Can anyone recommend a good touring bike

I will look info this. So far I've got Midge bars ready - they cost me only £4.

I will look info this. So far I've got Midge bars ready - they cost me only £4.

The hoods position seems to be the same as a standard set of road bars to me (40/42 bar user), and thats the important bit.

OK, I'll givem a try then.
BTW WTF was that guy thinking touring the world with reduced spoke count machine built wheels??

Cox was using a Genesis Croix de Fer touring bike with the black version of the SHIMANO ALFINE complete wheel set WH-S501. The bike was also mounted with SHIMANO BR-R505 mechanical disc brakes for road bikes together with SHIMANO BL-R600 brake levers, a SHIMANO TIAGRA crankset and SHIMANO PD-5610 SPD-SL pedals. Additionally, he used a PRO carbon handlebar for his trip around the world.

Cox: “Everything was pretty reliable. I went through plenty of inner tubes obviously and a total of 11 tires as well as 11 chains too. I buckled the front disc brake in collision with a cat and replaced that on day 4 of the journey. The following needed replacing once only: brake pads, handlebar tape, sprockets, shoe plates and a gear cable. That’s it. Nothing else needed replacing at all. Very reliable stuff!”
Pretty much stock apart from the pedals and bars... Interesting choice of SPD-SL, but I suppose he was spending almost the whole time on the bike.
Is that a Brooks on it?

Yeah standard alfine rear is 36 hole. There's a 32 - but looking at the pics it looks like a 36.

Also, I'm not sure I see the point of going all maintaince-free 'n' resiliant on the actuating parts of your gears (the internal gear hub), and then going back to complexity with STi's. Would'nt a separate bar-end shifter be better and cheaper, for use with a hub gear?

As far as I know, jtek is developing a 11 speed bar end shifter.

Should I get a Van Nicholas Pioneer Rohloff frame or build a whole Surly LHT for the same money?

They're great, but the price made me cry a bit.

.

Mind you, it does look lovely.

First mockup. It looks much nicer in the flesh. Those brown alu forks are actually not that bad.

Looks like Planet X adjusted the price again. Both Amazon an Pioneer in large are now over £800.
The good news is, smaller sizes are £499.

Ps. If any of you decide to get one, don't order the headset until you see the frame.
All the info on their pages is misleading.

also just bought Van Nic Pioneer Rohloff. I thought the wheels were 700cc, but looks like 26', also fine, probably better offroad, got for my misses anyway, to get away from mountain bikes. I am interested to hear what components are good to use! Do I need the Essentric bottom bracket? Sure will be a beauty, would have loved for myself, but 499 for the 52, is to good to let go.

Look at www.harryrowland.co.uk for the best hand build wheels in UK, I will surely get a pair build with Alfine 11-speed...

can anyone recommend a front and back racks which attach to the v-brake brazes?

re the the Van Nic Pioneer - I'm having a look at the geo on the VN website

I'd generally go for c.53cm TT, and the 48cm ( ¿ I guess their sizes are done by seatpost ? ) has a 56cm TT.

So... how does the sizing come up? Would I have an Ed-Style stem stack?

1. Yeah, check the geo on the VN's website, don't look at lengths. My 55cm is more like 58 - go for a smaller one and look at the top tube, not the seat tube.

2. If you buy one, wait for the frame to arrive, measure it and then buy the headste. They seem to have either the obsolete 1 1/4" or internal zero-stack 1 1/8" (smaller sizes have a regular 1 1/8").

3. If you go for the Rohloff version, you'd need eccentric bottom bracket. Buy the Bushnell one from Plantet X., as you can't find any cheaper.

4. You can run it single speed for time being, if you can't afford hub gears. You need a regular MTB 135mm wheel with a freewheel and a triple MBT chainset. The biggest ring will give you the right chainline - 54mm.

