POLL/OPINIONS PLEASE: Which of these 2 bikes would be your suggestion for an easy bike tour?



SierraSlim

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Oct 4, 2010
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[COLOR= #0000ff]Hi, Y'all![/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]I think we have narrowed down our options for my upcoming beginner's tour bike to one of the following. I think I must have used up my quota of questions allowed on here by now, so I PROMISE, if you'll answer me this one more, I'll stop bugging you. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/redface.gif [/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]They both have 6061 aluminum frames, 8-speed Nexus internal gear hubs, and 700c tires. The C-dale has 38 holes, the Express 8 has 40. The Express 8 has an adjustable stem. The C-Dale has suspension seatpost and fork. I can't seem to find the Express 8 in a 19-inch, which is what the fitter at REI said I need. (The women's version comes to 17; the men's as pictured has 18 and 20.) [/COLOR][COLOR= #0000ff]The Cannondale is $670; the Express 8 is $450. [/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Which of these 2 would be your suggestion for a beginner's bike tour on flat paved terrain, and why? [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]THANK YOU SO MUCH!![/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff][SIZE= medium]Motobecane Cafe Express 8[/COLOR][/SIZE]
[COLOR= #0000ff][SIZE= 9pt][/COLOR][/SIZE]
[COLOR= #0000ff]![/COLOR]

[COLOR= #ff0000][SIZE= 16px]Cannondale Adventure 2 Feminine [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR= #0000ff]
809677972_640.jpg
[/COLOR]
 
Of those two choices, I'd pick the cheaper bike. But if you are really after a "tour bike" as you stated above, you will benefit greatly from a bike with more gears.
 
The Cannondale is probably the most comfortable bike. They generally get great reviews for their comfortable geometry.
 
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The Motobecane would be more sturdier then the Feminine frame designed like the Cannondale, curved tubing is more [SIZE=12.0pt]susceptible [/SIZE]to frame damage should you hit something like a curb head on the frame will bend at the lower curve because thats the natural direction the frame would take, whereas a triangle straight tubed frame will take more force...but that's my opinion which will be debated here.

If you spending around $600 dollars for a bike there is a place called Bikes Direct which sells Motebecane and a couple of others at wholesale prices, such as this one: http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/cafe_sprint.htm Or a Windsor, see: http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/tourist.htm

These bikes from Bikes Direct are very good deals, if you know what size of a Motobecane you need then ordering off the internet is not a problem. And if your not real comfortable in putting some things back together like the handlebars, pedals, wheels etc then for about $75 most LBS's will install those parts and make sure it tuned up. But if you look at the specs on both of those bikes I listed you will see that for the same money for the bikes you listed you get way better components and wheels. By the way Bikes Direct has very high customer satisfaction.
 
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[COLOR= #0000ff]Hi, Froze![/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]What a great post with tons of information! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif I did look up the two links you provided (thanks!!), and tried to sort out the differences in components, since that's part of what I'm still too new to totally get; I'm not sure what components are good. So I appreciate that. And your information on the triangle fork strength issue was interesting, too -- and sad, lol, because I think the curve is prettier. [/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]That being said, I'm pretty sure I need to buy a bike with an internal gear hub system, since my hubby has had one for years, loves it, and is strongly pushing me in that direction, saying he "doesn't want to mess with derailleurs and chains all the time." So the two bikes I showed above are the ones I could find with IGHs and some things I think I might like, like an adjustable stem and suspension seat post for comfort. There may be other bikes with IGHs, I just didn't find them. [/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]My biggest problem seems to be in the sizing. The clerk at REI who fitted me said I need a 19" bike frame, which I guess comes to about 48 cm. I can't find ladies' bikes in that size (which the clerk had predicted would be a problem); most of them come up to 17". I guess I could go ahead and buy a men's bike... sigh, lol.... but at my age and lack of dexterity, the step-through frame is a plus at this point. Hopefully as I continue riding, throwing a leg up over the seat will be less intimidating, lol. And I have NO issues with buying from BikesDirect or whoever online, as long as I can get a decent fit; since everybody seems to measure theirs differently, that makes it hard. (Is a Tall bike 17"? 19"? 20"??? If I need a 48-cm bike and buy a 49-cm one, will it fit?))[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]I had thought that getting to choose a bike and buy it would be a blast; unfortunately, it's becoming so stressful for me, trying to choose the 'right' one, that it's not so fun at this point. I'm almost ready to give up and try to do the tour on my cruiser, lol.[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Thanks for the help! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/tongue.gif[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Sierra[/COLOR]
 
