Best gearing for touring?

tangled_metal

What gears should make a good tourer?

I'm replacing a hybrid that was stolen from me with 48/36/26T chainrings and Shimano, 9-speed, 11-34t cassette.
I'm considering a tourer with 48/36/26T chainrings and 11-32, 9-SPD cassette.

Now, bearing in mind I've never really bothered by this technical aspect, I'm thinking they're pretty much the same. The same top gear at 48/11 but the difference is at the easiest gear which is 26/34 or 26/32. Am I correct in thinking the first gearing would be easier to turn say if heavily loaded and going uphill? Would I notice the difference?
I do know the lowest gear on my hybrid was rarely needed even towing a child trailer uphill. First time I used it I felt it hardly bit when unladen, if you know what I mean by bit.

This bike is mostly a road based commuter for me with family use (child seat fixed to seat tube or rear axle hitched trailer) with the aim of touring holidays in the future. My hybrid was bought to replace a road bike for that purpose with possibility of off road use to an easy level (wanted something capable of giving me a taste of mtb but still be good on roads).
I'm now reverting to type and going for a bike to only use on road and with the comfort of drop handles. I miss the ability too change grips and stresses on the arm. Plus they're better for dropping down at the front for heading into direct wind.

Do you think switching From a specialized Crosstrail sport disc to Edinburgh revolution country 14 tourer is a good idea?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/crosstrail-sport-disc-2015-hybrid-bike-ec070598

Or...

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/revolution-country-explorer-14?bct=browse%2fbicycles%2ftouring-bikes

mercia_man

That Edinburgh is I think a much better bike for your plans. You don't need suspension forks for road riding. Dropped bars will be more comfortable and better for headwinds, as you say. As for gearing, you are right. A bottom gear of 26/34 is slightly lower than 26/32. But both are extremely low for road riding and will get most people up anything, even loaded with camping gear, child seat or trailer. A top gear of 48/11 is overkill for a touring bike. But I suppose it's popular with novices who don't know how to spin efficiently.

ugo.santalucia

If you are on Shimano, you can fit a rear MTB derailleur, it needs to be the older 9 speed crop, as the geometry of the 10 speed MTB does not match the pull ratio of road levers.
With that you can use a 9 speed cassette up to 36 T and you won't need a triple chainset anymore. A compact will give you 34 x 36 gear ratio which is more than you will need even when fully loaded. Consider a 36 x 46 CX 50 chainset, they offer great ratios and they are better than compact in my view.

Bear in mind the "shadow" type derailleurs do not have a barrel adjuster, so you will need an inline barrel adjuster, ideally placed close to the handlebar, so you can index as you ride if needed. They cost 5 quid or so...

Just a thought

woolwich

A few more thoughts for you. It's worth considering what type of touring you intend to do. How long duration, what distance, terrain etc. Even the Lowlands of Europe such as Holland have steep hilly areas, Arnhem direction for instance. Whilst you could probably manage very well on a double early in the holiday, things can be very different after 7 consecutive days with a lot of fatigue in your legs, particularly if heavy loaded.
Take a look at both the Spa website and Thorn cycles, might be a bit out of budget but it will give you some ideas from UK touring specialists.
Also, as mentioned on the other recent touring thread, it is worth thinking outside the box. We are very focused in the UK on trad style drop bar tourers. Other nations have different ideas. It is quite common to see long distance tourers abroad on what we would call a hybrid with butterfly, TT bars, or something homemade to suit.

tangled_metal

I've heard that we're more conservative here with touring bikes. Also there's a category called trekkers or trekking bikes on the continent. Basically hybrids with full touring kit on, racks, guards, modern hub powered fixed lights, etc. Basically the kit that meets some European nation's bike laws as well. Think likes of Denmark requires lights and frame locks built in on new bikes.

I've seen these trekking bikes sold on the websites of touring specialist LBS before now.

I've spoken to the guy in Ghyllside cycles in Ambleside about handlebars and he wasn't enthusiastic about butterfly bars. Said there was something similar but different in that it allowed to the angles of the bars without affecting the bike position or fit. Kind of like bar ends that have bar ends on the end I think. It looked a bit like butterfly bars but not all one loop of bar.

If I'd still got my Crosstrail I'd probably fitted decent bar ends and possibly this fancy.p bar when on a tour. I liked the idea of replacing the suspension forks to something rigid but forgiving if that was possible.

Wish I had £850 spare, tour de fer 10 looks ok but for lots more the TdFer 20 would be better. Interested in the cable disc brakes with the hydraulic reservoir on the brake mech. It has hydraulic braking but cable controlled. I'm guessing the cable for simplicity but the hydraulic gives more powerful, modulated braking.

Seems to me that at about £1100-1200 you get a lot more.choice and significantly better bikes than even £999 bikes.