Touring bike alternatives?

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
AaronR
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Joined: 18 Jul 2014, 8:12pm

Touring bike alternatives?

Post by AaronR »

Looking to undertake a long ride next year over 10/12 days - won't mention it by name as I know there's a section just for that particular end to end trip

I'm selling my current ride to purchase something more suitable, I could go new as its a few years since I have used the works scheme to get a new bike, but it needs to be something that can then be used for a daily commuter and weekend trails for a few years to justify that sort of expenditure

Looking at all the current off the peg tourers there appears to be very little between them - long stable wheelbase, steel or heavy gauge aluminium, most 700c, with disk brakes just pushing the price up over tried and tested canti/V brakes

As an alternative I've been looking at mid 90's mountain bikes - similar geometry, nearly all have rack mounts, bottle mounts, guard mounts, QR wheels, wide range gearing

Am I just being tight? For £150-200 I can probably find a well specced, clean Raleigh/Specialized/Peugot, service it, new tyres, tubes, racks etc and until you got close it would look like a new Thorn/Kona Sutra/Surly Long Haul/etc etc....

Any suggestions for a new off the peg that might win my heart? Or should I stick to my first instinct and go cheap?
Sooper8
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Joined: 20 Aug 2012, 7:53am

Re: Touring bike alternatives?

Post by Sooper8 »

Yeah, I'm a tight git too and the decent second hand bike is always my first choice.

I pulled a '94 Univega hybrid style bike from a skip the other day and that will make a perfectly nice 'tourer' for the reasons you point out above (I posted pics in the mtb section if interested)

However, most of these cheap bikes I find have 'issues' and need a little bit spent on them etc.

I really do hope one day to have some money and I would definitely go for a new bike (albeit, the previous years model or whatever to get the best price etc)
I think the luxury of a new one that doesn't need tinkering with too much, and maybe even has a warranty would be such a glorious option.

Sorry, not much help with your question, but I do get where your question is coming from, and see both sides of the dilemma.
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Spinners
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Location: Port Talbot

Re: Touring bike alternatives?

Post by Spinners »

Back in the Spring I bought a Fuji touring bike from Evans in Bristol and love it. It cost £550 and I had £50 of free accessories as part of a promotion they were doing which allowed me to put some quality mudguards on it and buy a few tools for it too. It rides great, looks great and the bar end levers are really growing on me as I've never used them before. The down side is the weight as it's a bit of a 'boat anchor' but I'm really not bothered too much at the moment and I'm hoping to tour on it next year.

However, in recent weeks I've noticed that Evans' stock has dwindled to a few oddball sizes and now it's completely out of stock although I've read that Fuji produce them in batches and hope to see it reappear.
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bikerwaser
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Joined: 26 Aug 2012, 9:50am

Re: Touring bike alternatives?

Post by bikerwaser »

How Far Can You Go On A £10 Touring Bike? (Answer: A Surprisingly Long Way)


http://tomsbiketrip.com/how-far-can-you ... ring-bike/
gbnz
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Joined: 13 Sep 2008, 10:38am

Re: Touring bike alternatives?

Post by gbnz »

AaronR wrote:
Any suggestions for a new off the peg that might win my heart? Or should I stick to my first instinct and go cheap?


Any bike can be toured on, it simply depends on whether you want to buy a new bike. If you're competent from a mechanical point of view, I'd simply buy an old bike and ensure it's working *I.e. my recent two weeks in France and back North from the channel, was preceded by a new back wheel, two tyres, a tube, chain and cassette (The existing parts being fine for a 100 mile day ride, too worn for a 1000 miles away from the tool box and cheap online parts). I was quite pleased to experience a snapped spoke, a failed tyre and the chain slipping off a worn cassette in the two weeks prior to departure, proved my gut instinct had been right :D

Though if you've got the cash, a brand new bike could be the easier option.
Dudley Manlove
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Joined: 18 Jun 2009, 10:41am

Re: Touring bike alternatives?

Post by Dudley Manlove »

I lot of people have gone down the old MTB route, and if you have the inclination they world great as tourers. The only thing, is it can end up a money sink if you need to refurb it (i.e. racks, tyres, maybe back wheel, different bars, mudguards, etc, etc) but if you have the bits laying around or carefully select one that doesn't need too much doing it.
rualexander
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Re: Touring bike alternatives?

Post by rualexander »

bikerwaser wrote:How Far Can You Go On A £10 Touring Bike? (Answer: A Surprisingly Long Way)


http://tomsbiketrip.com/how-far-can-you ... ring-bike/


Or even starting with no bikes, no clothes, and no money. The book of these guys' trip is an enjoyable read.

http://www.georgemahood.com/lejog.htm
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foxyrider
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Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Touring bike alternatives?

