I am ultimately looking to have a bike that is good for both everday commuting and touring with panniers/racks long distance with camping. From what I've read on the internet steel frames are more forgiving and ride smoother. The guy at my local bike shop tells me aluminum frames have more flex and ride better. I don't know if he's just trying to make a sale (Giant dealer) or to trust him, unfortunately the staff there are all just racers not tourers. If you can recommend any brands/models to check out that'd be good. From my research thus far I am in love with Co Motion bikes, just not the price! I'm looking at $1000 max for a good touring bike. Thanks!
I've owned a few different bikes-- Aluminum (light but very stiff), steel (slightly heavier but far more comfortable) and Carbon Fiber (high end racing bike, extremely comfortable ride and very light). For touring and commuting I don't use the racing bike-- steel all the way. Plus, you can find great steel frames that are built for touring (surly has some great frames that I love) with attachments for all of the add-ons you'd want. At the point where you are touring you are carrying so much extra weight (panniers, bags, spare parts, etc) that an extra 5 pounds of frame weight is negligible.
looks like the Americano series are equipped with tandem wheelset. That's heavy duty touring. I believe he is trying to make a sale. If aluminum flexes, then the result will be a crack. If steel decide to fail, it bends from fatigue, aluminum just snaps when it fails. Steel gives you a much noticeable warning. So...steel bends. It flexes when you put a lot of stress, but when you are touring, it's not likely your going to go all out like racers do when they pursue. Steel will absorb more of the road vibrations and shock. You might want to try a different shop if all they do is pitch Giant brand. BTW Giant is THE world largest bicycle manufacturer. They build bikes for different companies besides their own. So you never know where or what brand your really riding. There are many touring bikes out, but if you go by manufacturers then it is only limited to a few by brands. There is more options when you want a racer. Remember when choosing a touring bike to choose one with a good wheelset. I like wheels with 36 spokes or more, they take the brunt of the weight (rack, pannier, other accessories).
Surly LHT Surly Cross Check - suitable for lighter touring Soma Saga Salsa Fargo - heavy duty rig Salsa Casseroll - for light touring Kona Sutra - another mtb-based tourer Bob Jackson World Tour Nothing is as cheap as the nashbar alum frame. No reason to completely rule out aluminum options, though. Steel offers a nice ride, but frames made with nicer steel tubes are probably out of your price range. Aluminim can be plenty strong, especially if it's a hybrid-type frame. For example, Trek's 7.3 would be a fine platform for building a touring bike, yet the frame is aluminum...but plenty strong...and the quality of the frame will exceed an LHT. If you've got to have steel and don't have much funds available, even for a $450 frameset, consider sourcing an older (late-80s to mid-90s) rigid mtb. These had longer chainstays and wheelbases than modern mountain bikes, and the tubing and construction was naturally durable. Yeah, I see your point #2, but if wishes were horses...
The two previous bikes lack brazeons for rack mounts up front, so they don't seem suitable for heavy, loaded touring expeditions. But, I don't see any models by Giant that have front rack brazeons. Actually, their forks all appear to be carbon/composite. I agree that the Co-Motion products look great, but their prices do seem a bit high for a welded frame, even if it is made in the US. The Surly LHT would make an extremely rugged, steel tourer. But building it up to your desired specs would likely put you way over your limit.
I've been on an aluminum frame (Trek 1220) for about 16,000 miles and I find it somewhat unforgiving. I test drove, after buying my bike, a steel frame and I thought it was more comfortable. The thing about the aluminum frame is that it corners GREAT due to its rigidity. Find a bike shop that will let you take a tester for about a 1/2 hour and take the bike for a test drive on a somewhat irregular road. You're investing a lot so, you should test drive.
