New tourer with a triple chainset

[johnseakayaks]

Are new tourers available with a triple chainset?

If so please recommend some.

I am 52 and am used to touring but am unfit (about 17 stones) and have the beginnings of osteoarthritis in my knees. My steel Peugeot is heavy and has a slightly twisted frame. I only use three gears because despite many repairs it is hard work, (especially going up hills) even with the Shimano Sora chainring which was fitted as a third chainring many years ago.

I was thinking of buying a Ridegback Radium but have been told it has only two chainrings and insufficient mudgard clearance. The Claud Butler Regent has also been suggested but I think that only has two chainrings.

I mainly want the bike for CTC day tours up to about 60 miles a day in England and for non CTC weekend trips in the UK when I could use my existing rack. Superb. Takes up to 25kg.
John Osborne E-mail: johnkayaker@johnosborrnejournalist.co.uk.

[johnseakayaks]

It may not make much difference whether my new bike has two or three chainrings. The Ridgeback Radium has two chainrings and eight speeds. My Peugeot has three chainrings but because of various mechanical problems I only use three gears. So one way of looking at this issue is that a new lighter bike with a transmission that works is bound to make it easier for me to get up hills than a worn out bike that usually judders and sometimes jams when I change gear.

John Osborne

[531colin]

Ridgeback tourers http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/panorama
Dawes tourers http://www.dawescycles.com/c-142-touring.aspx

Also Edinburgh bikes, Claud butler, and loads more

[snibgo]

531colin is modest, so I'll say it: I fancy the Spa tourer. I've never tried it out, but on paper it ticks almost all my boxes. (The only exception being that I'd want a smaller lowest gear. Quite possibly a smaller chainring could be fitted.)

[pete75]

531colin is modest, so I'll say it: I fancy the Spa tourer. I've never tried it out, but on paper it ticks almost all my boxes. (The only exception being that I'd want a smaller lowest gear. Quite possibly a smaller chainring could be fitted.)

It does tick a lot of boxes - most apart from the sloping cross bar.

[g00se]

Another alternative:

http://www.konaworld.com/road.cfm?content=sutra#1

[531colin]

If you will stick to the tarmac and don't want to go camping, an "audax" bike may be OK. Bit lighter/faster than a tourer, but beware of some which don't have really low gears or decent mudguard clearance.

[Wesh-Laurence]

The main issue you have is getting a bike with the correct gear ratios for YOU.

It's not a question of having a double or triple crankset or someone recommending a bike.

I am assuming that you are only using the lowest 3 gears on your current bike. You therefore need a bike with lower gear ratios than the one you have currently. Check the lowest gear on your current bike. How many teeth are on the smallest chainring and on the largest rear cassette sprocket? You need a bike with a smaller chainring and/or larger rear cassette sprocket.

Generally speaking most touring bikes will have road (high) gear ratios a good bike shop will be able to reduce the gearing by replacing the chain, rear cassette and/or chainset.

I had the same problem and built my own touring bike with mountain bike gear ratios (22T chainring and 32T rear sprocket).

[Big T]

Almost all new tourers come with triple chainsets nowadays. My Ridgeback Panorama came with 46/36/26 at the front and 11/32 9 speed at the rear. My wife's Dawes Horizon has the same, but it's only 8 speed at the rear. Whilst it's great for loaded touring, I find that the ratios are too widely spaced for day to day riding, so I'm thinking of changing the cassette for a road version (12-25) on mine, to get a narrower range with smaller jumps between gears.

[aide555]

You could go with a mtb crankset if you need really low gears if you use bar end shifters (aka my galaxy) that should do then trick

[JohnCKirk]

Almost all new tourers come with triple chainsets nowadays. My Ridgeback Panorama came with 46/36/26 at the front and 11/32 9 speed at the rear. My wife's Dawes Horizon has the same, but it's only 8 speed at the rear.

Same here: my new Roberts bike has 48/36/26 at the front and 11/32 10-speed at the back.

[freeflow]

I built a bike for my wife last year using standard shimano STI (R700) shifters, ultegra front mech and XTR chainset (42, 32, 24) and rear mech with 11-36 cassette. The front mech is not optimal for the chainset but it seems to work without problems.

I'd also suggest having a play around on the Sheldon Brown gear calculator. This allows you to see that smaller chainrings with a narrower cassette gives a more finely graded gearing system. e.g. on the 11-36 cassette above, the sprockats on the cassette and you start overlapping with the next chain ring. With an 11-25 cassette you get around 7 sprockets before you get overlap.

[al_yrpal]

I built my own based on a Halfords Subway - £280. This gives you a 13.5 kg bike with 18" - 105" gears on a triple. With 18" you can get up hills you can't tackle with Galaxy type tourers and 105" gives you a very respectable loping top gear. It also gives you cable operated discs, with 17st and a touring load, definately an asset. All you need to add is decent mudguards a Topeak disc rack and bottle cage, which costs £80, and you are in business with a really solid stable tourer that will fly along. With its 26" wheels and wide comfortable but quick tyres its capable of tackling a bit of rough stuff too. If your fitness is poor, the Subways' gearing will keep you peddling.

After a couple of years with mine I have enhanced it with butterfly bars for reduced vibration and more hand positions, Panaracer Pasela TG tyres giving better puncture protection and more speed, a Brooks Flyer saddle for greater bum comfort and handbuilt 36 spoke wheels with a dynohub from Spa giving reassuring strength and reliability and the ability to charge my phone when cycle camping. You don't have to conform to the drop handlebarred tourer formula to get a decent bike. Stooping over on the hoods if you have a big gut is no fun! Like you, I was overweight, valued low gearing, stiffness and stability and most important of all, comfort, during long periods in the saddle. What I have described will give you just that. Neither do you need to spend a small fortune, my bike has cost a lot less than £700 altogether and weighs in at 14.25 kg all up.


The Subway by Alyrpal, on Flickr

Al