Using my Specialized Ruby for touring?

[Eden]

If it was a trailer that mounted to the aluminum down tube, then it wouldn't stress the rear triangle. Not sure how it would work with an aluminum seatpost on a carbon frame, whether the length of the seatpost would be enough to distribute the stress. I think I'd still be leery of it.

I would guess that she was using a trailer like a BOB that has a rear skewer mount. That type would be usable on a carbon frame - it wouldn't put any stress on the frame. I would not try to mount a rack to a Ruby. It just wasn't made to handle it. Even if the load stresses weren't too much for it, anything that could potentially rub and cause the carbon to become scored would ruin it.

I'm with everyone else. The bike isn't really made for touring. By the time you'd outfit yourself with a good trailer, you probably have spent enough to get an entry level tourer... Touring bikes aren't just different because they can hold a rack either. They tend to have a longer wheel base for stability when heavily loaded, slightly different geometry for long haul comfort over snappy performance, and lower gearing so you can haul that load up hills.

[mariposa]

Thanks for all the replies...can you tell I am completely clueless about touring? Reading here and elsewhere has gotten me up to speed a bit.

What about just carrying a very light load in the back? I'd get a rear rack that can fit my Ruby - skip the panniers (which are, I'm learning, surprisingly heavy in themselves) - and just lash a few items (say 10-15 pounds) onto the rear rack. Do you think my Ruby can support this?

I've already been doing the light touring with my Ruby. It's just that the 10-15 pounds of weight has been in a fanny pack, and that got uncomfortable.

The more serious long-distance/heavier weight touring can wait till I can get a bike specific for that.

Mariposa

[Eden]

No rack is really safe to mount to carbon.... (unless the frame specifically has bosses for that purpose). It's not just about weight. If any of your attachment points rubs through the finish and scores the carbon itself you've hurt the integrity of the material. Ruin the seat post and yes you could get a new one. Ruin the rear stays of the bike and you'd need a new bike. Since your Ruby wasn't made to accept a rack any mounting that you would do would have to be jury-rigged and even more likely to cause damage to the frame. It's not a gamble that I'd want to take.

[Cataboo]

Get a nice backpack instead of the fanny pack... Try the osprey atmos or aura 35 (I think that's the name of the female version). It's got an angle in the back that'll keep the frame directly off your back and you won't sweat so much.

Put the shoulders loose so most of the weight is supported by the hip belt.

Otherwise, deuter makes similar backpacks with the mesh back and a frame that arcs it away from your back. The suspension/hip belt is not as nice on the deuter.

The annoying part about that is if you stand up to bike up a hill or hit a big bump, the frame is a bit loose around your shoulders and it does bounce around a bit.

[mariposa]

I might try the backpack idea. I was looking to get a large-ish daypack that keeps the frame off my back, anyway. I suppose that could work for cycling.

Just stumbled across some surprisingly large under-the-seat saddlebags (like Carradice) that do not require a rear rack. That might be a great option, assuming it clears my rear wheel.

For around-town, I'm going to mount a rear rack and maybe panniers on my beater bike, so that I can do errands carrying heavier stuff. I wish the beater bike was tour-worthy...

Mariposa