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vernon

Harder than Ronnie Pickering
Location
Meanwood, Leeds
xilios said:
I agree with Vernon, my bike is a Gazelle Playa, bought used for 300 euros with Acera parts, my first panniers were the cheapest AGU makes, cycling shorts, helmets, rain jacket are from Lidl.
But after several tours some items need replacing and now that were totaly hooked to touring (and had time to save some money) were investing in quality items like Ortlieb panniers.
Check out Touring Tips on our site.

My cycling shirts and jackets are all Aldi brand - brilliant value at between £6 and £12 per item. Cycling gloves with thermal lining - Aldi @£2 per pair. Shorts from a 'fat git' store for generously proportioned gents @ £6. Lidl track mitts and socks at £2 per pair. After four years of budget cycling, I splashed out on a Canterbury base layer which was worth every penny of the £20 I spent on it. It was closely followed by an Altura Nevis jacket at £38 which replaced a £9 Millets special.

I'm sure that a determined person could make a small fortune by starting with a large fortune then kitting out with top spec gear but I've yet to meet such a person in over 4000 miles of cycle touring.
 

Ben

New Member
Although this may somewhat go against the whole point of being on a forum I do sometimes wonder what relentless questioners want. On the old C+ forum I gave up posting the same reply about Ortleib panniers three times in a month and as to inane questions about routes - FFS - get a map and get on yer bike!
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
Ben said:
Although this may somewhat go against the whole point of being on a forum I do sometimes wonder what relentless questioners want. On the old C+ forum I gave up posting the same reply about Ortleib panniers three times in a month and as to inane questions about routes - FFS - get a map and get on yer bike!

It can get a little wearing answering the same question every three weeks. If you point this out, the response is normally 'Well, I wasn't here 3 weeks ago'.
The search button was though. and still is.;)
 

sloe

New Member
Location
Banffshire
Why bother replying if it bores you to do so? Next you'll be banning comments about the weather. It's drizzly here by the way.

Oooh I feel a q about Brooks saddles coming on.
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
vernon said:
My cycling shirts and jackets are all Aldi brand - brilliant value at between £6 and £12 per item.

I'd echo that very strongly. Although i spent a small fortune on a pair of Assos bib shorts, and a bargain Nike base layer at £12, everything else comes from Aldi and is tremendous value. I used to buy two of whatever they had on offer expecting it to wear out quickly but in most cases I still have a brand new spare in the wardrobe!!
 
One must have a custom built 531ST frame shod with hand-built wheels (36h front 40h rear, ceramic coated Mavic eyeletted rims, stainless butted spokes on sealed bearing hubs shod with Continental tyres) Campagnolo gears with bar-end shifters, Avid cantis with GoreTex cables, Cinelli bar, quill stem and tape, Campagnolo seatpost, Campagnolo headset, Brooks saddle, Blackburn racks front and rear with Carradice panniers, saddle bag and bar bag, triple bottle cages (Blackburn), Royce bottom bracket and Suntour Superb Pro pedals (with Grease-guard). And it must be British Racing Green with gold lined lugs. Nothing else will do, certainly not one of those horrid off the shelf Super Gals, and anyone who suggests otherwise is a idiot. Fact!
 

sloe

New Member
Location
Banffshire
Now that really is a shameless troll.

The triple bottle cages are far better direct from Mister Wang than Blackburn.

And its not "a idiot" its "an idiot"
 
sloe said:
Now that really is a shameless troll.

The triple bottle cages are far better direct from Mister Wang than Blackburn.

And its not "a idiot" its "an idiot"

I is a idiot.
They are a idiot.
We am a idiot.
She be idiotic.
He are a nidiot.

You be a idiot.



Troll my arse.
 

bonj2

Guest
simoncc said:
Whenever anyone asks for equipment advice on this forum the usual suspects parade their answers. A custom built tourer from a respected frame builder and equipped with the best wheels, racks , panniers and other equipment is suggested by many posters. A made to measure frame and bike, XT/105 all round, wheels spoked in various exotic ways etc are the norm in replies.

