Cheers, Derek. Anyone have any experience or knowledge of this bike? Bon route:-), Not right now, no. On the other hand, I know several aluminium-riding tourers who ended up hitchhiking with broken bikes and then waiting around in cities for new frames to be couriered out because they couldn’t get them repaired at all. pretty much fit and forget. This thinking has been updated for 2021 on the basis that ‘fit comes first’, with the 42–58cm sizes made for 26″ wheels, and the 56–62cm frames designed for the 700c standard, with a slight overlap in the middle of the range. Fantastic! Testing . Few parts have worn out, I am on the second BB, and I upgraded the chainset to an ultegra, other than a couple of tyres, chains and cassettes I have had to do very little. As you said, a bit pricey, but a lovely looking bike — thanks! Check. Hello Tom, your website is amazing, well done! Most tourers are just too heavy, 17Kg+ steel monsters. It confirms my own conclusions (though I’m no hardcore global wanderer like yourself). they look very different from your once fitted: To buy one, you’ll need to book an appointment with St John’s Street Cycles in Bridgewater to get yours specified and fitted to your needs. A lot of cycle tours land somewhere in the middle of these spectrums. The bars are the most comfortable I have ever used! Which begs another question: “Is it easier to repair a derailleur system or a Rohlhoff wheel on the roadside?”. any suggestion about the rim sizes? Cheers I also haven’t heard about this one. If you look at their prices they seem to be expensive at first but on their website they often have amazing deals on bikes they already have built up. I haven’t included Thorn here as they’re a bit pricey for the mid-range, but I’ll do so in a future piece on higher end tourers…, No problem, really enjoyed the film on Tuesday in Leeds. It’s all about the distance from the rim to where the cable connects, much more leverage. The answer is actually very simple. I’ve been very happy with my Koga Miyata all these years. Yes there are bikes with better components but the few that you chose will do the job. On my current bike, a Surly Long Haul Trucker, the stock (drop) bars are very good. Verdt å nevne er at han legger spesiell vekt […]. Check out Thorn’s website. Good luck! The first question should always be: Do I have a reason for not choosing a recumbent? Tom have a look at Thorn Sherpa I have one it’s great, Lo mejor es que a partir de la accin y de la memoria del equipo. You’re right about the saddle, but I can’t remember buying a single bike for which I didn’t replace it! Finally, most forks are incompatible with lowriders (front racks). China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia.It is the world's most populous country, with a population of around 1.4 billion in 2019. But no less appreciated! : i enjoy cycling fast. I’m leaning towards getting her a recumbent, but can’t really afford it, and she doesn’t tour with me a lot. Novara safari is a great and inexpensive tourer sold at Rei Cheaper then any of these by a large margin with butterfly handle bars Tossing them around and hammering up climbs is not really part of the touring style — taking it slow and steady, especially uphill, is what allows you to reach the end of a day with a hundred k on the clock. They’re all priced within a couple of hundred pounds/dollars of each other. Tom, what do you think about Verso Tour Gitane? With a range above 100miles seems as interesting. . But I have my own stash of XRs for when I am . He had it even repainted recently and put back again: I do agree with you that the steel frame gives a much nicer and more comfortable ride and that such a frame has much better strength which are great reasons to get steel. But if that isn’t an option, my brother is 6′2″ and he has the 59cm model, which fits him very well, if that’s of any help. I was planning to build a tourer on Troll frame and I guess now I should buy it before it’s gone. How Much Do Hub Dynamos Really Slow You Down? On another note–can you recommend a book for learning how to repair/assemble a bike…. They’re tour proven and won’t need a second thought. (In fact, that’s a project I’ve got on the go at the moment.) A touring bike should feel reassuring and stable under such circumstances as it’s what they’re designed for. Also a doog opyion in my opinion: http://www.kross.pl/en/2016/trekking/trans-alp. Steel was still the material of choice also. Final tour weight is around 9.1Kg. Surly do large frames but are more expensive (~£1500) and no extras like pannier rack. The length of the cable is significant and the possible use of a ‘travel agent ’ to allow for the cable pull etc etc. Gravel and Touring Bikes for Smaller Cyclists: XXS, XS, 38cm, 42cm, 44cm, Bikes for Tall Cyclists: Road, Gravel, Touring, Commuter In XXL XXXL 62, 63, 64cm+. Where others have moved to integrated shifters and brake levers, Kona have (wisely, in my opinion) stuck with bar-end shifters; perhaps less ergonomic but certainly more durable. The issue is that I cannot find any info that states how much stronger. I bought the Tour de Fer and did an 8 day tour in Greece. I managed to build my bike up(it was missing a lot of parts) for maybe $500 and I have XTR rear derailleur, Sunrace 8 cassette, Suntour XC thumb shifters, Syncros stem, NOS XT UN73 BB…you get the picture. Hi Tom, love your site. I do appreciate all the arguments for the benefit of recumbents, but