| A touring bicycle is a bicycle either | | | | Recumbent tourers |
| specially designed for, or modified to | | | | Recumbents are very different in that |
| handle bicycle touring. What makes a | | | | the rider sits in a seat that's reclined |
| touring bike different from other | | | | to some degree. The rider's legs are in |
| bicycles is its ability to carry gear on | | | | front of them and these bikes either |
| racks mounted to the front and rear of | | | | have above seat or below seat steering. |
| the bicycle frame. Other commonly found | | | | Tandem tourers |
| differences are a longer wheel base with | | | | Tandems are bikes built for two riders |
| sturdier wheels for carrying more | | | | and many couples tour on them. They can |
| weight, mudguard/fender mounting points, | | | | make it easier for two riders of |
| triple water bottle mounts and a | | | | different abilities to ride together but |
| frameset that allows for wider tires. | | | | the tandem frame doesn't allow for any |
| Types of touring bicycles | | | | more luggage than a single bike does. |
| Touring bicycles are available in many | | | | This limitation can be overcome by |
| different types, such as road, trail, | | | | pulling a trailer. |
| recumbent and tandem. | | | | Touring bike specifications |
| Road tourers | | | | Touring bicycles are usually equipped |
| Road tourers are usually built around | | | | with luggage racks front and rear, |
| 700C wheels which are the same diameter | | | | designed to hold panniers or other forms |
| as a racing bicycle but typically the | | | | of luggage. Because of the increased |
| touring bike will have wider rims and | | | | weight requirements and reliability |
| clearance in the frame for wider tires. | | | | demands, touring bicycles typically use |
| This is the classic touring bike. Prior | | | | road handlebars and saddles for |
| to the 1980s almost all touring bikes | | | | long-distance comfort, combined with |
| were built on 700C or similar but now | | | | rugged hubs, heavy-duty rims and |
| obsolete 27" wheels. | | | | 36-spoke wheels to provide the |
| Recently some builders, especially Thorn | | | | durability, reliability and wide gearing |
| Cycles of England, have attempted to | | | | essential for loaded touring. Sometimes |
| popularise the 26" mountain bike wheel | | | | instead of panniers bicycle trailers are |
| size for touring bikes, whether intended | | | | towed behind for carrying the gear; |
| for off-road or on-road use. Other | | | | these are sometimes preferred as they |
| builders such as Roberts and Hewitt have | | | | provide a low center of gravity and can |
| followed suit and offer 26" wheeled | | | | be detached easily. |
| touring bikes alongside conventional | | | | Touring bicycle frames typically have a |
| 700c wheeled machines. Claimed | | | | long wheelbase and stable steering |
| advantages of the slightly smaller wheel | | | | geometry, with numerous attachment |
| include additional strength, worldwide | | | | points for luggage racks, fenders |
| tire availability, lighter weight and | | | | (mudguards), lights, water bottles, |
| lower rolling resistance. | | | | tools and spare parts. Chainstays must |
| In practice most 26" tires are made for | | | | be long enough to accommodate panniers |
| mountain bikes so are too wide, heavy | | | | without interfering with the rider's |
| and deeply treaded to be useful on a | | | | heels during pedaling, and the entire |
| road touring bike. Few lightweight, | | | | structure must be stiff enough to safely |
| narrow tires are available for 26" | | | | handle long, fast descents with the |
| wheels, which negates any weight | | | | machine fully loaded. |
| advantage from the smaller rim and | | | | For gearing touring bicycles |
| shorter spokes. Rolling resistance is | | | | traditionally employ wide-ratio |
| hotly debated; theoretically a 26" fat | | | | derailleur gears, often with a very |
| tyre (say 38 mm width) has less rolling | | | | low-speed "granny gear" for loaded |
| resistance than a narrow 700c tire (28 | | | | ascents. However in recent years, |
| mm width being typical for touring) due | | | | because of their robustness and very |
| to lower casing deformation, but the | | | | low-maintenance, internal-geared hubs |
| larger 700c tyre will roll better on | | | | have become popular. |
| rough roads, is lighter and has less | | | | Touring bicycles are usually equipped |
| aerodynamic drag. In any case, the | | | | with cantilever brakes or linear-pull |
| difference in diameter between the two | | | | brakes, instead of the caliper brakes |
| sizes is only in the order of one inch | | | | used on racing bicycles. The need for |
| (25 mm) or 4%, so it should not make a | | | | mudguard (fender) and wide tyre |
| drastic noticeable difference. | | | | clearance precludes the use of typical |
| There are numerous variants on the | | | | dual-pivot road brakes, which would be |
| traditional road tourer depending on the | | | | excessively large and flexible if made |
| weight carried and the type of terrain | | | | to fit a touring bike. Some newer |
| expected. They vary from very | | | | touring bicycles use disc brakes, |
| lightweight bikes, little heavier than | | | | because of their superior stopping power |
| racing bikes to exceptionally tough and | | | | and improved performance in wet weather. |
| heavy bikes designed for carrying very | | | | However, tourists are inherently |
| heavy loads over the roughest roads. The | | | | conservative in equipment choice because |
| former are often called audax bikes | | | | of the need to repair and source parts a |
| while the latter are sometimes referred | | | | long way from home. |
| to as expedition touring bikes. For | | | | Thus, touring bikes trade off some speed |
| expedition touring, mountain bikes are | | | | for extra utility and ruggedness. This |
| frequently used, these can usually be | | | | combination of features is popular with |
| easily adapted to touring by the | | | | commuters and couriers as well. |
| addition of panniers and road tyres. | | | | |