The two bikes that Froze has suggested are good options for you to consider. I understand your concern about the step through frame. You may look at a bike without a step through frame and picture in your mind that you need to kick your foot up higher than the saddle in order to mount. When I mount my bike I stand on the left side and lean the bike towards me. I only need to swing my leg around the rear wheel and move myself and my bike in order to clear the saddle with my crotch. I am probably doing something a little different but this is the best way I can describe it. Check out this link and you will see that the instructor in this video is not lifting his foot as high as you are thinking. He is also mounting a bike on a trainer which adds a little hieght. I lean my bike which lowers it. You can practice this type of mounting with your present bike.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UutOQjY-NKU
I hope this helps.
Dave
 
[COLOR= #0000ff]That IS helpful, Dave, in thinking about mounting the bike. I have obviously been trying too hard to do it the hard way, lol.[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Now, if I can just get Hubby over the derailleur thing, lol.[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Thanks![/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Sierra[/COLOR]
 
[COLOR= #0000ff]Hi, Cycleheimer![/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Thank you so much for taking the time to do that research! I went to the web site, which I had not known about, and really enjoyed looking around it. I also really like the looks of the 2 bikes you suggested, and they have a lot of what I want in my bike. [/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Thanks a lot for the input! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/tongue.gif[/COLOR]
 
For what its worth I purchased my mountain bike from Nasbar and have been very happy with it. They charge shipping so you need to do a little comparing prices when you include the shipping charges.
 
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Sierra, both of the bikes I listed at Bikes Direct comes in your size. And Bikes Direct ships for free. There is some assembly as there is with any mail order bike, you can either have your hubby do the assembly or take it to an LBS and they can do it plus tune to make sure it's running right; the average charge is usually around $75.
 
[COLOR= #0000ff]Hi, Froze![/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Thanks for looking those up for me. [/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]The Windsor bike you listed has the drop-down handlebars, which I can't do because of a back injury. The Motobecane bike doesn't actually come in my size in the ladies' bike; it comes up to 17, and I need a 19. [/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]My search continues, but I truly do appreciate your help. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/tongue.gif[/COLOR]

Originally Posted by Froze .

The Motobecane would be more sturdier then the Feminine frame designed like the Cannondale, curved tubing is more [SIZE= 12pt]susceptible [/SIZE]to frame damage should you hit something like a curb head on the frame will bend at the lower curve because thats the natural direction the frame would take, whereas a triangle straight tubed frame will take more force...but that's my opinion which will be debated here.

If you spending around $600 dollars for a bike there is a place called Bikes Direct which sells Motebecane and a couple of others at wholesale prices, such as this one: http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/cafe_sprint.htm Or a Windsor, see: http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/tourist.htm

These bikes from Bikes Direct are very good deals, if you know what size of a Motobecane you need then ordering off the internet is not a problem. And if your not real comfortable in putting some things back together like the handlebars, pedals, wheels etc then for about $75 most LBS's will install those parts and make sure it tuned up. But if you look at the specs on both of those bikes I listed you will see that for the same money for the bikes you listed you get way better components and wheels. By the way Bikes Direct has very high customer satisfaction.
 
Sierra, I have an odd idea may or may not be worth checking into. Of course I realize this idea is an added expense, but if the additional $108 plus install is still cheaper putting it on the Bikes Direct bike vs buying a bike that fits your needs then why not? The other thing that tourist must consider is that straight bars DO NOT provide you with enough places to put your hands so they can get a change of position that a drop offers, therefore the Moustache bar gives you back multiable hand positioning.

This is what a Moustache bar looks like: http://www.gogoactive.com/Soma-3Speed-Moustache-Cruiser-Bicycle-Handlebar/A/B0035FTIIW.htm which when rigged for multi speed bike will look like this: http://www.rivbike.com/products/show/nitto-moustache-bar/16-028 Which means you will have the cost of a a bar at $35 or so for the Soma, barend shifters as seen in the pic at end of each side of the bar for $34, see: http://www.rivbike.com/products/show/bar-end-shifter-pods-mounts-pair/17-068 . Then you'll need new brake levers like these for $30, see: http://www.rivbike.com/products/show/tektro-road-v-brake-levers/15-146 Then you may or may not need a set of barrel adjusters for $8, see: http://www.rivbike.com/products/show/barrel-adjuster-noodle-pair/15-163

I know this sounds all crazy like to you, but trust me when you been on the road for 3 hours or more and your hands start to ache and go numb you will wish you had a bar that would have given you more hand positionings. A lot of touring bikes have bar end shifters because their more stable to shift with a loaded bike (they help you keep the bike stable while shifting) then brifters which are shifters in the brake lever, and more stable then down tube shifters. I use them on my touring bike and they work simply by not having to take your hands of the bar or slip up to the hoods where it's less stable.
 
