Bicycle touring has evolved to include everything from the classic loaded steel bike frame (self-supported, self-guided tour), to light weight hybrid bikes (tours-for-hire) to a mountain bike outfitted with an XtraCycle (epic mountain touring).    At Criterium, we speak ‘touring’ in all of the new ways of going about riding your bike to a destination.

TRI-CROSS road bikes run t wider 700c (hybrid) tires with the drop bar position for the rider.   We have several 2011’s with wide-range triple Tiagra gears for carrying a load with either panniers or a cargo trailer.  This versatile set-up allows good speed on pavement, with good control on gravel roads.   Two models in 2012 come with disk brakes, which makes sense of all-conditions riding.    The Crux Cross bikes have a narrower gear range for what we used to call ‘credit card touring’ or actual cyclo-cross racing.  Carbon frames are available in the Crux models.

Criterium carries flat-bar road bikes, as well, if you want a faster-rolling bike on smooth surfaces with a more upright position.  These are often the bikes of choice on guided tours or sociable rides like RagBrai.   Our Quicks from Cannondale have mountain bike gearing if you choose to carry bags or pull a trailer.

A new entry in the touring sweepstakes is the mountain bike 29er.   This is the Any Road-Any Load option for the trail, cobblestones, or gravel when speed is not the objective.   Mountain bikes combine low gear ranges with great traction on any surface.  With a narrower 700c knobby, you can pick up speed on a commute or road tour.  The 29er’s also provide the longer-wheelbase comfort of that classic road touring bike from the 80’s.

A test ride is the fastest way to sort out all of these options.  Start the journey with us!