Convert Hybrid to Touring bike

Can a good hybrid be made into an adequate good touring bike?
By adding dropped bars and going to bar end friction shifters?
It seems that it would be cheaper for me to get a hybrid because they
have a 26" tires, canti breaks, and low gears. These three things add
a lot of cost to a bike.

I would want to be able to add front and rear bags and I am not sure
if racks would fit.

The touring bike I like would cost 4k and is more than I can afford.

Willy Smallboy wrote:
Can a good hybrid be made into an adequate good touring bike? By
adding dropped bars and going to bar end friction shifters? It seems
that it would be cheaper for me to get a hybrid because they have a
26" tires, canti breaks, and low gears. These three things add a lot
of cost to a bike.
I would want to be able to add front and rear bags and I am not sure if
racks would fit.
The touring bike I like would cost 4k and is more than I can afford.


Which hyrids have 26" wheels


-

Willy Smallboy wrote:
Can a good hybrid be made into an adequate good touring bike? By
adding dropped bars and going to bar end friction shifters? It seems
that it would be cheaper for me to get a hybrid because they have a
26" tires, canti breaks, and low gears. These three things add a lot
of cost to a bike.
I would want to be able to add front and rear bags and I am not sure if
racks would fit.
The touring bike I like would cost 4k and is more than I can afford.



$799 will get you either the 26" wheeled REI Safari:
http://tinyurl.com/vcqi or the 700C wheeled Randonee with drop bars:
http://tinyurl.com/2fus3

Converting a hybrid can work, but mounting racks is usually a challange.
There are also many other toruing bicycles worth considering that are
far less that $4K. Adventure Cycling's magazine just published a page
full of choices, including some recumbents, and "folding" bicycles
suitable for touring. They also have an article in the most recent
edition about touring with a BOB trailer.



--

On Sat, 20 Mar 2004 21:30:51 GMT, daveornee
wrote:

Willy Smallboy wrote:
Can a good hybrid be made into an adequate good touring bike? By
adding dropped bars and going to bar end friction shifters? It seems
that it would be cheaper for me to get a hybrid because they have a
26" tires, canti breaks, and low gears. These three things add a lot
of cost to a bike.
I would want to be able to add front and rear bags and I am not sure if
racks would fit.
The touring bike I like would cost 4k and is more than I can afford.



$799 will get you either the 26" wheeled REI Safari:
http://tinyurl.com/vcqi or the 700C wheeled Randonee with drop bars:
http://tinyurl.com/2fus3

Converting a hybrid can work, but mounting racks is usually a challange.
There are also many other toruing bicycles worth considering that are
far less that $4K. Adventure Cycling's magazine just published a page
full of choices, including some recumbents, and "folding" bicycles
suitable for touring. They also have an article in the most recent
edition about touring with a BOB trailer.


thanks I will look for this magazine

On Sat, 20 Mar 2004 21:30:51 GMT, daveornee
wrote:

Willy Smallboy wrote:
Can a good hybrid be made into an adequate good touring bike? By
adding dropped bars and going to bar end friction shifters? It seems
that it would be cheaper for me to get a hybrid because they have a
26" tires, canti breaks, and low gears. These three things add a lot
of cost to a bike.
I would want to be able to add front and rear bags and I am not sure if
racks would fit.
The touring bike I like would cost 4k and is more than I can afford.



$799 will get you either the 26" wheeled REI Safari:
http://tinyurl.com/vcqi or the 700C wheeled Randonee with drop bars:
http://tinyurl.com/2fus3

Converting a hybrid can work, but mounting racks is usually a challange.
There are also many other toruing bicycles worth considering that are
far less that $4K. Adventure Cycling's magazine just published a page
full of choices, including some recumbents, and "folding" bicycles
suitable for touring. They also have an article in the most recent
edition about touring with a BOB trailer.


thanks I will look for this magazine

Check out the new surly long haul trucker. It is a real touring bike and the
frame/fork is going to sell for $400 range. The 54cm and smaller frames are
spec'd with 26" wheel sizes for clearance. You could mount your mountain
bike components. It's going to have front and rear rack mounts, all the
brazeons including a spoke holder. It's supposed to be available in April or
May. It's only drawback is the ugly pea soup green color.

www.surlybikes.com

From: (Jonathan=A0Kaplan)

Check out the new surly long haul
trucker. It is a real touring bike and the
frame/fork is going to sell for $400
range. The 54cm and smaller frames are
spec'd with 26" wheel sizes for
clearance. You could mount your
mountain bike components. It's going to
have front and rear rack mounts, all the
brazeons including a spoke holder. It's
supposed to be available in April or May.
It's only drawback is the ugly pea soup
green color.

http://www.surlybikes.com

"Ugly pea soup green color"? You mean Celeste? lol

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"May you have the wind at your back.
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

On Sun, 21 Mar 2004 01:12:46 -0500 (EST),
(Chris Zacho "The Wheelman") wrote:

From: (Jonathan*Kaplan)

Check out the new surly long haul
trucker. It is a real touring bike and the
frame/fork is going to sell for $400
range. The 54cm and smaller frames are
spec'd with 26" wheel sizes for
clearance. You could mount your
mountain bike components. It's going to
have front and rear rack mounts, all the
brazeons including a spoke holder. It's
supposed to be available in April or May.
It's only drawback is the ugly pea soup
green color.

http://www.surlybikes.com

thanks I need to call them and find out why they say spec a 38 triple
chainring. It sounds like I could not use a 20 or 22 chain ring



"Ugly pea soup green color"? You mean Celeste? lol

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"May you have the wind at your back.
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

On Sun, 21 Mar 2004 01:12:46 -0500 (EST),
(Chris Zacho "The Wheelman") wrote:

From: (Jonathan*Kaplan)

Check out the new surly long haul
trucker. It is a real touring bike and the
frame/fork is going to sell for $400
range. The 54cm and smaller frames are
spec'd with 26" wheel sizes for
clearance. You could mount your
mountain bike components. It's going to
have front and rear rack mounts, all the
brazeons including a spoke holder. It's
supposed to be available in April or May.
It's only drawback is the ugly pea soup
green color.

http://www.surlybikes.com

thanks I need to call them and find out why they say spec a 38 triple
chainring. It sounds like I could not use a 20 or 22 chain ring



"Ugly pea soup green color"? You mean Celeste? lol

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"May you have the wind at your back.
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

On Sat, 20 Mar 2004 10:29:53 -0800, Willy Smallboy
wrote:

Can a good hybrid be made into an adequate good touring bike?
By adding dropped bars and going to bar end friction shifters?
It seems that it would be cheaper for me to get a hybrid because they
have a 26" tires, canti breaks, and low gears. These three things add
a lot of cost to a bike.

I would want to be able to add front and rear bags and I am not sure
if racks would fit.

The touring bike I like would cost 4k and is more than I can afford.


I looked first at the REI bikes but I would like steel - maybe there
are no steel hybrid bikes ??