[COLOR= #0000ff]Hi, Froze![/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]You DO realize I swooned after I read your post, don't you, lol? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/redface.gif It was just almost more than my brain could handle in one sitting. HOWEVER, I do think I got the general idea, and I have absolutely no qualms about paying the extra for that handlebar -- which, btw, sounds like an AWESOME idea to me! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif I totally get the possibility of my hands being cramped on the flat bar; I just can't do the drop-down bar due to my old back fracture, and didn't really know there was an option. I would have to find somebody to pay to do it, because I think this is WAYYYY over Dear Hubby's head, but that's okay too. I also understand there's a place here called the Bike Kitchen where for $7 an hour and the cost of any materials you need, bike specialist guys will sit and talk you through work like that, making sure you do it right and teaching you as you go. Don't know if they're bona fide, but I may have them teach me to -- gasp -- change a flat, lol.[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Now the question is which bike to put the handlebars on! I didn't care much for the looks of the other 2 (I like the ladies', but nooooo on the size.) I am putting up another thread about which Motobecane bike to get, comparing the specs. I would really, really appreciate your opinion on that one, too. (And thanks!) I think I may have overstayed my welcome here with all my questions, but everything I learn and see seems to bring up another round of questions! Right now I'm working on trying to compare two different sets of bikes' specs, and after that I think I will have my final decision. Finally! I was about ready to close my eyes and point! [/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]The groups I'm comparing specs on are: [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]Marin bikes, because they fit me well at REI: The '09 san Rafael for $440, the '09 Fairfax for $620, the '10 Larkspur for $420, and the '10 Ravenna for $500.[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Motobecane bikes, because Hubby and some of y'all suggested them: The 2010 Cafe Express 8 at $450, and -- the Cafe Latte for 2009 at $500, and strangely enough, two Cafe Lattes for 2011, one at $400 and one at $899, that I can't see the difference between on BikesDirect, and am wondering if there's a typo. [/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Anywho, I am more than ready for this search to be over and to just get my bike and start pedalin'![/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]I appreciate all your input more than you know. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/tongue.gif[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Sierra[/COLOR]
 
The Cafe Express 8 is an odd duck here, it has 8 speeds in side the rear hub and that's all the gears you would have. This is ok if your not going to climb any steep grades with a load while your touring. I am not sure about the reliability of the Nexus 8 speed hub, someone else here might know.

It also comes with only one set of water bottle bosses, but you can add on this: http://www.nordicgroup.us/cageboss/#Beto_Universal_Handlebar/Downtube_Bottle_Cage This simply straps onto your seat tube and vola you now have a way of carrying an extra water bottle.

The Cafe Latte comes with the second water bottle mounts, and it comes with a triple front set of gears for a total of 24 gears which would make it easier to pedal up steep grades while even loaded but it's not an internal geared hub like your wanting.

Here's the rub. I'm not sure how far you want to go into touring. Are you planning really long trips or little weekend ventures? I ask this because neither of those two bikes are suited for heavy loaded touring, why you ask? because neither come with dual eyelets on each side of the rear drop off. These eyelets are used to fasten a set of rear fenders to one set, and panniers to the other set. Neither bike comes with dual set in the front either, which may be ok if your not going to carry anything really heavy, lets say about 30 pounds in the rear and that's it, then there would be no need for front panniers, and small stuff you could put in a handlebar bag. That would leave the front eyelets for a fender. They do make fenders that don't require eyelets but their don't work real well especially for long tours.

The Fairfax and the Ravenna are also not suited for touring it only has 28 spoked rims and you need to have 36. The other two you mentioned I can't find. Both of these two are not internal geared hub bikes which is what you said you wanted.

