Touring bike / frame. What to look for?
- Thread starter NeilM
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Chat Noir
Devout Dirtbag
Re:
Look at Spa Cycles website ( http://www.spacycles.co.uk/ ), good value and interesting gear for touring. Visit CTC forum (http://forum.cyclinguk.org/ ) for some interesting and quirky observations about cycling, bikes and touring. If it’s a special project why not go custom built, especially if it’s your retirement gift to yourself? Loads of decent framebuilders around these days. Mercian has a certain cachet, same with Bob Jacksons, but choose whatever you want and the features you want for the kind of touring you want to do.
I tour on two bikes these days: one, Dolan Dedacciai from early 2000s, has braze ons for pannier rack, obviously steel, triple and not particularly light (11.2 kg). But, incredibly strong and resilient, stable on descents, at speed and loaded (eg coming down Col de la Bonnette or Alpe d’Huez), because has long wheel base. My ‘go to’ bike for heavier weight and rougher terrain, not a lot I wouldn’t do on it (I do use decent touring wheels from Spa Cycles). The second is a Bob Jackson, 731os from 1992, and I fix rack on with P clips, triple and fairly light (10 kg but use Brooks saddle): this is fast and comfortable for all day rides and equally stable on descents (44 mph going down Terrington Bank trying to keep up with one of my sons, not a hint of wobble). I use this bike for steep days out in the Yorkshire Dales or long, lightweight tours, eg a double end to end last year and quick North Coast 500 this year, comfortable, fast, the business. But, neither bike designed for touring.
If I had the means I would get a custom build following a decent bike fitting. As light as I can get away with. I’m fine with rim brakes but discs do have an appeal for touring. Would want fittings for rear rack only (I’m lightweight tourist). Some very light racks out there, Tubus amongst the best but pricey. An advantage to be able to fit fairly wide tyres – more comfort on longer distances. Many tourists like mudguards. If it’s your retirement gift to yourself then choice of groupset is, presumably, entirely up to you – this sounds a very enjoyable time for you!
Here’s a photo of the Bob Jackson in one of my favourite locations.
Look at Spa Cycles website ( http://www.spacycles.co.uk/ ), good value and interesting gear for touring. Visit CTC forum (http://forum.cyclinguk.org/ ) for some interesting and quirky observations about cycling, bikes and touring. If it’s a special project why not go custom built, especially if it’s your retirement gift to yourself? Loads of decent framebuilders around these days. Mercian has a certain cachet, same with Bob Jacksons, but choose whatever you want and the features you want for the kind of touring you want to do.
I tour on two bikes these days: one, Dolan Dedacciai from early 2000s, has braze ons for pannier rack, obviously steel, triple and not particularly light (11.2 kg). But, incredibly strong and resilient, stable on descents, at speed and loaded (eg coming down Col de la Bonnette or Alpe d’Huez), because has long wheel base. My ‘go to’ bike for heavier weight and rougher terrain, not a lot I wouldn’t do on it (I do use decent touring wheels from Spa Cycles). The second is a Bob Jackson, 731os from 1992, and I fix rack on with P clips, triple and fairly light (10 kg but use Brooks saddle): this is fast and comfortable for all day rides and equally stable on descents (44 mph going down Terrington Bank trying to keep up with one of my sons, not a hint of wobble). I use this bike for steep days out in the Yorkshire Dales or long, lightweight tours, eg a double end to end last year and quick North Coast 500 this year, comfortable, fast, the business. But, neither bike designed for touring.
If I had the means I would get a custom build following a decent bike fitting. As light as I can get away with. I’m fine with rim brakes but discs do have an appeal for touring. Would want fittings for rear rack only (I’m lightweight tourist). Some very light racks out there, Tubus amongst the best but pricey. An advantage to be able to fit fairly wide tyres – more comfort on longer distances. Many tourists like mudguards. If it’s your retirement gift to yourself then choice of groupset is, presumably, entirely up to you – this sounds a very enjoyable time for you!
Here’s a photo of the Bob Jackson in one of my favourite locations.
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Lindisfarne - very nice
Could I be nosy, what pannier bags are they ?
Lindisfarne - very nice
Could I be nosy, what pannier bags are they ?
Chat Noir
Devout Dirtbag
Karrimor. Bought them in 1979 for our first cycle tour in Ireland and still going strong, albeit with the odd patch in the duck cotton. The hooks are perfect fit on Tortec racks. The bag on the rack is simply a waterproof bag, weighs nothing but holds a lot. Front bar bag is a Topeak undersaddle bag, perfect for small items, phones, cameras, bars, and easily fitted / removed from the bars.
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Chat Noir":c1qe8kto said:
Thankyou !
Re:
I did see a modern dynamo light recently, on a group ride I did. It was great, really bright, and stayed on when we had stopped. Will try to find out more about it for you.
Nice project to have Neil. Will be interesting to see how it transpires
Mike
I did see a modern dynamo light recently, on a group ride I did. It was great, really bright, and stayed on when we had stopped. Will try to find out more about it for you.
Nice project to have Neil. Will be interesting to see how it transpires
Mike
Re:
Thanks for the advice, all good stuff.
I am leaning more and more towards a custom frame and as there are four good builders locally I will have plenty of choice.
I will look at Spa Cycles web site, I buy stuff from them on a regular basis, but also have SJS Cycles about 20 minutes from my front door.
Lots to think about, but plenty of time.
Thanks for the advice, all good stuff.
I am leaning more and more towards a custom frame and as there are four good builders locally I will have plenty of choice.
I will look at Spa Cycles web site, I buy stuff from them on a regular basis, but also have SJS Cycles about 20 minutes from my front door.
Lots to think about, but plenty of time.
Re: Re:
I built a new front wheel for my tourer last winter with an XT hub dyno driving an AXA front lamp with standlight. There is also a USB charging socket on the lamp, which is handy. Definitely I would not go back to battery lights for touring.
Mike Muz 67":2gx4em6c said:
I built a new front wheel for my tourer last winter with an XT hub dyno driving an AXA front lamp with standlight. There is also a USB charging socket on the lamp, which is handy. Definitely I would not go back to battery lights for touring.
Re: Re:
That's my thought process, as I will have a Garmin and a phone with me. I know I can use solar chargers, but a hub dynamo seems an obvious addition to the build.
A thought on brakes: I like the idea of discs, but I have concerns about damage or failure when I'm a long way from any shops. I suppose I can slip a couple of spare discs and fixing bolts into a pannier.
Anyone have any thoughts on disc brake reliability and their ability to slow / stop a fully loaded tourer.
hamster":3ktn3jhy said:
That's my thought process, as I will have a Garmin and a phone with me. I know I can use solar chargers, but a hub dynamo seems an obvious addition to the build.
A thought on brakes: I like the idea of discs, but I have concerns about damage or failure when I'm a long way from any shops. I suppose I can slip a couple of spare discs and fixing bolts into a pannier.
Anyone have any thoughts on disc brake reliability and their ability to slow / stop a fully loaded tourer.
Touring bikes are conspicuous in their ordinariness. Fancy, shiny and lightweight have no place here.
I have done a lot of touring, and now would always choose an MTB. If I was touring with others who had road tourers, I would be struggling to keep up with them though. Distances are not really relevant, you can go a long way on either so long as you are comfortable.
Build a cheapie now, and then you will see what works and what doesn't work for your circumstances.
I have done a lot of touring, and now would always choose an MTB. If I was touring with others who had road tourers, I would be struggling to keep up with them though. Distances are not really relevant, you can go a long way on either so long as you are comfortable.
Build a cheapie now, and then you will see what works and what doesn't work for your circumstances.