this article was intended to highlight mainstream mid-range options, and unfortunately recumbents are still a long way from being part of that. I´m looking at setting up my first Touring / Expedition rig. i have no money what small improvements could i make to my cannondale quick cx 4 2012 to make it a little better for touring. In other words, the demands of your ride should dictate your choice of touring bike – not the other way round. Thanks one and all! Absolutely reliable bike (though it’s really heavy at 45lbs without the baskets, close to 55 or 60lbs with the baskets). In the premium category I’d add one of the IDWorx bikes such as the All Rohler or oPinion BLT. A final thought an expensive shiny touring bike looks great to the owner and a theif, to protect my ride i wrap the frame in old inner tube and tape so protecting frame from damage and making my pride and joy look like a dirty ol ride! Kingsway are a great bike shop and really nice to deal with — none of that irritating superiority complex so common in good bike shops. Parts back then were very well made. Equipment . Bob Nally!! Hi Tom Note that Dawes have discontinued the Galaxy line for 2021, citing several years of declining in sales. Took your advice to try it and decided on a medium instead of a large frame (I’m 5′9″) since it was more comfortable. So what u rollin on these days??? I think that folding bikes are a serious alternative for long-term touring. The bikes of this era were of very high quality as it was the fastest growing sport then and the competition was fierce with leaps in steel tubing technology. Hi Tom, I’ve read about Thorn bikes before (specifically the Raven) — any views? I use a dual suspension 21sp MTB upgraded with wide seat and swept back handlebars, better tires. Hey this is great stuff! It’s a lovely cycle though — I’d really recommend it, although if you are looking for a real round-the-world workhorse it might be worth looking at some of the more established models. Hi all, . Early days for us. They look very similar. Ooops! I’m based in HK and so unfortunately won’t be able to test-ride either of them (only a narrow window in London and they have to be ordered in advance), but if you say that the specs are identical then it makes the decision a bit easier — comes down to the aesthetics now! There are Shops in GB too, in € it would be 1499,-. get a Burley travoy, the trailer that packs up into a shopping bag. I also like having handlebars that give multiple hand positions, which helps with fatigue. http://Www.facebook.com/8pedals Al (Sudan). I´m not too worried about speed but much more worried about control. Is this still current? Hi. Now, if I may lead to a dilemma. sorry for misspeling. http://www.en.tout-terrain.de/bicycles/silkroad/. A tip for straightening out a bent rotor is to use an adjustable spanner to grip the rotor at the warped point and then give it a few nudges back in the right direction. Otherwise, feel free to have a browse. I would put my vote for the BB7s. Fitted with M6 steel bolts I can come a way with most everything I throw at it. I think so yet if there is a reason for not rating or listing can you let me know? What do you think about Surly ECR? Thx for the info. Many good quality bikes can be purchased for less than £100. Even if you can’t, a seatpost rack will do you from here to Paris. For 3 years. i would agree with the above. Thanks for the budget bike suggestion — I’ll work that into a future article. The 2021 Panorama gets a fresh, bright-red paint job and a £100 price-tag increase, but is otherwise the same as the 2020 model. That was August last year and I haven’t had even a twinge of regret. The wider wheels help to accommodate a wider tire (1.9–2.3) that helps absorb the load that you’d be carrying. Sometimes its just not about the bike. Mart. Many of the sub-£1,000 tourers seem to have bar-end shifters and she’s a bit nervous about taking them on. Testing around Rutland hills I realised the brakes weren’t even good enough for here, let alone 25mile descents. hey tom! I’m from Argentina, and here there aren’t so many good bikes, and I can buy one Gitane, but I’ve never heard about this model. For short and occasional touring, I have no doubt that most aluminium frames would be fine, though. It teach me ! Most of the touring bikes I read about in this section either deal with 700c size wheels or 26″ wheels. Does it reduce speed much? Hey Henric — thanks a lot for this perspective. Suggestions welcome! (I already owned a pair of Tubus racks from my previous bike when I bought the Randonee.) Do I Really Need Ortliebs? Has to be said that the disc brakes are a revelation compared to any sort of rim brake (I have tried them all apart from hydraulic); no constant adjustment, no rim wear, no filthy aluminium slurry all over the rims, silent and they actually work in the rain ( of which there is plenty here in Lancashire). Yes, he’s safe and well and back living in France. Pedal The Planet where I bought my Koga Miyata is no longer in operation. Like say an Azub 6? am i looking in the right kind of bike here considering our journey and our plans? Thanks for the link to cyclestore and your advice. I’m in awe of its Rolls-Royce levels of reliabilty, comfort and smoothness. I am in Norway (Oslo to be precise) and can´t find any shop stocking touring bikes. Hey Wes… faced with a cargo rack decision like that, the only way to know for sure is to take one