish, blown tyres and all manner of detritus. Many drivers will rarely have encountered a cyclist eithert

Sounds like he'd be safer riding on the pavement, sorry, sidewalk.

 

[vickster]

Sounds like he'd be safer riding on the pavement, sorry, sidewalk.

Well quite possibly but it isn't necessarily legal there either and there aren't any sidewalks between the cities. Presumably doing 3500-4000 miles he'll be venturing beyond Manhattan

 

[steveindenmark]

I think we leave side tracked the OPs original post. :0)

 

[Dave Davenport]

I think we leave side tracked the OPs original post. :0)

I'm waiting for him to say he doesn't think he should ride on the road because he doesn't pay 'road tax'.

 

[nm133775]

Also to your earlier point about taking the bike, most US taxis that pick up at airports will not be able to take a bike and other luggage. Do more research before you go on your trip, you'll want to pre arrange transport

Been assured by the airport that this is possible.

 

[vickster]

Been assured by the airport that this is possible.

Where are you flying to?

 

[nm133775]

Where are you flying to?

Fort Lauderdale. I won't be arriving until 8PM local time and probably won't be getting out of the airport until 9:30 or 10PM. My body clock will be 5 hours ahead of that already so after a long haul flight, I'll probably just want to crash into a bed. Found a nice little £50 Inn (not including tax ) about a mile from the airport and they've assured me that they'll have SUV style taxis that carry multiple people that will be more than capable of carrying a bike

 

[snorri]

You've left it rather late, leaving in one month and still haven't got a bike!
You don't say if you had asked for a bike with drop bars or is that what the salesman recommended? From my observations I'd say drop bars are not so popular nowadays among longer distance touring cyclists, straight bars or butterflies have taken over in equal measure.
I took a different approach to buying a tourer, rather than going into bike shops and sitting on the bikes or having a brief test run, I read up and discovered a lot of people at that time had a good word for the Dawes Galaxy, so thought if it's good enough for them it'll be good enough for me.
I bought one and soon grew to like it, I liked it even more after fitting a Rohloff and would never wish to tour with derailleur gears again.

 

[jay clock]

Ok, so I am quite experienced in this. I like @steveindenmark have a Koga Miyata. Rock solid but quite firm in ride. Having said that I absolutely would not recommend suspension for any tour unless you were basically going fully off road. Imagine going for a run on a foam rubber road versus tarmac.... same difference with suspension

Also many bikes with suspension are 26" wheels with shorter wheelbase and heel clearance with panniers is an issue. So a standard MTB is not a great starting point.

For some reason in the UK, default tourer is drop bars. Other countries go flat bars or butterfly bars.

BTW the toe-verlap is not an issue in reality. Only at very slow speeds. At anything above walking pace if you get toe-verlap you will only be moving the wheel so little that it doesn't happen.

Have a read of Crazy Guy on a Bike. Masses of blogs and info there. And do one yourself so we can follow you....

For CGOAB blogs I cannot remember any trans-USA rides I have read recently (or ever in fact) that have had a suspension bike. Not to say it can't be done, but I am an experienced tourer, and I wouldn't do it