How much should a long distance touring bike weigh?

Question

I'm planning in the far future to do a long ride of around 3000km (~1864mi). As I just have a single speed, I've been looking at what is in the market "designed" for that purpose in the price range 1000-2000€/$ and everything is around 14-15kg (30-33lb).

Is that normal for such a bike, or is it too much, considering that you still have to carry some luggage?

Answer 1

I've been looking at what is in the market "designed" for that purpose in the price range 1000-2000€/$ and everything is around 14-15kg (30-33lb) [...] Is that normal for such a bike

Most touring specific bikes will weigh more compared to similar none touring bikes for a number of reasons:

1. Frames and wheels are stronger and heavier. This is by design to ensure the bike remains predictable and stable under load. As you add weight the frame will become more prone to flexing, which can result in undesirable behaviors such as speed wobbles or tail wagging. As such, touring bikes tend to be built with stronger/heavier wheels and frames to reduce flexing under load. The stiffer frame can also lead to the bikes feel “less lively” when ridden without a load. Stronger frame and wheels are also less likely to fail under extreme abuse (e.g., rough dirt roads) as compared to a bike with a lighter build quality.
2. Components are usually stronger and heavier. Similar to the frame and wheels other components are often selected for strength and durability over weight, which further adds to the heavier weight relative to a comparable non-touring bike.
3. Extra components. Most touring bikes will come with more add-ons such as fenders, racks and lights. All of these add to the weight of the bike.

Given items 1-3, the 30-33 lbs weight is generally reasonable.

is it too much, considering that you still have to carry some luggage?

Not at all. As other answers point out, a couple extra pounds is small compared to your total weight of bike + gear + rider. Unless you are doing some some kind of self-supported ultra endurance race (e.g., Transcontinental Race) this really won't matter.

Finally, I just wanted to point out that most bikes are over engineered to accommodate a range of rider weights and as such will do fine with a light load even though they are not designated as a “touring” bike.

Answer 2

People tour on everything -- bso's , specialized touring bikes, mountain bikes, etc.

Find something that works for you and is within your budget. Unless you have a decent amount of experience with touring, I wouldn't worry about something that does 3000 km tours without breaking a sweat. You need a lot of planning to do something like that, which will affect what you carry (e.g. are you camping, staying in hotels, etc.), and you need that information and experience to choose the right bike for you.

For reference, a standard touring bike (like the Trek 520) is 13 kg in disc form for a 57 cm. Note that the weight isn't that big of a deal; how it handles long rides carrying loads and how tough it is (e.g. are the wheels going to break in a little pot hole) is far more important.

Answer 3

That seems reasonable.

I've got an extra large Genesis Tour de Fer, and I've just weighed it. With front and rear racks, full mudguards, a D lock (itself 1.3 kg), etc. it comes in at around 17 kg. That's set up for commuting, plus the front rack but minus the toolkit. This was a £1000 bike so in the range you're looking at, and all the comparable bikes I considered were similar.

I can ride it up 25%+ slopes in that state, though slowly and not for long, and have done a flattish 100 km in 3:38. With the 35mm tyres it also handles rough tracks pretty well. My first touring trips (camping) are coming up soon, and I've test ridden with the bike loaded to about 40--45kg. It handles just the same as it does stripped down. I had thought I'd tour more and do fewer long day rides. I may consider a lighter wheelset for unloaded riding when I feel like spending the money, but I'm expecting to take it up the Col d'Izoard just stripping off the racks and mudguards.

Compare to a hypothetical 10 kg tourer, assuming a rider weight of 80 kg you have ~5% more weight, so that much less acceleration and extra climbing effort. You will be slower uphill than on a lighter machine, but you'll have the gears for it and you'll be able to keep going all day once the bike is set up to fit you properly.

If you're doing very light touring ("credit-card touring") and only need to carry your stuff for the day and a small overnight bag, you have much lighter options, like frame bags or a rack that fits any round seatpost but only carries up to around 10 kg. You could put these on a <10 kg aluminium road bike, for example.

Answer 4

This is normal. On sale there are lightweight models of bicycles with reinforced main parts. Watching what kind of luggage you take with you. I take only the most necessary things.