Whats the best bike for traveling long distances?

Question

meand a friend will be travelling across france/italy, so im assuming ill be passing through city and country. We will be carrying our equipment with us. There will be no rush so id say comfort would be more important than speed.

Answer 1

Without knowing any more information, I would have to say, "Get a bike that fits you well!"

Whether you ride a dirt, road, or hybrid bike, it has to fit you well.

Answer 2

I'm not clear on your exact meaning. What type of riding are you referring to? Touring, century rides, 20 milers? All paved roads or dirt and gravel too? Would you be cruising or do fitness/performance riding? Does long mean 1000 mile trip or 50 miles on a Sunday morning ride? What more important comfort or speed?

If you explain your intentions, I could offer an informed answer.

Answer 3

I did a solo ride from Georgia to Upstate New York in 1987. The bike I used then was the equivalent to today's Trek 520. It has braze-ons for front and rear racks and can carry a good amount of gear. It also has braze-ons for 3 water bottles, so you can really carry a lot of water. Or one of the water bottle cages can be used for a water-bottle style battery to run a light system if you plan on doing any night riding.

Whichever bike you choose, make sure you get properly fitted at a bike shop. A proper fit will make a huge difference in riding comfort.

Answer 4

Something light weight (unless you are doing some crazy downhill mtb ride).  A light weight road bike if it is on road or a light weight cross country bike if it is off road.  Lighter bike means less effort on the uphill bits - which you always get unless you are in Holland! It also means more money so the best advice I can give is go to your local bike shop, tell the very knowledgeable owner what you want to do and how much you want to spend then see what he/she suggests.

You cant beat expert advice and everybody has different needs, I good retailer will ask all the right questions in order to sell you the perfect bike for you. Bike shop owners want their customers to be happy cyclists.

Answer 5

If you are traveling long distance but have hired someone to carry your gear, any lightweight road bike will work just fine.  In fact, lighter the better.

If your intent is to carry all your gear including tent, the kind of bike you need is really different.

I currently ride a 1900 Waterford touring bike.  Bike is optimized for loaded touring.  Long wheel base.  Braze-ons for front and rear racks.  Very strong frame.  I equipped the bike with Phil Wood hubs and bottom bracket.  I also ordered the extra tall head tube.  My bike has a threaded head set.  This allows for a tall handlebar stem.  My bars are the same height as the seat.  Most vital for comfort for riding day after day.  Only aspect of the bike I do not like are the cantilever brakes.  I would order the bike equipped with regular dual pivot brakes.  

Bike rides nice and is stable on screaming down hills.

Very good workmanship.  

I purchased my bike from Licktons of Oak Park, IL.