Whats the best touring bike

Robbity · Mar 17, 2004

Hi, I am interested in buy a touring bike. I currently ride
an old Repco superlite, but want to upgrade to a better
/purpose built bike. I will be using it mainly for commuting
to work, approx 35k's and some longer distance stuff/audax
rides on weekends of probably around 100 - 200k's.

I thought a touring bike would be the way to go, because of
the good gear range, 36 spoke wheels for strength etc.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Ta Rob

flyingdutch · Mar 17, 2004

Sadly christies is no longer as they would have been the best place to go (Hawthorn, Melb)

Cecil walker make VERY good tourers. Speak to Leigh Kilpatrick.
Sometime tourer/racer/Audaxer/Paris-Brest-Paris-er

If off the shelf perhaps something like:
Mongoose Randonneur (at budget end) review australian cyclist site

Never did understand why someone didnt fill the big niche that Shogun had with their AlpineGT. A wonderful steed with decent bits and great price (and in British racing green)

Jack Russell · Mar 17, 2004

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01
Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <title></title> </head>
<body> There are very few true touring bikes available in
Australia, I believe Cecil Walker in Melbourne may be your
best bet. There are plenty in the UK, I ride a
Thorn XTC try - <a
href="http://sjscycles.com/thornbrochure.asp">St John St
Cycles Thorn brochure page</a> Jack Russell 
 Robbity wrote: <blockquote type="cite"
cite="[email protected]">
<pre wrap="">Hi, I am interested in buy a touring bike. I
currently ride an old Repco superlite, but want to upgrade
to a better /purpose built bike. I will be using it mainly
for commuting to work, approx 35k's and some longer
distance stuff/audax rides on weekends of probably around
100 - 200k's.

I thought a touring bike would be the way to go, because of
the good gear range, 36 spoke wheels for strength etc.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Ta Rob

</pre> </blockquote> </body> </html

Philip · Mar 17, 2004

It depends on what sort of touring you do. You appear to
need a lite weight tourer for people who take a credit card
rather than a tent.

The UK is definitly the best place to get one, but thios
probably doesn't help! (My pick is a hand built Roberts, but
Thorn are good too) At the cheaper end the Dawes Galaxy and
Ralihgt Randenour are good work horses.

As for Australia try the Cannondale T800, T1000 or T2000.

Cheers,

Philip

"Robbity" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi, I am interested in buy a touring bike. I currently
> ride an old Repco superlite, but want to upgrade to a
> better /purpose built bike. I will be using it mainly for
> commuting to work, approx 35k's and some longer
distance
> stuff/audax rides on weekends of probably around 100
> - 200k's.
>
> I thought a touring bike would be the way to go, because
> of the good gear range, 36 spoke wheels for strength etc.
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> Ta Rob

Terry Collins · Mar 17, 2004

Robbity wrote:
>
> Hi, I am interested in buy a touring bike.

but, then you go onto list a commuter and Audax. {

If you want a custom built touring frame, talk to Wayne
Kotzur, but it sounds like you want something a bit between.

> I thought a touring bike would be the way to go, because
> of the good gear range, 36 spoke wheels for strength etc.

What is the problem with just adding another set of wheels
to your current bicycle? To give you a wider gear range?

Then choose racking to carry the weight (in panniers) you
want.

BTW, I now tour on a MTB, which is anything but light and
hence rather slow.

Mike · Mar 17, 2004

Robbity wrote:
> Hi, I am interested in buy a touring bike. I currently
> ride an old Repco superlite, but want to upgrade to a
> better /purpose built bike. I will be

See reviews at : http://www.australiancyclist.com.au/showar-
ticle.php?s=4&a=433

They have a Cannondale T2000 review too.

Carl Milne · Mar 18, 2004

Perhaps you do want only a specific touring bike, but maybe
you could instead use a hybrid.

I and most of my touring and social riding friends use
hybrids of various price ranges. Giant make pretty good
models such as 'Innova' at around $1000, probably less with
the current exchange rate. They also have some cheaper
models and Cannondale also have a more expensive range of
hybrids which were called 'Silk Path' when I bought mine but
I think they are called something like ....Adventure now.

There are many other hybrids available in Australia and this
may be the way for you to go. Check them out and see what
you think.

Carl "Robbity" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi, I am interested in buy a touring bike. I currently
> ride an old Repco superlite, but want to upgrade to a
> better /purpose built bike. I will be using it mainly for
> commuting to work, approx 35k's and some longer
distance
> stuff/audax rides on weekends of probably around 100
> - 200k's.
>
> I thought a touring bike would be the way to go, because
> of the good gear range, 36 spoke wheels for strength etc.
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> Ta Rob

Kingsley · Mar 18, 2004

On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 21:19:29 +0800, Robbity wrote:

> I am interested in buy a touring bike. I currently ride
> an old Repco superlite, but want to upgrade to a better
> /purpose built bike. I will be using it mainly for
> commuting to work, approx 35k's and some longer
> distance stuff/audax rides on weekends of probably
> around 100 - 200k's.
>
> I thought a touring bike would be the way to go, because
> of the good gear range, 36 spoke wheels for strength etc.

The best touring bike is *my* touring bike

I'm interested in seeing one of Shogun's touring bikes, they
were doing a cross-promotion with Knog a few months back. I
don't know where you can see one of these, but if someone
knows, please tell me.

The Trek 520(?) is well thought of on the Phred Bicycle
Touring list, but I think that's mainly 'cause of Americana.
But if you want to see one of these they had one in Clarence
St Cyclery the other day. (it usually lives upstairs near
the panniers, but I noticed it was downstairs with the hybrid-
road bikes lately).

