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Old 05-10-20, 07:02 AM
  #51  
staehpj1
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Originally Posted by Chrisp72
staehpj...I think I'm broadening my horizons as to newer bikes and styles. I have a pretty good idea of where I like to ride and what works for me...it's mostly light trails and city streets. I don't really ride for speeds sake; never really did. I enjoy going from point a to b. It's always a motivator to have a destination where I can have a coffee or a pastry or something delicious. Touring appeals to me on so many different levels and the more time I spend in this forum the more I see and experience.

I like many builders and companies from afar. I don't think buying more than one bike is the way to go anymore for various reasons, mainly because I don't have the room to store them. I'm trying to have only one bike to do everything on...when that no longer serves it's purpose I'll move on to the next bike. I'm in more of a car centric area of Canada so commutes are a little more difficult to make by bicycle. I'm debating whether to keep my car but that's a whole other thread...
A long tour is a pretty great experience. Short ones never appealed to me, but others love them, so YMMV. Typing this made me think of Grant's "bike camping" vs "bike touring" and "S24O thing" which to me, has all the appeal of "camping" in the back yard. No offense to those who relate to it but another example of stuff of Grant's that puts me off.

Sadly, this Covid pandemic makes this an unfortunate time to be starting to tour IMO. It seems uncertain when/if things will get back to something that resembles normal again and if it doesn't what the new normal will look like.

To my way of thinking the new gravel bikes look hard to beat as a do everything bike, but they certainly are not the only way to go. A standard touring bike may suit you, to me they usually feel kind of clunky and truck like. They don't scratch the right itch for me, but do for many and may for you. To be fair a lot of that could be addressed for me with wheel choice or even tire choice, but there is just something special for me about riding my old road race bike even on tour. Strangely I minded my mountain bike with XC racing tires less than I would have my touring bike on the road when I used it for a mixed on/off road tour. Not sure if it was just because I expected less or it it actually was better, but I enjoyed the ride more.
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