I've currently got a Cotic RoadRat, with road gearing, fairly tough 36spoke touring wheels, V-brakes, mudguards, rack & panniers.
It's a nice bike, reasonably quick and it can carry half a weeks shopping in the panniers. But it's not that comfy and I've always felt it's a tad too big for me (I'm 5'8", it's a medium) or at least that I'm right on the short end of the sizing, if you see what I mean.
Anyhow, we've just bought a used trailer to make shopping easier and we're hoping to go touring next year round Cornwall, probably camping, too

All this has got me wondering if I'd be better getting an MTB frame and forks to convert into a commuter-cum-tourer instead – Rigid forks, discs, and possibly some of those Titec H-bars.

I've got most of the bits I'd need, and selling the RoadRat would more than cover frame and forks.

Or I could build myself some disc wheels for the Roadrat?

Whaddya think? Pros & cons of MTB commuter/tourer vs Roadrat?
What MTB f+f could I look at? I'd prefer alloy, and mudguard eyelets on F&F would be nice….

Hmmmmmmmmmm

how much do you want for the roadrat 😀

AAAARGGGGHHHH first the UK, now France. The Roadrats are invading AAAARRRGGGHHHH <runs for cover with his Kaffenback>….

Juan, it'll be too big for you mate….

beats back the rat and the kaff with a shiney cross check 🙂

Pete, how much have you actually ridden the 'Rat? You may just need some time to adapt to the "large" feeling of a road bike. My CX/touring bike feels huge compared to my MTBs, but it's surprisingly comfortable on longer rides.

I'd also suggest tinkering around with the setup before you sell the frame, although if you have flat bars on it there may be a limited amount you can do.

Pete, how much have you actually ridden the 'Rat? You may just need some time to adapt to the "large" feeling of a road bike.

FWIW I'm the same height and ride a small 'rat. It might just be too big a bike.

MrA – Done just over 1000 miles now.
I've got the seat quite far foreward on an inline post, and a 100mm stem with some rise and 20-30mm spacers under it. 100mm is the shortest stem that Cotic reccommend, and it is faily quick steering like this.
The riding position is definately on the long and racy side for me, and the bike feels quite 'tall'. It's certainly got a lot more ground clearance than my previous hybrid commuter (Saracen Helix)
I've got carbon bars and post, but I'm getting numb hands quite a lot which I think is the riding position putting too much weight forewards…..

Well if I trsust google, 5"8 is my size…
😀

Going from mtb to the dark side this year (I bought my first road bike – an old steel Peugeot for £30) it was an odd transition and yes the frame felt way too big initally. But I've settled into it now and did the London to Cambridge the other week quite happily.

Personally I've never ridden one, but I'm tempted to say Long Haul Trucker as they are born to tour 🙂

Same as me then Juan. It's a lengthy old beast…..

Meanwhile, back on topic…. 😉
What about a touring MTB frame? Any ideas? (Not another Inbred!)
If we go touring with the RoadRat, will I be OK with V-brakes and a trailer? Will I need a triple chainset? (Got a 105 double on there now)

Have you tried a (much) higher rise stem?

There really aren't many decent mtb frames around with the bosses for racks. When I looked at this I ended up with an Inbred. Can you run to a Thorn perhaps? Surly Karate Monkey?

Re gearing, for me at least, a triple is needed to get up hills carrying any real weight. I just end up pushing a lot if I've not got one, as I don't do flogging myself senseless in those circs. V-brakes are absolutely fine.

I've got an 18inch 2001 Kona Caldera frame with rack mounts on it, and a pair of Titec H-bars going spare if you want BTW, email in profile.

BD a bit off topic but I might need your help in a forth night are you available?

I'm off on hols in a bit juan. But drop me a line.

you say not another inbred, but my 456 does an ace job of touring with slicks on 🙂

BD – No, but I have thought of tring some cheapie riser bars….

bd no email in your profile 🙁
Drop me a line fernandez*****at*******unice****dot******fr

Sorry, I assumed it had drops for some reason. 🙄

I would go with a triple if you're towing a trailer, standing up to climb feels very weird and you get a lot of waggle from the back end. That said you can adjust to compensate.

If you want an alloy frame with bosses, I believe a lot of lower-end frames still have them, just struggling to think of something with a bit more finesse.

CP – I've just sold a slot dropout Inbred frame and I still have an 853 geared one which is my main bike…..

Looking at it again, I'll probably just make some mods to the RoadRat.
I've got most of the kit to fit discs to it lying around, I'll just need some 32h 700c rims for the hubs I have spare.

BD – How much do you want for the H-bars? I reckon an 18in Caldrea will be too big for me though.

They're the old ugly H ones, not the nicer-looking J ones, but were bought new and have hardly been used. £30 posted?

jonDOTrollasonAThotmailDOTcoDOTuk

If you want an alloy frame with bosses, I believe a lot of lower-end frames still have them, just struggling to think of something with a bit more finesse.

Finesse? I thought you'd seen me ride? 😉

I reckon with the bits I've got lying around it's either bang a rack, mudguards and rigid forks (I'd need to buy mudguards and forks) on the Inbred just to tour, as it's a VERY comfy bike and fits me VERY well,

OR

Change the bars on the Roadrat, fit a triple chainset and possibly discs. I'd need to buy bars (and possibly flippy-lever shifters too for the H-bars) and 32h 700c rims for that option.

Am I getting anywhere here?

If you're getting H-bars, don't forget your hipflask holder too, or you will be arrested on sight by the Niche Police. 😉

LOL!

I tried some H-bars recently. Now, I wouldn't use them on a MTB, but they are silly comfy, IMO

BD – I'll mail you soonish… 🙂

Must it be an MTB? In other words: is your touring going to have proper off road elements? If not, then a road tourer will do the job better (and will take more off road riding than you think).

I'd say that the likes of a Kaffenback would be a great place to start. Either that, or find yourself an old 531 Dawes Galaxy (or SuperGalaxy) and build something around that.

For load lugging and touring with any sort of weight (and, I suspect, especially if you're also using the trailer), then a triple would be the best bet. If you already have 105 STIs, then I believe you may be able to use the L/H until with a triple front mech. Not 100% on that, though.

Well I was thinking MTB to be more comfy. I've not got STIs, just flat bars and MTB shifters
I can't see the point of swapping the Roadrat for another 700c bike, mind…
🙂

I can't really answer your question as what's better PP, but this is what I did to my mtb to turn it into a tourer (will change tyres, pedals, stem). Just got the forks back from Argos – the brazed on front rack mounts and resprayed.

… and before anyone says it, I put the rack on the wrong way round. Whoops!

Surly Long Haul Trucker?