I'm a little confused though. You mentioned you wanted a bike to do touring with your husband; your also, if I remember correctly, a tad overweight; yet you looking at bikes that are not suited for touring nor suited to carry your body weight, not alone adding another 50 pounds on top of your weight. All the bikes you came up with are made for right around 180 to 200 pounds total, and I wouldn't trust that much weight on 28 spoked rims, but some do ride with that few at those weights. All touring specific bikes are built with rims that have at least 36 spokes to handle the weight. All touring bikes today come with 24 gears not 8 speed internal hubs. That's not saying you can't tour on 8 speeds because you can but it will limit you to flat and rolling hills, and limit you to about 30 pounds of touring gear. I hope when your going into a place like REI that your telling them what you want to use the bike for and how much gear you'll be hauling...hopefully a minimum wage retail employee will understand what that means in search of a bike for you.
 
[COLOR= #0000ff]Hi, Froze![/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]I'm going to tackle your questions one at a time to be sure I don't miss any. I'm sorry I'm being so confusing.[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]The Cafe Express 8 is an odd duck here, it has 8 speeds in side the rear hub and that's all the gears you would have. This is ok if your not going to climb any steep grades with a load while your touring. I am not sure about the reliability of the Nexus 8 speed hub, someone else here might know. [/COLOR]It was my hubby who first suggested this bike. He liked that it had the hub, he liked the price, and pointed out that it didn't have drop-down bars, which I don't want. Also, he has had the Nexus 8 IGH on his bike for the past 4 or 5 years, and LOVES the thing. He brags about how he has never had to do a thing with it, how well it shifts, etc. He originally said that he didn't 'want to mess with a derailleur,' but is now saying he 'could learn to take care of it,' but I can tell he's not looking forward to it, lol. HE says that with the 3 gears up front, combined with the 8 in the rear, that that makes 24 gears, "most of which you would never use." I don't know if he's right about the 24 gears or not; your next paragraph seems to indicate that this one doesn't have the front 3 gears. This was the first bike I inquired about on here, I think, but nobody seemed to think much of it, which is when I started asking questions about what kind of bike I should get for my tour... and the floodgates opened. (And thanks for the link to the extra water-bottle thing!)
[COLOR= #0000ff] [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]The Cafe Latte comes with the second water bottle mounts, and it comes with a triple front set of gears for a total of 24 gears which would make it easier to pedal up steep grades while even loaded but it's not an internal geared hub like your wanting.[/COLOR] I added these bikes into the mix when somebody here I read on several forums that it was a far better bike than the Express 8, comparable to the others but with cheaper price. I was just trying to find out if y'all thought it was good, too, and which Motobecane was best for the money.
[COLOR= #0000ff] [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]I'm not sure how far you want to go into touring. Are you planning really long trips or little weekend ventures? I ask this because neither of those two bikes are suited for heavy loaded touring [/COLOR]. Since this-coming tour in June will be my very first, I'm not sure how far I want to go into it, either, lol. If i love it as much as I THINK I'm going to love it, then I will definitely take more tours. But here's the thing: I'm not sure my definition of tour and y'alls is the same. This tour is 5 days long, but it's with a group, with guides, Sag-wagon-supported, staying in motels/hotels/B&Bs at night. That sounds like a BLAST to me. I don't know whether or not I will ever want to do independent, take-all-your-camping-gear-and-cook-in-the-woods-no-matter-how-exhausted-and-sweaty-you-are-(and-forget-the-bath!)-type tours that require 100-pound panniers, because I've never done one... but my gut says those aren't my style. (My style could change; I NEVER thought I'd love cycling!!) But as tired and drained as biking makes me currently, I would guess that I'm probably always going to want someplace with a soft bed and hot bubblebath waiting at the end of the day. So the tours may be long, as in up to 1 or 2 weeks (is that long???), but they probably wouldn't be rough and ruggedy camping-at-night type tours. Does that help?
[COLOR= #0000ff] [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]That being said, if eyelets are what you use to fasten fenders to a bike, then I need eyelets, because I want fenders to fend off mud and water spray, etc., if that's what they do on a road bike. That's what I used them for on my cruisers, anyway, lol. [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff] [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]The Fairfax and the Ravenna are also not suited for touring it only has 28 spoked rims and you need to have 36. Both of these two are not internal geared hub bikes which is what you said you wanted. [/COLOR]The spoke requirement s the kind of information I don't know and am trying to find out, lol. I didn't even know bikes CAME with different numbers of spokes until I started asking questions here. When I said I was a total ignoramus about biking in my earlier posts, I wasn't kidding. I had never even BEEN in a bike ship until a couple weeks ago, and almost none of my friends bike -- though I'm hoping to change that! I know they don't have the IGH; we're having trouble finding bikes with one, and that's why I'm giving up and considering derailleurs.
