You can tour on any bike, even fancy road bikes if you want to. If you've not tried it before just use what you have. You might hate it, in which case you'll not have lost anything. You may love it, only then start to think about buying a dedicated tourer. Whether you camp or not depends on your level of adventure/comfort, everyone's different. There are thousands of videos on YouTube telling you what to take and what not to. Watch them and then make your own mind up.
Touring Bike or adapting hybrid
- Thread starter CentralCommuter
- Start date
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My first tour was done with a skewer rack on my Trek Madone and a couple of cheap panniers. Now I prefer touring with bikepacking bags for the ease of them and the storage capability.
As others have said, don't worry about making something perfect, you could tour with your road bike and a backpack in the easiest form and then stay in a hotel or similar (when allowed).
As others have said, don't worry about making something perfect, you could tour with your road bike and a backpack in the easiest form and then stay in a hotel or similar (when allowed).
Cycleops
Legendary Member
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
HobbesOnTour
Guru
- Location
- España
Just some random thoughts....
I'd rather spend 2k on touring rather than a bike to tour on.
Any bike will do for touring, some are better than others, though when it comes to reliability, comfort, load and safety.
There are lots of different kinds of touring. What I thought touring was is very, very different to what I think now. Had I bought a bike to suit my first tour (as recommended by my LBS) I'd never have had a chance to try some of the things I have.
There's no reason that you can't equip your hybrid with racks, panniers etc. that can be transferred over to a newer bike down the line. Just buy smart.
There are options that can be used to make a bike more comfortable - stems, seatposts, handlebars can all be changed. But only up to a point.
The absolutely best thing you can do is to get out and "practise". The more you do, the more you learn. The more you learn the better decisions you'll make. The better decisions you make, the more fun you'll have.
There are some people and touring is all about getting the bike, the gear, the maps. Actually throwing the leg over and turning the pedals? Not so much!
For inspiration have a look here:
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1mr&doc_id=8000&v=4pL
Good luck!
I'd rather spend 2k on touring rather than a bike to tour on.
Any bike will do for touring, some are better than others, though when it comes to reliability, comfort, load and safety.
There are lots of different kinds of touring. What I thought touring was is very, very different to what I think now. Had I bought a bike to suit my first tour (as recommended by my LBS) I'd never have had a chance to try some of the things I have.
There's no reason that you can't equip your hybrid with racks, panniers etc. that can be transferred over to a newer bike down the line. Just buy smart.
There are options that can be used to make a bike more comfortable - stems, seatposts, handlebars can all be changed. But only up to a point.
The absolutely best thing you can do is to get out and "practise". The more you do, the more you learn. The more you learn the better decisions you'll make. The better decisions you make, the more fun you'll have.
There are some people and touring is all about getting the bike, the gear, the maps. Actually throwing the leg over and turning the pedals? Not so much!
For inspiration have a look here:
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1mr&doc_id=8000&v=4pL
Good luck!
CentralCommuter
Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the advice - much appreciated.
I’ve decided that I’ll leave the camping aspect for now until I see how I get on with the actual touring part of it. One step at a time!
Now I’m trying to decide between the hybrid and my road bike. I already have a rack and a pannier on the hybrid (and can fit mudguards back on) but may need another pannier and maybe a bag for the bars. However, I’m also thinking I could get one of those saddle bags for road bikes and if that would be sufficient space for clothes etc as well as the handlebar bag?
So I suppose it all comes down to the type of touring. I’ve no idea! I live near Stirling - does one set off on the Friday and stay air bnb, cycle all day Saturday then AirBnB, then cycle to the final destination say 150 miles away from home on the Sunday and get the train back? Does that sound crap?
I’ve decided that I’ll leave the camping aspect for now until I see how I get on with the actual touring part of it. One step at a time!
Now I’m trying to decide between the hybrid and my road bike. I already have a rack and a pannier on the hybrid (and can fit mudguards back on) but may need another pannier and maybe a bag for the bars. However, I’m also thinking I could get one of those saddle bags for road bikes and if that would be sufficient space for clothes etc as well as the handlebar bag?
So I suppose it all comes down to the type of touring. I’ve no idea! I live near Stirling - does one set off on the Friday and stay air bnb, cycle all day Saturday then AirBnB, then cycle to the final destination say 150 miles away from home on the Sunday and get the train back? Does that sound crap?
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
Really?
Maybe I shouldn't have worried about the frame flexing after I'd packed the panniers on my not particularly fancy road bike.
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
I would advise taking the train to the destination and cycling home rather than vice versaSo I suppose it all comes down to the type of touring. I’ve no idea! I live near Stirling - does one set off on the Friday and stay air bnb, cycle all day Saturday then AirBnB, then cycle to the final destination say 150 miles away from home on the Sunday and get the train back? Does that sound crap?
