lifeisgood said:So its a Racer? Now the trouble I had with with race bikes were no
mounts for the panniers. However several nice biks shop owners say that
you can put stays/clips onto the rear forks and fit any panniers I like
so the tourer starts to lose its big advantage.So for me its time to go back to childhood. Racer it is.
Poor move IMHO. A decent lightweight racing bike will be out of its
depth loaded up with luggage and used for daily commuting. You'll lose
the responsiveness, and you'll find that its componentry isn't intended
for that sort of usage.
Take a look at Audax bikes - like light tourers. I have a Roberts Audax,
which is probably rather more than you're looking at spending, but does
the job admirably. Most major brands have a similar type of bike in
their range.
I went from a converted road bike to this Audax bike. It's more
comfortable, much more durable and generally better. Braze-ons for racks
and mudguards, with sufficient clearances: it's all designed for the job
it's doing.
--
Mark.
http://tranchant.plus.com/