Advice on Touring Bike for Newbie Please

[eofelis]

Hi,

There seems to be alot of 'city' 'street' and 'short-trip' hybrid bikes,
but not alot of solid long-trip Touring Bikes.

I want the bike to be as light as possible, but very reliable, so I don't want new fangled bits that'll be hard to fix or replace on route. I also need a good "granny gear" as I need all the help I can get uphill!
I'm looking for mountain-bike sized wheels, mountain-bike style-gears, lock-off-able front suspension, front and rear pannier facility.
What would you recommend that would fit this description?

Would you recommend getting a women's bike?
What are the reasons for getting one and the advantages or disadvantages?
I don't want to get a dropped bar just so it's easier to mount the bike, as I've heared that weakens the frame. But if the geometry would fit me better I'd be interested in a women's frame.


Any help and advice greatly appreciated!

I was touring bike oriented before I was road bike oriented. My bf John is a bike mechanic, so I have learned a lot from him. For a solid long trip touring bike, I chose a Trek 520 (after looking around for a long time) For a stock bike, it's set up quite nice out of the box, with 105 and LX components. I have a 17" Trek 520. We have changed some things on it, like lower gears and down tube shifters (instead of bar end shifters), but it's basically a great bike, with a steel frame. These run about $1000 retail. My bf also has a Trek 520.

Another bike I have tried that more fits your description for a touring bike with mtn bike size tires is the REI Novara Safari. About $800 retail, you can sometimes find them on sale. It's an aluminum frame bike (doesn't ride quite as nice a steel frame bike IMHO). Last I knew it had some pretty good components on it, LX. No front suspension, but takes front and rear pannier racks.

We do lots of looking around at bikes, just because it's fun What you describe wanting you may have to have custom built up. Surly makes a steel frame touring bike called the Long Haul Trucker. The sizes 54cm and down are made to take 26" mtn bike wheels. (I plan on getting one someday! I love Surly bikes). Then you could have a component kit set up any way you want, and have exactly the bike you need. But it costs a lot more. Depending on what you put on it, it could cost $1500-2000. But it would be a very solid bike - a coast to coast bike.

Hope this helps a bit.

[bikerbarb]

Don't buy the touring bike I did. It is a Jamis Aurora. I admit to heavy use, about 3,500 miles in the last 15 months, but none of it even with loaded panniers and it has been one thing after the other with it. Look for an article in the July 2005 Adventure Cyclist on page 34 that includes a lot of my criticisms of the bike.

[susan.wells]

I'll chime in here with Emily & Denise. I purchased a previously owned Bike Friday directly from them as Denise has suggested. I can highly recommend the bike as well as their customer service! I purchased an Air Glide and find I actually prefer riding it over my Airborne WASP!

Susan