All-Rounder as a Loaded Tourer

[Kevin Lindsey]

Greetings.

I'm thinking of doing the GAP/C&O Canal trip this spring on my All-Rounder and would appreciate any thoughts on using the AR as a loaded tourer.  I use it for grocery runs and whatnot, but have never put a lot of weight in the bags and don't know whether there might be handling or other issues if I did.

Any thoughts welcomed.

Best regards,

Kevin L.

Alexandria, VA

[Bernard Duhon]

The gap CNO a couple of years ago on a sport touring bike that was a 650 B conversion running 38 mm tires. It can get muddy in some spots. I was glad I had fenders.

I spread the load between the front and rear

Ride would havebeen a little better with my loaded touring bike, but there was nothing dangerous or sketchy about this sport bike

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From: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com <rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Kevin Lindsey <lindse...@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 7, 2026 3:56:58 PM
To: RBW Owners Bunch <rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [RBW] All-Rounder as a Loaded Tourer

 

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[Kevin Lindsey]

I have a 1983 Specialized Expedition, a wonderful touring bike but one limited to 38mm tires.  Given that this ride will be in the Spring, I'm concerned that the 38s won't handle the mud well, which is why I'm thinking of doing it on the AR.

Kevin

[J G]

Would help to know your weight and how much weight you plan to carry with what front/rear distribution, but my at a glance reaction is good to go.

I have toured on the Expedition and it is very stout and loves a loaded ride.  Based on how overbuilt the Expedition was, I cannot imagine any concerns with rail trail touring on an AR unless you are really big and carry the kitchen sink.  YMMV and all that.

-Justus 

Mpls, MN

[Kevin Lindsey]

Hi Justus.

I'm 170 and plan to do the route using B&Bs, i.e. no camping equipment and relatively little food, so the weight won't be as great as it could be.

I think this should work without any problems; I'll install a triple crank and maybe buy a heftier rear rack, but the AR seems plenty solid enough for the job.  However, this'll be my first time touring by bike, and I don't want any surprises.

Many thanks,

Kevin

[Stephen Durfee]

Hi Kevin - funny you should mention it, because I was just making plans with my son to do a GAP/C&O ride, but our trip will probably be in the summer.  Either way, though, I'll be riding my AR. It carries loads like a champ....in one of the earliest issues of the Riv Reader, Grant was quoted as saying "it's perfect for that."  Here's a shot from last year's trip to the Erie Canal.

[Addison Wilhite]

I've used my AR for multiple tours with various pannier/load
configurations. It's the orange AR in the photos from these
posts/write ups from a couple of tours that might be useful data
points to see how I distributed weight/bags, etc. YMMV

https://www.addisonwilhite.com/rambler/category/bike-tour

Kind regards,
Addison
in Albania

On Thu, Jan 8, 2026 at 6:58 AM Stephen Durfee <chefd...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi Kevin - funny you should mention it, because I was just making plans with my son to do a GAP/C&O ride, but our trip will probably be in the summer. Either way, though, I'll be riding my AR. It carries loads like a champ....in one of the earliest issues of the Riv Reader, Grant was quoted as saying "it's perfect for that." Here's a shot from last year's trip to the Erie Canal.
>

> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/b83d5cf2-a004-4af9-aac8-df2d60f88143n%40googlegroups.com.

[ANDREW LETTON]

When I bought my (used) A/R in 2006, I was discussing it with Grant, and he said something like, “It’s basically a fancy Atlantis.”

You’ll be fine touring with it, but in my experience, it’s best not to overload the front end. When I did, it tended to shimmy pretty easily. 

cheers,

Andrew in Sydney

(Painstakingly pecked out on my iPhone; please pardon my brevity and tpyos.)

On 8 Jan 2026, at 8:57 am, Kevin Lindsey <lindse...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Kevin Lindsey]

Andrew: When you say that the AR tended to shimmy when the front end was overloaded, was that when you were using a rack bag, front panniers (or both)?  I can see shimmy being worse with a heavy load up high (on a rack), but would have thought that carrying a load down low in front wheel panniers would not have had the same effect.

