Defining cycle touring...

[PH]

No agreement, so it's no wonder the Cyclists' Touring Club wasn't a well understood name

[horizon]

... Bikepacking for older people!

It's a shame about this term as it might have been useful for describing off-road adventuring. It seems though (AFAICS) that it is now being used for any kind of loaded cycling and overnighting. For me it makes the distinction between using the bike to get close to nature off the beaten track and cycle touring which to me means going from place to place (mostly by road) and seeing what there is. It also makes sense of specialist bikepacking equipment.

For me there is a huge gulf even between cycle touring and Audax.

[meic]

For me there is a huge gulf even between cycle touring and Audax.

I am not alone in slipping a few Audaxes into my cycle tours.

[crazydave789]

... Bikepacking for older people!

It's a shame about this term as it might have been useful for describing off-road adventuring. It seems though (AFAICS) that it is now being used for any kind of loaded cycling and overnighting. For me it makes the distinction between using the bike to get close to nature off the beaten track and cycle touring which to me means going from place to place (mostly by road) and seeing what there is. It also makes sense of specialist bikepacking equipment.

For me there is a huge gulf even between cycle touring and Audax.

yeah the confusion is obviously there because people now refer to bike packing with panniers.

I think any cycling with luggage is bike packing really the term has just been 'modernised', the tour is what you do with it.

just think the CTC could have been the British Bikepacking Club

[pwa]

Cycle Touring is a recreational non-competitive journey by bike that happens over two or more days. That's it. It can be with or without baggage. It can involve camping, sleeping rough or staying in a posh hotel.

[iandriver]

The confusion probably begins with the dictionary definition of touring having many meanings http://www.dictionary.com/browse/touring as one example.

I prefer to tour fixed base for a couple of days, move on a good distance and fixed base again for a couple of days rather than daily point to point. I like to see an area well for a couple of days then move on. I do day tours, which is what Audax is to me (others wont recognise this, it's about the challenge), a route devised by a local that is unknown to me that I am interested. Lots and lots of sub-headings.....

[horizon]

The confusion probably begins with the dictionary definition of touring having many meanings http://www.dictionary.com/browse/touring as one example.

Yes, I reckon we all know it's impossible to define "touring" as its meaning has become so broad (pwa has made a good attempt above IMV) but it brings out interesting views (including your own) on what people aim to do and how thwy use their bikes. It also tells us how cycling is changing.

[mjr]

Cycle Touring is a recreational non-competitive journey by bike that happens over two or more days. That's it. It can be with or without baggage. It can involve camping, sleeping rough or staying in a posh hotel.

It's a shame you hate single-day cycle touring.

[meic]

That comment falls below your normal low standard.

To assume that pwa's entire world consists of two mutually exclusive spheres,
a) that which is cycle touring
b) everything else, which he must hate.

[bikepacker]

... Bikepacking for older people!

It's a shame about this term as it might have been useful for describing off-road adventuring. It seems though (AFAICS) that it is now being used for any kind of loaded cycling and overnighting. For me it makes the distinction between using the bike to get close to nature off the beaten track and cycle touring which to me means going from place to place (mostly by road) and seeing what there is. It also makes sense of specialist bikepacking equipment.

For me there is a huge gulf even between cycle touring and Audax.

Long before the current off road camping trend I was using the nickname "bikepacker" for my totally on road cycle tours. Ortlieb had it before me for their panniers because that's where I got it from.

[Vorpal]

Riding my bike to the cake.

[Brucey]

anything that is not racing is arguably a form of touring.

cheers

[pwa]

Cycle Touring is a recreational non-competitive journey by bike that happens over two or more days. That's it. It can be with or without baggage. It can involve camping, sleeping rough or staying in a posh hotel.

It's a shame you hate single-day cycle touring.

I love single day rides, but don't call them touring. It is stringing one day after another that for me makes it a tour.

[meic]

anything that is not racing is arguably a form of touring.

cheers

Why exclude racing?

Tour de France, Tour of Yorkshire and even the Tour of Pembrokeshire*.

*even if it isnt a race those at the front are racing.

[iandriver]

anything that is not racing is arguably a form of touring.

Would probably add commuting to that. That really doesn't feel like touring to me sometimes. Kind of puts us in the purpose is the ride and scenery not the destination type territory. Touring, a means of discovery perhaps.