Touring bicycle

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A touring bicycle is a bicycle either specially designed for, or modified to handle bicycle touring. What makes a touring bike different from other bicycles is its superior ability to carry gear on racks mounted to the front and rear of the bicycle frame. Other commonly found differences are a longer wheel base with sturdier wheels for carrying more weight, mudguard/fender mounting points, triple water bottle mounts and a frameset that allows for wider tires.

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[edit] Types of touring bicycles

Touring bicycles are available in many different types, such as road, trail, recumbent and tandem.

[edit] Road tourers

Road tourers are usually built around 700C (622mm) wheels which have rims the same diameter as a racing bicycle but typically the touring bike will have wider rims and more clearance in the frame for wider tires. This is the classic touring bike. Prior to the 1980s many touring bikes were built with 27" wheels which had rims with a slightly larger diameter (630mm). Note that 27" wheels are still occasionally used, but are generally found on older bikes.

Some companies, especially Thorn Cycles of England, have attempted to popularize the 26" mountain bike wheel size for touring bikes, whether for off-road or on-road use. Others such as Roberts and Hewitt have followed and offer 26"-wheeled touring bikes alongside conventional 700C machines. Claimed advantages of the slightly smaller wheel include additional strength, worldwide tire availability, and lighter weight. Some touring bicycles, such as the American Surly Long Haul Trucker are built around 26" (or 650C) wheels in smaller sizes and 700C wheels in larger sizes as the larger wheel can compromise touring geometry in a small frame.

In practice most 26" tires are made for mountain bikes so are too wide, heavy and deeply treaded to be useful on a road touring bike. Few light narrow tires are available for 26" wheels, which negates any weight advantage from the smaller rim and shorter spokes. Riders leaving areas such as western Europe and North America, where cycle equipment is readily and widely available, nevertheless often prefer 26-inch wheels because mountain-bike sizes are often more easily obtained in the Third World and even in eastern Europe. The Fédération Française de Cyclotourisme's mass ride from Paris to the Beijing Olympics in 2008 insisted all riders use 26-inch wheels for that reason.

The difference in rolling resistance between sizes and widths is debated; theoretically a 26" fat tire (say 38mm width) has less rolling resistance than a narrow 700C tire if the air pressure is the same, due to lower casing deformation, but the larger 700c tire will roll better on rough roads, is lighter and has less aerodynamic drag, and in practice is run at a higher pressure.

There are numerous variants on the traditional road tourer depending on the weight carried and the type of terrain expected. They vary from lightweight bikes, little heavier than racing bikes, to tough and heavy bikes designed for carrying heavy loads over the roughest roads. The former are often called audax bikes while the latter are sometimes referred to as expedition touring bikes. Mountain bikes are often used for expedition touring; they can usually be easily adapted to touring by adding panniers and road tires. Most riders who show accounts of their tours at the Cyclo-Camping International meeting in Paris each winter use mountain bikes.

[edit] Recumbent tourers

Fully loaded recumbent
Fully loaded recumbent

Recumbents are different in that the rider sits with his legs in front. Recumbents have their handlebars not in front, as with conventional bicycles, but above or below the seat. Depending on design, the ability to carry gear on the front wheel may be limited or absent.

[edit] Tandem tourers

Tandems are bikes built for two riders and many couples tour on them. They can make it easier for two riders of different abilities to ride together, but the tandem frame does not allow for any more luggage than a single bike does. This limitation can be overcome by pulling a trailer.

[edit] Touring bike specifications

Modern touring bicycle
Modern touring bicycle

Touring bicycles are usually equipped with luggage racks front and rear, designed to hold panniers or other forms of luggage. Because of the increased weight requirements and reliability demands, touring bicycles typically consist of steel frames and forks, comfortable handlebars and saddles for long-distance riding, combined with durable hubs, double-wall rims and 36-spoke wheels to provide the durability and reliability essential for loaded touring. Sometimes instead of panniers bicycle trailers are towed. Some riders prefer them because they provide a low center of gravity and can be detached easily. However, they decrease maneuverability.

Touring bicycle frames typically have a long wheelbase and stable steering geometry, with numerous attachments for luggage racks, fenders (mudguards), lights, water bottles, tools and spare parts. Chainstays must be long enough to accommodate panniers without their brushing the rider's heels, and the entire structure must be stiff enough to safely handle long, fast descents with the machine fully loaded.

Touring bicycles traditionally employ wide-ratio derailleur gears, often with a very low gear, referred to in some countries as a "granny gear", for steep hills under load. internal-geared hubs have become popular in recent years because of their robustness and low maintenance.

Touring bicycles are sometimes equipped with cantilever brakes or linear-pull brakes, instead of the caliper brakes used on racing bicycles. The need for mudguard (fender) and wide tire clearance can sometimes preclude the use of caliper road brakes, which may be excessively large and flexible if made to fit a touring bike. Some newer touring bicycles use disc brakes, because of their superior stopping power in wet weather.

Thus, touring bikes trade some speed for utility and ruggedness. This combination is popular with commuters and couriers as well.

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