If you want to travel by bicycle for several days, you are probably looking for something strong, reliable and comfortable, with a wide range of gears. Something you can carry with saddlebags or bags and go out into the unknown. So with the ‘adventures’ motorcycles on the handlebars that are shooting up in popularity, are they now the best Classic touring bikes for your money?

Classic touring bikes:

The classic British touring bicycle with steel structure still has many fans, due to its clean lines, robust design and emphasis on comfort. But the appearance of gravel bikes equipped with disc brakes that are fully loaded with frame supports and fender fixings has considerably blurred the lines.

Many people still love flat-bar hybrid bicycles, which are most often seen cruising the city’s traffic, which can be equipped with a mesh rack and put into service, perfect if you do not plan to venture beyond the lanes to bicycles and rural roads near your home. E-bikes commonly fall into this category as well.

Classic touring bicycles with a steel frame look great and do the job they are designed for very well. Ortles suitcases are widely considered the best roll-top design. The specialized Cirrus is one of the most popular flat bar hybrid bicycles.

If you want to travel by bicycle for several days, you are probably looking for something strong, reliable and comfortable, with a wide range of gears. Something you can carry with saddlebags or bags and go out into the unknown.

The classic British touring bicycle with steel structure still has many fans, due to its clean lines, robust design and emphasis on comfort. But the appearance of gravel bikes equipped with disc brakes that are fully loaded with frame supports and fender fixings has considerably blurred the lines.

With a look similar to an old road bike, a traditional touring bicycle will often have a steel frame, a leather chair, and additional supports for water bottles, full fenders, front and rear grills, a wide range of gears and wide tires for tours. Its classic look has many fans and the steel frame can be repaired almost anywhere.

The position is usually less upside down than on a road bike, which makes them easier to drive on crowded streets, and there is a weight penalty compared to more modern machines. They are not as widely available as they used to be, but there are some companies that are still creating them.

Next comes a much more modern type of bicycle that has many names: gravel bike, adventure bike, and road bike, endured.

Related to cyclotrons bicycles, but generally with a more stable geometry and no slack, they will have fall handles and a bombproof design that can be handled for days and days on difficult roads without complaints. The best adventure bicycles will balance predictable handling with an exciting journey, but they can still be loaded comfortably with all your expedition equipment.

This is a toured out and out. No load, the gear feels low, but then it is designed to be loaded with several kilos of camping equipment, so it is to be expected. You can’t run with the Galaxy Classic, although it is not far behind and it is quite fast when you make it go. What this baby is about is the softness. The ride is simply serene, the Reynolds 531 steel frame and the Chewable Road Cruiser tires soak bumps and bumps on the road surface, so it feels like you’re cruising, the rear hub trembling silently like a good fly reel designed when it is freely rotated.

The geometry is more relaxed than a road bike and the driving position is quite vertical. After all, when you’re on tour, you want to be able to see the landscape. However, when you need to lower your head and climb hills, you can do it. The Brooks chair looks great and is very comfortable.

My only reservation on this bike is the brakes. Maybe I’ve been spoiled for using disc brakes recently, but the overhangs of the Galaxy Classic are very different and they seem to have nothing. I find myself having to change the position of the hand on some occasion to grab the levers to apply more pressure. Maybe they are still in bed, but I will have to see how this develops, since I will need more power to stop me when the bicycle is loaded.

The unmarked frame is sturdy and feels high quality, although the Galaxy Classic used to come with Tubas, definitely a cost reduction. Probably replace it with a Tubas logo. In addition, the bell, although strong, is a little bulky for the elegant lines of the bicycle and needs something smaller. Heck, I’m picking nits here. This is an excellent bike and I can’t wait to go on tour with her.

It is better to try your bike to see if you feel comfortable with it. Feel free to confirm if the seat is right with you because that is where most of your long-term weight will be accommodated.

If you need to carry additional features like a helmet and gloves for your safety, that’s great. These best models of travel bicycles should be your best choice if your excellence and good performance are your focus.