Is touring becoming a thing of the past?

[Mark1978]

Ah, Simon, now you're widening it out into what climate we prefer. I don't much like warm climates, and I don't mind a bit of rain, so UK / France suit me very well. The Yorkshire Dales are about as good as it gets, for me.

Yeah but you're weird :p. Gimme warm weather and nice beaches any day.

[hamster]

I think that there has been a drop in people cycle touring over the past eighty years but also there are a lot of us who dont much like "traditional tourers" like the Galaxy and tour on something else instead.

A nice lightly loaded Audax bike for fast touring or a 1980s MTB for loaded touring.

I think that's right - the proliferation in bike types also has proliferated touring types: bikepacking, MTB B&B tours are probably things which were almost unheard-of or super-niche 50 years ago. Leisure time has also changed- fewer people get long times off so tours are generally hastier, more impulsive and shorter. A bivi bag and a tiny stove does for me now.

[whoof]

From what I can see there are more touring bikes available now that over the past few years. Large manufacturers are now doing touring bikes; Specialized AWOL, Trek 520, Kona Sutra in addition to the smaller more brands Thorn, Hewitt, Surely, Koga Miyata, Genesis, Ridgeback, Edinburgh Bike Coop and the usuals from Dawes, Raleigh and Claude Butler.

Currently 'road' bikes that either are or are similar to road racing bikes are popular and the shops are full of them. 25 years ago only club racing cyclists rode this type of bike and if you wanted one you had to visit a specialist shop (you certainly didn't go to Halfords) or buy mail order through an advert in Cycling Weekly. During this time mountain biking was popular (I remember local cross country races having fields of over 100 in a single category) and shops were fully of these. Perhaps cycle touring will become trendy and shops will be full of touring bikes, but I doubt it.

As others have said it's not something you change that often so it's not a large market.

My touring bike is an old converted mountain bike that I've had for 12 years. That's not going to keep the cycle industry going.

[Chat Noir]

Like everything else, cycle touring evolves. There are some who remain traditional tourers, with panniers, racks, using tents, cookers, etc, and probably always will be. I sometimes still tour with panniers and tent, and all the gear that goes with it. I also tour with a credit card, which means far less luggage, but costs more. I now also have mobile phone and garmin that need to be charged, so even if I'm camping I need / prefer access to electricity.

Credit card touring means I've been to the Dolomites, the Alps and northern Spain over the past 12 months. I've used a modern carbon bike with a Brooks saddle and a larger saddle bag, and I've used a reasonably modern Dolan steel bike with a pannier (their bikes come with fittings). In terms of going up long climbs, there isn't any contest about which bike to choose. However, when it comes to going down the same hills the stability of a rack and panniers means the heavier Dolan is preferred to the lighter carbon bike.

Actually, evolving ways of touring means that more of us can carry on for longer and my partner will still enjoy occasional cycle touring holidays with me or friends. I haven't used my Dawes Galaxy for some time now, bought to cycle from Roscoff to Santander back in 1979 with my partner, but I still have the panniers and still use them, probably a testament to the quality of Karrimor back then.

It is a shame there aren't the shops with a range of touring bikes to ogle at, but there are a few. I'm about to sneak over to Spa Cycles to ogle their leather saddles, and might take my credit card with me - they have more uses than just for touring ...

[Vorpal]

I think there are more people touring than ever before. However, the traditional British touring bike is something of a unique beast, so defnitely a specialist market. Tourers in other countries have had diferent configurations, (flat bars, trekking bars, etc.), though it seems (as mentioned above) more people are unstanding the benefits of a British style tourer, so more companies are making something suitable.

Also, I think that touring bikes are relatively expensive, even at entry level. It's much easier for a shop to justify space for a £300 or £600 bike that is likely to sell within a few weeks than a £1200 bike with a very limited audience which is likely, therefore, to sit there for some time, or only prompt special orders.

[Mark1978]

Aren't touring bikes going to be more often a flat bar or butterfly bar orientation? It seems that some have the idea that, this is what a touring bike is, and it cannot vary from that specification.

[Vorpal]

Aren't touring bikes going to be more often a flat bar or butterfly bar orientation? It seems that some have the idea that, this is what a touring bike is, and it cannot vary from that specification.

I think that flat bars or butterfly bars are becoming more acceptable in the UK, and drop bar touring bikes are becoming more acceptable elsewhere. So there is more variety in the market than there was, even 10 years ago.

[bigjim]

When I was a kid touring in the Uk was very rarely camping. I can't remember anybody having racks or panniers. We all used Youth Hostels which involved using your regular road bike complete with Carradice saddlebag.
I view specialist touring bikes as a pretty new thing. Maybe the fall of the Youth Hostel numbers has resulted in those with limited budgets taking up camping. I don't think there is the club mentality of touring anymore. Most clubs from what I can see are more interested in day rides or the sporting side of cycling. The CTC clubs I ride with don't organise club tours anymore.

[simonhill]

I remember 10 years or so ago that if it didnt have drops andd 700 wheels it wasn't a proper touring bike.

As a 26" and flats man I remember being excited that Cycle mag were going to review Thorn's 26", flat bar Rolhof Raven. Much to my disgust, the reviewer chose to retro fit drops to test it!

Love them or loath them, I think the British bike industry missed yet anothr trick by ignoring the demand for such bikes.