Have you considered having one custom built ?

-kt

gescom · Mar 20, 2004

Although I haven't ridden one the sizing on the Cannondale tourers differs too greatly for my liking. The Medium has a top tube of 54.5cm while the large model has a tt of 57.2cm, a big diiference and not really enough sizes in between to get a proper fit especially considering the price.

From what i've read (and tried) the biggest problem most ppl have with the Trek 520 is getting the handlebar height equal with seat height. Trek seems to cut the steerer for 'looks' rather than for fit. Here's a good forum thread to read regarding this http://www.cyclingforums.com/t91987.html .

I think if you have the money then a custom frame is the way to go (something I regret not getting myself!).

If looking at a hybrid try the Avanti Blade or even better 520 steel framed Jamis Coda Sport http://www.jamisbikes.com/bikes/04_coda_sport.html

An audax style bike worth looking at would be the Specialized Sequoia
http://www.specialized.com/SBCBkFamily.jsp?sid=04Sequoia&JServSessionIdroot=xb860zb8t3.j27008.

Around Australi · Mar 22, 2004

How about a recumbent trike?

"Robbity" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi, I am interested in buy a touring bike. I currently
> ride an old Repco superlite, but want to upgrade to a
> better /purpose built bike. I will be using it mainly for
> commuting to work, approx 35k's and some longer
distance
> stuff/audax rides on weekends of probably around 100
> - 200k's.
>
> I thought a touring bike would be the way to go, because
> of the good gear range, 36 spoke wheels for strength etc.
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> Ta Rob

Robbity · Mar 22, 2004

Thank you all for your comments. It has given me plenty to
mull over.

As far as Hand made touring bikes are concerned, does anyone
know of a builder in Perth?

Cheers Rob "Robbity" <[email protected]> wrote in
message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi, I am interested in buy a touring bike. I currently
> ride an old Repco superlite, but want to upgrade to a
> better /purpose built bike. I will be using it mainly for
> commuting to work, approx 35k's and some longer
distance
> stuff/audax rides on weekends of probably around 100
> - 200k's.
>
> I thought a touring bike would be the way to go, because
> of the good gear range, 36 spoke wheels for strength etc.
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> Ta Rob

Robbity · Mar 23, 2004

I would love to ride a trike, but I hear that they give you
nothing but knee problems.

"Around Australia Recumbent Style"
<[email protected]> wrote in message news:XpA7c.119926$Wa.106296@news-
server.bigpond.net.au...
> How about a recumbent trike?

>
> "Robbity" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Hi, I am interested in buy a touring bike. I currently
> > ride an old Repco superlite, but want to upgrade to a
> > better /purpose built bike. I will
be
> > using it mainly for commuting to work, approx 35k's and
> > some longer
> distance
> > stuff/audax rides on weekends of probably around 100 -
> > 200k's.
> >
> > I thought a touring bike would be the way to go, because
> > of the good
gear
> > range, 36 spoke wheels for strength etc.
> >
> > Any suggestions would be appreciated.
> >
> > Ta Rob
> >
>

Terry Collins · Mar 23, 2004

Robbity wrote:
>
> I would love to ride a trike, but I hear that they give
> you nothing but knee problems.

Did you get an explanation of why?

My guess is that people are rarely saerious about riding
trikes and only have occassional rides on them and they are
not adjusted to the rider. Like so many basic bicycles you
see around.

Major problem is road camber on basic trikes.

Back in the late 1970's, there was someone who road a front-
end trike around Australia written up in Freewheeling. Zed,
Zeke, Z???. It was that or loose his kidneys I believe.

Mike · Mar 23, 2004

Terry Collins wrote:
> Robbity wrote:
>
>>I would love to ride a trike, but I hear that they give
>>you nothing but knee problems.
>
>
> Did you get an explanation of why?

I would guess its because they don't lean with you on
corners, so your legs are twisted. Solution could be to stop
pedalling on bends ??

Around Australi · Mar 24, 2004

But I hear that your knees are fixed so it must be something else

"Robbity" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I would love to ride a trike, but I hear that they give
> you nothing but
knee
> problems.
>
>
> "Around Australia Recumbent Style"
> <[email protected]> wrote in message news:XpA7c.119926$Wa.106296@news-
> server.bigpond.net.au...
> > How about a recumbent trike?

> >
> > "Robbity" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > Hi, I am interested in buy a touring bike. I currently
> > > ride an old Repco superlite, but want to upgrade to a
> > > better /purpose built bike. I
will
> be
> > > using it mainly for commuting to work, approx 35k's
> > > and some longer
> > distance
> > > stuff/audax rides on weekends of probably around 100 -
> > > 200k's.
> > >
> > > I thought a touring bike would be the way to go,
> > > because of the good
> gear
> > > range, 36 spoke wheels for strength etc.
> > >
> > > Any suggestions would be appreciated.
> > >
> > > Ta Rob
> > >
> > >
> >
>

Terry Collins · Mar 24, 2004

Mike wrote:
>
> Terry Collins wrote:
> > Robbity wrote:
> >
> >>I would love to ride a trike, but I hear that they give
> >>you nothing but knee problems.
> >
> >
> > Did you get an explanation of why?
>
> I would guess its because they don't lean with you on
> corners, so your legs are twisted. Solution could be to
> stop pedalling on bends ??

In my books, a good trike should include a horizontal axis
to overcome road camber and cornering.

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