There is no text book entry into cycle touring, but if it's any help, this is how I got in to it. After exhausting the variations of day trips in my own locality I put the bike (a 3 speed Sturmey Archer job) in my car and drove to the area of choice and booked in to a B&B for a few nights and did day tours in that area, eating in bars, cafes and restaurants. Then moved on to another B&B and repeated. I went to areas that I had visited before, so was not altogether breaking new ground at that stage but found the greater freedom offered by cycle touring as opposed to car touring appealed to me.
I then bought a Raleigh Equipe which was fine for local trips but I made the mistake of taking it on the train to Holyhead and doing a two week tour in Ireland. The frame flexed worryingly so it was exchanged for a hybrid, a Raleigh Pioneer Jaguar, which more suited my daily needs and was capable of load carrying for longer trips. I fancied a tour of Cornwall and Devon so took the bike on the train to Penzance from where I took a spin out to Lands End but soon realised .......anyway the plan changed and I decided to cycle homewards instead. I had nothing booked, just signed in to B&Bs in the late afternoon. I got home sooner than expected and after a night in my own bed carried on north to John O' Groats suffering no discomfort whatsoever, the hybrid bike coped perfectly well with my LEJOG. It was after that I realised cycle touring would be my thing and felt I could justify the purchase of a Dawes Galaxy, Rohloff hub, better quality panniers and camping gear which reduced daily costs and gave greater flexibility. This set up served me well over a number of years of touring in mainland Europe and Scandinavia. I did hanker after some of the more expensive touring bikes I saw on foreign tours but just never got around to seriously considering purchase.
I suppose I had a gradual introduction to cycle touring just buying more expensive gear as I discovered what I really wanted/needed and felt that my abilities justified.
Which ever way you approach it, just enjoy it and don't worry if anyone else thinks your cycling plan "sounds crap", In fact, my policy was not to have a plan, just telling folk I was off for a run on my bike and would be back in a few weeks, or months
.
HobbesOnTour
Guru
- Location
- España
I think the point of touring on your own at least is to go/see/do wherever and whatever you want
This! A thousand times this!
That gradual introduction sounds perfect and mirrors my own experience.
Again, the idea that the tour is yours.
Perhaps I'm reading it wrong, @CentralCommuter but it seems that you have an idea of what "bike touring" should be. I'd suggest trying to drop that, at least until you've tried it.
Some of my "tours" have been cycling out to a friend's farm for some winter camping, doing a 90km route to camp 10km from my front door (I needed a night in the tent, a day on the road, but time was limited and I needed to be home early the next day).
I've chosen themes to follow for shorter trips - wartime cemeteries was one, rivers or canals another. Instead of taking the car or train I've used the bike (packed up) to visit friends in other cities. Overkill? Certainly, but still touring.
If travelling solo, the world really is your oyster! Go. Stop. Turn here. Eat there. See this. Avoid that. It's all what you want to do! Wonderfully liberating!
As regards will a saddlebag do, why not get together the stuff you'll need and actually see if it will fit?
Apart from everything else in relation to hybrid v roadbike, I'd imagine a roadbike is more limited in terms of where you can go. Since I tend not to plan in great detail, I don't have to worry about surfaces, I can flake off my notional route if that over there looks better.
No reason that you can't try out both, is there? Or use one for one trip, the other for another?
Maybe for a first tour look for a friend with a bed and plot a route to them. Different route home, if possible. Then ask yourself what have you learned.
If you're not aware https://cycle.travel/ is a great route planner, especially for touring. It includes accommodation.
And CGOAB (mentioned above) is a great source of inspiration and learning. Under Locales you can drill down to Stirling!
Good luck!
Archie_tect
De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
- Location
- Northumberland
CC, have a look at the Ridgeback for sale from a fellow Cycling UKJ NE member on sale for offers over £500... that would be perfect if the frame size is right for you.
That's a good option for the money. One chap spent a few years going around the world on his. He refused lifts and never boarded a train. He used ferries but did as much under his own power as possible, they must be pretty tough bikes. His account is on CGOAB.
roubaixtuesday
self serving virtue signaller
I live near Stirling - does one set off on the Friday and stay air bnb, cycle all day Saturday then AirBnB, then cycle to the final destination say 150 miles away from home on the Sunday and get the train back? Does that sound crap?
Sounds brilliant.
I favour pubs for accommodation personally.
If it were me, I'd get the train out and cycle back - never trust trains and bikes and wouldn't want to be stranded.
I did something similar from Manchester to Abergavenny and returned via what felt like every hill in Wales in three days. Only luggage was a bar bag - I've literally never done a bike tour and come back wishing I'd had more stuff with me. Your preferences may vary of course.
Cathryn
Legendary Member
- Location
- Marlborough, Wiltshire
You’ve got great advice here that I can’t add to but I did want to say we toured for years on our hybrids and flipping loved it!! Hope you really enjoy it!
