- Surly Long Haul Trucker and Disc Trucker
- Kona Sutra
- Salsa Marrakesh
- Trek 520
- Masi Giramondo
- Marin Four Corners
- Fuji Touring Bike
- Trek 920
- Genesis Tour De Fer 30
- Specialized AWOL Expert
- Vivente Swabia
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYv4LEh4T-Y[/embedyt]
So what is the best bike for long distance touring? You maybe asking. Well to answer this question we first have to dissect the question. And make it more relatable to you on a personal level.
I could just give you a list of a couple touring bikes that are said to be the best. But I have searched all over the web for the best touring bikes, that have nothing but good feedback from all bike tourers who have ridden them. These bikes are at the top of there game and the ones to consider for your next tour. I tried my best to find bikes that will suit everyone and their needs. That leads me into the dissection.
What type of terrain do you expect to riding on? Will you be on road or off-road most of the time? If you intend to ride unexplored gravel tracks then a adventure touring bike would be a good option (I included a few down below). These types of bikes are the furthest thing from a touring bike while still being a touring bike, they can go just about anywhere. On the other hand if you are riding roads then a traditional touring bike will be your go to.
What is your time frame when traveling. Short term or long term? Touring long term you want a rig that is going to provide endless comfort day in day out. Something like a expedition bike or touring bike is best. With a more upright bike position with butterfly bars. The geometry of touring bikes in general are more relaxed which help with long term comfortability. If you plan to on short, week long trips, a adventure touring bike or light road touring bike would be ideal. Depending on your terrain of course.
The last analysis, when figuring out what the best bike touring bike is for you. Seems to be the more important one when buying a bike. And that is the cost. So what is your budget? Are you short on cash and don’t really have much at all to get started bike touring but you still want to just get out there and see the world behind the handlebars? Then I suggest trying to shop around for used touring bikes, online using eBay, Craigslist or Gumtree and even going to pawn shops. That is where I got my Surly LHT for only $250.
However, as they say the best touring bike is the one you already have. Well, something like that anyway. Good old mountain bikes make pretty good touring bikes. If you have one laying about, it could be a option to get a rear rack and some panniers again buying used. And just get going, it may not be the most reliable option but it is for sure the cheapest. I ave met people from all over the world on my adventures who are out there enjoying themselves on whatever bike they had. I even met some guy riding his grandmas old bike! So there are no excesses you can make it work with very little money, don’t let that stop you.
Okay, so maybe you have some cash but you still are smart with your money and you are still on a budget. You should head over to my article I just got finished writing. Where I share the The 20 Best Budget Touring Bikes Under $1,000 in 2019. That will be a good resource for you to finding a decent touring bike but still under $1000. Leaving you more money in the pocket for gear and potentially extending your time on the road. Please, note that these bikes are great but they are susceptible to repairs and mid-quality parts wearing down and the need to be replaced over time. Which is completely expected for bikes in this price range.
That is why if you have more money to spend, you could dip your toe into the premium touring bike category and get a bike that is going to last for life. And hold up to what every adventure you throw at it.
I have tried my best to get a wide range of touring bikes in this list that are capable to fitting your personal needs and requirements in a touring bike. But after asking 100’s of bike tourers what bikes they ride and recommend, here is some of the best touring bike options out there. So without further ado, lets look at some sweet touring bikes.
Surly Long Haul Trucker and Disc Trucker
You know I had to start this list off with the good old Surly LHT. This is my personal steed, and what can I say I am a huge fan boy. I love my Surly. We have been through so much together. Ridden over multiple countries with about 15,000 KM on the clock. And all I can say is, the ultimate touring machine. It is build for long distance touring, hence the name. It is a go to bike for so many bike tourers. Surly have been building steel framed touring bikes since 1998 and they have developed a style of touring bike that many other bike brands have been modelling.
They also offer the disc trucker as another touring option. Which some say is the better option out of the two. Only due to the disc brakes, as they are proven to be better for touring fully loaded and stopping. And also the maintenance aspect on tour is not that troublesome as some may believe. These bikes are also available in just framesets which is great for getting it for less and then you can build your own custom Surly which is what I did.
The Surly comes in a 4130 CroMoly steel frame. With many eyelets for mounting options. The choice to chuck on some wider wilderness tires, for some off-road adventuring (the LHT holds up really well). With a clearance for up to 26” x 2.1” tires. The LHT comes with rim brakes again if you want disc then the disc trucker is your best bet. But it is a strong bike that is more then capable to haul all your gear, to most corners of the globe. It is designed for mainly paved surfaces, but like I said if you put some beefy tires you could just travel anywhere. The price for the LHT is $1,350 and the Disc Trucker $1,550
If you want a more comprehensive look at the Surly LHT, you can head over to a review, after my experience with it.
