Finding a Touring Bike 2021

[Oz]

I am in search of a bike for a few planned road tours.  After receiving notice of the Trek 520 not being available last year, I chose to hold off to wait for a bike to become available this year.  Now I am told that one a 520 will not be available until late 2022 or later...  Is anyone else having this experience with other "traditional" touring models (Kona Sutra, Disc Trucker...)?

[DaveB]

A Google search for "Surly Disc Trucker" showed it's available as a frame set in both 700c and 26" sizes from numerous sources in both the older (non-thru-axle) and current (thru-axle) format.  The current frame is only available in that rather garish "Pea Lime Soup" color so if you can get beyond the color, they are out there if you can build it up from the frame set.

[staehpj1]

If looking for a disk trucker I think you will find a very limited range of frame sizes in stock.  Last time I looked there were 42cm, 54cm, and 62 cm and nothing else without digging much deeper.  I am not saying you won't find anything else, but I suggest looking right away and if you find what you want not delaying buying it right away.

I think REI had some of their touring models in stock in a range of sizes when I last looked.

Also I kind of like the idea of touring on a gravel bike.  If that suits you they had some Cannondale alloy models (Topstone) in stock that looked suitable for light touring (it doesn't have any provision for front rack, but you could use a bar roll).

[HikeBikeCook]

check out pinkbike.com for used LHT's and touring bikes.

[Oz]

Thank you all for the advice.  I'll look into each of the suggested options.

[Nyimbo]

I am in search of a bike for a few planned road tours.  After receiving notice of the Trek 520 not being available last year, I chose to hold off to wait for a bike to become available this year.  Now I am told that one a 520 will not be available until late 2022 or later...

I recently (4 months back) purchased a Trek 520. My local bike shop said it would be 9 months back order so I went to the Trek.com web page and clicked on my size and then put in my zip code and the told the search to show only stores with bike in stock. It showed me about 6 stores within 3 hours with stock.I just now did a test and input size 54 then added a zip code for Los Angles and the site gave me two stores with a 54cm 520 in stock in Southern CA.  So check it out for your size frame and your part of the country -if a 520 is what you want.  I also found my local REI had touring bikes in stock.

[Pat Lamb]

FWIW, if you can find a touring bike that's your size, try it and buy it ASAP.  For many years the big manufacturers have made a certain number of touring bikes, and they've often sold out about this time of year.  (Surly being the outlier, they often had LHTs available later in the year.)

Pete's suggestion of a gravel bike is a good one; just make sure the bike you get has attachment points for racks (assuming that's how you plan to carry your gear).