Touring Bikes v Road Bikes

[GmanUK65]

The main thing is to just start simpe say ride somewhere, sty overnight ride back. Then try a couple of nights. Try camping. Try a bivvy. Whatever you fancy. Winter touring is fine if using hostels or B&B etc or you have a warm sleeping bag. Out of season touring can be great.

Never thought about B&Bs or hostels over winter, though would cost a bit more. Cheers for that

 

[mjr]

Because of winter coming, touring has not been on my mind, that's why it's been a while. I'm back briefly because of a change of plans. In the past couple of months there has been several problems with the bike, some being rather stressful including 3 punctures in 2 days.

I am now thinking that if I go on a 3 month tour around Europe there is bound to be more serious problems so have decided on not doing this tour. So, I've got the bike and most of the equipment so I am going to be sticking to tours in UK and maybe a few short breaks in Europe

Not bound to. I've had far worse problems locally than on any tour. At least when going on tour, I check the bike before and fix stuff, instead of thinking I'll get around to it and then it fails out on the road...

Worst I've done on my short tours so far is knock my headset loose on the way to the port but a bike shop abroad fixed that.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Because of winter coming, touring has not been on my mind, that's why it's been a while. I'm back briefly because of a change of plans. In the past couple of months there has been several problems with the bike, some being rather stressful including 3 punctures in 2 days.

I am now thinking that if I go on a 3 month tour around Europe there is bound to be more serious problems so have decided on not doing this tour. So, I've got the bike and most of the equipment so I am going to be sticking to tours in UK and maybe a few short breaks in Europe

You are better off touring Europe if you are worried about decent bike shops and decent mechanics.

 

[Alan O]

I wouldn't worry at all about touring round Europe, though it might be a good idea to do a shorter tour or two in the UK first to get a feel for it.

Before a tour, I'd strip, check and adjust everything. Depending on how old they were (and erring on the conservative side) I might replace brake and gear cables, chain and freewheel/cassette. I'd put new decent quality tubes in, and fit a pair of tyres that didn't have much use on them - Marathons for sure, as puncture resistance is key for touring. And I'd do all that with enough time for a few long-ish rides before I left, to make sure everything is ok.

I'd take a decent set of tools with me to cope with most breakdowns - certainly a chain tool, freewheel/cassette tool, crank and bottom bracket tools, 6" wrench, allen keys, screwdrivers, spoke key... together with several spare tubes and a few spokes. With all that, the chances of not being able to at least limp to a bike shop or mechanic would be, I think, slim.

And for a worst-case scenario, I'd make sure I didn't have any more with me than would fit in a rucksack, and I could dump my bike (which cost me approx £250 to build excluding the Brooks saddle, so don't want to lose it but it wouldn't break the bank), buy a rucksack and come home by public transport (bringing my saddle with me).

 

[graham bowers]

<SNIP>
So, does anyone ride a road bike and, as I'm presuming that everyone who looks at this has a touring bike?
If so where do they both fit in?
<MORE SNIP>
I suppose what I'm trying to say is my thoughts at the moment are to pack in road cycling and stick with touring. Has anyone who has a road bike and tourer ever felt this way?

Bit late to this thread, but hey ho.............

I have a sub 10 Kg compact double Ultegra equipped road bike and a steel tourer with triple chainset and 11/34 cassette that weighs goodness knows what, probably 13 Kg. Love them both.

I had a bike fit when I got the tourer and have set the road bike up so it's very close. Both are comfortable to ride.

I'm in my early 60's and am a plodder. 12 mph rolling average.

The road bike is kept for sunny summer days when it's lack of mudguards doesn't matter, I don't need spare clothes and am sticking to tarmac - 25mm tyres.

The tourer is used for touring and almost everything else as it has mudguards, 32mm tyres and panniers. I use it to go to my woodland volunteering sessions and tye-wrap a bowsaw to one side of the rack whilst putting my other tools and lunch in a pannier on the other side. I nip down to the shop for bits and pieces and stuff them in the panniers. I go out on hilly rides that, for me, need a triple chainset. I go out on rides that have towpaths / forest tracks / rough-stuff whilst nabbing velo-viewer squares.

So, re-reading my post, the road bike is used for a fairly narrow range of conditions. The tourer is far more versatile and gets used much more. Still love them both though.

 

[Tigerbiten]

Another one late to this thread.

My take is .......
A pure road bike is very light weight with silly high gears.
A tourer tends to a mid weight bike with a wide range of sensible gears.

If you're super fit then a roads bikes gears can be fun ........
But more normal mortals make find a tourers gears more useful ..........