My Raleigh Sojourn is a little small. It is a little heavy. It has a compact frame. The bike shows a lot of seatpost. The chainstays seem a bit short for a heavy tourer. I do not think it has a great touring design. When I got this frame, I thought these deficiencies could be made up. But such is not the case. It has some minuses that need to be addressed. And I don’t like the color. Sand stands out pretty well in the Midwestern United States. It is welded, not lugged. It is of Reynolds 501, not 531, which would make it lighter and more springy. All this being said, the bicycle is not a total loss. It has a special future ahead of it.
When I say the bicycle is not a total loss, I undersell it. I think it was prophetic. It has disc brakes. The cycle is light enough. The rims will accept wide tires. As will the frame. I think it will make a great bikepacking and gravel bike. There, the bikes’ touring pedigree and welded constuction will give it the strength it needs for off-road, while also providing the characteristic necessities needed for poor roads or no roads, as well as the ability to be adapted for both touring and/or bikepacking loads. The bicycle may just have the requisite versatility to do both well.
Some of the gravel and chip seal roads in my area need just such a bicycle. One is never going to be fast on these road surfaces. They are a challenge in themselves, at times. Roadless travel is a whole different beast. Sometimes bikepacking takes these road surfaces all into itself. Often, on the same ride. I am thinking that some mountain bike characteristics, like the compact frame, and some touring bike characteristics, like the disc brakes and braze-ons, will all fit neatly into this plan of use.
Heavy, fast, and light touring can all be handled by the Schwinn Passage or the Trek 950, as well as the Bianchi Avenue. I am thinking now that brifters will be applied to the Sojourn. This will allow me to do all shifting and braking from the hoods. I will now have to reconfigure my headset and stem, I think. The seatpost may be fine. The saddle may change, and be another solid leather Amazon special. I have one on the Trek 950. I am very happy with it. A new paint job, with that sand as primer/base, will be an addition we will consider in the spring, along with some bikepacking bag system which may be made from things laying around. Or readily available.
Cyclingeezer 