A
touring bicycle is a
bicycle designed or modified to handle
bicycle touring. To make the bikes sufficiently robust, comfortable and capable of carrying heavy loads, special features may include a long wheelbase (for ride comfort and to avoid pedal-to-luggage conflicts), frame materials that favor flexibility over rigidity (for ride comfort), heavy duty
wheels (for load capacity), and multiple mounting points (for
luggage racks,
fenders, and
bottle cages).