Read The Surly LHT Review HereKona Sutra
The Kona Sutra is a beautiful looking touring bike. Made from Cromoly steel the frame comes stock with a comfortable Brooks saddle, cork bar tape, BarCon shifters, fenders and rack. Also comes with Shimano Deore 3×10 drivetrain to give you maximum gearing and smooth-rolling WTB STi23 36h WTB rims. Making this rig ready right out of the box for an epic bike touring adventure.
The Sutra is popular with many bike tourers I was talking to. It is a great bike touring choice and is a good deal, plenty of nice bits on it that you don’t have to add or change after purchase. Like the stock rear rack, fenders and the amazingly comfortable Brooks saddle. You are pretty much set to go on tour, all you really need is bike bags and panniers and you are all set. The 2020 model comes in just under $1,700 and the 2019 model costs about $1,560
What are the differences between the 2019 and the new 2020 model?
- 2019 has a KMC X9 chain and Shimano Alivio 11-34t 9-speed. While the 2020 has a Shimano Deore chain and Shimano Deore 11-36t 10-speed.
- Shifters: 2019 has Shimano BarCon. While the 2020 has MicroShift.
- Rims: 2019 is i19 whereas 2020 is i23.
- The 2020 has three pack mounts, compared to two, so you can load all sorts of bags
- Different colours, in my opinion I prefer the brighter 2019 colour.
Salsa Marrakesh
The Salsa Marrakesh is another touring bike option that is highly recommended form bike tourers a like. Built for world touring and rugged exploration. It features a Shimano Deore drivetrain, SunRace CSM90 9 Speed, 11-34 t. With Shimano 3×9 bar end shifters.
The Marrakesh comes with Maxxis Roamer 700 x 42mm tires, and Cowchipper handlebars. The drop bars provide more upright and relaxed riding position on the tops or hoods for all-day comfort over varied road surfaces.
You can turn this into a bikepacking rig by ditching the rear rack and installing a low rider front rack and some budget bikepacking bags. Available for $1,599 or $799 for the frameset.
$1,278.93 Compared to$1,599.00 *
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Trek 520
The Trek 520 is the longest-running model for Trek, since 1983. Making it a couple of years younger than Specialized’s Allez and a decade or so younger than the Dawes Galaxy, probably the standard bearer for steel touring bikes, that there is. It says a-lot that this model is still around today. Meaning that it just works for a great touring bike. And also it is very popular.
The 520 comes equipped with a chromoly steel frame, alloy disc touring fork with a ThruSkew captured quick release skewer, wide-range 27-speed drive train that’s great for hauling a heavy load up hills, Shimano Sora brake/shift levers, Bontrager Tubeless Ready wheels, puncture-resistant tyres with reflective sidewalls, included front and rear racks, and all-weather mechanical disc brakes. I am a fan of the front rack system, should be good to fit a Randonneur handlebar bag to sit on top.
The 520 is a comfortable steel workhorse that’s capable of everything from daily rides to expedition tours. It’s ready for adventure straight out of the box, with an included front and rear rack and a drive train that’s ideal for hauling a heavy load. Comes in at $1,499.99
Shout out to, Traveling Tice, he has a Trek 520 and has been touring all over the world on it.
Masi Giramondo
The Masi Giramondo 2019 frame is constructed from double butted cromoly tig welded tubing. Comes with a tire clearance up to 29 x 2.0″. With tubeless-ready Brev. M 700c rims with 23mm internal width. Masi continues to make an impact in the fast-evolving adventure cycling scene.
$1,349.99
Designed for distance, the Giramondo is billed as the road ready companion for long days and heavy loads. At only $1,399, the Masi comes in good value as it comes stock with Tubus Tara lowrider rack on the front paired with a Tubus Cargo rack on the rear (valued at $260). Considering these racks the Masi is one of the best value on the list.
FEATURES
- A modern day touring bike with geometry designed for hours of comfortable riding
- Constructed from double butted cromoly tig welded tubing
- Three bottle mounting locations on the main triangle & two on the fork legs mean you’ll always stay hydrated
- Tire clearance up 29 x 2.0″
- Tubus Tara lowrider front rack & Tubus Cargo rear rack
- Bar-end shifters for reliability and easy adjustment
- Tubeless-ready Brev. M 700c rims with 23mm internal width
- WTB Volt Sport Saddle
Marin Four Corners
Speaking of value, the Marin Four Corners is on of the under $1000 touring bikes, that is really cheap but still offers a decent touring bike option. It comes in at only $769.