[COLOR= #0000ff] [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]You're also, if I remember correctly, a tad overweight; yet you looking at bikes that are not suited for touring nor suited to carry your body weight, not alone adding another 50 pounds on top of your weight. [/COLOR]Thank you for saying I'm a 'tad' overweight. That's like saying the Pacific is a tad wet, LOL. You said I was looking at bikes not suited for touring nor suited to carry my body weight. I'm not sure what makes a bike suited for touring. I really thought that's what road bikes were for. Several people have suggested I buy a hybrid type bike, but I'm guessing that wouldn't be suitable, either, so now I'm really confused. Maybe, again, it's the definition of 'tour' that's the problem, since I'm not planning across-America and up-the-Alps tours, but am planning at this point to take week-long beginner's easy-terrain, max of 40 miles a day on good roads or bike paths tours. Does that make a difference?
[COLOR= #0000ff] [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]All the bikes you came up with are made for right around 180 to 200 pounds total, and I wouldn't trust that much weight on 28 spoked rims, but some do ride with that few at those weights. All touring specific bikes are built with rims that have at least 36 spokes to handle the weight. [/COLOR]Again, that's information I need and don't know where to find. I didn't see it in any of the specs on the bikes, which I'm trying to learn to read and understand. It says how many spokes they HAVE, but where do I learn how many they need according to what I weigh?
[COLOR= #0000ff] [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]All touring bikes today come with 24 gears not 8 speed internal hubs. That's not saying you can't tour on 8 speeds because you can but it will limit you to flat and rolling hills, and limit you to about 30 pounds of touring gear.[/COLOR] As I mentioned previously, Hubby said that with 8 gears in back hub and 3 in front, that would make 24 gears that should be plenty. He could very well be wrong, but I would be the last person to know that, lol. If I can tour on 8 speeds in flat and rolling hills, that would be WONDERFUL, because at this point that's all I'm planning. If I actually ever get skilled enough to want to tackle steep hills and difficult tours, I can undertake another search for the perfect bike -- and maybe by that time, if it ever comes, I won't be so ignorant about bikes. Like: where do I learn how many pounds of gear my bike can carry along with me?
[COLOR= #0000ff] [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #000000]I hope when your going into a place like REI that your telling them what you want to use the bike for and how much gear you'll be hauling...hopefully a minimum wage retail employee will understand what that means in search of a bike for you. [/COLOR][COLOR= #0000ff] I TELL them I'm going to be doing beginner's flat-terrain bike tours on paved roads. (I didn't tell them anything about how much gear I'll haul, because they didn't ask and I have no idea, though I did tell them it was Sag-wagon-supported.) Whether they listen/understand or not, I have no idea. I suspect some of the younger ones look at my fat and think, "Yeah, like that's going to happen," not believing that old fat people can really change. The one at REI fitted me and encouraged me to buy Marin bikes because of the 3 I tried there, the Marin felt best to me when riding. The clerk at Bob's Bikes was a moron -- when I asked if the bike frame was aluminum buttted -- one of the things I've learned to look for, here -- he said, "I don't know. It's metal. I think it's aluminum." He had no idea what butted meant -- and wanted me to test-ride my bike INSIDE the store, dodging the customers, the store dog who wanted to play fetch, and the racks of cycling clothes and bikes. Maybe y'all could do that without falling over; I couldn't, and knew better.[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Anyway, Froze, I hope that clears up some of your confusion. Maybe what I want doesn't exist: A bike under $700 that has internal gear hubs in back plus gears in front, mustache handlebars, a suspension seat post, an adjustable stem, adjustable seat, tires with enough spokes for my weight, fenders, and components good enough that none of y'all snicker about the bike here, that can take me on easy beginner tours with no steep hills and no worry about speeds. And I DO want it to be pretty; who wants to ride an ugly bike?? I keep trying to find one and asking in the forum here if this one fits or that one fits the bill, and the opinions are so varied that I seem to be getting more confused. That's why I typed all the stuff trying to compare the 4 bikes of each brand; I was hoping there would be a clear consensus of, "This is the best of the bikes you listed" by at least a small majority of those who voted, and it would guide my decision. [/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]I'm sorry I've caused such confusion. I just wanted a good bike to get better riding on and take on really easy tours.[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Thanks for all your help![/COLOR]
 
Originally Posted by SierraSlim .

