School me on road touring bikes

[jammyauto]

OK so I've got this trip planned with my dad and 2 other guys in september to ride across upstate ny and vermont. I think about 800 miles or so. I've allready got my plane tickets. The one thing I don't have is a proper touring bike. The bike I ride the most is a carbon fiber cannondale with mavic ksyrium sl wheels. My around town commuter bike has flat handlebars and would need a new drivetrain to make it work. I was thinking about doing that but then decided it would be more fun to build a new bike.

Here's my idea. There's a new Lynskey titanium cooper cx frame on ebay right now I could probably get for about 400.00 less than retail. I've never owned a titanium bike but always thought they were sexy. This bike has bosses for rear racks, center pull brakes and room for fenders.

Here are my questions
How much diffenent is the geometry of a cyclocross frame than a touring frame? It there any reason why a titanium frame would be a bad choice?
What type of wheels should I be looking at considering a 250 load (rider and bags). Would a regular cyclocross style carbon fork be strong enough?

The type of touring I'm interested in is "credit card touring" as my dad calls it. We stay in hotels and eat dinners out. I won't be carrying a tent, sleeping bag or cooking stuff. Just a small amount of food (snacks etc) and clothing, toiletries etc.

 

[Christophe Noel]

A proper 'cross rig and a true touring rig only have a few commonalities. They're actually quite different, although I've seen more than a few touring rigs lugged around 'cross courses and know for a fact guys tour on cyclocross rigs.

Touring bikes have low bottom brackets for stability. Cyclocrossers have high BBs for clearance. Touring bikes have long stays so you don't bang your feet on panniers and to again add stability. Cyclocross bikes have much shorter stays for better handling for 'cross racing. Touring bikes will have very slack angles, especially at the front to add stability. Given 'cross racers need agility at slower speeds, those angles are much steeper.

So, if you tour on a proper cyclocross frame, you run the risk of having a top heavy, twitchy bike that has you banging your feet on the panniers. But...the more dialed in a frame is for racing the worse it will be for touring. There are some frames like a Surly Cross Check that are pretty ho-hum cyclocross racers but make relatively capable touring bikes. They lean towards touring features. By contrast, try touring on an Empella Bonfire and it just won't work.

However - Given you are credit card touring, you could easily fit that Ti cyclocross frame with a rackless bag system and flat out cruise. That would be sweet. That would even open up touring on unimproved roads at quick tempo.

By the way, I'm a complete broken record with this rackless touring thing. For some applications, it's just really hard to beat. I'm having frame bags built for my Yeti ArcX cyclocross bike for just this type of touring, but I'll be packing a tent and bag. www.carouseldesignworks.com - there are some cool credit card touring rigs on there.

 

[jammyauto]

Thanks alot Flounder that's exactly the information I was looking for. I was unaware of the frameless option. THat looks pretty cool.

I also looked at the surly long haul trucker the other day. It's OK but it just does not get me excited. I have a hard time with steel bikes. They just seem old fashion to me. Kind of like carburators I guess.

 

[Christophe Noel]

The rackless bag systems are prime for credit card touring. They're actually perfect for a lot of touring, but they're a tough sell to the hard nuts who think touring requires fat panniers. I bet roof top tents were a tough sell in the beginning.

If you happen to have this year's Overland Journal Gear Guide, that's my frame bag system in the review. I'm able to fill that frame bag with a 100 ounce water bag, tent poles, rain gear, maps, food and a few other tid-bits. It's amazing how things seem to vanish in that bag. I was concerned it would either hold nearly nothing or bulge outward and bother me. Not an issue.

 

[jammyauto]

Well after looking around quite a bit I found a great deal on a touring bike on craigslist today.

I bought a year old Jamis Aurora with 300 miles on it. It's my size and came with spd pedals (which I have on 2 other bikes), Front and rear racks, rear bags and a computer on it for 400.00. It's not a exciting bike but I just could not pass it up. I'll take it on this trip then maybe afterward think about something nicer. I've only riden the Aurora around the block a few times but so far my only complaint is the ergo handlebars. Nice to get a like new bike without taking the initial depeciation hit.

 

[IdaSHO]

Thats a great way to do it.

Good score.

Me, I normally dont ride anything that isnt at least 35 years old :sombrero: