30.1.06

Why not a Touring Bike ?

Classically, in the Northern hemisphere , a " touring" bike will be made with relatively expensive, strong but light weight tubing .It will be very stable in its handling and comfortable to ride for long periods, with relaxed, shock absorbing geometry and a leather saddle. It's likely to have narrow, low resistance tyres, narrow drop bars and a high top bar, brazed-on rack mounts, preferably mountings for three bottles , double eyelets front and rear, proper mudguards , and a dynamo lighting system. It will be fast - over good roads, anyway - but uncomfortable or impossible over the rough for extended periods. Such bikes are most practical on the well paved roads of in Europe or North America , where high population densities provide the infrastructure of well sealed roads and established hospitality services. In those environments, touring by bike is feasible with very little luggage ( "credit card touring" in the USA , or what the British call "hostelling tours") and for that purpose the classic touring bike is fine. However, it might be more useful to think of these bikes, especially with their 700C wheels, as light tourers.

What the touring bike lacks is "rough road" capability, and perhaps the capacity easily to carry the extra amount of luggage - tent, sleeping bag, food, cooking equipment, and especially water - required for a fully self supported bicycle camping tour, away from hostels and restaurants.

In Australia, the variability of road surfaces and the relatively sparse availability of services, as well as a harsher summer climate, mean that the touring bike of the Northern hemisphere is less than fully practical. Here, unless we are prepared to stay on busy highways - or spend a lot of time in a SAG bus - we need to be able to cope with at least some rough roads, a lack of readily available services, and the need to carry camping gear and supplies , especially water. Independent long distance touring in Australia is simply not possible if one is dependent on hotels and restaurants. (Increasingly, though , "supported" tours are becoming fashionable, where you pay someone else - usually in a truck - to do the hard part of carrying any equipment you need. You have to be able and willing to pay the bill for that level of service.)

In view of these problems, many Australian cyclists turn to the MTB for independent bicycle travel in our country. So......

posted by alvaro @ 7:09 p. m.