Budget Tourer

[Ian]

Hello all,

I'm in the market for a new bike for my daily commute and I'm
hankering after a tourer of some description. I'm looking for
something reliable and manufactured well enough to survive all year
round commuting on questionable road surfaces whilst carrying a rear
pannier full of stuff. I'd also like something that I can use on
weekends to either speed around country lanes sans pannier or trundle
off down to the coast fully loaded with tent etc.

As with most of us, I'm on a limited budget, around £500, and so far
I've only seen a couple of bikes that fit the bill:

- The ridgeback voyage 2008
- Edinburgh Revolution Country Traveller '07

I've seen the glowing "cycling plus" review of the traveller but
that's the only review I've seen and it's quite a journey to visit one
of their stores. Does anyone have any experience of these bikes or
can they suggest something similar ? Am I asking too much or is the
sort of bike I need out of my price range ?

Rgds,

Ian.

 

[Peter Clinch]

Ian wrote:

> I'm in the market for a new bike for my daily commute and I'm
> hankering after a tourer of some description. I'm looking for
> something reliable and manufactured well enough to survive all year
> round commuting on questionable road surfaces whilst carrying a rear
> pannier full of stuff. I'd also like something that I can use on
> weekends to either speed around country lanes sans pannier or trundle
> off down to the coast fully loaded with tent etc.
>
> As with most of us, I'm on a limited budget, around £500, and so far
> I've only seen a couple of bikes that fit the bill:
>
> - The ridgeback voyage 2008
> - Edinburgh Revolution Country Traveller '07

The obvious example to look for is the Dawes Horizon, which should be
rather easier to find outside of EBC-served cities. In recent times the
Country has in fact shared the same frame as the Horizon, not sure
whether or not that's still the case. The RRP is £450, you find find
some about for quite a bit less in last year's colours if you have a
trawl (quick Google shows Evans have them at £375)

> Am I asking too much or is the
> sort of bike I need out of my price range ?

Not at all. Any of them look much nicer than the 1989 EBC Country that
was my only bike for many years and did commuting and touring just fine.
The current Country and Horizon models are very nice bits of kit and
represent excellent value (don't know much about the Ridgeback, so no
comment).

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Mark T]

Ian writtificated

> As with most of us, I'm on a limited budget, around £500, and so far
> I've only seen a couple of bikes that fit the bill:
>
> - The ridgeback voyage 2008
> - Edinburgh Revolution Country Traveller '07

> I've seen the glowing "cycling plus" review of the traveller but
> that's the only review I've seen and it's quite a journey to visit one
> of their stores. Does anyone have any experience of these bikes or
> can they suggest something similar ? Am I asking too much or is the
> sort of bike I need out of my price range ?

The Traveller is good value. Lifetime warranty on the frame, decent spec
for the money etc. I like the additional brake levers - some people think
four is excessive, but I like the opportunity to use the brakes from the
top of the bars.

The Voyage looks great from the photo and it has a Reynolds 520 cromo steel
frame - decent steel frames are getting very fashionable now. The spec is
perhaps a little better than the Traveller too (Sora shifters rather 2200
(Shimano's budget version of the Sora). Not sure what the weight is, but
I'd expect it to come in around 14kg like the Traveller. This is about
average for a full-on touring bike.

If you've got one near you to test ride I'd be going for the Voyage. If
budget is a big cosideration then obviously the Traveller is a solid, good
value product.

The only other tourer at that price point that I can remember off the top
of my head is the Dawes Horizon - very similar to the Traveller.

If you want something lighter and sportier, then fast touring/Audax bikes
type bikes are worth a look. They're a half way house between a full on
road bike and the traditional drop bar tourer. Lighter frames will flex
more when loaded and they won't have mounting points for a front rack, but
they'll carry rear panniers without complaint and take mudguards. The
geometry of the bikes won't be as relaxed as a tourer, so give responsive
handling. Expect weight to be 10-12kg. The Giant SCR 3 just comes in
budget, tho budget for a rack and mudguards (I don't know if the '08
version still has rack mounts, though last years did).

 

[Pete Biggs]

Ian wrote:

> - The ridgeback voyage 2008

> - Edinburgh Revolution Country Traveller '07

I don't have personal experience of these bikes, but looking at the specs,
they seem good value. It's good componentry for the money, and getting
spare/alternative parts will be no problem for a few years to come.

Out of the two I would choose the Ridgeback - for the steel frame for
possibly better longetivity.

An alternative would be a second-hand classic such as a Dawes Galaxy - but
you would have to be sure of the condition before buying. Otherwise you
might have to spend as much again replacing worn out wheels and gears, for
example.
Also consider an "audax" or style bike if 28mm tyres would be wide
enough for your liking. (Some might take larger than that - but reckon on
28 unless you're sure otherwise).

~PB

 

[Bob Johnstone]

Pete Biggs wrote:
> An alternative would be a second-hand classic such as a Dawes Galaxy

You may be interested in a review of the Edinburgh Country that I've
written for the Leeds Cycle Action Group newsletter:

A year ago, after the demise of my 1993 Dawes Galaxy (stolen, of
course), I needed a replacement bike for commuting and touring. I bought
a Revolution Country from the Edinburgh Bicycle Co-Op (EBC) shop that
had recently opened in Chapel Allerton. My decision was swayed by
reading favourable reviews, the price tag (£320, including a 20%
discount) and a test ride. So how did this bargain bike compare to the
venerable Dawes Galaxy?

