Suddenly a cream-and-red touring bike of no exact make sat parked in an empty parking slot a few feet away.

Yet it has many qualities of a decent touring bike, too.

They will be zipping along the road on ten-speed touring bikes, their ultralight camping gear a neat little package on the rear fender.

But do you pick a lightweight touring bike with classic drop handlebars, one that causes hearts to race and backs to ache?

The screen protection is better on both variants, though neither is quite as proficient in this respect as a conventional touring bike.

Leather-palmed track mitts and cork handlebar tape are widely reckoned to work well for drop-bar touring bikes.

They are more maneuverable than heavy touring bikes and more comfortable than agile sport bikes.

A good touring bike costs about $700.

He is armed with a 15-speed touring bike and lots of paint.

Noted bicycle authority, Sheldon Brown called the Miyata 1000 "possibly the finest off-the-shelf touring bike available at the time".