Touring bikes are expensive because they have so many special features that aren’t found on any other type of bike. These features make them much more suitable for long-distance rides than other types of bikes. Because they’re built to last, they tend to be heavier and more expensive than road bikes (which are typically made with aluminum or carbon fiber) or mountain bikes.
What is a touring bike?
A touring bike is a bike that is built to be ridden long distances on paved roads, gravel roads, and off-road trails. These bikes tend to have a more relaxed geometry than racing bikes (which usually have shallower angles), and they are designed for comfort over speed.
As you can imagine from this description, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what defines a touring bike—there aren’t strict standards like there are for racing bikes or mountain bikes. But here are some general guidelines:
What makes a touring bike?
A touring bicycle is designed to be comfortable, durable, and flexible. In other words: it’s built for comfort and durability—not speed. This means that these bikes come with multiple gears (usually at least 21 or 24), which allows you to easily switch between low- and high-speed ranges depending on whether you’re climbing hills or descending them.
Touring bikes also usually have large diameter wheels. These features can make your bike feel heavy compared to other types of bicycles; however, if you’re planning on carrying luggage along with your body weight for hours each day on a long trip then this isn’t really an issue since your bike won’t weigh as much anyway!
Another important feature of touring bicycles is their braze-ons (mounts) for accessories like racks, fenders, lights etc., so make sure that whatever model you choose has these things before purchasing one!
They are loaded with a lot of gears to allow you to climb mountains easily while fully loaded.
You will want to use as many gears as possible when climbing mountains, because going uphill is hard no matter what bike you ride. The only way to make it easier is to use the gears on your bike.
Touring bikes come with a lot of gears because they are designed for longer rides, where there may be lots of steep hills or mountains. Having lots of gears allows you to climb these hills and mountains without having to pedal as fast or as hard. It also means that when going downhill (which can be scary!), you have more control over how fast or slow you go.
Heavy Load Capacity
These bikes have been engineered to be more durable than a road bike, which means they can carry more weight without breaking down as easily. In fact, many touring bikes can safely carry up to 100 pounds worth of gear and supplies!
The next step up from a touring-style mountain bike is an adventure or all-terrain (AT) bike. These are built with different frame geometry that allows them to carry heavier loads than normal mountain bikes—upward of 300 pounds! AT bikes also often feature wider tires that make it easier to ride on rougher terrain like sand or mud while still maintaining good traction over smooth surfaces as well.
Drop Handlebars
Drop handlebars are by far the most popular choice for touring bikes. They’re more comfortable for long rides and offer a variety of hand positions that let you shift your body weight around as needed.
The drop bars also help with aerodynamics and cargo capacity, both of which are especially important for touring bikes. Drop handlebars feature a curve in the middle, which makes them more aerodynamic than flat bars. This is because air flows over and around the rider in a way that allows less wind resistance while keeping steering control high enough so that you can steer safely through tight turns on busy roads or city streets.
These handlebars also allow you to carry larger loads because they’re designed to fit between two panniers (or other types of bags) mounted on either side of them on your rack system. Again, contributing to their overall practicality as well as making it easy for riders who prefer comfort over speed!
Larger Wheels
Larger wheels (26” vs. 24”) have several advantages over smaller ones: they’re stronger, more comfortable and have more lateral stability. Larger tires are also more comfortable, resistant to punctures and offer better traction than smaller ones — but they come at a price.
The most obvious disadvantage of larger wheels is that they’re heavier than smaller ones: typically between 400-500 grams per pair depending on their size and material composition. This means you will have to carry more weight up hills if you choose a touring bike with 700c wheels instead of 650b or 26″ ones like those found on some mountain bikes or cyclocross bikes.
However, the increase in weight might not really be noticeable when compared to other components such as handlebars or pedals for instance; so don’t be put off by this!
Heavy Duty Materials
Steel is the most common frame material, and it’s used in professional touring bikes because it’s durable and highly resistant to impact. Steel absorbs shock well, which means that when you hit potholes or other obstacles on the road, your body will be protected from injury.
In addition to absorbing impact, steel also absorbs vibration—the kind of vibration you might experience as a result of riding over rough terrain. By absorbing this type of energy, steel keeps your ride smooth and comfortable even when traveling at high speeds for long periods time.
The frames tend be made from steel which is heavier, but absorbs vibration better than aluminum or carbon fiber.
A touring bike’s frame will be made from steel, which is heavier than aluminum or carbon fiber but absorbs vibration better. It also has a longer lifespan than those other materials, and is therefore more durable.
Tourists are often riding on roads that are less smooth than the ones they ride at home, so it’s important to have a seat that can absorb some of the shock that comes with traveling off-road. Steel framed bicycles have traditionally been known for their comfort, making them ideal for long distances.
The reason why touring bikes tend to be so expensive is because they are made using high-quality materials like hand-built wheelsets rather than mass-produced ones found on cheaper bikes; this means that you’ll get what you pay for when buying one of these machines!
A touring bike has to be able to take a beating, so frame design requires asymmetrical chainstays and super sturdy dropouts.
Dropouts are the part of your bike where the rear axle goes through. Dropouts can be asymmetrical or symmetrical, and there are many different types of dropouts out there as well. Asymmetrical dropouts are used on touring bikes because they allow for easier mounting of a rear rack without interfering with the seat tube or chainstays (the tubes that run from your bottom bracket to your rear dropout). Additionally, asymmetrical dropouts help distribute loads over more surface area on the frame which reduces stress and fatigue caused by loading up with gear.
Tour road bikes use aluminum or carbon fiber for their frames because it’s stiffer than steel, so it rides better at higher speeds over long distances; but steel frames absorb vibrations better than either material which makes them ideal for handling rough roads while still being stiff enough to carry heavy loads comfortably.
Wheels also have to be stronger with 36 spokes front and rear, compared to 32 on a road bike.
The number of spokes in a wheel affects how strong the wheel is and how much weight it can carry. Typically, a road bike has 32 spokes front and rear (or 28), while touring bikes have 36 or more. The rim of each wheel is connected to its axle by means of two flanges (the part that juts out from the hub). The flange widths are different between a road bike and touring bike, so you will be able to tell if you’re looking at one or another by comparing them side-by-side.
They also use wider tires for increased comfort, traction and puncture resistance.
It’s also worth noting that touring cyclists tend to use wider tires than the average road cyclist. This is because they’re more comfortable and offer better traction, but they’re also heavier and more expensive. The wider tires are harder to fit in your bike bag, which means you’ll probably have to go with a larger frame size if you want to ride one of these bikes on tour—and larger frames can be harder for some people to ride comfortably.
Touring bikes are expensive because they have so many special features that aren’t found on any other type of bike.
When you buy a touring bike, you’re paying for all the special features that make it suitable for long-distance touring. For example, many touring bikes have double chainsets and multiple gears on the rear hub to allow you to tackle any terrain in any weather conditions. Touring bikes also have more comfortable saddles and wheels with lower spoke counts than other styles of bicycles. These features make your ride more enjoyable and safe, but they also add to the cost of manufacturing your bike.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a bike that can go the distance, then look no further than a touring bike. They are built with strength and durability in mind, so they’ll last longer than any other type of bike out there. This means that if you’re planning on doing some long distance riding on rough roads or off-road trails, then this is definitely the bike for you!
