Originally Posted by
Jeff Neese
Believe me when I tell you that my Trek 720 was anything but a low budget bicycle. It was nearly $1000 way back in 1983, almost $2800 in today's dollars and worth every penny. A Miyata 1000 is in the same league.
Between the bike, the gear, and me the rider, you're looking at about 300 lbs. A low budget bike wouldn't last the first day.
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I never said the 720 was a low budget bike.
I was thinking of for example my 1972 Raleigh Gran Prix when I said low budget, five speed cluster, 52/40 double cottered crank, 120mm spacing in the rear, a steel axle that I bent a few times because it was not very strong. If I tried to tour on my Raleigh, I would have replaced the rear axle with a stronger one before I left home, but that hub was still a weak part. I do not remember exactly what I paid for it in 1973, but I got an employee discount on top of one-year-old stock discount.
My Raleigh with a stronger axle would have lasted much longer than a day, but not sure if it could do cross country. I replaced the simplex components with Suntour, the freewheel (Atom?) also with a Suntour. But I would not have had a front rack on it, likely only a handlebar bag.