raria

I'm going to try renting a bike this time rather than taking my own. I'll take my own tools and a few extra stems, spacers etc so I can make some adjustment.

But the rental company with the newest bikes and best prices has some weird geometry bikes as shown below.

Normaly I ride a bike with an ETT of 56cm and I prefer a stack of > 600 and reach of < 385. But as you can see a reach of 380 matches the MD and a stack of 600 matches the LG!

So given I can make some adjustments, which should I choose or should I just go with another vendor?

Andrew R Stewart 

What type of tour? With others, if so how spirited? How well conditioned will you be? Have you had experience with multi day tours before and if so how does your body react?

Some riders find the longer the tour the more the need to not reach so far forward, I find the opposite. But in general I find most like it better to be a tad shorter stretch forwards then longer. I'd be as concerned about the saddle. Andy

pdlamb

If you're going to take your own stem, can you get one that'll give you the effective stack and reach you want? You'd need to ask the rental place for the brand and model so you could get the bar size, angle and stem length to make sure you've got the right stem.

raria

Thanks. Well I have a variety of stems and some of them will get me my typical stack/reach. But at the root of my question (should have made it more explicity) is:

Is it better to make a touring bike fit you by having a shorter stem or a longer stem. To get the MD to fit me I'll have to use a 13cm stem with about 20 degree angle. To get the LG to fit me I'll have to get an a 8cm stem with zero angle.

This will be a 12 day tour riding about 75-100 kms per day.

If getting either bike and doing the above adjustment to make it fit me is a bad idea, then just say so. I really want to try these bikes as they have all the technology I dont have: i) Thru axels, ii) Disk brakes, iii) Full carbon forks and I'm viewing this as a test drive of the technology. But if it makes my tour miserable then I'll try some other vendor.

Tourist in MSN

Since your arms reach downward and forward at an angle, if your handlebars are higher, you would still have about the same amount of lower back forward angle if the stem was longer. My point is that one adjustment impacts another. As an example, my folding bike feels about the same as my touring bikes for fit, but my folding bike has a much shorter reach and handlebars are much lower.

And, some handlebars have a longer reach than others, a factor that you almost do not notice until you are on a bike and suddenly find that the reach feels much longer than you expected. Thus, you can do a lot of measurements and still be surprised that the outcome is different than you expected.

I used to have an adjustable stem that I sometimes used on a new bike to play with adjustments while trying to zero in the exact reach and height I wanted. Also loaned it out to several friends over the years for the same purpose.

Don't rule out getting an adjustable stem, 31.8 mm with a shim for 26 mm bar. I am not saying putting all your eggs in one basket is a good idea, bring a few other stems to make sure you have what you need might be a good idea.

indyfabz

What's the name of the shop?

jefnvk

Can't you just try the two different sizes when you get there? Have you ran the swapping parts idea past the vendor, or inquired what they do for a fitment when you pick it up (ie, if they have a stock of parts)? If I were in the business of renting bikes, I wouldn't be exactly thrilled at the idea of customers wrenching on my bikes and swapping out components.

raria

Your right, its not an simple situation and one things effect the other. Is the newer technology these bikes have: i) Thru axels, ii) Disk brakes, iii) Full carbon forks worth it? Or will it ride the same as my Fuji touring with QR, v-brakes and steel fork?

Vendor is okay with *them* swapping my stem in and same for saddles etc. So long as its a quick job and I rent the bike for > 1 week.

jefnvk

OK, that makes sense

I'd vote to take both stems and ask to try both sizes, then go with what feels better, unless you must pick a size now.

raria

Well they won't let me reserve both sizes with the one deposit so I need to choose one to be guaranteed it.

I guess there are two questions:

a) Is thru axels, full carbon forks and disk brakes really going to make a big difference. Tour will have about 3000 ft of climbing.
b) Since I can't have my idealized stack and reach in the one bike which one should I "fix" with the stem? I'm leaning to going for the MD and using my 20 degree long stem to make the stack higher.

Tourist in MSN

I can't imagine you would notice any difference from the through axle.

The other stuff, that is your call.

Andrew R Stewart 

This is a great way to truly experience a different bike. But I have to quibble a bit and say there's no way that IMO a bike with 42/43cm chain stays can be a touring bike. At least not in the way that I call touring

To the question about stem length and touring- I don't think most really pay too much attention as to the handling differences dur ONLY to the stem length difference. But a longer stem, WITH the same resulting reach as a bike with a smaller stem AND the same steering geometry, will place less weight on the front wheel. As the ft wheel was effectively mover rearwards, more under the rider. Is this better or worse? I guess it depends on other factors like how is the bike loaded and is there still toe/tire clearance (fenders and fat tires too). As you can see the variables get pretty complex. Andy

jefnvk

Probably not. Is this specifically a bike model you are considering, or at least equipped with the same components? My couple disc brake bikes and a few others I have test ridden behave considerably different from one another, and I can't tell a difference between thru axle and QR until I go to fix a flat.

kingston 

Since you like a lot of stack I would go with the bigger frame provided the standover isn't too high.

fietsbob

Fully Supported Package tour, and they include the bikes ,

but don't help you with picking the right one?

raria

I'm just renting a bike not going on a full supported tour. To guarantee the reservation I have to pick a size.

Tourist in MSN

A friend of mine rented a bike in Europe for a credit card tour. Broke a rear axle on the bike. But since you are getting through axles, that is unlikely. But my point is that you should look over the bike closely when you first get it to make sure nothing looks abused on it. Don't leave the shop until you are happy that it looks like it will last for the trip.

When I went to Europe on two different guided and van supported trips, they provided the bikes. I brought my own pedals and saddle, they did mind me swapping out those parts. Do they provide a lock or do you?