I can't think of a better way of discouraging cyclists to take up touring. The most expensive equpment is not required to have an enjoyable cycling tour. Predictably recommending top of the range equipment is likely to lead many novices that cycle touring is an expensive hobby. It isn't.

Abitrary said:
Only having done the odd short tour in europe on a cheap alu road bike, I can only agree.

Anyone touring in a proper cycling country like france, belgium or holland, should take heed of what the locals tour with. Grumpy looking alu hybrids, but with 5 kids stuck in the rack and a huge tent wedged in the handlebars.

yenrod said:
Simon: to me, a bike is a bike so I can race on it, go for a relaxed ride, shoot round the shops on it..loan it to mate...and if I put a rack on it maybe get quite far on it ???? lol....
You can tell they set off with whatever they find, and just do it, so to say.

Well said. WELL SAID.
'cc and abitrary right on the button as usual. As is yenners.
Glad it's not only me that notices this, and I don't even DO touring!
Cyclists new to touring should post a question in the beginners specifically asking simply for advice on how to use the touring forum. The correct response should be that there is far too much received wisdom, snobbery and steelophilia bandied around.



Crackle said:
One of the largest recent debates was about a £90 mixte frame tourer on e-bay. I thought it was a bargain and was duly bought by the OP. Sound advice all around was given and even Bonj added to the mix ;)
:biggrin: :rolleyes: what do you mean, 'even bonj added to the mix'? advice was given, especially by me! :thumbsup:
 
mickle said:
One must have a custom built 531ST frame shod with hand-built wheels (36h front 40h rear, ceramic coated Mavic eyeletted rims, stainless butted spokes on sealed bearing hubs shod with Continental tyres) Campagnolo gears with bar-end shifters, Avid cantis with GoreTex cables, Cinelli bar, quill stem and tape, Campagnolo seatpost, Campagnolo headset, Brooks saddle, Blackburn racks front and rear with Carradice panniers, saddle bag and bar bag, triple bottle cages (Blackburn), Royce bottom bracket and Suntour Superb Pro pedals (with Grease-guard). And it must be British Racing Green with gold lined lugs. Nothing else will do, certainly not one of those horrid off the shelf Super Gals, and anyone who suggests otherwise is a idiot. Fact!

CAMPAG!

Wots rong wiv Shimano then?



(Now THAT is trolling!)
 

rich p

ridiculous old lush
Location
Brighton
What a ridiculous 'designed to provoke' thread. People who ask for budget advice get that and people who choose to spend more ask advice for a different price range. Most of us spend more than we need to because we like the gear and the bling.
Get back to Soapbox Simoncc!
 

domtyler

Über Member
simoncc said:
Whenever anyone asks for equipment advice on this forum the usual suspects parade their answers. A custom built tourer from a respected frame builder and equipped with the best wheels, racks , panniers and other equipment is suggested by many posters. A made to measure frame and bike, XT/105 all round, wheels spoked in various exotic ways etc are the norm in replies.

I can't think of a better way of discouraging cyclists to take up touring. The most expensive equpment is not required to have an enjoyable cycling tour. Predictably recommending top of the range equipment is likely to lead many novices that cycle touring is an expensive hobby. It isn't.

The bike you describe would probably come to less than a grand, hardly a fortune in the greater run of things is it? I can think of much, much, much more expensive hobbies as I am sure most people could.
 
OP
OP
S

simoncc

New Member
rich p said:
What a ridiculous 'designed to provoke' thread. People who ask for budget advice get that and people who choose to spend more ask advice for a different price range. Most of us spend more than we need to because we like the gear and the bling.
Get back to Soapbox Simoncc!

I just thought I'd provoke a touring equipment discussion and touring seemed the best place to do it. I've nothing against expensive bikes. I've bought more than my fair share myself but I thought it was important to point out that a modestly priced bike and equipment can be perfectly adequate for touring, especially for someone who isn't going to do it all that often.Top of the range top branded equipment is not required to enjoy most activities and cycling is no exception.

Sometimes I get the feeling that cycle fans get a bit like hi fi fans, and we all know how boring they can get about woofers, tweeters and special thick speaker wire that really does make a tremendous difference, while the rest of us know that a half decent job from Currys or Comet will be OK these days.
 
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