Originally Posted by
dwmckee
It means that:
(1) Disk brake technology has firmly and decisively surpassed rim brakes
(2) Lots of people that used to buy full touring bikes were really doing 'light' touring or creditcard touring and those people are now finding many of the lighter gravel bikes are better choices for light touring than full heavy touring bikes.
We sell about 500 bikes every year and stock touring and gravel bikes. We carry the LHT and did not sell a single one last year. Other more up to date touring bikes like the Marakesh are still pretty stable in sales but the LHT is waning in popularity. Side by side with a Marakesh, the LHT is hard to sell. The only folks that seem to buy an LHT are people that decided to buy one before they came in and do not look at anything else.
I think this is spot-on, though I'd also like to give accolades to the Kona Sutra as another updated modern touring bike.
As you mention, disc brakes enable the use of either 650b/27.5" or 700c wheels so rim brakes and 26" wheels are pretty antiquated now. To me this isn't necessarily negative since the more standardized components are the more widely available they'll be as well.