for a test ride. Hi, I am not new to cycling but am to touring. I am on a 2008 Dawes SG. I´m looking at a go anywhere, do anything rig…2 week tours in Europe and RTW adventures. I keep looking at new bikes, but don’t know how I would really benefit, the bike just keeps rolling along happily for my short breaks. I’m interested in your views on bar-end shifters. How Do Cycle Touring & Bikepacking Actually Work? I spent nearly a day at their HQ with the attention of the owner, his wife, two dogs and their chief engineer. would having flat bar handle bars restrict us some what? Re drop bars: I wouldn’t want to tour without them, and I use them a lot, but especially when I have to ride into the wind. One other thing, I think the Trek 920 should be listed. I will also convert the bike in an e‑bike with the golden motor magic pie conversion kit plus a solar panel . Or are you going on a cycle tour? The Silkroad is an extremely robust travel bike. Steel frame? I’m going to guess that you’re fairly sure both these bikes will meet your needs, but that you haven’t tried either of them out. Hello, Tom. If you are running Shimano gearing,chain etc make sure the jockey wheels are not a 3rd party set, if so, buy Shimano ones, they work better than others. According to the Thorn website, spoke breakage was an issue; an issue they solved by drilling the spoke holes on the rim differently. I even made my own bike bags out of lightweight cuben fibre. So my advice is search it, test it, uprgade it, love it and than… finally ride it,-D Put a piece of your heart and skills into your piece of metal. (I would apply the same logic to hub gears). I followed your adventure to the Arctic. I can easily make decisions at work involving lots of cash…but this one appears to have me foxed!! Its traditional, road-oriented frameset is prime for being built up into a fully-loaded, long-haul, asphalt touring machine. The only way to know for sure is to ride both. They use the same cables and levers as V‑brakes, the mechanism is simple, and they’re maintenance free, except for changing the pads, which you can carry with you. After spending many evenings checking your advice and loads of websites, I finally opted for a Dawes Galaxy Classic. been shopping around and am considering the novara safari–i like the mustache handlebars and the price seems good but worried about the quality of components and whether 700 wheels are potentially a problem…i know 26″ is more the standard when you are in the middle of nowhere. I guess it depends on your priorities for being on the road! Love this website. I feel like the world is telling me to move south–I´m in Colombia right now and I want to go to Argentina. Vous êtes à la recherche d'un job étudiant, d'un job d'été, d'un job le soir après les cours ou le week-end pour financer vos études ? I use simialr V brakes on my hybrid as per your link to Spacycles. Thank you Phil for your comment on these brakes. You get a very comfortable and fairly upright position out of that arrangement. You will notice as you ride, most of the touring bikes you’ll encounter are Dawes; how cool is that? Thanks a lot for the article. I have to choose a bike and change it into a touring one! I have had lots of comments and thoughts from others on the Cycling UK forum too. The theory is that, because the Rohloff hub does not require a “dished” spoke set-up, it is stronger (than the equivalent deraileur set-up). Anthony. Any comments on the Brodie Elan: Upgrade the rear rack, add a front lowrider and your favourite saddle, and you’ll be ready for the most remote of the planet’s backroads. This has led me to consider a Rohloff hub. Spa Cycles, a touring specialist fit these. This sounds like a terrible story and I’m sorry to hear about it. We find that, when fully loaded, the bike comes into its own with regards to comfort, response and stability due, I think, to the Reynolds 725 tubing. If you’re not clear on the answer to each of them, it might be time to stop reading about bikes and go back to first principles. The Vittoria Randonneur tyres may not be the longest-lasting, but at 40mm (1.6″) in diameter they’ll be comfortable on asphalt and gravel alike until you make the upgrade. I own a Surly LHT and theyre great bikes but the frame sizeing can be a bit confusing and the promotional pictures dont help. They asked whether Thorn will be renewed for 2021 and someone from the staff said that they will no longer offer this model. of course I have an old Peugeot mountain bike that i was thinking about changing in to a touring bike but i am not sure! Just about to buy the Ridgeback Journey for some UK touring — perhaps France too next year. Thanks. I really hope he is doing well and being healthy. road bikes that mostly used here for races or mountain! If you live in the U.K. it is definitely worth looking at the Thorn bikes as they are just so well built and I can vouch for the ride being ultra comfy and smooth for long days in the saddle. We rode in the German countryside and tested a score of bikes. Including me (Yemen). I visited their HQ last week and Gerrit and his team are amazing. Personally, I also prefer the ride quality of a steel frame; there’s a little more give over the very stiff ride afforded by aluminium. Thanks for the article, i plan to travel from Texas to the bottom of South America next year. Hey Tom, I went with the Kona Surtra based on my gut feeling and it felt right when I test rode it.