Originally Posted by
SpecK
Hi, I'm new to the forum and I'm hoping to get some help in deciding on keeping my old bike, or start looking for a new one.
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This would probably be fairly light touring as I'm looking at trails that have accommodations along the way.
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Many of us refer to staying indoors at motels or B&Bs or hostels as credit card touring. You only need to carry a day or two of clothing, maybe rain gear, maybe some snacks and a small toiletries kit.
Almost any kind of bike can be used for that. If you are on gravel trails (rail trails), then wider tires in the 35 to 37mm range might be preferred, but if on pavement a narrower tire would work well too.
A friend of mine used to do that kind of touring with just a large rack top bag. Some other friends of mine did a trip like that in Southern Florida where they stayed at motels every night, they used road bikes for their trip.
But if you want to carry camping gear too, then you need a bike with more weight capacity and a way to carry it.
My point is if you are always doing credit card touring, almost any kind of bike would work well. A good used bike could work well too. The most important thing would be that the bike has to fit you well.