Is A Tourer without a Rack...

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John the Monkey

Frivolous Cyclist
Location
Crewe
...still a tourer?

Decided to remove my rear rack from the LHT after not using it (I just use my Carradice for commuting) since getting my saddle bag.

The bike now looks like this;

4487872358_7197708d6a_o.jpg

I'm now completely paranoid that a sudden need for panniers will arise :/

4487880292_f35e2bb0da_o.jpg

I'm also not convinced that the seatstay Smart + lightloop mounted lights aren't very much worse than the lightplate mounted lights on the rack. Oh well.
 

threebikesmcginty

Corn Fed Hick...
Location
...on the slake
It's still a tourer JtM - and a very fine looking one at that!
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
Can you still tour on it? Then it is a tourer.

I have a very similar rear light arrangement and fretted for a while on taking the rack & rack lamp off. Have not been rear ended as yet.
 

arallsopp

Post of The Year 2009 winner
Location
Bromley, Kent
Its a tourer. Its got big comfy bars, wide tyres, mudguards, spokes with circular cross-section, bottle cages and baggage.
 
Location
Midlands
If you want to describe it as a tourer then fair enough - all my bikes could be described as tourers but that is not what I think of them as

(If you are not actually on tour is it a tourer)
 

alecstilleyedye

nothing in moderation
Moderator
i guess it depends on the amount of stuff you need.

i'm doing a 2-day tour (100m each way) with the club but, as a sag-wagon is going to be taking sleeping bags, change of kit etc, there is little need for anything on the bike over and above that required on the saturday club run.

i'm doing it on my raciest bike (as it has the triple) due to the big hill 90m in, which cannot take a rack or 'guards. even so, i'm touring, but on a race bike. if i was racing on a dawes galaxy, it would still be a tourer.
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
The bike's still a tourer, but you're fast becoming North American. They have a tendency to use large saddle bags in place of regular panniers.

Nice bike by the way, and I much prefer the olive green as opposed to the cappuccino that they have this year.
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
psmiffy said:
If you want to describe it as a tourer then fair enough - all my bikes could be described as tourers but that is not what I think of them as

(If you are not actually on tour is it a tourer)


When is a sewing machine?
 
OP
OP
John the Monkey

John the Monkey

Frivolous Cyclist
Location
Crewe
GregCollins said:
Can you still tour on it? Then it is a tourer.

I have a very similar rear light arrangement and fretted for a while on taking the rack & rack lamp off. Have not been rear ended as yet.

Interesting you should say that, I had a *very* close pass today when the driver behind me decided to blow a red light I was stopping for - he was too close when I braked & swung around me. I don't think my lights had much to do with that though.

Moodyman said:
The bike's still a tourer, but you're fast becoming North American. They have a tendency to use large saddle bags in place of regular panniers.

I tour with panniers, but can't commute with them - I don't like the feel of a single pannier, tend to overfill it, and they make the bike harder to get on and off the train because of the extra width.
Nice bike by the way, and I much prefer the olive green as opposed to the cappuccino that they have this year.
It's definitely no speed machine, but a lovely bike to ride, laden or unladen. The 42c tyres (up from 32s) ride nicely on pretty much anything. I like the olive a lot - this year's Truckers are Velvet Blue & Black, I think, the 2009 "Truckaccino" looks better in the flesh (with brown finishing kit, imo) but not my cup of tea.
 
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OP
John the Monkey

John the Monkey

Frivolous Cyclist
Location
Crewe
snorri said:
As you still have two bottle racks fitted, you may retain tourer status, but be careful, you are on very thin ice.:biggrin:
I knew it! I'm fitting a frame pump, third bottle cage and regrowing my beard!
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
John the Monkey said:
Interesting you should say that, I had a *very* close pass today when the driver behind me decided to blow a red light I was stopping for - he was too close when I braked & swung around me. I don't think my lights had much to do with that though.

maybe I hexed you. If they ain't lookin' they ain't seenin' you no matter how many you have or how bright your lights are :-(

that is one of my least fave scenarios, the gunning for the changing lights, the driver gets target fixation on the lights themselves and their field of vision narrows accordingly. dreadful

glad you are ok.
 
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