Almost any bike can be loaded up and taken on tour but certain features can make one bicycle better suited than another. And most bike shops don’t have a clue about what makes a good touring bike. Trusting would be cyclo-tourists might find themselves with a machine better suited to racing or spirited club rides than all day slogs with 30 or 40 pounds of gear attached. Sizing, fit and setup also affect how well a bike will perform on tour. Trying to figure all those things out can be overwhelming. That’s what we’re here for! We have experience with that sort of thing.
Here is a list of articles about touring bike size and fit.
- Not All Bikes Are Created Equal
- Pedals and Shoes
- Saddle Height and Setback
- Handlebars
- What Size Bike Do I Need?
What makes a bike better suited for touring than say for racing? Comfort, durability and the ability to carry a load.
Here you can read some of our articles:
We’re not saying that a person has to drop thousands of dollars to get the perfect bike before they can be a “bike tourist”. There are people who have traveled thousands of miles on ill-fitting department store bikes. And some mountain bikes from the ’80’s make fantastic touring machines. But a bike that fits and is made for carrying a load will allow one to concentrate on having fun, and to forget about the bike.