I don't disagree with the observation that frame geometry is the most important variable for a touring bike, but the frame weight choice isn't as clear cut as some suggest. Touring frames necessarily need to be stiffer than a racing or rondeneuring frame, and that added stiffness always adds weight. The added stiffness makes the touring bike easier to ride with lots of luggage strapped on. While you can certainly make a good stiff touring bike from titanium, you might want to think twice about setting out on a long tour on a frame that was originally designed for quick acceleration, which typically means a more flexible and lighter frame. The weight of a frame may be irrelevant to the total weight but the stiffness is not. Heavier frames feel slower not because they are a pound or two heavier but because they are stiffer and less responsive to sustained acceleration. A lighter, more flexible frame, once loaded with touring gear will be more prone to erratic handling.
Michael On Tuesday, April 10, 2012 11:40:08 PM UTC-4, dougP wrote: > > drnat: > > Glad you were not injured in the "blow over". "Helmet bumping > concrete" is a graphic description. I've fought bikes in cross-winds > & it's not fun. At least my Atlantis allows me to wrestle it down the > road in those conditions. Better get yours back on the road! > > The frame material and the weight of the bare frame are not indicative > of suitability for touring. The geometry (is this particular frame > designed for touring?) and the wheels & tires are major contributors > to stability (or lack thereof). If the frame is can take at 35mm or > greater tires and has the relaxed geometry of an Atlantis, then it's > suitable for touring. > > Many years ago, Rivendell commented that the Atlantis frame is > "...about 1 lb more than our other frames..." but that was before the > Bomba, HungP, etc. Assume any Riv is a bit heavier than a comparable > bike designed with weight in mind, then my (uneducated) guess is an > Atlantis/HungP/Bomba frame may be 2-3 lbs heavier (if that?) than > something else. Add the same components, strap on 40 lbs of touring > luggage, and that small frame weight difference is undetectable. > > dougp > > On Apr 10, 4:35 pm, "dr...@charter.net" <dr...@charter.net> wrote: > > Boy did I get an eye opener today. Went out cycling- very windy, > > usually take my Atlantis for days like this, however Project Atlantis > > is still in the works. Took my Klein, got blown into gravel and fell > > over- no injury due to low speed and helmet bumping the concrete > > instead of head. I know that I would not have fallen on my Atlantis > > due to its stability. > > > > Which raises the question of someone taking a lightweight Titanium > > touring bike cross country. Friend is letting son do this, with > > trepidation. When we spoke a year ago my advice was obviously a steel > > bike. He recently told me he got a Salsa, Titanium bike. Went to their > > website and they do have one model they advertise for long distance > > touring- very light. > > > > Obviously they will have panniers to weigh the bike down, but the bike > > itself and thus the center of gravity is very light, although I know > > Titanium is strong. Does anyone know anything about touring with such > > a light bike. For some reason, I always felt that the weight of my > > Atlantis is what made it feel so safe no matter what the conditions. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rbw-owners-bunch/-/yZy75ywH_kEJ. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
