Cycle Touring Bikes

Cycle Touring Bikes

 The type of bike that your tour on depends on what sort of touring you are going to do. If you are going to do a lot of road touring a steel framed specialised touring bike will give you years of dependable service. 
I have a Surley Long Haul Trucker which has a steel frame and has simple strong and durable components that usually can be easily fixed. It is also an affordable option.
 

This is a recent review of the Surley Long Haul Trucker.

Surley Long Haul Trucker Review

Wallis Cycles in Ellerslie in Auckland sell Surley Long Haul Truckers (09 525 311) and from personal experience I can recommend that you get their skilled mechanics to service your bike.
The disc brake Long Haul Surley is a good option especially for rides that include long downhills.

Wallis Cycles Auckland

If you intend to do a lot of off road riding a good option is a mountain bike and it can be set up with panniers to carry all of your touring gear. A good idea is to not include both front and rear shocks as keeping your weight down is a priority.From my experience many of the rides on the off road New Zealand cycle trails are often more suitable for mountain bikes because of the trail surfaces.

Another option for road touring is a road racing bike or a hybrid bike if you intend to travel lightly and do not need to carry camping gear.For these riders you can attach a small bag at the rear of the bike.

Maintaining your Touring Bike

Before you go on a bike tour make sure that your bike is ready by checking the following:

• Check that your tires have adequate tread so that you have got grip in the wet and the likelihood of punctures is also minimised.
• Make sure that your brakes work and there is plenty of wear left on the brake pads
• Make sure that your gears are working property and that your chain is well oiled and maintained.