[COLOR= #0000ff]Hi, Froze![/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]I'm going to tackle your questions one at a time to be sure I don't miss any. I'm sorry I'm being so confusing.[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]The Cafe Express 8 is an odd duck here, it has 8 speeds in side the rear hub and that's all the gears you would have. This is ok if your not going to climb any steep grades with a load while your touring. I am not sure about the reliability of the Nexus 8 speed hub, someone else here might know. [/COLOR]It was my hubby who first suggested this bike. He liked that it had the hub, he liked the price, and pointed out that it didn't have drop-down bars, which I don't want. Also, he has had the Nexus 8 IGH on his bike for the past 4 or 5 years, and LOVES the thing. He brags about how he has never had to do a thing with it, how well it shifts, etc. He originally said that he didn't 'want to mess with a derailleur,' but is now saying he 'could learn to take care of it,' but I can tell he's not looking forward to it, lol. HE says that with the 3 gears up front, combined with the 8 in the rear, that that makes 24 gears, "most of which you would never use." I don't know if he's right about the 24 gears or not; your next paragraph seems to indicate that this one doesn't have the front 3 gears. This was the first bike I inquired about on here, I think, but nobody seemed to think much of it, which is when I started asking questions about what kind of bike I should get for my tour... and the floodgates opened. (And thanks for the link to the extra water-bottle thing!)
[COLOR= #0000ff] [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]The Cafe Latte comes with the second water bottle mounts, and it comes with a triple front set of gears for a total of 24 gears which would make it easier to pedal up steep grades while even loaded but it's not an internal geared hub like your wanting.[/COLOR] I added these bikes into the mix when somebody here I read on several forums that it was a far better bike than the Express 8, comparable to the others but with cheaper price. I was just trying to find out if y'all thought it was good, too, and which Motobecane was best for the money.
[COLOR= #0000ff] [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]I'm not sure how far you want to go into touring. Are you planning really long trips or little weekend ventures? I ask this because neither of those two bikes are suited for heavy loaded touring [/COLOR]. Since this-coming tour in June will be my very first, I'm not sure how far I want to go into it, either, lol. If i love it as much as I THINK I'm going to love it, then I will definitely take more tours. But here's the thing: I'm not sure my definition of tour and y'alls is the same. This tour is 5 days long, but it's with a group, with guides, Sag-wagon-supported, staying in motels/hotels/B&Bs at night. That sounds like a BLAST to me. I don't know whether or not I will ever want to do independent, take-all-your-camping-gear-and-cook-in-the-woods-no-matter-how-exhausted-and-sweaty-you-are-(and-forget-the-bath!)-type tours that require 100-pound panniers, because I've never done one... but my gut says those aren't my style. (My style could change; I NEVER thought I'd love cycling!!) But as tired and drained as biking makes me currently, I would guess that I'm probably always going to want someplace with a soft bed and hot bubblebath waiting at the end of the day. So the tours may be long, as in up to 1 or 2 weeks (is that long???), but they probably wouldn't be rough and ruggedy camping-at-night type tours. Does that help?
[COLOR= #0000ff] [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]That being said, if eyelets are what you use to fasten fenders to a bike, then I need eyelets, because I want fenders to fend off mud and water spray, etc., if that's what they do on a road bike. That's what I used them for on my cruisers, anyway, lol. [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff] [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]The Fairfax and the Ravenna are also not suited for touring it only has 28 spoked rims and you need to have 36. Both of these two are not internal geared hub bikes which is what you said you wanted. [/COLOR]The spoke requirement s the kind of information I don't know and am trying to find out, lol. I didn't even know bikes CAME with different numbers of spokes until I started asking questions here. When I said I was a total ignoramus about biking in my earlier posts, I wasn't kidding. I had never even BEEN in a bike ship until a couple weeks ago, and almost none of my friends bike -- though I'm hoping to change that! I know they don't have the IGH; we're having trouble finding bikes with one, and that's why I'm giving up and considering derailleurs.
