5 day light tent touring bike

[John Ponting]

OK, I know that it's as long as a piece of string but ...

has anybody got real life experience of short tent touring trips with rear panniers (and a bar bag for camera?) on a hybrid like Trek 7.5 fx of Specialised Sirrus (something) ?

I've been using a Scott sub20 for about 4 years as a general run around (and a Trek 1.2) but feel the Scott would soon get heavy with loaded bags. The back end already feels a bit lardy with a light rack and pack for commuting etc.

p.s. lardy could be due to me, I guess.

 

[MarkF]

I've got a Dawes Discovery 501 and use a rear rack for everything but tools, documents, phone and camera, they go in the bar bag. I've just returned from an 8 day tour of Catalonia and often do 3/4 day trips into the Yorkshire Dales. I sold my Dawes Horizon steel tourer because it didn't do anything (IMO) much better then the Discovery.

Ta da! Resplendent in Aldi shirt and shorts.

 

[John Ponting]

I've got a Dawes Discovery 501 and use a rear rack for everything but tools, documents, phone and camera, they go in the bar bag. I've just returned from an 8 day tour of Catalonia and often do 3/4 day trips into the Yorkshire Dales. I sold my Dawes Horizon steel tourer because it didn't do anything (IMO) much better then the Discovery.

Ta da! Resplendent in Aldi shirt and shorts.

Thanks for the comments, Mark. I bought an Aldi winter jersey last week so maybe a Trek next week?

 

[sgw]

I don't know about the specific bikes you mention but I have toured mostly with hybrids and previously mtb's. I find that loading bikes with camping gear is a great leveller of performance for most bikes. I mean the advantage of one design over another is far less noticeable when both are loaded. I am sure there are specialist touring bikes that would carry weight better than a hybrid and lighter loads, good roads will obviously minimise the problem. I would expect any reasonable hybrid to be much the same as any other though.

Have you tried loading up your existing set up a bit heavier than usual for a test ride? (bearing in mind the lightweight rack) You might find that the initial loading knocks the handling and performance most and it doesn't get too much worse as you carry a bit more. The other thing is that you get used to the lardyness. After a few miles my bike feels "right" when laden. There is the hard work getting it moving, but I enjoy the feel of solidity (read lardyness) when rolling. Just don't ask about hills! I actualy dislike the naked, twitchy feel of the first couple of rides when I unload after a trip.

Do you expect to be mostly on roads?

 

[sgw]

I've got a Dawes Discovery 501 and use a rear rack for everything but tools, documents, phone and camera, they go in the bar bag. I've just returned from an 8 day tour of Catalonia and often do 3/4 day trips into the Yorkshire Dales.

Do you camp or b&b Mark.

The Dales for a few days is a regular escape for me too.

 

[Jerry Atrik]

Just got back from a very hilly cornwall on a Trek 7.5 fx fully loaded and it performed admirally .

 

[MarkF]

Do you camp or b&b Mark.

The Dales for a few days is a regular escape for me too.

In Spain I did both because good rooms can be had for only 20 euros and I like to wander from bar to bar! In the Dales I always camp.

BTW I had a Blackburn rack that allowed the rear of the panniers to travel towards the spokes, just before I went I bought a Topeak DX super tourist rack, best £30 I've ever spent. It is larger stronger and way lighter than the Blackburn.

 

[willem]

I am not sure I understand the question: is this a question about buying a new bike, or about touring with just two panniers?
Willem

 

[sgw]

I took John to mean he was concerned at the possible handling and performance hit of touring with loaded panniers on a hybrid. But I might be wrong.

 

[Crankarm]

.

 

[John Ponting]

I took John to mean he was concerned at the possible handling and performance hit of touring with loaded panniers on a hybrid. But I might be wrong.

That's right.

I guess that really my Scott sub20 would make a good tourer - especially with some road biased tyres fitter. At the moment it's got some heavy knobblies as I've been manly on reclaimed railways with my grandsons.

 

[sgw]

That's right.

I guess that really my Scott sub20 would make a good tourer - especially with some road biased tyres fitter. At the moment it's got some heavy knobblies as I've been manly on reclaimed railways with my grandsons.

I would say loosing the knobblies won't be much of a loss unless you intend some really wild touring and should make the bike feel and perform better with no tread squirming. Even on reclaimed railways, unpaved towpaths, forest tracks and worse, I find tough touring road tyres surprisingly good even off road.

Crankarm seems to suggest your Trek will be fine, when and where are you going?

(Thats a surprising difference in wall thickness Crankarm, Is the Sirrus more of a city/road orientated hybrid?)

 

[John Ponting]

Crankarm generally makes interesting posts - sadly he editted the latest before I even saw it.

 

[John Ponting]

The Scott had a set of Maxis semi slicks when I bought it. I normally run it on Specialized Nimbus Armadillo but the rear died and I fitted some knobblies that were in the shed. I need to buy more tyrtes but the Scott has 26" wheels while my Trek 1.2 and my wife's Trek 7.3 fx has 700c. This may be the ideal time to get the 7.5 fx with 700c and donate the Scott to our daughter's partner - she already has a 26" 7300 and he is bikeless.

I feel a trip to Letchworth later today to speak with the guys at TriSports.

 

[willem]

OK, now I understand: you are considering a new bike that you want to use for touring with two rear paniers and a bar bag. I think the bikes you are looking at are on the lighter side of what is suitable. The Trek in particular, with 24 spokes, is asking for trouble. Touring (with tent) with just rear panniers is normally not a problem, but you are still talking about 12-15 kg of gear on the back, I would guess. That means you want a somewhat stiffer frame, more stable handling, a longer wheelbase so your heels do not hit the panniers, and strong wheels. You also want clearance for wider tyres (on a 28 inch wheeled bike 37 mm would be my minimum, and 42 mm preferable). In short, the first thing that comes to my mind is a classic British style steel tourer like the Dawes Galaxy.
Willem