Hi, can anyone suggest a touring bike (or hybrid or ?) that has an upright position - sit up and beg style?
I am getting really bad back ache after touring..... not when cycling but when sitting or standing..... apparently caused by the leaning forward position when riding.
I have a Thorn Raven now - which is SO lovely - Rohloff gears are the best thing ever!! But I really feel I want to be more upright when riding...
Please don't tell me I won't be streamlined and I need to have drop handlebars and cut my toothbrush in half....! I have cycled across quite a few countries and a bottle of wine makes no difference to how I get up a hill - so there!!
Some sensible ideas of preferably steel framed bike would be good. I am 5ft 7 tall. I am thinking of a coach trip to Holland - as they seem to have every type of bike there...! But here in the UK - tourers are few and far between (secondhand) and most bike shops have absolutely no idea about touring!!
The Thorn is adjusted to its most upright!
Planning a very long tour next year - so need to get it right!!
thanks guys....
Hi Jo., I have been increasing the "uprightness" of my touring bikes over the course of twelve years or so of touring and I have finally settled on the Jones Plus (I got it primarily for off-road loaded touring but it does a lot of highway too). This bike has an upright position as standard and I substituted the medium frame steerer tube with a Large frame steerer tube to make it even more upright. It is brilliant, so comfortable and almost zero pressure on wrists/ neck. The manufacturer Jeff Jones (USA) has a long and detailed philosophy about making bikes comfortable and I can attest that my bike is the most comfortable I have ever ridden and as a bonus it is very stable when heavily loaded. To those who say my bike is "too upright to tour", I point to over 10,000K touring over the last few years across chunks of outback Australia, the Snowy Mountains and Tasmania. Not sure how to post a photo on this forum back I can refer you to crazyguyonabike.com where you can search for slowtour and you can find my blogs there with photos of the Jones Bike in the more recent blogs.
From the sounds of it you have already investigated changes to your beautiful Thorn, but just in case here are a few additional suggestions that may help you save your current beast:
It may be possible to induce a more upright position by using an angled seat post (ie angled forwards) this could be horrid but maybe borrow/ try it to se if it helps as it will shorten the distance between your seat and the handlebars = more upright.
Also maybe consider a more swept handlebar (like the Jones Bar which brings your hand positions closer to your trunk at the middle/ ends of the bars. There are Jones H Bars with a variety of types including one that has a few inches of vertical lift as well:
https://jonesbikes.com/jones-h-bar-butted-2-5-loop-aluminum/
Once again, the Jones H Bar may be horrid on your bike but you might be able to find someone with a standard Jones H Bar (or similar) that you can try to see if it suits your bike.
Finally - and I am sure you have already considered this, sometimes getting a shorter stem will help bring you more upright but it does "quicken" your steering handling a little.
Happy cycling,
Dave
Hi Dave, thanks for your reply. Your Jones bike does look very nice - great pics on Crazyguy.... - it made me want to go touring down under! I recently saw a bike fitter - who has altered my seat - tilting it forward so i am not so bent over in the lower back, he altered a few other bits too - and did suggest maybe butterfly bars... I need to go for a good cycle to test it out - but this being England - it is raining, and does not look like it will stop till doomsday... altho' the way things are going worldwide - that might not be so far off.... silver lining and all....!
I looked at the Jones bars and they look interesting - different to any over here. I tracked down a shop in Scotland that stocks their stuff too... (funnily enuf - we cycled right past the shop last summer on a tour of Scotland !) so maybe i will give them a try.
Our plan was to fly to NZ and then to Vietnam - then cycle home..... (b4 Putin invaded Ukraine - we were going to go on the Trans Siberian Express - and just fly a much shorter route - but first covid then warmongering put paid to that!!) but - we really , really don't want to fly.... so we may give up the whole thing and just cycle somewhere else in Europe instead....everywhere is beautiful, everywhere has amazing food/drink and mostly people are fabulous and helpful =- no matter where you go!!
But I have bookmarked your pages in case we flip again and decide to come Down Under..... (your routes are tempting!!)
If you ever make it to the UK - come and visit - we can tell you the best and worst places to cycle in UK - and much of europe!!
many thanks, jo
Best of luck with the English weather Jo., as it happens the Tasmanian weather currently isn't much better (rain, mountain snow, strong winds) - although it is now getting warmer. Keep on experimenting with your bike set up as I know an uncomfortable set up can make a long tour more difficult than it should. Once you have achieved the upright position you are looking for, give it a good test in a longer ride to assess how it affects your saddle comfort. I have had to optimise my cycle shorts (better quality) and stand in the saddle a little more often to relieve the additional pressure that I put on my bum by sitting more upright (yes, it is a thing). Obviously I think that the upright position is well worth it for better comfort - just a factor to bear in mind - as you are more upright more weight goes from your wrists, shoulders, arms and on to your bum.
When cycling through Canada USA a few years ago I met a touring couple who had been riding from Alaska. We got on well and rode together for a few days. We are now firm (long distance) friends and a few years ago they stayed with me in Hobart and spent Christmas with us here and toured around Tasmania and parts of Oz. I mention them because they live in Cornwall and I want to return to the UK so that I can visit them - maybe I could ride by and meet you and your husband if you are not on tour at the time. Maybe summer 2025, since next year I intend riding across the Top End of Oz (Cairns, Darwin, Broome) to enjoy a bit more outback peace.
I am also not very keen on long distance flying - partly due to the hassle and partly due to environmental reasons, but I would like one more flight to UK and Europe to see my friends and also ride through France the Pyrenees, maybe on to Barcelona. Or whatever makes sense at the time.
Cheers,
Dave.