Comes with a Shimano Sora 3×9-speed drivetrain, Tektro Spyre-C Road Mechanical Disc with 160mm rotors, Robust, 32-spoke, doublewall, alloy rims on some WTB 700×43 or 650Bx43 tires. Depending on the bike size it comes in different size-proportionate wheel sizes – smaller frames use 650B wheels, larger frames use 700c wheels.
Fuji Touring Bike
Fujis lightweight, Reynolds 520 chromoly steel frame offers durability. With rack and fender mounts, Triple bottle mount, Flat mount disc, Vera Terra DPD18 Disc, double wall, 36/36h, Shimano Deore T-675 Centerlock Disc hubs. Pump peg and Chain hanger. Chromoly with 1 1/8″ steerer, flat mount disc, low-rider water bottle and rack mounts.
The Fuji comes equipped with a sturdy luggage rack for carrying a set of panniers and hitting the road on your next tour. With a Shimano Deore T-6010 drivetrain, 48/36/26T and a SRAM PG-1020, 11-36T, 10-speed cassette, offering quality for a reliable ride. While also coming stock with a set of Vittoria Randonneur, 700 x 35c, 30tpi tires. The Fuji Touring Disc costs around $1,199. Fuji also offers a cheaper rim brake option for $999.99. Which also made it in our list of the best budget touring bikes under $1000.
Trek 920
The Trek 920 is a beast of a touring bike. Just look at it! A piece of art as far as I am concerned. Another touring bike that is ready out of the box with racks, for your next adventure.
The 920 is the furthest from a touring bike while still being officially a touring bike, it is the ultimate adventure bike, taking you not just on road touring adventures but also off-road bikepacking expeditions. Described as a “go-anywhere adventure touring bike.” It’s built with drop-bars and 29er mountain bike wheels for balance and capability on any surface you’ll encounter.
A aluminum bike the 920 made from 100 Series Alpha Aluminum frame and alloy fork. With a 2×10 SRAM mountain drivetrain with integrated SRAM DoubleTap hydraulic brake/shift levers. It also comes stock with Bontrager Duster Elite wheels, 29×2.0˝ XR1 Comp mountain bike tires, and all kinds of mounts for fenders. Coming in at $2,099.99 or $899.99 for the frameset.
Genesis Tour De Fer 30
Described as the “Bike you’d turn to if you were to quit your job and embark on an impromptu pedal-powered world tour!” Made from a Reynolds 725 heat-treated chromoly steel frame. Including no-nonsense components that Genesis know from personal experience are tour/expedition worthy. With Shimano Tiagra 3 x 10 speed. Also comes stock with an SP dynamo hub with B&M front and rear lights. Also with front and rear racks. Costing £1799.99 or $2,245.00
Specialized AWOL Expert
The AWOL Expert is equipped with everything you need to hit the road and travel the world. Another touring bike option that is in the premium category coming in at $2,500.
A bike that is built to last for years and years of travel and abuse, made from heat-treated, custom-butted Cr-Mo tubing. Perfect touring geometry for optimal comfort, efficiency, and purpose-built to carrying big loads.
The AWOL also comes with some nice additional features including, fender and rack mounts, a kickstand plate, and a Dynamo front hub that generates electricity to power lights without needing to plug-in.
It also comes with a wide range of gears and a triple Shimano Tiagra crankset, ultra-tough 45mm Borough Armadillo tires, and cable-actuated disc brakes.
Vivente Swabia
The Swabia is a fully equipped tourer. There is no need to buy any other add-ons. Even coming with a water bottle, revision mirror, Kick stand, rear racks, fenders, and a integrated lighting powered by a dynamo hub, plus a USB outlet for charging devices. Also ride with more stability, thanks to the steering stabiliser. Everything and more, you need for a bicycle tour.
The Swabia is made by the famous World Randonneur chromoly steel frame, as tough but as comfortable as can be made. Powered by a Rohloff speedhub 500/14. Designed in Australia, the Vivente Swabia is available in Australia. It is the ultimate touring machine, starting at $3,999 AUD ($2,705.50 USD) or the upgraded version (V18-2) costs $4,899 AUD ($3,314.39 USD)
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