TomvanHalen's tourer - Raleigh 853 (sick flames ITT)

Yeah, the 'hoods' are fine for climbing but not comfy on the flat. I love the position and leverage of the midge bars, but normal drops are great for zipping about, and take up much less space in the house and locking up. Only thing is now even these 44cm bars feel very narrow, and almost as if the drops bend inwards! 80mm stem feels odd too but that's what was to hand.

@Chak thanks! It was a really nice route, unbelievably quiet and eerie. Shame about the ruined road for the second half... Road bikes need not apply

Midge is certainly a "challenging" look...

Also want to take the tubus rack off, but will need extend the mudgaurd eyelets to compensate for its removal...

Fuck you, that bar was awesome! Just missing a beard and maybe topless

^ must go on a warmer tour next time

This build is gash, best bike i've seen in ages. Did you use a 26" LHT fork?

Thanks, I think? Yep that's the one. Could do with going longer but will cause issues with mudguard and rack fitting for the time being

"gash" is generally a derogatory adjective.

Not in Manchester it isn't.

So you're saying "gash" is complementary?

How old do you have to be to find this complimentary?

I've only ever known it as complementary.

<30 I reckon.

Oh TM, you beautiful gash.

LFGSS in meaning of gash confusion shocker.

Not in Manchester it isn't.

Struggling here

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=gash

Nice puffins!

Maybe a mishearing, somebody probably said "gosh, that's a rather splendid bicycle" and @theoj heard summat else. Gash is gash, no matter where you come from.

If a gash falls in the forest does it make an insult?

Love that ride report. Well jel.

Swapped the 80mm stem for a 100. Little stretched out, but still comfy and the looks and handling are worth it. Enduro All-Road Randonneur? Should get a bar bag. And a 42t chainring

The eventual plan for the bike: Discs, 650b, Noodles and a ~400 a-c fork.

That's a long top tube, looks much nicer with compact drops!

This is really lovely! Why put 650b on a bike that already takes fat 26" tyres? Also bend the part of the rear mudguard that's the furthest of the tyre a little bit like this to get a cleaner line

Unfortunately that pulls the whole curve in so it fouls the tyre at the rear. I need the 60mm guards to replace these.

I like the fat tyres a lot, but I think the happy medium for me between light weight and zippy ride and cushy goodness is 38-42mm. With discs I'll always have the choice

48mm Switchback Hill would be good.

I find them just perfect for loaded touring.

New fork is longer? If so, this mean your saddle can be moved forward and stem longer.

BTW Noodle have massive reach, need 80 or 70mm stem, look at the Ritchey Neoclassic, short reach but classic shape.

48mm Switchback Hill would be good.

I find them just perfect for loaded touring.

48 seems a bit pointless with the 54 Rat Trap Pass though, whereas 38 or 42 will feel much nippier.

New fork is longer? If so, this mean your saddle can be moved forward and stem longer.

Yeah, that's partly the appeal of it. I think a little more top tube slope would be nice aesthetically, too, and more typical "tourer" handling.

As for Noodles, I dunno, I sketched them out accurately up there and I like the look even with the 80mm stem. Overlaid it onto a CAD of my Look to compare, think it would work. "Compact" round drops don't play nicely with my hands, had some 3T Rotundos and didn't like them.

Whether any of this will happen, fuck knows.