Post by foxyrider »

Have you looked at the 'allroad' machines? nice stuff from Giant, Trek, Specialized and even Raleigh!

You could do that particular ride on a quite spritely bit of kit so a sportive style would easily be okay and make a nice commuter too.
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
Galloper
Posts: 217
Joined: 6 Dec 2012, 2:21pm

Re: Touring bike alternatives?

Post by Galloper »

A couple of slightly different bikes for you to consider.

Dawes Karakum £700 and comes complete with front and rear racks. I've had mine for about 6 years and find it very good for touring and general work. It copes well with poor road surfaces and I find the butterfly bars comfortable.

Edinburgh Bicycle Co-Op Revolution tourers. Three bikes in the range from £500 - £800 with the top two having disc brakes. I have one of their earlier cx bikes which, I believe, uses the same frame as the base model tourer, although that may have changed with later models. It's a very useful all rounder and one of those rare bikes that is better than the sum of its parts.
ossie
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Joined: 15 Apr 2011, 7:52pm

Re: Touring bike alternatives?

Post by ossie »

AaronR wrote:Am I just being tight? For £150-200 I can probably find a well specced, clean Raleigh/Specialized/Peugot, service it, new tyres, tubes, racks etc and until you got close it would look like a new Thorn/Kona Sutra/Surly Long Haul/etc etc....



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Last edited by ossie on 12 Jul 2015, 10:51pm, edited 1 time in total.
whoof
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Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 2:13pm

Re: Touring bike alternatives?

Post by whoof »

I've had my current tourer for 12 years and have used it every year for a two week European camping tour plus various others without any hitches. Based on a 1990's Claude Butler MTB bought from e-bay for £45. Some of the stuff that I've added to it (bars, stem and racks) I had in my spares box others wheels, bar end shifters, rear mech I bought. But most of this was second hand and bargin bucket (i.e DX hubs unused and boxed off e-bay). Probably spent a total of £250, a large proportion of this is saddlle and pedals which I would have had to buy even if getting a new bike.
However I am tempted by a new bike with mechanical disc brakes as I find the cantis slow me down but they are poor compared with the DP calipers on my road bikes.
I was looking at the new Genesis touring bike, I can probably get it for about £25 per month over two years on the ride to work schme.
AaronR
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Joined: 18 Jul 2014, 8:12pm

Re: Touring bike alternatives?

Post by AaronR »

The bike has been purchased :)

£60 plus £25 in diesel to go and collect it, its a 97/98 Specialized Rockhopper 17" in what can only be described as superb condition - I pumped up the tyres, gave the chain a spray and have ridden it everywhere since I got it on Tuesday evening

Just ordered rear rack and bottle cages, fitted the saddle off my old bike and will swap the pedals over later when the kids won't overhear me swearing at them to loosen them

Tyres are the next thing, although the current ones are in near perfect condition the noise they generate will ruin long distance riding! Personal Preference because I know the puncture fairy hates them would be Schwalbe Marathon Plus, but open to other suggestions for easy rolling long distance puncture resistant tyres
Neil C
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Joined: 11 Mar 2014, 6:37pm

Re: Touring bike alternatives?

Post by Neil C »

AaronR wrote:The bike has been purchased :)

.... its a 97/98 Specialized Rockhopper 17" in what can only be described as superb condition ...........

............ suggestions for easy rolling long distance puncture resistant tyres


Is that steel or ali? I have a rigid 1995 Rockhopper that is steel but I know they went ali and suspension forks soon afterwards.

I'm running on Specialized Nimbus Sport, 26x1.50. ( £18 each from Evans with CTC discount )

4800 miles this year, including a LEJOG, without any visits from the fairy.
AaronR
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Joined: 18 Jul 2014, 8:12pm

Re: Touring bike alternatives?

Post by AaronR »

Piccy here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21583957@ ... hotostream

Steel frame with a brushed metal finish, all usual quality Specialized finishing bits - I used Nimbus Armadillo on a previous bike and got the rear down to canvas without a puncture, had forgotten about them!
Neil C
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Joined: 11 Mar 2014, 6:37pm

Re: Touring bike alternatives?

Post by Neil C »

No wonder you are happy. That is a great looking bike -very similar to mine but being older mine has cantilever brakes and a quill stem.

I was too tight to pay the extra for the Armadillos but not regretting it yet!

If you change your mind I'd be happy to buy it off you :)
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