8000+ miles, which Bike!?

[al-fresco]

The peeps at Brixton Cycles, who could have just about any bike they wanted, go for the Long Haul Trucker. 'Ride and forget' seems to cover it.

http://www.brixtoncy...o.uk/surly.html
frame and fork for £350 seems decent enough
the Truckaccino bike complete is £999


Long Haul Trucker

Heavy duty touring bike.
Geared only, rim braked, full braze-ons for front and rear racks, mudguards, 3 bottle cages and spare spokes. Ever wanted to cycle round the world carrying everything you own? This is the bike for the job.
26" wheels for 54cm and under frame sizes, 700c wheels 56mm and over. 135mm OLD
Red or Blue (some green ones left but not all sizes).

Stoppit!! I don't need another Surly... but dammit they look so good!

 

[del]

Sounds like the LHT is the one!


I'll have a look around and see what deals i can get if we buy 4 bikes at once



Cheers guys

 

[dubman]

Another vote here , for the Surly , they are a great bike to ride

 

[srw]

Mildly off-topic, but does anyone else find it annoying that a "complete" touring bike, priced carefully at just under £1000, does not include anything that makes it capable of being used for touring: pedals, mudguards, bottle cages, even racks? I suspect that saddle won't be tour-ready either.

 

[del]

yeah it is fecking annoying I spoke to a local dealer, and should be getting the Surly for just under 900 buttttt....
Getting the bike up and ready to go touring is probably going to add another few hundred on that

Im hoping 1200 all in... and the bike will be up to spec and ready to eat the tarmac!

 

[blockend]

Bring back Raleigh. Randonneurs came with Brooks Pro saddle, pedals, pump, cages, bottles, spare spokes on special brazing, guards, racks and touch-up paint. Shall we say £250's worth in today's money?

 

[hubbike]

roberts roughstuff is worth a look

as is http://www.adventure-cycling-guide.co.uk/bike5.htm

 

[dellzeqq]

a friend is currently on her way to Kazakhstan on the Fahrad that you can see on hubbike's link.

 

[vorsprung]

I recently got an old steel framed 80s Peugeot MTB from the dump, for free. I put a different front wheel on (another dump acquistion), new grips, saddle and brake levers/blocks/cables, a used 8 speed chain and some special offer 26" semi slick Schwalbe Marathons from Spa Cycles. Total cost to me less than 100 quid

Could I ride it to Kenya? Probably

It's my daughters bike now so I am not allowed to ride it across Africa

oh, btw if you are thinking "I wouldn't want to build a bike" you are doing the wrong challenge. If you ride a bike that far you will end up fixing it, best learn how to now before you start

 

[vorsprung]

A more expensive option is this

http://www.cotic.co.uk/product/bikes/roadrat/alfine/

£850 with sealed hub gear. Less if you feel able to do without gears.

 

[Brains]

I'd use the Dawes Galaxy as the 'benchmark' bike and compare all others to this one.

My personal preference would be to go for the Thorn Nomad or the Thorn EXP (although the EXP may be double your budget) but a 2nd hand Nomad may be obtainable as Thorn buy their old bikes back when people upgrade.

A second hand Thorn would be a lot better than new lower spec bike

 

[craigwend]

Always worth a look

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s21p0


Dawes - Horizon, Vantage & Karakum within you budget, they will price match Galaxies... (if your buying four you may be able to do a deal!)

 

[Dave Davenport]

Might be worth having a word with Thorn. List price for a ready to go Sherpa is £1250 but maybe they'll cut a deal for four and some publicity.

 

[samid]

Mildly off-topic, but does anyone else find it annoying that a "complete" touring bike, priced carefully at just under £1000, does not include anything that makes it capable of being used for touring: pedals, mudguards, bottle cages, even racks? I suspect that saddle won't be tour-ready either.

If I were buying a new touring bike, I would much prefer it to come without pedals, saddle and racks unless they were Time Z-Control's, Brooks Team Pro and Tubus Cargo.

 

[andym]

personally I'd get an 456 or inbred from on-one.co.uk plus wheels from Harry Rowland or Spa Cycles.

But if you want something off the shelf then an LHT is probably a good bet.

Mildly off-topic, but does anyone else find it annoying that a "complete" touring bike, priced carefully at just under £1000, does not include anything that makes it capable of being used for touring: pedals, mudguards, bottle cages, even racks? I suspect that saddle won't be tour-ready either.

Well yes and no. If they specced the stuff I would have chosen anyway (at OEM prices) then great. But if it means buying stuff I don't want, or already have, and then having to eBay it then it's not quite so attractive.