All: Greatly appreciate the feedback.

Best regards,

Kevin

[M D Smith]

Hi Kevin-

An All-Rounder isThe PERFECT bike for loaded touring! Here’s mine from many, many moons ago:

I must note, however, when you say: “(T)his'll be my first time touring by bike, and I don't want any surprises.”

Goodness Gracious- surprises are the *best* thing about bike touring!! Every moment and every pedal turned will bring one surprise after another.

Rest assured that your AR will be a more than worthy steed!

Cheers, and enjoy the ride-

Mike in Somerville, MA

[Kevin Lindsey]

Hi Mike.

Did you ever experience shimmy or other unpleasantnesses when fully loaded?

As for surprises: there are good surprises and bad surprises.  Good ones are either enjoyable or fixable.  Bad ones (e.g. frame failure from overloading) are neither, and it's those that I'm hoping to avoid.

All the best,

Kevin

[Mike Smith]

Hi Kevin-

The All-Rounder (aka "Colonel Mustard") generally behaves very well when fully loaded.  I think it's a combo of 26" wheels and the low bottom bracket that give the bike a very stabile feeling: almost like you are *in* the bike, rather than *on* the bike.

That said, there was ONE time I remember feeling any shimmy. I was on a tour along the Great Lakes and I was on a long descent from a high bluff down to a camping area on the shore. I decided to let 'er fly and see how fast I could get. As I was approaching 40 mph (by far the fastest I've ever been on a bike,) I did start to feel a bit of a shimmy.

I had no business going that speed, so I touched the brakes to scrub off a little speed and rested my knee on the top tube and the oscillations stopped immediately. 

I've never felt the need to go that fast again, and I haven't experienced any more shimmies.

Cheers- Mike

On Jan 8, 2026, at 8:54 AM, Kevin Lindsey <lindse...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Andrew Letton]

Hi Kevin,

Some more context: My A/R is a 65cm frame and has 700c wheels and Berthoud 50mm stainless fenders. I was probably running 35mm Paselas back then, though I've experienced it with fatter tires as well. My feeling is that the load affects it more than tire size. (Lateral oscillation of the fender may have contributed to the shimmy.)

I think I had a densely loaded Riv big boxy handlebar bag and a small Nitto rack with all sorts of stuff strapped to it on the front and a big Nitto rear rack with large panniers and a sleeping bag and tent strapped on top (Or maybe the tent was strapped on the front; I don't remember, as it was nearly 20y ago)

The shimmy I experienced would happen when I tried to ride no-handed or one-handed with a very light touch. The tendency to shimmy increased with front load and decreased with speed, and I never experienced the shimmy that Mike mentioned at high speed...and I like to descend fast! I don't think I ever had any shimmy with both hands on the bars.

FWIW, I am not able to ride no-handed, even with no bags on the bike.

I hope that helps!

Cheers,

Andrew in Sydney

https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/da1ce7d9-94c2-4c29-b432-9db1ed4921efn%40googlegroups.com

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[Kevin Lindsey]

Hi Andrew.

Thanks for the information.  Given that your frame is so much bigger than mine, I would expect it to handle a bit differently, but maybe not.  At the end of the day, I'll just have to load it up, take it out, and see how it behaves.

All the best,

Kevin

[EverRed]

I've done a few tours on my 59cm 26" wheels A/R.  When fully loaded it is a little noodely but in a good way - it still handles fine and seems to soak up the bumps better.  However, if I use a handlebar bag with more than a few ounces in it, I get awful shimmy at about 15 mph and higher.  I like a handlebar bag so I now use a different bike for touring.

Enjoy your ride!

John

Before I realised the handlebar bag was the problem.

[Kevin Lindsey]

Hi John.

Thanks for the input.  Your handlebar bag rides high; I wonder if it'd still be a problem if you were to lower it a bit.  I'm planning to install a handlebar bag, but it'll sit on a rack down closer to the wheel; that'll lower the center of gravity a bit and might let it ride better.  I had a Hunqapillar - the model of stability - many years ago that also got strangely unstable when I attached a Klikfix bag that rode high. 

We'll see.  

All the best,

Kevin