The main factors that determine the type of vehicle chosen for a cycling tour are the type and condition of the roads along the entire route, an assessment of the traffic intensity, and the degree of autonomy of the upcoming event. The purpose of the cycling tour indirectly affects the choice. Considering that in most cases the route to be covered includes a variety of roads, including off-road, the best choice would be a universal bike. A mountain bike would be an ideal option for such rides, although a motocross variety (hybrid) would also work. However, if the roads are mostly hard and smooth, you can go on a road bike or even a city bike. What requirements should a universal bike meet For a tourist two-wheeled vehicle that will follow a route with different roads, it is important to meet the following requirements: A frame made of hard alloys: molybdenum or titanium. Aluminum frames are lightweight but more rigid. In conditions where you have to spend many hours at the wheel without a break, long rides on such bicycles will be more tiring. Carbon frames have an excellent weight-to-strength ratio, but such a bicycle is quite expensive. Since long bike trips rarely take place on roads with heavy traffic, it makes no sense to choose a model with a low seat. Otherwise, you cannot avoid rapid fatigue of the hands and forearms. But a steering wheel with the ability to change the position is a very desirable thing. As an alternative, you can use horns installed on a straight handlebar. If you need to have hiking paraphernalia, make sure to have a spacious trunk: a backpack may not be enough, and the load on your back will be minimized. In addition, the center of gravity will shift downwards, which will have a positive effect on controllability. Shock absorbers are also a very desirable bike accessory, but their quality is not so important, because too aggressive riding is not expected. Air suspension forks are good because they weigh little, but they require a pump for inflation. So the best option would be spring-elastomer ones that do not require maintenance. About the wheels. They should be durable, especially the rear ones. With an increased load, the appearance of eights in hiking conditions is highly undesirable, and a broken rim can generally cross out all your plans. Racing tires are not suitable for a bike trip because of their weak sidewalls, which are easily punctured when running over a sharp object. What else should be taken into account Disc brakes are champions in efficiency, especially in winter. But they significantly complicate the installation of a rear rack, so you can get by with only the front ones. And one more thing about disc brakes from the point of view of repairability. The mechanical drive can be repaired even in hiking conditions, with hydraulics things are much worse. Finally, the optimal transmission level is not the most budgetary, but not too expensive either, because speed records are of no use in a hike.