Building/Buying a Tourer

[Kizuna]

Hi All,

A newbie here but as someone that's looking to do a lot more and more touring in 2015 as I've enjoyed cycling a lot in 2014, I'm looking to get a new machine to accompany me. Already planning trips to Netherlands, Wales and then maybe Cuba so need something strong. My current Raleigh road bike just isn't up to it, it's an entry level model with poor gearing, is very twitchy with a pannier on and not sure it can take the weight either.

I was looking at a few different bikes online such as the Spa Steel Tourer and the Edinburgh Revolution range but then came across a few frames and realised I could buy the components and put together a better bike for much less money.

The only problem is, I am clueless with all technical things! So I have read good things about this frame: http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FRPXKBD2/p ... 2-frameset

After that, I'm not too sure what I need (I know what bits I need but not sure which wheels and groupset to get etc). Does anyone have any suggestions? This looks very good for the money (http://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-tia ... 76146.html) but I'll bow to more knowledgeable members on this and others.

Also, does anyone know anywhere that would put it all together for me in Brighton or London and how much I'd be looking at?

Thanks in advance!

[Graham]

Kizuna, welcome to the CTC forum.

Cost : My rule of thumb has always been that it is cheaper to buy a ( complete ) fully spec'd bike. Don't forget to cost in the considerable additional effort/cost to bring everything together.

Component choice : If you have a lot of experience, doing this can be rewarding. Without a depth of experience this can be risky - and will end up costing you even more in the end as you rectify your mistakes.

Your choice.
Alternative advice is sure to follow . . . .

[gaz]

+1 to Graham's advice.

[Brian73]

Buy second hand and upgrade worn components

These Dawes Horizons go for a lot less than the Galaxy, you can upgrade the spec to Deore LX, XT etc.... if you want to. £200 should get a tidy used one. Shimano's road and MTB stuff used to be interchangeable but the newer stuff isn't always compatible so check carefully.

[beardy]

As you fear it will not be so simple.

For example, I dont think that you can buy a groupset which will fit on that Kaffenback.
You would have to mix and match parts to go on it.

Most people who do this have already had some experience and have decided that they want something that you just can not buy off the shelf. Normally you start with something that many think is a good set-up and then (after riding it for a long time) see if anything doesnt work for you and then amend it.

[MikeF]

Welcome to the forum.
There are a lot of members with a lot more knowledge than me and loads of technical knowledge, but as one who has recently built a bike from parts, including the wheels, I would be very surprised indeed if you could build a bike cheaper using new parts than a ready made one. Remember there are lots of little items eg handle bar tape, which although don't cost much all add up. If you buy parts just because they look bargains and are clueless about technical things then you are needlessly going to waste money. My advice would be don't do it unless you know something about what you're doing, or be prepared to learn by your mistakes. For instance have you considered what gear ratios you might need eg in Wales. That front derailleur you are looking at has a 34.9mm band on clamp, whereas the Kaffenback has 29.8mm seat tube, so it depends whether the clamp has an internal ring, which I don't think it does without checking, otherwise it won't clamp on the seat tube.

The Spa Steel Tourer or Edinburgh Revolution might be a good start. If you are touring it would be a good start to learn some technical basics, so if you have a problem you know what it is, and maybe how to fix it.

[LollyKat]

I was looking at a few different bikes online such as the Spa Steel Tourer and the Edinburgh Revolution range but then came across a few frames and realised I could buy the components and put together a better bike for much less money.!

You may not save as much as you think, if anything, by the time you have bought all the other bits and pieces, and paid someone to build it up for you. And if it is a first touring bike, buying a ready-made bike means you should have a chance to ride it before deciding if you like it.

So I have read good things about this frame: http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FRPXKBD2/p ... 2-frameset

It depends on the kind of touring you want to do. It doesn't look as if there is room for mudguards unless you use narrow tyres, maybe 28mm. Also it looks to me as if there will be toe overlap at the front, which may be an issue if you are riding with heavy loads - think zig-zagging up a steep hill.

This looks very good for the money (http://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-tia ... 76146.html) but I'll bow to more knowledgeable members on this and others.

Again, it depends on the touring. 10-speed chains seem to be less durable, and the gearing may not be low enough for hilly, loaded touring. Also the brakes could be better - for (my idea of) touring I'd want cantilevers, V- or disc brakes.

IMO the frame and groupset you are thinking of might be fine for credit card, lightweight touring in good weather but if you really want to explore the wilds of Wales, or somewhere like Cuba, you'd be better off with something which will take fatter tyres and mudguards, and decent brakes.

[Brucey]

...I was looking at a few different bikes online such as the Spa Steel Tourer and the Edinburgh Revolution range but then came across a few frames and realised I could buy the components and put together a better bike for much less money.

