There is touring and there is touring: For 'fully loaded' or "real" touring, you need a bike that
will hold front and rear racks, and carry you and all of those racks fully loaded with your camping
gear, etc for days at a time. Answer, as some have noted, Bruce Gordon, Waterford Adventure Cycle,
or go to the UK sites and check out Thorn, etc. However, few of us really want or need that in what
we call a 'touring' bike. If most of us 'tour', it is a day trip, stopping at a hotel and carrying
perhaps a single change of clothes and a 'shave kit'. Our, we tour for the day, want to tote lunch
and a change of clothes if we want to stop and swim or hike, etc. "Credit card" touring. Some want a
touring bike to double as a commuter or simply for a relaxed day outdoors and a rear rack to carry
something you stop and buy. Fenders are nice.
I call that a 'station wagon' and bought a Rivendell Atlantis to fit the bill. For just under a
$1,000. for the lugged steel frame, contrasting cream-colored 'windows' and details on the mint
green paint, and fit and finish that cannot be faulted, the bike is an incredible bargain. Built in
Japan, not Taiwan, to Grant Peterson's relaxed design the only real issue you may have with it (and
one that is really not an issue for its intended use) is that the chain stays are designed to let
you use fat tires for comfort or light off road use. They flair out just behind the BB, so you
cannot use a Shimano triple crank. Going with the Sugino, a Ritchey or the excellent TA cranks allow
you to get all the gears you need. I used a 'donor' bike to mate a TA Zephyer triple 45/35/22 to my
DA triple and STI road levers (it does work, contrary to what some thought), bought some hammered
aluminum fenders from American Cyclery that look like the French Lefoils that are now impossible to
find, added a Tubus rack to the rear, and have a very comfortable light touring bike, commuter, that
looks like a mid-40s or 50s touring bike that one could have found rambling around the Continent.
Add a set of SPD pedals and the relaxed handling and ride suit me just fine, for a reasonable
investment. Don't need the more elaborate touring bikes since at my age and given my time
constraints, I am not going to be hauling much gear with me when I ride.
Pick your weapon for its intended use. The Atlantis should suit 99% of most real world 'touring
bike' needs. Dave "Bruce" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:What kind of touring? How much weight / how many bags, camping gear....?
If looks matter then we can't help decide. If all you want is a strong
bike
Quoted message said:then Trek, Fuji or Cannondale are fine. If you don't plan to carry a lot then any mid-priced road
bike (with fender clearance is you desire) will
do
Quoted message said:the job.
-Bruce
"Mark Scardiglia" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:I'm going to buy my first ever touring bike (as in bicycle touring, not as in hybrid) and was
wondering if anyone can make some solid recommendations about particular models. I've been
lusting after the Rivendell Atlantis ($$$$$), but have unearthed some satisfactory opinions of
the Trek 520 in dejanews. For that matter, the Fuji Touring has gotten some mentions. I have a
long history with racing type bikes, but am a complete touring newbie. This bike would serve as
my commuter, too. Any help out there?
Thanks.
Mark
