I do not know what has happened to me ? I am doing quite a lot of on road cycling recently ,its nice to be able to go off road when i want and my heart is still in MTB ! It is just some times i go for a ride and stay on the road , i quite fancy a road tourer with mud guards and drop bars ? will i grow out this phase ?? I need to do this quite cheaply though ??

I picked up a planet x kaffenback this year, older model, but I’ve done a few weekend tours on it, as well as road riding and canal tow path stuff etc. I’m chuffed to bits with it.

I’ve just put slicks, rigid fork, panniers and a rack on my mtb for a spot of touring. Go for it, you don’t need anything special or a new bike if you are happy to spend a few minutes switching tyres and unbolting a rack (I don’t even do that, got a quick relase mounted one, at the skewer and seat clamp).

Of course, if you would’t be seen dead with bottle cages and bar ends, and don’t want to leave the rig ids on for the odd trail bash then it may take you a few minutes longer to convert, but not much (disc brake set-up is the longest part, when swapping forks).

However, i do “only” have one bike in my stable, and was looking at the Kaffenback frame just the other day!

love my multi-purpose (not do it all) bike – I can divert up and interesting track, rejoin a road, explore, carry stuff.

Do it! cover miles, see scenery, ride a bike – what’s not to like

What you need is a Salsa Fargo …….

M360, could you give a link/any info on the rack you’re using.

‘will I grow out of this phase’

Depends if you view it as a phase or a way to see the World around you by bicycle. If you ultimately have no interest in going places on long journeys by bike and just fancy a different style machine then it could well be a fleeting fad. Try it, if you don’t like it sell it 🙂

i’d buy a used good tourer and give it a bash

Yup:

Blackburn Rack

with one of these:

Seat clamp

Pull QR Skewer out, stick original back in, lift off seat clamp (leave it attached to rack), stick original back on.

Quite light, yet a proper solid rack, and much better than seat post mounted racks for carrying anything more than my lunch 8)

Add to that one or two Ortlieb pannier and you’re good to go. The panniers are awesome, lift on/off with one hand, just click on, no messing around, and the shoulder strap makes it easy to pop-in the shops/take the bag into work etc. Very happy with this set-up to be honest.

Recently adapted a Pastey Howler frame, for touring, changed a few things, most noticeable difference is a tyre swap………yeah, yeah, I know!

I went for the 1.6, apparently really puncture resistant, but for a bloke who is used to mtb tyres, fast as ****.

I’d quite like a touring bike too. Might get a Genesis Tour de Fer as a cheapish introduction 🙂

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/blog/02/07/14/2015-bike-launch-tour-de-fer

If I had the squids, I would too!

touring is my favoutite kind of cycling…..always has been. when i buy a bike, it has to take a rack and have the ability to ride on and offroad.
the choice now is fantastic.
my only bike is a tourer, and i am looking to buy a new bike for long distance lightweight offroad touring.

i love touring…. 8)

I’ve a Fargo for exactly this reason…

Oh, and a Vaya for the more on-road touring…

Both awesome in their own way…

That Vaya looks like somewhat like a 635 Dawes Sardar (wish they still made them)

OP, if you’re loaded you can buy a Rohloff equipped Thorn (Mercury, fr’instance) with a 100 day money back guarantee!

I’ve got a thorn xtc that I bought off ebay about 7 years ago,done 1000 miles in the last 6 weeks,had a great ride today on nation route 47 which took me from neath up to the wind turbines above glyncorrwg and then down the other side to afan argoed,i love that bike 🙂

*635* ??! I mean 631 of course.

I fancied a tourer after 20 odd years of mtbing when I seemed to be always exploring, which developed into bikepacking (actually backpacking, used a rucksack, like a twit) so recently built this:

Cromo butted 26er, full XT, Sun handbuilt rims. It has brazeons at the back for a rack but I use Freeload* racks that simply strap with ratcheted webbing on the rear (tour deck) or the front(sport deck) – I use both and is great for light touring, enough for short camping trips if add a bar bag. (*Freeload branded as Thule nowadays). Schwalbe Marathon tyres finish it. Recently added XT thumbies and it feels complete.

Keep thinking of getting something more up to date, pref with discs, but i know it would be heavier, way expensive, and not have the general feel, sprightliness and silence that my hand-sourced and specced frankenbike has – it’s like a cat! Do consider restoring/speccing your own it’s fun, and can be very rewarding. Not to mention leaving bags of cash over to spend on decent touring luggage etc.

I took mine out for a “half-loaded” test ride today, and it went quite well. Handled better than I feared, although I think I’ll be needing some weight up front once I get it fully laden.

Pics and a description of the rack and stuff I mentioend above are now here if it helps anyone converting their hardtail

I’ve got one of those Blackburn racks.
Good, aren’t they?

If you want to do the 26inch tourer thing on the cheap, try and pick up a old steel Specialized Rockhopper frame:

Rack and guard mounts, good geo, nice and light, strong, comfy, can be used on and off road.

Mine’s got Kona P2’s on it, flat bars, a Brooks, Blackburn rack and some tough wheels.
Keep thinking about getting another drop bar tourer, but the Rockhopper does such a great job I can’t be arsed.

Only potential issue is clearance if you’ve got big feet and big panniers.

Yeah, I’m happy with the Blackburn rack, it’s very sturdy, and only cost me £25 with a Tredz voucher 8)

Good tip about the Rockhopper. I may go that way in the future, it would be nice to have a “spare” bike for the commute also, maybe one with winter tyres on.

I had a Hardrock years ago. Bought it and a week later went to Ireland for a week with a rucksack on…that was painful. I learned nobly tyres make enough noise to drive you mad, “comp” spec meant it’ll wear out in a week, and carrying a rucksack was a daft idea. Had a great time though!

I’ve got a really nice barely used Harry Hall 54cm 631 touring frame for sale. It’s got a ton of braze ons for front and rear racks, and three bottle cage mounts. Chris King headset, brakes, seat post and stem (not the Thomson ones as in the pics), might even have a set of bars too. Clearance for wide tyres.

Rear hub spacing is 135mm, I’ve got a Rigida Sputnik/XT disc rear wheel with a tiny ding in the rim to go with it.

Looking for £230 for it posted.