Advice for buying a second hand bike suitable for touring

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
Thermostat9
Posts: 268
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 5:38pm

Re: Advice for buying a second hand bike suitable for tourin

Post by Thermostat9 »

b1ke wrote:This is what £120 gets you in the world of Moultons these days...

Happy touring 8)

No, that is what the dreamers and fantasists on ebay think they can get for some grim rubbish. There was a similar late model, unsuspended front fork Mini advertised on there as being 'like a Speedsix' recently :roll:

In reality you can get one for £80 and use the remaining £40 to sort it out.

Although I don't think £120 is that realistic for a bike for 'touring' for someone with limited spanner-twirling skills really.
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jamesgilbert
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Joined: 5 Feb 2013, 4:25pm
Location: Lyon

Re: Advice for buying a second hand bike suitable for tourin

Post by jamesgilbert »

And don't forget to add on the cost of racks, mudguards and probably some decent tyres...
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al_yrpal
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Re: Advice for buying a second hand bike suitable for tourin

Post by al_yrpal »

I had a Subway 2 that I set up for touring for a couple of years. Never had any problem with the discs. Some people seem to struggle with adjusting discs with a single adjuster but its dead simple really. The gear range is excellent 96" to 18". You will need decent tyres, had Paselas on mine and I fitted butterfly bars because the ride was harsher than a steel bike. After a couple of years I stripped it back to standard spec and managed to sell it for about £20 less than I originally paid for it new in a Halfords special offer.

I bought a Dawes Galaxy for £46 on Ebay. By the time I fitted a triple and decent saddle, it cost quite a bit more.

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
Hamsta
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Joined: 7 Apr 2014, 6:24pm

Re: Advice for buying a second hand bike suitable for tourin

Post by Hamsta »

In the end I picked up a old Raleigh Pioneer for £25, bit beaten up but not in that bad nick, going to throw it a mate who runs a small bike business and see what he can do with it.. Read a few forums / articles about pioneers being successfully converted for touring, seems like a solid bike with fairly easily replaceable parts, and I'm hoping when i'm using it at home it will be less of a target to thieves given the fact that the pioneers aren't the coolest looking things! Thanks for all the advice guys, well impressed with the speedy response from everyone, will make sure to pop back if I have any further questions! :)
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jamesgilbert
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Location: Lyon

Re: Advice for buying a second hand bike suitable for tourin

Post by jamesgilbert »

And don't forget to post a photo when it's all ready to go :D
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bigjim
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Joined: 2 Feb 2008, 5:08pm
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Re: Advice for buying a second hand bike suitable for tourin

Post by bigjim »

Edward Enfield toured quite happily on a Raleigh Pioneer and wrote a successful few books about it.
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