I would like to add another data point of using an Atlantis as a touring bike.
I'm not disagreeing with Dave at all. I'm a different physique of rider. 146 lbs, 89cm PBH, I would say I'm very fit but NOT powerful and generally climb seated. I also ride a 64cm Atlantis with a similar set up (same tires, bars etc...) and tour with panniers. I'm not a minimalist but don't carry excessive amounts of gear either. I think the Atlantis handles very well fully loaded and can not detect any flexibility (everything is flexible, but I can't detect it in this case). I have ridden flexible bicycles in the past, an Alan aluminum...now that thing would be really bad with a load! I can easily see how a Bombadil may better suit a more powerful rider. Again, I'm not disagreeing with Dave, just wanted to get the perspective of a smaller rider out there. Angus On Apr 11, 2:34 pm, Dave Craig <dcr...@prescott.edu> wrote: > Atlantis versus Bombadil for loaded touring > > Compare and contrast?! As a college professor, I feel like I've been > given an essay question. :) > > OK . . . here's the brief and simple low down on MY experience with > these two bikes for loaded touring - YMMV, especially if you are a > smaller person using a smaller frame size. First, a disclaimer: > > The bikes (Atantis and Bomb) were set up quite differently - more on > that below. Therefore, I don't think I can provide a *truly* objective > comparison between the two frames. How one sets up a bike has as much > to do with how a bike deals with loaded touring as any other factor. > > Relevant Bombadil set up: 60cm frame; Tubus Cargo rear rack; Tubus > Tara front rack; Ortlieb handlebar bag/panniers; Schwalbe Marathon > Supreme 700x50's on Velocity Dyads/Phil hubs - 36 spokes front/40 > rear; 48cm noodle bars/bar end shifters > > Relevant Atlantis set up: 64cm frame; Riv Nitto big front and rear > racks; 36 spoke Salsa Delgado rims/XT hubs with 700x37 Pasela > Tourguards; no handlebar bag; using Ortlieb panniers;46cm noodle bars/ > bar end shifters. > > After adjusting with different stems, I fit the same on both bikes - > nearly exactly the same reach and bar height. > > Simple review: I like the Bombadil better for loaded touring. > > I have a 94cm PBH and I weigh over 200 pounds. I'm pretty fit and I > like to stand when I climb. I've found that standing often while > riding helps me to avoid a sore butt. I think that smaller, lighter > folks who tour on smaller bikes cannot truly appreciate how much tall > frames flex under load from a large, strong rider, standing on climbs > with a full pannier set. > > Even on the Atlantis, with its relatively heavy tubeset, I found it to > be less stable than I really wanted. Although it toured fine, it > didn't really handle as well as I wanted on uneven ground with a load. > When the Bombadil came out, I saw the extra top tube and wondered if > that would be a solution for making a large frame feel better. I test > rode the bike at RBW and I was surprised at how light and responsive > it was. > > I chose my rack set up on the Bombadil to maximize a sturdy, stable > feel. Everything feels tight and as if the racks are part of the > frame. Off road and on, and whether I was standing or sitting, the > Bombadil felt solid and predictable. Surprisingly, the bike has the > most amazing low speed handling with packs on I have ever experienced. > At speed, I find that most touring bikes handle just fine, but at slow > speeds, they are unwieldy - not the Bomb. > > The only drawback to the Bombadil I found was it's size - > specifically, the length of the wheelbase. My Atlantis fit perfectly > in a standard Amtrak bike box. I removed the seat and took off the > bars, but was able to leave both wheels in place. With the Bombadil, I > had to remove the front wheel to get it to fit. When touring, Pamela > and I like to use public transportation occassionally. I was surprised > one day to find that the Bomb didn't fit very well on a bus front > rack. Thanks to a patient and accommodating bus driver, we were still > able to make the trip. On a commuter train with a hanging bike rack, > where every other bike hung perfectly, my Bombadil had to hang at an > angle due to it's length. This summer, if I'm able to get in a short > tour, I'll be fitting the Bombadil with 700x40 Marathon Supremes. > These will have enough volume for a road tour and gravel roads and I > hope they will allow easier transport and packing. > > There you go! > > Dave > > On Apr 9, 4:25 pm, happyriding <happyrid...@yahoo.com> wrote: > > > On Apr 8, 2:25 am, Dave Craig <dcr...@prescott.edu> wrote: > > > > I have a 64cm Atlantis. I love it. Currently, it has 32 spoke wheels > > > front and rear and I use it for long road rides without luggage. I'm > > > really happy with my Bombadil as a touring bike. It has 36 spokes in > > > the front and 40 in the back. > > > Can you compare and contrast touring on your Atlantis v. touring on > > your Bombadil? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. 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