DownTheRoad.org
The continuous bicycle touring story since 2002
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My Recommended Best Value Buys in Touring Bicycles from Surly Long Haul Trucker LHT, Novara Safari, Randonneur,  and Salsa Fargo for Loaded Bike Tours.

(see also Custom Touring Bicycle and Bike Upgrade Buyers Guide.)

(see also Surly Long Haul Trucker LHT Touring Bicycle here)

Novara Safari Touring Bike - all sizes 700c/26 inch wheel

Click to Purchase Novara Safari Touring Bike

This style of trekking bike is my favorite type of go-anywhere touring bicycle.  It has the ability to carry a heavy set of panniers and gear.  No matter what kind of bike I am riding, I usually build them up similar to this.

Click to Purchase   Surly Bikes at REI.com

(from REI) Set off on an adventure aboard the REI Novara Randonneur touring bike, which will comfortably carry you through long days exploring new countrysides, climbing passes and taking in beautiful vistas.

• Load it up! Classic touring frame accommodates fore and aft racks and fenders—rear rack provided (front rack and fenders sold separately)

• Reynolds 520 chromoly frame is double butted for added strength under heavy loads; tubes are thick at the ends, narrowing once toward the center

• Long wheelbase and low center of gravity optimize stability and handling under heavy loads and high speeds

• Shimano touring gruppo provides smooth shifting through a gear range designed to get bike, rider and equipment up and over mountain passes

• Keep the cadence you want—27 speeds let you adjust for the smallest changes in wind and terrain

• Lightweight Mavic A319S rims and puncture-resistant Vittoria Randonneur tires have the durability needed to log long miles

• Shimano brake levers and Tektro brakes provide reliable stopping power; cantilever configuration allows ample room for fenders front and back

• Novara Touring Anatomica saddle is contoured and padded for support and comfort during long days on the road

• No fancy shoes required—platform pedals with toe clips accommodate many casual shoes; we suggest supportive cycling shoes for long rides

• And just to make sure we thought of your every need, Randonneur includes a spare spoke mounted on a seatstay

Click to Purchase  Surly Bikes at REI.com

Salsa Fargo 700c Touring Bicycle

Click to Purchase Salsa Fargo 700c Touring Bicycle

If that long and winding road is beckoning to you…consider our 29’er adventure mountain bike, the Fargo.

Crafted of Salsa Classico CroMoly, the Fargo is a bit of a bicycling anomaly: a disc brake only, drop bar mountain bike designed for off-road touring.

Drop bars provide multiple hand positions for long days on single-track, path, or roadway. A full compliment of braze-on’s on the frame and fork allow for both front and rear racks and fenders. The investment cast chainstay-mounted disc brake mount is conveniently tucked out of the way, eliminating accessory mounting interference. Load as much or as little gear as you choose for your next adventure.

Six (count ‘em, six) water bottle cage mounts (on sizes 18 – 24") help keep you hydrated on a long journey. The sloped toptube allows plenty of standover clearance for those fully-loaded starts and stops.

Both frame and fork offers gobs of tire clearance: throw on some big 29 x 2.4" meat (29 x 2.1" with Planet Bike Cascadia fenders).

The Fargo is designed to take you wherever it is you wish to go. Throw a dart at a map, make some plans, load up your gear, and hit the dirt. Fargo. Go far.

Click to Purchase Salsa Fargo 700c Touring Bicycle

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