![]() ![]() ![]() In this post, we’re going to take a closer look at some of the most time-proven of these ‘mainstream’ touring bikes. That said, there are plenty of versatile and capable touring bikes on the market today, which have been designed to serve the needs of as broad a range of touring cyclists as possible, and which are readily available in bicycle stores around the world. I’ve written extensively in other posts about detailed aspects of touring bike choice, from the three critical questions you should ask at the start of the touring bike buying process, to deep-dive topics such as what exactly defines a touring bike, to in-depth tutorials like how to custom-build your own expedition bike, to super-nerdy technical discussions like the debate over disc brakes versus rim brakes, among plenty more on my absolutely massive advice and planning page. The truth is that there’s a huge diversity of needs in people who are searching for the ‘best touring bike’. Similarly, and as I’m sure you can imagine, the best touring bike for a 5 foot (152cm) tall mature rider with reduced neck mobility and no knowledge of bicycle maintenance would not be the same as the best touring bike for a semi-professional athlete trying to win the Transcontinental! The best touring bike for a young newcomer planning a short, low-budget tour close to home would be totally different to the best touring bike for an experienced rider planning a once-in-a-lifetime, round-the-world, multi-year adventure. That’s because your choice of touring bike should be informed by the specifics of the bicycle tour you’re planning and your needs and preferences as a touring cyclist. It’s a perfectly natural and understandable question to ask – and a completely meaningless question without context. “Help! What’s the best touring bike for my upcoming bicycle tour?” So it’s no surprise that the most frequent question I get asked on this blog is some version of this: Choosing a new touring bike can be stressful for the newcomer – especially considering the likely price tag. ![]()
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