5. Do not buy single speed/fixed crankset - you'll never get the right chainline.

6. If you go for a GXP bottom bracket, you will need two 2.5mm spacers on both sides.

Thanks, eei, for the reply. I will wait for the frame to arrive, would mavic 819 tubeless rims work? Got some on my mountain bike, the best

Sure, there's plenty of clearance. 26" VNT touring fork is actually the same size like the 700c VNT SLX carbon one - the only difference being the positioning of canti bosses and extra eylets for a mudguard .

You can easily fit 50mm (or even bigger) Schwalbe Big Apple and a set of full 65mm mudguards.

I've put my existing 819's in, fits perfectly, like you said it would. The advantage for me with the 819's is in Africa, or South-Africa, where we will use this. There's loads of thorns, thus you need tubeless, trust me, and the 819 Mavics, works a dream!

My build

Rims - Mavic 819 Tubeless (26 spokes black) or Maybe 719s ???
Gears - Shimano Alfine 11-speed (build into 36 hold Mavic 819)
Brakes - I am not sure what to get (Vee Brakes or Canti Lever)
**Any suggestions? I like the look of Planet-X Frogs Canti's, but then what do I use **for the levers?
Thompson Seatpost + stem (black)
Flat Handlebars with bar end levers (black)

I will probably look at a all Shimano solution, for brakes, gears (Alfine 11-speed)

I must admit, it's a beautiful looking frame, and yes, the fork does not look to bad either, will work and fit panniers, which is important to me.

Just ordered a Phil Wood Touring hubs.

Major drain on my bank account.

Time to take out the rices.

**Any suggestions? I like the look of Planet-X Frogs Canti's, but then what do I use **for the levers?

Tektro RL340 (in silver or black). More pull than needed with cantis, ergonomic levers' design, quick release and very comfy on hoods.

http://www.tektro.com/upfiles/propic01274065706.jpg

http://www.flybike.pl/galerie/t/tektro-rl-340-dzwignie-h_1395.jpg

For the Alfine 8 spd and brakes we decided that Versa are the best (if you use drops)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120695461605&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_2540wt_1141

For 11 speed Versa VRS-11

...
Brakes - I am not sure what to get (Vee Brakes or Canti Lever)
**Any suggestions? I like the look of Planet-X Frogs Canti's, but then what do I use **for the levers?...

If it's canti's then Tektro CR520/720 are good and I think Ribble may still have some cheap.

Got to say I think v-brakes, with compatible levers are a better idea, if you're going to be remote. Much easier to play with if they get knocked. Plus only one cable to go wrong.

^^
Oh, flat handlebars. Really?
Go for V-brakes then - it will be much easier.

Or go for some hydraulic Maguras, if you can stretch the budget and don't go anywhere really remote, but want to have proper stopping power.

You can go anywhere very remote with hydraulic.

think about those motorcyclists who tour the world with their hydraulic brakes.

secondly, once you learn how to service hydraulic, it won't be a problem, as for fuel, you can actually use cooking oil or even water (although it may freeze in low temperature).

I have a 90's 4130 MTB that I use to tour. Personally, I think if you can outfit some old Rockhopper with racks and panniers and save a few hundred bucks, you've got that much bigger budget for the road, and that much less to worry about when you lock up. Plus they're bomb-proof.

I am struggling with the Van Nic Pioneer Headset...

I can't work out the headset,it needs to be 1 1/2 (1.4) but with 1 1/8 forks ?
do Planet X do a head tube reducer or a special head set ?

or the Chris King headset as per Planet x website? Very expensive for a headset...

Only Chris King Devolution.
Have you measured yours? Mine was actually 44mm, so I fitted it with an oversized zero stack one instead. Some frames are not up to the specs given by the website.

http://oi55.tinypic.com/mrdxxi.jpg

I've ordered the Chris King headset + Tektro cr 520 Brakes (black)

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/BCTKCR5/tektro-cr-520-cantilever-brakeset-black

I've pretty much got all the components now, I hope, but some components are not ideal, might have to change the Stem/Seatpost/Saddle/Tyres, etc. I am just using some of my spares around the house, will then see what fits when it's build. Should be interested. Photoes to follow, too soon to show anything of any interest.

O, and yes, Tubis racks. Read only at this stage...