Advice on a touring bike?

[Eden]

Many racks (Old Man Mountain and probably Blackburn) will mount via band clamps. We had a discussion last week about putting those on carbon stays (I wouldn't, personally), but any metal should be no problem.

You certainly can fudge it (as you can fudge fenders), though it won't be without its drawbacks. You have to well protect the frame and paint job from rubbing (lots of electrical tape works well for this) and the attachments will be less stable and more prone to breakage than true braze ons. It's kind of a shame. It used to be that most "sport" model bicycles just came with eyelets for racks, but now you almost have to buy a touring bike to get them.

[Triskeliongirl]

All terry isis bikes have braze ons on the back for a rear rack. I have no problem touring on either of my terry isis bikes, granted I am not trying to cary a tent and sleeping bag, but they are fine with two normal pannier bags.

I even had my steel isis modified to accept a front rack and wider tires when I had it cut for S/S/ couplers. It feels no different from my classic. The geometries are nearly identical, the major diff. is that the seat stays are wider. I prefer this approach to have a more versatile travel bike that will also work for go fast rides.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

It's kind of a shame. It used to be that most "sport" model bicycles just came with eyelets for racks, but now you almost have to buy a touring bike to get them.

I think that will be rapidly changing as more and more people turn to bikes for transportation as opposed to just for recreational weekend club rides.
"City bikes" are becoming the new rage, and that means people want to use them for practical things and be able to buy stuff on their way home, ride to work, etc. As gas becomes more and more expensive, we will be seeing a slow steady shift in the kind of bikes people are buying. It's great to think about.
Just this month we've had 3 different friends who haven't ridden bikes in many years come to us asking bike shopping advice. Aside from the fun factor of riding, which they are excited about, one of the things they are all wanting is racks so they can buy stuff on errands instead of using their cars. None of these people are interested in going on fast road rides in groups- they expressly make that point to us even though we didn't even ask. They want to ride the lovely countryside for exercise at an easy pace and also use their bikes for errands.
Braze-ons and racks are making a big comeback!
(as are wider tires, fenders, more upright posture, and lights.)

[Triskeliongirl]

FYI, many tubus racks will fit on a bike without rack eyelets, by attaching to a brake mount and the rear wheel skewers, but you need to buy a modified skewer.

BUT, I am very sure that all the terry isis bikes come with rear rack bosses, at least my two did. They also all have clearance for tires at least 28mm wide (or again my 2003 steel and 2005 titanium isis do), and I can fit 32mm wide tires with the canti bosses I had installed.

But obviously before anyone buys a bike, they need to ask these questions of the manufacturer of the current models.