The 2017 Specialized AWOL touring bike is the most off-road capable of Specialized's adventure line of bikes. Here's a look into the newest touring models.

As someone who has everything he needs in a touring bike, I'll admit that I was a little apprehensive to spend a weekend on the new Specialized Edition AWOL Transcontinental touring bike (due out in late February). Honestly, it just didn't seem like my kind of rig. I like cantis, the feel of a traditional drivetrain and the look of a 110mm stem. Now, from what I had seen of the AWOL, it was the exact opposite and that bothered me. A lot. First of which was the riding position. The bars were level, or even higher than the saddle,…

In a lot of ways, my first Geekhouse Woodville touring bike served as a catalyst for me taking cycling more seriously. It was my first custom bike and provided me with ample motivation to just get out there and ride. The first major tour being Portland to SF and from there, I took it on numerous other trips here in Austin. When it was stolen last year, I began planning out a replacement with Geekhouse. There were some things I wanted to change, but mostly I just missed having a touring bike to ride around on. As it sat en…

I'm going to nerd out here. Fair warning. When I see a bike like the Kona Sutra LTD hit the internet, I feel mixed emotions. Part of that has to do with my love of the now-dead "adventure" category Specialized launched a few years back, beginning with the AWOL. I had some good memories on that bike and it feels like eons ago. If you remember, this was around the time people started calling bicycle touring "bikepacking". The AWOL was a touring bike in the sense that it had rack mounts, clearances for, at the time, big tires and it…

With its well thought out specification, the 2018 Fuji Touring is on my list of 8 favourite touring bikes.

A complete list of the bikes raced by each team in the 2024 Tour de France, along with the groupsets, wheels and finishing kit they're fitted with.

I love well-used 26” rigid MTBs from yesteryears, you love them, everyone loves them, they are the best. Liam’s steed is no different with its glorious mane of tattered Newbaum’s tape flowing in the wind is something to see. At first, when I saw it, I thought, “oh rad an updated Rock Hopper” to which I was quickly corrected that, “It was a Rock COMBO.” How could I make such a mistake, this was no run of the mill 1980s 26er. This was a Rock Combo, the first gravel bike? First performance Hybrid? Since there were only 500 made I…

Bike built with Shimano Deore RD-M6000-GS rear derailleur, Shimano Deore FC-M5100 crankset, Sim Works Super Yummy tires, Dia-Compe DC980 brakes, Unknown Sunris

Bike built with Shimano Deore LX RD-M560 rear derailleur, WTB VelociRaptor tires, Tektro CR720 brakes, Surly Sunrise handlebar, Sim Works Bubbly by MKS pedals,

I travelled 170 miles to buy this '83 Specialized Expedition from an affable old gent who was duly proud of her but also willing to admit that he'd never do her justice himself. Apparently he'd purchased the frame, rear wheel and some parts at a garage sale for just $10 (!!!) To anyone familiar with Expedition lore, this is of course the find you (wet?) dream of. By the time this beauty was passed on to me, it had been built up as a comfort-minded townie. Of course, I had plans of my own for it... As it happened, I had a good friend who was on the hunt for an upgrade/replacement for his '84 Univega Gran Turismo, which had suffered a front-end collision. And as it happened, this one was just his size. Kismet. My friend likes his drop bars, and fortunately the previous owner was nice enough to have included the original cockpit with the purchase, so on it went, with the modification of modern aero and cross brake levers. The frame was stripped down and received a thorough cleaning and polishing. I was able to convince my friend to make the change from skinny tires to fatties and I chose the folding version of Panaracer's Pasela Tourguards in 35mm width. I think they look and ride great and Anthony seems to agree. Also visible here are the "vintage" XTR cantilevers that were hell to set up. I'd been saving an old Takagi XT triple crank that I'd stripped and polished and this seemed like the perfect occasion for it. The rear wheel and bottom bracket got new cartridge bearings, on went fenders, rack, and leather saddle. Et voila! For now Anthony just plans to use this beast for commuting--hence the medium-duty rear rack and plastic fenders--but don't despair: one day I'll convince him to take her for a loaded tour. At this point I've helped two of my good friends acquire and restore Specialized Expos, so I really hope that one day I'll have one of my own :)

This is the same frame that my dad rode from the Bay area to alaska and back in the early '80s. Now its my turn to put it through it's paces.

Outdoors company Poler have teamed up with renown bicycle maker Specialized for a special edition of their AWOL model. The adventurous ride is is an off road touring machine, and comes equipped with a custom front Pizza rack and Poler panniers, plus