Nonetheless, my real point in posting was to say that a year ago in Taiwan I saw lots of Taiwanese cycle tourers doing their round island ride. There were also quite a few mainland Chinese cyclists. I have met a few Chinese in other countries, but they are still fairly rare. If their numbers grow like the normal Chinese tourists have in recent years, then we may be in for a massive expansion in cycle touring. Re-open those hostels!

[Tangled Metal]

I come from a walking/backpacking background and I can say that in the past you used to get loads of traditional tourists using hostels. I used to always see the Dawes Galaxay and similar. Now I don't use hostels since they started upgrading them and the cost per night went up. I am guessing that they are being used less because of that.

I think there is a different style of riding happening that has made the traditional touring become even more of a niche market. I think more people are about instant thrills then back to a base. For example people on holidays might take their bike to use from a base rather than cycle in a linear way with everything on the bike. This matches the destination cycling site like bike parks for MTBers. Even the Lakes is one great big bike park you can ride from a base. Those day rides take a MTB or a sportive/audax type of more relaxed road bike. These are also capable of being used touring by credit card or even light camping. Bear in mind in the backpacking world people are dropping weight of their kit which could be suitable for tourists. This is exemplified by the bikepacker. The MTBer who takes his shelter, stove and other kit on a rackless, guardless mountain bike. My backpacking kit was only about 4.5-6.5kg depending on the amount of spare clothes needed due to the weather variability. I can wear that in a 20 litre rucsack on my back and still ride comfortably if I wanted to. Does that make the trad tourer redundant?

Also image is a problem. I live off the A6 in north Lancashire. I see a lot of fully laden tourists and those are almost all retired people or those edging to retirement. That is a specialist group in themselves. One that has money to spend and would easily be able to afford a custom tourer. That niche market is one where you travel to a shop for measurement not to a LBS near you. SO why stock it if those with money won;t buy it off you. Then the image is not good. People will more likely tour on a hybrid or MTB I think now. Even one with suspension. On the continent I believe they have always gone for flat bar trekker bikes and these are coming into the UK. These are bikes with hub dynamos built in lights and at least guards and a rear rack, often a low loader. They are 700 wheels or even as low as 26" wheels and wider tyre sizes more along the lines of a hybrid. This gives users the idea they can go off road better than a touring bike.

Evans Cycles stock touring bikes (about 2 or 3 depending on the size of the branch) if you need to get one but they are all nasty bikes I think at the cheaper end with v brakes. nowadays there is no reason why a touring should have them, get a mech disc anyday for touring IMHO, preferably with dual pivot.

[stuartg]

I also don't think it is dying, I am in my 40s and my generation appear to have spent their time traveling the world on cheap package holidays, or during break years after Uni back packing. I have not come across that many my age, but a hell of a lot in their 50s plus. Those that return to cycling my age, were MTBers until the foot & mouth and then they all returned as MAMILs. Probably the reason as to why we are awash with road bikes that are not fit for purpose, but have a lot of bling.

My son's generation appear to be a little different, he is about to embark on his first tour with his friends after his Alevels. They are all looking for a 'new' adventure, which involves a level of challenge. When I went to Holland with my son last year, we got off the ferry with quite a few younger riders, who were heading into Europe for their first time. Although getting lost and out of Europort probably put a few off!!

[mercalia]

The YHA responding to the way of the world ( & spending too much cash on on either city or ramblers hostels) has effectively killed off the classic cycle tour ( in the UK ) of old that was easy to put together, that I loved. Now you have to do it with B&B I suppose, not really the same as u dont meet people and can cost a lot?

[bigjim]

The YHA responding to the way of the world ( & spending too much cash on on either city or ramblers hostels) has effectively killed off the classic cycle tour ( in the UK ) of old that I loved. Now you have to do it with B&B I suppose, not really the same as u dont meet people and can cost a lot?

Exactly. Pity we can't turn the clock back sometimes.

[ipswichcycler]

Evans selling only cheap and nasty with v brakes... Seems not.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec070581

Also you can get some fine v brakes.

[bigjim]

I wonder if many of these touring bikes are overkill for the work they will be put to. I’m surprised there is a market for them. Lets look at that market.
From puberty most boys [yes I am being sexist, but I believe the bicycle touring thing is usually a male thing] spend most of their time thinking about football, music and the opposite sex. I don’t think they think much about touring the world and they probably can’t afford it on an expensive touring bike anyway. I know there is the gap year thing but how big a market is that?
Then they become loved up. Into a long-term relationship, have children and responsibilities.
The shackles don’t start to loosen until they are in their early fifties. Loosen. Not unlock. Because you are always locked into a relationship involving people you love or loved. There are weddings, christenings, birthdays, Xmas and so on. Oh and there is the world of work. How are you going to do that world tour?
So reality. You may stretch things to 3 weeks away. Probably 2. Where will you go? Not so far and much of the world is not a good place to be at the moment. Those short tours are perfectly feasible and comfortable on a road bike that will take mudguards and therefore a rear pannier.
Do you think these expedition tourers are sold to dreamers or people who will actually test them to their limits?
I know there a those who do not fall into the categorys above but I've not met any [yes I,ve read about them] and still the question is. Is this a big market?
All my own opinion of course before you start shouting.