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