80s Raleigh Royal, or am I barking up the wrong tree...

[Blue Hills]

OP, Mark speaks/writes great sense.

Always amuses me the way many folk use the word "hybrid" with a silent "it's only a" before - oh the ignorant fools

 

[smutchin]

Always amuses me the way many folk use the word "hybrid" with a silent "it's only a" before - oh the ignorant fools

Most bikes these days are 'hybrids' of some description.

It's like dogs - the fashion in dog ownership is for cockerpoos, labradoodles, puggles and other designer breeds that aim to blend particular qualities of different pedigree breeds. The 'adventure' bike is the cockerpoo of the cycling world.

 

[Blue Hills]

you need to ensure they can take front and rear racks. .

Yes, though not a great problem as long as you get a completely steel frame.

I always prefer two mounts at the rear so that the mudguards and rack can be mounted separately - you can of course double them up but a bit more of a fiddle and two gives you redundancy - one of the mounts on a favoured old hybrid of mine broke off (maybe my fault) but at least I had a fall back of then mounting guards and rack on a single mount.

Don't get hung up about front mounts OP.

If you want to take front bags and your chosen bike has no mid fork mounts but is steel, you can just fasten these to the forks:

https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article...467.MTEzNTM5&gclid=CPSu17bvltICFW0A0wod6_0Erg


Made by Tubus, who make racks to take folk round the world so you can be sure that they are solid.

 

[Blue Hills]

Most bikes these days are 'hybrids' of some description.

It's like dogs - the fashion in dog ownership is for cockerpoos, labradoodles, puggles and other designer breeds that aim to blend particular qualities of different pedigree breeds. The 'adventure' bike is the cockerpoo of the cycling world.

well yes, and hence some of Ridgebacks new tourers look not too different from my 20 year old Ridgeback hybrids
Hybrids came in in the 90s I think - merged aspects of MTBs and road bikes - they are actually what got me into cycling.
People do still use the term dismissively though.

 

[Blue Hills]

I

There's no need to tour on drops though..

Yes - OP - I don't think you stated a preference - unless you have a very particular reason for favouring drops, I'd go flat bar with bar ends for all sorts of reasons.

 

[smutchin]

People do still use the term dismissively though.

I guess that comes from the view that a 'hybrid' is neither one thing nor the other and therefore not as good as either. Thinking of hybrids as 'designer breeds' rather than 'mongrels' might help to dispel such ideas.

 

[Blue Hills]

Hi Mark

If you could beg/borrow/sell/rent a bit of your body or whatever, this would be a bargain:

https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=112386

You might find that you love touring in which case you are set for a lot of your life with a bargain.

If not, you could probably sell it post trip for what you paid for it.

I wouldn't use it around town though, not unless double locked.

 

[biggs682]

An 80's Royal would be good or try looking for the later 853 tubed ones which had canti brakes

But at the end of the day you can tour on anything as long as its reliable

Back in the day when i use to tour with the local ctc i would have been happy to tour on this G.E.R. Lomas retro road bike and still would today in all fairness it would be ideal

 

[Blue Hills]

I'd avoid anything that had the old standard wheel size close to but not quite 700c though.

Doubtless some kind soul can remind me/the thread what it's called without telling me to google it.

Tyres and tubes can be obtained but not without difficulty.

 

[mcshroom]

I'd avoid anything that had the old standard wheel size close to but not quite 700c though.

Doubtless some kind soul can remind me/the thread what it's called without telling me to google it.

Tyres and tubes can be obtained but not without difficulty.

27 inch?

 

[mcshroom]

I guess that comes from the view that a 'hybrid' is neither one thing nor the other and therefore not as good as either. Thinking of hybrids as 'designer breeds' rather than 'mongrels' might help to dispel such ideas.

I agree, and to be honest if a bike is an out and out 'Thoroughbred' like a full-sus DH bike or a feather-light road bike with paper-thin clearances, then it's probably not going to fit with what you want to do with it most of the time IMHO.

For touring I think hybrids are fine. The difference between my tourer and hybrid is mainly the type of bars really. I've toured on both, and though I prefer the tourer as I like drops and it's a steel frame, I wouldn't have any qualms about touring on the hybrid again.

 

[bigjim]

27 inch?

I don't have a problem sourceing 27" tyres for my Raleighs. Big name manufacturers still selling them and the tubes are the same as 700c. I would have thought it would be even easier in the states. There are a lot of old bikes around still using 27". You can still buy new wheels easily enough.

 

[bigjim]

This guy has an interesting touring bike perspective. Careful you don't fall asleep though.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYPw6SDz2l0&t=963s

 

[Blue Hills]

I don't have a problem sourceing 27" tyres for my Raleighs. Big name manufacturers still selling them and the tubes are the same as 700c. I would have thought it would be even easier in the states. There are a lot of old bikes around still using 27". You can still buy new wheels easily enough.

Thanks for the correction. Yes, silly me, suppose the tubes are the same.
Are tyres generally available in your average shop though or would you have to go online.

I do, by the way, and strangely, have such a bike - given to me by my late dad but never really ridden.

 

[uphillstruggler]

Just arrived here - you are ahead of me.
I don't know the 600 range (steel mtb?) But yes i would recommend pretty much any steel (but not high tension steel) 90s ridgeback, mtb or hybrid. Hybrid better for on road.

Over in the photo gallery there's a thread by @cyberknight called drop bar mtb, mine is pictures in there. I don't have the image on my phone.

The thread will also outline some potential options for @markc94 although the hybrid route also sounds like a good option