Let’s start with the basics: the frame. The Country has an aluminium
frame (made in Thailand) compared to the traditional Reynolds steel of a
Dawes Galaxy. An obvious difference is the sloping cross-bar on the
Country, supposedly to make mounting the bike easier. The Country is a
similar weight to the modern Galaxy (14 kg compared to 13.5 kg), but
seems significantly lighter than my old bike. The handlebars of the
Country are slightly wider than the Galaxy’s – a welcome difference
giving me a more comfortable riding position.

Having cycled the Country home from EBC I set about checking that
everything was working OK. A problem immediately became apparent when I
tried to attach my Karrimor panniers to the rear rack. Due to the design
of the rack it was impossible to attach the pannier hooks to the rails.
The staff at EBC were surprised to hear about this problem, but quickly
replaced the rack with a new Tortec rack.

Something else that I could tell even on the short ride home was that I
wouldn’t get along with the saddle – a squidgy rubber type which I
replaced as soon as possible with a nice hard leather one. Saddles are a
personal thing, so I wouldn’t expect an off-the-peg bike to have one
that suited me, so nothing to complain about there.

Over the last year the Country has been my regular commuting bike within
Leeds and has performed very well at this task. The Tektro secondary
bar-top brake levers allow firm braking from an upright stance. The wide
chromoplastic mudguards were effective once I had glued an extension to
the front guard. The steel bolts have rapidly corroded (now replaced
with stainless bolts) but otherwise the bike has dealt well with the
rigours of Leeds roads and weather.

I’ve not used the Country with front panniers, but it handles well
pulling a heavy (two-wheeled) trailer or with two stuffed panniers on
the rear rack. However my first tour in the dales did not pass without
incident. While climbing a hill towards Cray the rear tyre exploded with
a sound like a gun shot. On inspection it turned out that the metal bead
had detached itself from the tyre allowing the inner tube to escape,
expand and explode. I considered myself lucky that this didn’t happen on
a descent and had in fact happened within yards of a good pub (if not a
bike shop). As with the rack, EBC gave me a good quality replacement for
the tyre and expressed surprise that the original had been faulty.

After a year I have no regrets having bought the Country. Apart from the
faults described above, it has performed as well, if not better than my
(admittedly rather ancient) Galaxy. There are small things that I would
change (are 24 gears really necessary?), but the bike is clearly very
good value for money.

 

[Rob Morley]

In article <abc9d19a-7922-4927-9073-194094c2fc81
@s8g2000prg.googlegroups.com>, Ian
[email protected] says...
> Hello all,
>
> I'm in the market for a new bike for my daily commute and I'm
> hankering after a tourer of some description. I'm looking for
> something reliable and manufactured well enough to survive all year
> round commuting on questionable road surfaces whilst carrying a rear
> pannier full of stuff. I'd also like something that I can use on
> weekends to either speed around country lanes sans pannier or trundle
> off down to the coast fully loaded with tent etc.
>
> As with most of us, I'm on a limited budget, around £500, and so far
> I've only seen a couple of bikes that fit the bill:
>
> - The ridgeback voyage 2008
> - Edinburgh Revolution Country Traveller '07
>
> I've seen the glowing "cycling plus" review of the traveller but
> that's the only review I've seen and it's quite a journey to visit one
> of their stores. Does anyone have any experience of these bikes or
> can they suggest something similar ? Am I asking too much or is the
> sort of bike I need out of my price range ?
>
2007 Dawes Horizon, £360 inc. delivery from Spa Cycles, possibly even
cheaper elsewhere. When it was introduced (mid 1980s?) the Horizon was
the definitive budget tourer - nothing flash but nothing nasty - and it
seems to be continuing that tradition.

 

[nafuk]

On 28 Feb, 16:08, Ian <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I'm in the market for a new bike for my daily commute and I'm
> hankering after a tourer of some description.  I'm looking for
> something reliable and manufactured well enough to survive all year
> round commuting on questionable road surfaces whilst carrying a rear
> pannier full of stuff.  I'd also like something that I can use on
> weekends to either speed around country lanes sans pannier or trundle
> off down to the coast fully loaded with tent etc.
>
> As with most of us, I'm on a limited budget, around £500, and so far
> I've only seen a couple of bikes that fit the bill:
>
>  - The ridgeback voyage 2008
>  - Edinburgh Revolution Country Traveller '07
>
> I've seen the glowing "cycling plus" review of the traveller but
> that's the only review I've seen and it's quite a journey to visit one
> of their stores.  Does anyone have any experience of these bikes or
> can they suggest something similar ?  Am I asking too much or is the
> sort of bike I need out of my price range ?
>
> Rgds,
>
> Ian.

I have been commuting for the last 2.5 years on a Raleigh Venture.
Aluminium frame, combined brake/gear change, 21 gears, dropped bars,
rear carrier and mudguards as standard. No problems. I find it light
and fast. Was about £280 including delivery from eBay.

 

[Ian]

Thanks for the replys chaps.

Mark T - I'd looked at the SCR series but ruled them out as I had
horrible visions of buckled wheels - they look quite slim and delicate
when put against some of the potholes I have on my usual route home.

I hadn't considered the Dawes Horizion - I'd always assumed the Galaxy
was the base tourer and I didn't like the bar-end gear shifter
thingies.

So, it looks like I need to go for a few test rides on a Ridgeback /
Dawes and definitely make a trip up to the EBC (with my panniers).

Thanks again.

Ian.