[COLOR= #0000ff] [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]You're also, if I remember correctly, a tad overweight; yet you looking at bikes that are not suited for touring nor suited to carry your body weight, not alone adding another 50 pounds on top of your weight. [/COLOR]Thank you for saying I'm a 'tad' overweight. That's like saying the Pacific is a tad wet, LOL. You said I was looking at bikes not suited for touring nor suited to carry my body weight. I'm not sure what makes a bike suited for touring. I really thought that's what road bikes were for. Several people have suggested I buy a hybrid type bike, but I'm guessing that wouldn't be suitable, either, so now I'm really confused. Maybe, again, it's the definition of 'tour' that's the problem, since I'm not planning across-America and up-the-Alps tours, but am planning at this point to take week-long beginner's easy-terrain, max of 40 miles a day on good roads or bike paths tours. Does that make a difference?
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[COLOR= #0000ff]All the bikes you came up with are made for right around 180 to 200 pounds total, and I wouldn't trust that much weight on 28 spoked rims, but some do ride with that few at those weights. All touring specific bikes are built with rims that have at least 36 spokes to handle the weight. [/COLOR]Again, that's information I need and don't know where to find. I didn't see it in any of the specs on the bikes, which I'm trying to learn to read and understand. It says how many spokes they HAVE, but where do I learn how many they need according to what I weigh?
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[COLOR= #0000ff]All touring bikes today come with 24 gears not 8 speed internal hubs. That's not saying you can't tour on 8 speeds because you can but it will limit you to flat and rolling hills, and limit you to about 30 pounds of touring gear.[/COLOR] As I mentioned previously, Hubby said that with 8 gears in back hub and 3 in front, that would make 24 gears that should be plenty. He could very well be wrong, but I would be the last person to know that, lol. If I can tour on 8 speeds in flat and rolling hills, that would be WONDERFUL, because at this point that's all I'm planning. If I actually ever get skilled enough to want to tackle steep hills and difficult tours, I can undertake another search for the perfect bike -- and maybe by that time, if it ever comes, I won't be so ignorant about bikes. Like: where do I learn how many pounds of gear my bike can carry along with me?
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[COLOR= #000000]I hope when your going into a place like REI that your telling them what you want to use the bike for and how much gear you'll be hauling...hopefully a minimum wage retail employee will understand what that means in search of a bike for you. [/COLOR][COLOR= #0000ff] I TELL them I'm going to be doing beginner's flat-terrain bike tours on paved roads. (I didn't tell them anything about how much gear I'll haul, because they didn't ask and I have no idea, though I did tell them it was Sag-wagon-supported.) Whether they listen/understand or not, I have no idea. I suspect some of the younger ones look at my fat and think, "Yeah, like that's going to happen," not believing that old fat people can really change. The one at REI fitted me and encouraged me to buy Marin bikes because of the 3 I tried there, the Marin felt best to me when riding. The clerk at Bob's Bikes was a moron -- when I asked if the bike frame was aluminum buttted -- one of the things I've learned to look for, here -- he said, "I don't know. It's metal. I think it's aluminum." He had no idea what butted meant -- and wanted me to test-ride my bike INSIDE the store, dodging the customers, the store dog who wanted to play fetch, and the racks of cycling clothes and bikes. Maybe y'all could do that without falling over; I couldn't, and knew better.[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Anyway, Froze, I hope that clears up some of your confusion. Maybe what I want doesn't exist: A bike under $700 that has internal gear hubs in back plus gears in front, mustache handlebars, a suspension seat post, an adjustable stem, adjustable seat, tires with enough spokes for my weight, fenders, and components good enough that none of y'all snicker about the bike here, that can take me on easy beginner tours with no steep hills and no worry about speeds. And I DO want it to be pretty; who wants to ride an ugly bike?? I keep trying to find one and asking in the forum here if this one fits or that one fits the bill, and the opinions are so varied that I seem to be getting more confused. That's why I typed all the stuff trying to compare the 4 bikes of each brand; I was hoping there would be a clear consensus of, "This is the best of the bikes you listed" by at least a small majority of those who voted, and it would guide my decision. [/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]I'm sorry I've caused such confusion. I just wanted a good bike to get better riding on and take on really easy tours.[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Thanks for all your help![/COLOR]

