Originally Posted by
Tourist in MSN
From what I have seen, it is much more common in continental Europe around Germany to use flat bars instead of drop bars for touring.
Two of my touring bikes are Thorns, they sell their frames with different top tube sizes besides different seattube sizes. For example, one of my bikes is size 610S, the S is for short top tubes for drop bars, the 610L size would be for long top tube version for flat bars, both of those sizes have the same effective seatpost height.
Hmm, pakeboi mentions the Surly Long Haul Trucker. Trucker is noted for a long top tube so perhaps it's a good candidate for building up with flat bar? BTW my Trucker rides fine unloaded, I'm not sure where folks get the idea that it's only good loaded.
I'm always mystified by the Germans' insistence on flat-bar tourers, it's like they view drop bars as uncomfortable gadgets only suitable for racing bikes.