She has tried out a friends Long Haul Trucker and found it to be a tank with a capitol T. I know touring bikes need to be a little heavy to handle loads but jeez, c'mon. The 46cm LHT weighed more than my 57cm Waterford. (I know, I know apples/oranges etc)
So, anyone have any real touring experience on the Vaya?
Kind of an old thread, but my friend recently bought a 2010 Salsa Vaya. She equipped it with the Salsa Wanderlust and Down Under racks*. For a shakedown tour, we did a 96 mile ride fully loaded. The bike was in otherwise stock configuration. This was her first loaded tour and she is a novice rider. The Vaya performed well over chip seal, loose gravel, gravel transitions, and pea gravel paths. The gearing is a bit too tall for loaded touring, but she never had to walk up any climbs (and there were a couple zingers when we approaching the campsite).
For our next tour, she is definitely going to install a 12-36 cassette and the lowest chainrings she can fit on the crankset.
I've taken it for a spin loaded and unloaded. I'm impressed with the platform as a whole and think it makes a great all-weather touring bike. If it was my bike, I would upgrade the brakes to BB7 and lower the gearing a little. But other than that, I can easily suggest this bike for anyone interested.
*These two racks are quite burly, quite well-designed, and install mostly easily. The Wanderlust requires that the upper stays be cut to size. Be aware that they are solid, not hollow, and I suggest a heavy duty ceramic cutting disc with a rotary tool. The Down Under has a unique two-prong design that eliminates the over-the-wheel loop like on the Tubus Tara, yet retains its lateral rigidity. Both racks have M5 threaded braze-ons for attaching light mounts or whatever suits you.
