From: ts24@prism.gatech.EDU (SHANDS,TIMOTHY G)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
Subject: Re: MTB Touring (was: Touring bicycles -- an extict breed?)
Date: 22 Jul 92 17:24:56 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

In <1992Jul20.183359.6385@cs.yale.edu> black-michael@CS.YALE.EDU (Michael Black) writes:

>I am curious about people's experiences.  Has anyone out there
>actually tried touring on an appropriately equipped mtn bike?
>What did you learn?  What equipment should one consider?  Was
>it as bad as people say?  

>In particular, I'd be interested to hear about combination on/off
>road touring experiences as I am thinking of doing my next tour
>using my mtn bike.

Yes, I have toured extensively on my mountain bike and love it.  I should
begin by saying that most of my bicycle riding is on tours.  I usually take 
one or two vacations a year lasting from 1 to 5 weeks and tour for distances
from 500 - 2000 miles.  I have been in many different areas of the US and 
Europe.  My ultimate dream is to take off work for a year or two and just tour
different countries.

I used to own a road bike fitted out for touring.  About 2 years ago I wanted
a new bike.  So I looked at all the options, a touring bike, a road bike, and a
mountain bike.  I ended us getting a mountain bike, a Specialized Stumpjumper
Competition with Shimano Deore XT components.  I got the smallest BioPace 
chainring available (26 teeth) and my largest rear gear has 30 teeth.  I added 
front and rear racks, fenders, a Profile handle bar attachment, and Panaracer 
Hi Road-K kevlar tires inflated to 90 lbs.  I tour with front and rear Madden 
panniers and handle bar bag.  I strap my tent, sleeping bag, and ThermoRest 
above the rear panniers.  Totally loaded I carry about 50 lbs plus my weight 
of 180 lbs and the bike weighs about 30 lbs with racks for a total of 
approximately 260 lbs.

With the new bike I have noticed several differences, both pro and con:

1) I could tour more miles with less energy on the road bike.  I have no
way of quantifying this other than subjective experience, but I would guess
about a 20% decrease in miles/day on the mountain bike versus the road bike.
This is most probably due to the wider tires with lower pressure.

2) The mountain bike is much stronger.  This helps when hitting potholes with
this much weight and when shipping the bikes via UPS or an airlines.  I have
seen my bike tossed around, stacked sideways, dropped, run over, and pounded
by airline baggage handlers.  Each time I was sure the frame would be bent,
but so far it has come through fine.

3) The components are more durable.  I just got back from a tour with a friend.
The freewheel on his new (2 week old bike) came apart on the tour carrying
50 lbs in rear panniers.  I have never yet had a problem and also have done 
very little maintenance.

4) I can practically go anywhere on my mountain bike.  I have taken roads
that I would never have considered with the road bike using the thin tires.  I
have gone up and down gravel roads with 15-20 degree grades.  I have ridden on
hiking trails of mud, rock, etc.  I have been forced off the road by tractor 
trailers into ditches without wrecking.  I have jumped curbs.  All this fully
loaded with panniers.

5) When I am not touring I can quickly remove the fenders and Profile handle
bar, change the slicks for knobbies, and be ready for some fun off road riding
in 20 minutes.

Overall since I am not too concerned with how far I am going in a day, I think
considerations #3-#5 override #1.  But as someone else said, you can tour on
almost anything.  I have seen people touring with one speeds, tandems, 
recumbents, and bikes held together with coat hangers.  I've seen tourers
only carrying credit cards, some with their wife behing them in the car, some 
with backpacks on their backs, and some pulling trailers carrying babies, 
dogs, or gear.

-- 
SHANDS,TIMOTHY G
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
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