I think for your first bike an internal 8 speed hub may just be the way to go, it does make it easier to change flats because you remove the complication of having to move the external derailleur out of the way with the accompanying chain. And if you can find one with 3 gears up front then your set for just about anything that the road can dish out. So OK I'm with you on that. But I thought the Cafe Express was only an 8 speed not a 24 because the description of it on REI did not show any derailleur on the front chain ring nor did the description say 24 speed just 8.

So assuming you can find a 8 speed internal hub and 3 speed front for 24 total then go with that.

Next thing is you need to be looking at 36 spoked rims. If you find a bike you like at a store sometimes the LBS (bike shop) will exchange the wheels that came on the bike with wheels of your choice, it may cost a bit more it may not.

If your going to be doing credit card touring, which is what they call what you described, then you only need one set of eyelets in the rear and one on the front for the fenders because your right - you will get spray without them. That means you will need to buy fenders before you tour.

If you can try to find a bike with two sets of water bottle mounts especially touring regardless if supported or not, usually that's easy to find

Look into that moustache handlebar and the stuff needed, which will be slightly different then what I suggested due to the internal geared hub so check with your LBS on that.

Really the only thing you need to do tours like that is a large handle bar bag to carry some things you may need while on the bike right away. A under seat expandable wedge bag (these can expand to hold more by unzipping the bottom portion, still small but more roomer then a non expandable) for tire repair items and tools like this: http://www.bikemania.biz/Lone_Peak_Expanadable_Mini_Wedge_with_TWIST_CLIP_p/lonepeak_st-135t.htm, if you look real close at the bottom of the bag there is a zipper, when that zipper is open the bag gets larger then what it is in the pic; you can get these cheaper I'm just showing you what they look like. Try to find one that has at least 100 cubic inches of internal space. Or if you need more carrying space they do make a saddle bags of various designs and costs that mounts to the seat post usually with a light weight frame that holds the bag like this: http://www.bikemania.biz/Moots_Tailgator_Titanium_Bicycle_Bag_and_Rack_p/moots_tailgator_nc.htm Again shop around for price, but this bag would hold as much as a large front handle bar bag. There are some expensive canvas duffel looking saddle bags that can hold a lot more but not sure if you would need something like that riding supported. Some LBS have some of this stuff in stock if not internet is great for finding stuff like this. This site is seat bag haven: http://www.thefind.com/sports/info-expandable-seat-bag

So I hope that summarizes everything in a nut shell for you. Let us know what you find. Doing tours like what you want to do is a blast
 
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[COLOR= #0000ff]Froze, I love your posts!![/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]You give me so much information and great links to check into. Priceless![/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]And I think we're finally understanding what I need, lol. I'm sorry it took us so long to get there. Maybe what I should have done -- and will do -- on these forums is, instead of saying, "Will this bike work for me?", say, "I need a bike with this and this and this. Any suggestions?" and let it go at that.[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]I am currently thinking of upping my price a LITTLE (and keeping an eye on hubby's blood pressure, lol) and looking at a Specialized bikes that a nice guy on here suggested. They may be the prettiest bikes I've ever seen, but I'm trying to remember that fit and function are more important. (That's so unfair, lol.) And it's helpful that there is a Specialized shop not too far away from me where I can actually try out the bikes... unless they ask me to do it in the store. (What's up with that???)[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Anyway, thanks again. I knew I could count on you. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/tongue.gif[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Sierra[/COLOR]
 
Originally Posted by SierraSlim .

[COLOR= #0000ff]Froze, I love your posts!![/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]You give me so much information and great links to check into. Priceless![/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]And I think we're finally understanding what I need, lol. I'm sorry it took us so long to get there. Maybe what I should have done -- and will do -- on these forums is, instead of saying, "Will this bike work for me?", say, "I need a bike with this and this and this. Any suggestions?" and let it go at that.[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]I am currently thinking of upping my price a LITTLE (and keeping an eye on hubby's blood pressure, lol) and looking at a Specialized bikes that a nice guy on here suggested. They may be the prettiest bikes I've ever seen, but I'm trying to remember that fit and function are more important. (That's so unfair, lol.) And it's helpful that there is a Specialized shop not too far away from me where I can actually try out the bikes... unless they ask me to do it in the store. (What's up with that???)[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Anyway, thanks again. I knew I could count on you. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/tongue.gif[/COLOR]

[COLOR= #0000ff]Sierra[/COLOR]

Also if your upping your price to keep the Bikes Direct place in mind. Specialized makes good bikes, the problem is that they are overpriced and the company does price locks on them, meaning no one, either retail or internet, can sell the bike for less then Specialized's tells them thus the prices are the same anywhere you go. Dollar for dollar, component for component, you will get a far better bike at Bikes Direct then anywhere else.

By the way, some touring bikes come with bar end shifters, go back to the earlier post about the moustache conversion parts to refresh your memory. These touring bikes come with drop bars, but since they come with bar end shifters all you would have to do is buy the moustache bar and transfer the bar end shifters and the brakes from the drop bar to the new bar. So now your cost in parts have dropped. Not sure how that works with the internal 8 speed hubs but I believe there wouldn't be a problem.
 
Froze, I have one quibble: I don't know that the bar ends shifters will work with the internal 8-speed hubs. Not sure how you'd find out. But the internal hubs come with a shifter, right? So that would work with the mustache bars.