The only problem is, I am clueless with all technical things! .....

.....Also, does anyone know anywhere that would put it all together for me in Brighton or London and how much I'd be looking at?

If you want to save money buy a ready made bike ( in the sales, it'll be cheaper still...). You should be able to buy an EBC revolution model for about £500 that will be a pretty good 'first proper tourer'.

But if you wish to adjust the 'cluelessness situation' then by all means get stuck in; don't pay someone else, buy a book and do it yourself, there is no substitute. A set of tools (good enough to build a bike after headset and BB are fitted) will cost about the same as the labour to build a bike. What cost knowledge, eh?

cheers

[bryce]

I'd factor £100 to £200 to pay for the build. Also with that frame you'd need to buy disc calipers which are around £40 each for reasonable ones then sell on the brakes that came with the groupset.

If you're going to strip your current bike for parts then it may work out OK, but it's unlikely unless you do the work yourself and you enjoy it.

If you want to keep your current bike, the the best bet is probably to buy a decent new or second hand bike which can be upgraded as things wear out and as you figure out what you want. I'll probably self build my next bike using the parts from my current one, but that's so I get the bike I want. The last upgrade of my current bike will be the frame.

Things add up. The stem I'm using cost £40, the saddle £80, the handlebars £40. Prices are from memory but should be reasonably accurate. It's possible to do cheaper, but in all three cases that was the cheapest option to accomplish the fit I wanted.

[NetworkMan]

I recently built up a tourer using the Spa steel frame. The parts list is here:-
http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=84081&start=30
... and there are costings from other people too.
The finished result is here:-
http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=81666&start=240

The total parts cost was less than a complete bike would have been from Spa but it involved sourcing parts at good prices from a variety of places which took more time than building the thing itself. I don't think I'd advise it if you haven't previously had some experience doing repair jobs - removing cranks, replacing brakes and cables, replacing cassette and chain etc. If you paid someone to assemble those parts you'd probably end up paying more than buying a complete bike from Spa.

The cheapest way to buy new is probably to buy a discontinued or previous years model. Spa have a variety of Dawes models for example. Things don't change much from year to year and the obsolete ones are always heavily discounted.

[samsbike]

That frame is not bad, as I have had one. It will take 32m Marathons and guards. I definitely has eyelets but from memory maybe only one set at the rear.

+1 to all the advice above, but if you can get buy the bb and the headset from PX then that will sort out most of the home build issues.

It should fit most shimano roadsets (as I think it came with both SRAM and Tiagra) as a full build. I think Planet X have replaced the Kaffenback with the London as its made out of aluminium and lighter.

This http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FBPXLDNRDR ... -road-bike is not a bad build at the price.

Also note that the kaffenback is disc only so if you want cantis or something else, its going to be something different.

Take a look at Edinburgh bike coop as they have good stuff.

Also I quite like this

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/jam ... lsrc=aw.ds

[irc]

I had an older Kaffenback. I used it for local riding on 700x28s. For me the clearances were too tight for bigger tyres. The newer model may be better. The quality of paint finish was poor as well. To some extent you get what you pay for.

If you want to buy a cheap touring frameset the only one choice is the Surly Long Haul Trucker at £280 or the Disc Trucker at £310 - Triton Cycles.

http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/frames-fo ... set-p10937

But for a first touring bike either second hand or maybe wait for an Edinburgh Revolution tourer in the sale. Then after a couple of seasons build exactly the right bike from the frame up.

[fastpedaller]

I had an older Kaffenback. The quality of paint finish was poor as well. To some extent you get what you pay for.

That's strange, the paint finish on the Pompino I bought this year is first class! ....... Maybe they've improved, or come from a different factory.

[Bicycler]

If you want to buy a cheap touring frameset the only one choice is the Surly Long Haul Trucker at £280 or the Disc Trucker at £310 - Triton Cycles.

http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/frames-fo ... set-p10937

Or the Spa Tourer the OP was enquiring about for £315: http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... 0s143p2984

If the OP's touring is not likely to involve lugging massive loads I'd suggest the Surly Cross Check/Straggler as an alternative.

[Kizuna]

Cheers folks. Sounds like I am best buying a new pre built tourer and if I want to learn then maybe buying a second hand frame on eBay and learning slowly from a book etc. Best of both worlds then, brand new tourer to enjoy whilst also learning new skills along the way at home so I have them with me when I go away.

I like the look of the Jamis Aurora that samsbike posted, might have to check that out in Evans. I also found this which looks like a good bargain: http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... tAod5z8AjA

The Edinburgh Revolution Explorer was ok when I tried it, the discs were amazing but the levers felt really cheap and the test one I was riding already had problems changing the front gears.