[Closed] I have an urge to buy a...

I'd not discount drops entirely, lots of bikes about that come with drops do exactly what you'd want. Not touring specific but things like the Arkose as it has rack and guard mounts. Friend of mine and his missus got Dawes tourers but they were pretty expensive for what they were and they ended up getting rid anyway for something a bit more road oriented.

[url= http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/1701315/products/van-nicholas-amazon-ultegra-triple-flat-bar-titanium-touring-bike.aspx ]Amazon[/url]

[url= http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/5830/products/van-nicholas-pioneer-rohloff-titanium-touring-bike.aspx ]Pioneer[/url]

Cheers.

Whyte.

The problem you have is that a "touring bike/frame" is never going to be as good as your current road bike for a "day/quick blast out steed". It's a compromise, anything in between will be.

My Tour de Fer is slow compared to my Kinesis road bike (which can take a rack and guards but it's a bit sketchy when anything like a decent load is put on) but it doesn't matter because it's not about speed, it's about all day comfort and stability with a load. Don't get me wrong it handles brilliantly but I ain't going to be getting any KOM's with it.

Definitely go for flat bars if you want, most people who actually do touring use flat bars.

I wouldn't discount drops entirely. They give you more hand option positions and (IME) are more comfortable over long multiple days. It's also good for the soul to get down on the drops when riding for extended periods into head winds.

Flat bars FTW! 🙂

[URL= http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Bikes/Genesis%20Tour%20De%20Fer/2C733082-8C27-4811-AD0F-0177CEFC9607_zps8n7b6hgv.jp g" target="_blank">http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Bikes/Genesis%20Tour%20De%20Fer/2C733082-8C27-4811-AD0F-0177CEFC9607_zps8n7b6hgv.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

Definitely go for flat bars if you want, most people who actually do touring use flat bars.

is that true ? I imaged searched [url= https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=titanium+disc+touring+frame&biw=1253&bih=861&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CGcQ7AlqFQoTCNCLjYWmrcgCFcwKGgoduCIH9w&dpr=1 ]"titanium disc touring frame"[/url] in google and it's over 90% drop bars 😕

In the UK it seems that drops are more common on tourers but a lot of continental riders have the multibar type handlebar

Personal choice innit?
No right or wrong just go with what you prefer.

Surly Troll with Rohloff and Schwalbe Marathon Extreme tyres, framebag and rack.

Tough, comfy, can carry loads. Pump the tyres up and it can whip along fine.

If you want a bike to do lots of things it's always going to be compromised no matter what you use it for. Leatherman - the WRONG tool for every job (if you see what I mean).

You could get an old Hardtail for £60 and fit a decent set of tyres and have one tonne of fun with that.

None of that was really an answer but I feel better now.

Another Troll owner here, Alfine instead of Rohloff, love it. And yes, flat bars not drops 😉

I think most people who don't use drops don't because they find them uncomfortable, which means they have them set up wrongly. Quite difficult to get them properly sorted, ime, but worth making the effort.

Or just use flats and bar ends.

Tripster ATR - do everything bike, I believe there has been a couple of page post on here about how awesome they are ...... 😀

@molgrips I know a few roadies who have a hack bike that has short (around 500mm) flat bars with bar ends. Doesn't seem to slow them down 😛

I wasn't being sarcastic, flats are perfectly fine!

Just don't grab the first set of drops you come across and think they're no good cos they're uncomfortable. They might well be at first, but that doens't mean they're never going to be.

I think it's worth messing with to get right, but that's just MHO.

is that true ? I imaged searched "titanium disc touring frame" in google and it's over 90% drop bars

Unfortunately the sort of people who post their bikes on the internet tend to have the more fashionable drops, but the pics rarely show then laden up!

Out on the lanes are the normal people who just get on with it rather than talking about the bikes and they mostly use flats...

Marc Beaumont - knows a thing or two about touring fast....

[img] [/img]

Think I'd be going for flat bars, cos with drops (if you use them) your head's down & surely (Surly) you'd miss the views!
What's a Dawes Horizon like? there's one on Fleabay that might fit me. (There's also a Dawes Galaxy that's too big, Grrrr)

I went through a spell of wanting one.
Read loads of blogs from crazyguyonabike.com
Cycling touring the western isles would be mint!

you should sell me your boat to free up more cash for a good tourer 😆

i've been touring on my Tricross, with drops. It was nice to use the drops when descending, but a pain when riding on the hoods in foreign cities.

If i ever chose to replace it, I'd get something like this... (Van Dessel WTF)...
[img] [/img]

and then fit some interrupters...
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