Gunnar bike for touring

[Ozark Bicycle]

[email protected] wrote:
> "Gooserider" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I don't know
> >what the parts spec will be, but the spec on the Windsor isn't bad at all.
> >I'm sure Surly will spec it with barcons, which make more sense on a touring
> >bike, if for no other reason than it makes mounting a handlebar bag easier.
>
> Is this why tourists like bar end shifters?

It's a reason v. STI, but not v. Ergo.


>
> I always wondered why

They (barends) are less likely to fail than are brifters of any brand
(to date), less likely to be damaged in a fall/crash and, they offer a
friction option in case other things go awry.

 

[[email protected]]

landotter wrote:
> Ozark Bicycle wrote:
>
> > Keys words: "AT THE TIME". That time was 20+ years ago. Spend $150-200
> > for a 6SP bike with a non- index compatible drivetrain. If yer really
> > lucky, the frame will have 120mm (Ultra 6) rear spacing. Oh joy. And
> > then spend how much to get the thing up to modern performance standards
> > in shifting, braking, etc.?? i.e., You're suggesting spending $150-200
> > for a 20+ year old used frame and fork that likely needs to be modified
> > to accept a modern drivetrain. Then, a new rear wheel, at a minimum.
> > New FD, RD, headset, BB and shifters. Probably new brakes. New cables
> > and housing all around. New saddle, etc., etc., etc. I like old bikes
> > more than most people, but for the OP's needs, it makes next to no
> > sense to do something like that. Not with something new like the
> > Windsor Tourist available for $600 delivered to his doorstep.
>
> Though I agree with the Windsor for the OP, I'd have no problem touring
> on a $20 thriftstore Miyata with $100 of new bits. Fresh hyperglide FW
> and chain should make the drivetrain happy, and you'll usually just
> lose 11 and 13t cogs. Some fresh tires, repack bearings, service
> cables, freshen bar tape and you're good to tour. Friction shift? Why
> not? It's not like you're fighting in a peloton. But for somebody that
> expects modern effortlessness, perhaps not a great choice. It's indeed
> silly to throw money at such a bike in most circumstances.

S'funny you should mention a $20 Miyata specifically.

My current commuter is a Miyata 210 that I found at a garage sale for
C$20. Here's the mods I had to make:

-replace freewheel (old one had come apart and dumped its ball bearings
at the garage sale) $0, more or less, because I had a usable freewheel
in my parts pile.
-add fenders, $20.
-new bar tape (old cloth tape disintegrated after a month or so), $6.

The 210, being a tourer, had canti brakes. As powerful as anything out
there today.

I have a perfectly good racing bike in my shed, but this is my
rain/winter/commute bike. For anyone handy, garage sale bikes are a
great start.

 

[[email protected]]

SMS <[email protected]> wrote:

>Ozark Bicycle wrote:
>
>> The Windsor Tourist is "a heck of a deal' and seems like a good
>> solution for the OP.
>
>No argument there. Unless he wants to wait for the new Surly for $1000.

I'm the OP

My "problem" is I don't know WHAT I really want. ha!

I'm 48 and sometimes think I should investigate a bent
for any serious LONG distance touring. But would I use
that bent on a daily basis as a commuter? Maybe not.

Maybe an upright is better as a daily commuter? If
only wanting to own ONE god bike for now does it
beehoove me more to have a god touring upright and use
it that once or twice a year for LONG tours.

I just don't have the money to have multiple expensive
bikes right now. Plus I'm a bit unsure of what exactly
I need....bent? Upright? Folder?

So the idea of going cheap and "playing"around some has
merit for for me.

 

[Ozark Bicycle]

[email protected] wrote:
> SMS <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Ozark Bicycle wrote:
> >
> >> The Windsor Tourist is "a heck of a deal' and seems like a good
> >> solution for the OP.
> >
> >No argument there. Unless he wants to wait for the new Surly for $1000.
>
> I'm the OP
>
> My "problem" is I don't know WHAT I really want. ha!
>
> I'm 48 and sometimes think I should investigate a bent
> for any serious LONG distance touring. But would I use
> that bent on a daily basis as a commuter? Maybe not.
>
> Maybe an upright is better as a daily commuter? If
> only wanting to own ONE god bike for now does it
> beehoove me more to have a god touring upright and use
> it that once or twice a year for LONG tours.
>
> I just don't have the money to have multiple expensive
> bikes right now. Plus I'm a bit unsure of what exactly
> I need....bent? Upright? Folder?
>
> So the idea of going cheap and "playing"around some has
> merit for for me.

Yes, that does have merit. A good place to start would be with a solid
but inexpensive touring bike, to use for commuting and touring. No
sense in paying extra for fancy components, fancy paint or some
nebulous concept of "cool", until you figure things out through
experience.

 

[Booker C. Bense]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article <[email protected]>,
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>My "problem" is I don't know WHAT I really want. ha!
>
>I'm 48 and sometimes think I should investigate a bent
>for any serious LONG distance touring. But would I use
>that bent on a daily basis as a commuter? Maybe not.
>
>Maybe an upright is better as a daily commuter? If
>only wanting to own ONE god bike for now does it
>beehoove me more to have a god touring upright and use
>it that once or twice a year for LONG tours.
>
>I just don't have the money to have multiple expensive
>bikes right now. Plus I'm a bit unsure of what exactly
>I need....bent? Upright? Folder?
>
>So the idea of going cheap and "playing"around some has
>merit for for me.

_ I think it's kind of a mistake to plan for long distance
touring when you haven't even done any short distance (weekend)
touring. It's not for everybody... You can do short distance
touring just fine on any bike that has mounts for a rack
and fenders( or just about any bike for that matter, things that
would be a horrible PITA over 3 weeks are okay to deal with for
a day or two ). Get some miles in and then figure out what you
really want.

_ Booker C. Bense

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: 2.6.2

iQCVAwUBRXclo2TWTAjn5N/lAQFv9gP+JhU3+3VXu6QgRP+MzJ+z7QxDrVix3ENA
HHilepi5mGZSiP/hRP5lxwNU5bqsaGZCNaNUMDB3X/no/Dy7mhFMhVMV/J8W7iJw
y+N/hfC3w+81emrQKP1Lah6PaP+TxhUHc09Fnq/GAkdRIrV2RRaD7hFZ1zoYp+6u
5sm80kvqA4c=
=Zd0T
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----