Planning to build a mixte into a light travel bike
#1
Full Member
Thread Starter
Planning to build a mixte into a light travel bike
Ok. So I bought a Bianchi Astrale for my daughter some years back. A factory original right down to the wax paper/string covers on the seat springs. She's not into that bike preferring one she won a few years ago. She's happy, I'm happy. Except I still have a pretty nice old machine in the shed. It just needs a little updating for safety reasons (rims, cables and brakes) and adjustment.
I'm not a big guy. My wife and son are taller than I am. The Mixte fits me.
The other day I was in my shed and took a long look at that bike. The two top rails running from the handlebar to the rear axle would be a good platform for a touring bag. One which could hold quite a bit. Better, it would sit midship rather than fore or aft the frame. Plus, with two bars making the base for a carry bag, rather than the single top tube of a traditional womens' bicycle, it almost seems like the design was meant for mounting a touring style bag [there].
Is there something off with my line of thinking? The mixte frame seems like the right design to give extra touring carry capacity without adding weird balance issues.
Harv
I'm not a big guy. My wife and son are taller than I am. The Mixte fits me.
The other day I was in my shed and took a long look at that bike. The two top rails running from the handlebar to the rear axle would be a good platform for a touring bag. One which could hold quite a bit. Better, it would sit midship rather than fore or aft the frame. Plus, with two bars making the base for a carry bag, rather than the single top tube of a traditional womens' bicycle, it almost seems like the design was meant for mounting a touring style bag [there].
Is there something off with my line of thinking? The mixte frame seems like the right design to give extra touring carry capacity without adding weird balance issues.
Harv
#2
Senior Member
What kind of bag are your going to mount there? basically a frame bag is the only thing I can see working since everything else will interfere with your pedaling.
#3
Full Member
Thread Starter
There are lots of travel cases which I think could be made to fit between the rails, or even a small bit wider. The advantage would be the length of the bag being able to fit much more into it and the strength of the rails being able to support that extra size and weight. It would be possible to use more than one bag if the user wished. Water bottles could be mounted forward of the bag too, maybe. So long as they were outside the pedal stroke of the rider.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,207
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
Mentioned: 48 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3461 Post(s)
Liked 1,466 Times
in
1,144 Posts
For the size frame bag that you could use on most mixte frames, if that is the only bag you planned to carry you can't carry much. If it was me I would use a rack that clamps to the seatpost and then a racktop bag on that. That is what I use on my foldup bike.
I picked up a mixte frame that a neighbor put in the trash a few years ago. I think it had less than a couple hundred miles on it, but was 1980s vintage with a six speed freewheel. The age is probably why it was discarded. Works great on my trainer for exercise indoors. But, I needed to buy a much taller seatpost for it.
I picked up a mixte frame that a neighbor put in the trash a few years ago. I think it had less than a couple hundred miles on it, but was 1980s vintage with a six speed freewheel. The age is probably why it was discarded. Works great on my trainer for exercise indoors. But, I needed to buy a much taller seatpost for it.
#7
Junior Member
The concern with a touring mixte is frame flexibility. If loaded heavy the handling could get squirely or maybe front end shimmy. Try it and see. Many bikes that some consider "too light" are great tourers. If the bike is comfortable for you, that is the key.
Go for it, you already have the bike.
Tom Palmer
Twin Lake MI
Go for it, you already have the bike.
Tom Palmer
Twin Lake MI
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Left Coast, Canada
Posts: 5,126
Mentioned: 24 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2236 Post(s)
Liked 1,314 Times
in
707 Posts
Here's an old thread where I asked a similar question:
https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/10...e-touring.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/10...e-touring.html
#9
Full Member
Thread Starter
Rex615, yes that's it. But without the fenders, chain guard, light or color. The one I have is blue. Other than that, it's the same bike.
Happy', good thread. Thanks, I read through it. I may just update the rims and such and be done with it. It would have to near perfect to be a successful build.
Thanks everyone
Harv
Happy', good thread. Thanks, I read through it. I may just update the rims and such and be done with it. It would have to near perfect to be a successful build.
Thanks everyone
Harv
#10
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,614
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10964 Post(s)
Liked 7,491 Times
in
4,189 Posts
#12
Senior Member
#14
Junior Member
I do. But use it for all types of touring. Here it is converted from 27 to 26. Makes for a sweet low trail slug.
87 Bridgestone 300 Sport touring. Recently swapped the fork to less trail.
87 Bridgestone 300 Sport touring. Recently swapped the fork to less trail.
#15
Junior Member
Last weekend's trip to southern Florida, converted back to 27s.
Also, the Revelate Tangle fits well! Mine is a 19.5" frame.
Also, the Revelate Tangle fits well! Mine is a 19.5" frame.
#16
Junior Member
This is from last year on 26". Rode from Florida to Richmond for the World Bicycle race then to DC for the Pope.
I, also, have road race set up with 650s and aerobars. Sometimes I toss on 700x42 to get that extra distance advantage. These bikes are adaptable and soak up the bumps. If you learn to bind the frame up, it will shoot you out of a corner like a rubber band.
I, also, have road race set up with 650s and aerobars. Sometimes I toss on 700x42 to get that extra distance advantage. These bikes are adaptable and soak up the bumps. If you learn to bind the frame up, it will shoot you out of a corner like a rubber band.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Hairy Hands
Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling
24
04-03-13 11:54 PM