Touring bike recommendations??

Hi there,

I know this is not a single or fixie thread but hey, I ride ss so it`s ok??
I want to get into touring and have been perusing and asking friends about touring reccies. when I say touring I mean like a few days and week long holidays and so on.

Some say steel some say aluminium, the galaxy, surly (lht) and some treks come up. I like the looks of the Cinelli Gazetta but not sure if there might be something a wee bit nicer ..?
I can buy at trade price as I have a contact, therefore I can spend 600 ish which would maybe suggest 1100/1200 retail price

Any top tips ??
p.s. I`m a lady..! if that makes a difference to recommendations

Cheers in advance!

I have a dawes galaxy and it's been all round the country. It's very sturdy, flys down hills like a beaut with 2 full bags on. It's a real work horse and very reliable. Not the coolest bike but it deserves more respect than it gets. I also have a surly cross check set up with fat tires and 8 speed shimano nexus. That's also a good tourer but 27 gears wins every time for convenience and feel.

If I went for a new tourer I'd probably get a second hand Mercian. My ex-wife didn't like the ladies dawes galaxy frame feel. Hewitt cheviot made good tourers I think. Anyway sounds like you know your stuff pretty well already. I wouldn't got for trek. The cinelli looks cool but campagnolo just costs so much to replace if it's going to be well used and campy doesn't actually shift any better than shimano, it's snobbery really. I personally would get a cheap second hand steel frame from a classic builder, get a nice upright handlebar setup so you can be comfortable all day long and finish it off with some nice velo orange accessories. But that's how I roll. Also once you've experienced a dynamo in combination with busch and muller lights you'll wish all your bikes had them. I cycled 15 miles across isle of Islay last week in the dark and it lit up the road 2/3 as well as the cars I encountered. Made my riding partner with her weak lights feel very safe. sp dynamo from sjs cycles have as little resistance as the son dynamos but are 1/3 the cost http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/sp-dynamo-sv-8-front-hub-32h-prod29697/

Good luck

cheers beenbrun!!

I was thinking about getting a nice frame and then building it up a bit more to my spec but I am wee bit novice, having reading your post though I might be tempted to do that. Some of the stuff in the shops have shitty components for the price like.
I think I7m gonna test ride a galaxy and see how i feel.

Ive never heard of busch and muller, will check. wish I had thought before I did the Dunwich D, had to stick close to those with more superior lights shall we say ;)

A Jamis Aurora? Not sure how the 2015 models stack up against the Galaxy's current components. The Galaxy is a good bike but used to be better value on the components front.

Another option would be the Genesis Tour de Fer.

You don't need to go for a full blown touring bicycles, a budget hybrid would do more than enough, especially since you're only going for a short while.

Ridgeback Meteor for instance can make a decent tourer without spending silly money, it already come with rack, mudguard, puncture resistant tyres, wide range gear, and strong wheels for £360;

hmm food for thought.cheers

I think I might like the idea of longer touring just after I've passed the weekend and week stage so maybe just buy a tourer instead of buying something now then upgrading. too lazy!

btw...

490 for Galaxy world tour is pricey second hand (2000`s) ? got Shim deore derailleurs/ cranks

i'm such a novice... ;$

not bad spec..?
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/jamis/aurora-elite-2014-touring-bike-ec054710

That does look like a good value bike. 631 tubing, 105, ritchey, decent if heavy rims.
especially if you can get trade deal.

Here's an idea, go touring on your current bike.

Read: http://tomsbiketrip.com/how-to-go-cycle-touring-for-the-price-of-a-round-of-drinks-part-1/

the guy (admittedly a fairly experience tourer) gets a bike and all the required kit for £25 all in, then uses it for LEJOG. Since then he's given the whole setup away for free, and its currently being used to cross Spain.

Building up a bike is great fun but you'll be hard pushed to do it from just a frame and then bits for less than £700. If you want something worthwhile. Best to buy something that has most bits you want on it already and hopefully right braze ons for rack etc then buy new gearing system after checking compatibility. Well that's what I would do because downtube shifters are a nightmare in day to day reality and just don't feel safe in comparison to modern shifters. You learn all sorts of things like rear frame wheel spacing is sometimes less than 130mm width on older bikes which cause problems.

Danns and edscoble are right though you could just use your existing bike and get a rack that will fit on a bike without those braze-ons. Only a mug would go touring with a backpack on though, life's too short.

The Genesis Tour de Fer does look decent

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercian-Touring-King-Competition-/271627848370 good bike 20" if you're not too small and don't mind a tob tube

I have a Civia Kingfield, got it from Triton Cycles for £650. They have some interesting bikes here!
http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/road-bikes-c5/touring-bikes-c41#sort3

Or, as Edscoble says, tour on what you have! I did my longest tour on my SS Pompino (LEJOG)

Best not to go for Civia, they have quality control issues.

@hippy request move to correct subforum.

2nd vote for tour on what you have (if it's suitable).

My other half and I did a 3 day trip to the Isle of Wight with Axiom Streamliner racks and 30 litre panniers. I was on an Allez, she on a steel Ribble road bike.

Swapped out the rear for a 28s tyres with a bit of tread, and the front to 25s.

Loads of fun.

Moved and fixed spelling.

Cheer.

That is a really interesting read. Definitely goes to show you shouldn't get too bogged down in all the technical kit.

Edinburgh cycles' own range of bikes always get good reviews and seem decently priced.

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/browse/revolution-products/revolution-bikes

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/246092/#comment10056671

Here is a link to my 'current project' post about my Silver Sunbeam.

I realise this is probably not going to be much use to Ktoi, but I hope it will be of general interest to anyone who hasn't seen it already.

Although I built this bike specifically for touring, I'm really supporting those people above who suggest riding what you've got; that's certainly how my Dad thought about it when he was using this frame for touring. In a sense it was 'what I had' since almost everything came from my stock of old rubbish.

Because of other commitments I've only done the one four day trip mentioned in the earlier post, but I've used the Sunbeam a fair amount since then and I hope to tour on it next year. I have found it satisfactory and quite enjoyable to ride - as long as you're not in a hurry.

For me, the essential ingredients for a touring bike are:

• A comfortable position,
  
• A rigid luggage rack to support panniers. Years ago I used a saddlebag and believed it to be the best method for carrying luggage, but now I much prefer panniers since the weight is lower, making the bike handle better.
  
• Mudguards. It will rain, especially if you haven't prepared for it.
  
• Suitably low gearing. The Sunbeam, with its basic Sturmey AW is not really adequate here, since the hub only gives a reduction of 25% from direct drive ( my set up 62.4" direct, bottom 46.8" and top 83.2"). However, I haven't had to walk...yet.
  -Finally, everything must be in reasonably good condition and adjusted to suit the rider.
  
  

Some touring pictures:

.