general question about bicycle specs

wade said:

If I decide to get a replacement, I'm wondering what is currently
available and what I should be looking for?

I think the general answer would be: whatever bike makes you happy.
Your greatest concern should be whether *you* can ride *your bike*
comfortably, all day long. Once *you* have found *that bike*, most
parts and accessories can be added or subtracted until *you* feel
you're ready.

I've heard of people who rode many thousands of miles on bikes most of
us wouldn't consider for a ride around the block and were happy. I've
also heard of people who spent thousands on the ultimate bike and then
never rode it because they weren't comfortable. I suspect your bike
will be somewhere between those points.

Jeff

wade said:

I am curious what others think about a good all-round bicycle for
touring.

<snip>

Quoted message said:

If I decide to get a replacement, I'm wondering what is currently
available and what I should be looking for?

Well, if you like that bike I'd say keep it! However, if I was
looking for a loaded touring bike, I'd look at the Bruce Gordon BLT.
I don't think there's a better deal in "real" touring bikes.

http://www.bgcycles.com/blt.html

And if you wanted to spend money, then a Bruce Gordon custom...

Another good alternatve might be the Rivendell Atlantis:

http://www.rivendellbicycles.com/html/bikes_atlantisframes.html

Thank you for those suggestions. I guess I'm looking for a starting
point in looking at other bicycles. Those 2 will be a great place to
start looking at and comparing. Like I've said I'm clueless to what is
out there these days, I've been far away from any cycling for 6 years
and haven't even looked at a LBS. I'll get the phone book out and see
what LBS's are in this area where I now live.

wade

Tim McNamara said:

wade said:

I am curious what others think about a good all-round bicycle for
touring.

<snip>

Quoted message said:

If I decide to get a replacement, I'm wondering what is currently
available and what I should be looking for?

Well, if you like that bike I'd say keep it! However, if I was
looking for a loaded touring bike, I'd look at the Bruce Gordon BLT.
I don't think there's a better deal in "real" touring bikes.

http://www.bgcycles.com/blt.html

And if you wanted to spend money, then a Bruce Gordon custom...

Another good alternatve might be the Rivendell Atlantis:

http://www.rivendellbicycles.com/html/bikes_atlantisframes.html

wade said:

Thank you for those suggestions. I guess I'm looking for a starting
point in looking at other bicycles. Those 2 will be a great place to
start looking at and comparing. Like I've said I'm clueless to what is
out there these days, I've been far away from any cycling for 6 years
and haven't even looked at a LBS. I'll get the phone book out and see
what LBS's are in this area where I now live.

All that being said, for the money it's still hard to beat a Trek 520.
I've been pretty happy with my Fuji Touring Series, but since I'm not
a fan of sloping top tubes I'm not partial to Fuji's latest touring
bikes.

Quoted message said:

wade

Tim McNamara said:

wade said:

I am curious what others think about a good all-round bicycle for
touring.

<snip>

Quoted message said:

If I decide to get a replacement, I'm wondering what is currently
available and what I should be looking for?

Well, if you like that bike I'd say keep it! However, if I was
looking for a loaded touring bike, I'd look at the Bruce Gordon BLT.
I don't think there's a better deal in "real" touring bikes.

http://www.bgcycles.com/blt.html

And if you wanted to spend money, then a Bruce Gordon custom...

Another good alternatve might be the Rivendell Atlantis:

http://www.rivendellbicycles.com/html/bikes_atlantisframes.html

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

wade said:

Hello,
I am curious what others think about a good all-round bicycle for
touring. I have been out of cycling for about 6 years now. When I did a
tour in 1999 I just made some changes to my mountain bike as shown here:
http://cyclingtrip.com/main_pages/bike/index.html

I still have that bicycle and find it to ride very well. I liked the
ability to take it and the BOB trailer over rough surfaces in remote
areas. I've even been off road bouncing around a bit. It handled very
well and I felt comfortable passing cars in tight corners going downhill
in the Canadian Rockies.

If I decide to get a replacement, I'm wondering what is currently
available and what I should be looking for?

This just my opinion, but...

You already have a proven touring unit which apparently works well for
you. While there are a multitude of choices available if you need to
replace it, I'd first look at that very issue. Do you really need to
replace it? I'm firmly in the "if it isn't broken, don't fix it."
camp; it seems to me that the primary consideraiton here should be
whether the current bike isn't providing something important which a
replacement might.

Toward that end, I think you might get better answers to your question
with a little more data; what shortcomings does the current bike have
in your opinion, and what features would you like to get in a
replacement? The basic things that a new bike can do will be the same
as for your old bike; it's in the minor details that you'll find the
differences.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

.....
<snip> Do you really need to
replace it?
probably not

<snip> ....
what shortcomings does the current bike have

Quoted message said:

in your opinion, and what features would you like to get in a
replacement?

I don't have any experience on other bicycles for touring. mine worked
very well, and I liked the gearing which allowed me to go up very steep
hills in the rockies loaded and never had to get off to push it. Being
able to take it off road was a plus, I had the BOB trailer bouncing
around all over the place behind me at times.

But I always have to wonder what makes those high dollar swish bikes so
much better? Mine seemed to be as durable as any other, but what about
differences in how a ride feels? Would I notice a difference if the
frame geometry was different? Or different materials used for the frame?

Maybe I just keep thinking that the grass might be a bit greener 🙂

wade

In article <[email hidden]>,

wade said:

....
<snip> Do you really need to
replace it?
probably not

<snip> ....
what shortcomings does the current bike have

Quoted message said:

in your opinion, and what features would you like to get in a
replacement?

I don't have any experience on other bicycles for touring. mine worked
very well, and I liked the gearing which allowed me to go up very steep
hills in the rockies loaded and never had to get off to push it. Being
able to take it off road was a plus, I had the BOB trailer bouncing
around all over the place behind me at times.

But I always have to wonder what makes those high dollar swish bikes so
much better? Mine seemed to be as durable as any other, but what about
differences in how a ride feels? Would I notice a difference if the
frame geometry was different? Or different materials used for the frame?

Maybe I just keep thinking that the grass might be a bit greener 🙂

So, your current bicycle suits you entirely. You can ride
it comfortably where you like to go, and it does not break
down. You are not missing anything. Now if you wanted a
nifty sport bicycle you would have to get another bicycle.
But guess what? You could still get a nifty sport bicycle
that is reliable, and relatively inexpensive; as is your
current touring bicycle.

--
Michael Press

wade said:

Thank you for those suggestions. I guess I'm looking for a starting
point in looking at other bicycles. Those 2 will be a great place to
start looking at and comparing. Like I've said I'm clueless to what is
out there these days, I've been far away from any cycling for 6 years
and haven't even looked at a LBS. I'll get the phone book out and see
what LBS's are in this area where I now live.

wade

Touring bikes have not really changed in 6 years. There are a few more
higher end bikes available now. But the basic bikes are still the same
now as in 1999 as in 1989. Trek 520, Cannondale T800 and T2000, Bruce
Gordon BLT, Fuji Touring. These are all competent bikes with a proven
record. All have been in production for many years and are still in
production. If Adventure Cycling keeps a record of bikes used by its
trans america riders, these five bikes would probably cover 75% of the
riders. Some of the newer higher priced models include Independent
Fabrications touring bike, Co-Motion Americana and Northwestern,
Rivendell models, Waterford AC1900.

As others have said, if your current bike works, keep on using it.
Unless you just want a prettier bike. I'd probably go for the
Waterford in a custom model with 26" wheels.