Advice Regarding Touring
- Thread starter Peter10
- Start date
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Make sure you do. Give me pm if you want any info on Spain.
Well, I have pretty much decided on my trip next year, depending on getting the time off work and money.
Now, I don't want to splash out on a brand new bike, but neither do I want to take a dog of a bike with me which will cause me no end of issues. Apart from eBay where else can I look for second hand bikes? Are there any touring specific forums where people sell stuff? Also, what sort of bike is recommended? I want a bike that will last me a few 500+ mile tours.
And I guess I should start looking at breaking in a Brooks saddle now, ready for next year.
Now, I don't want to splash out on a brand new bike, but neither do I want to take a dog of a bike with me which will cause me no end of issues. Apart from eBay where else can I look for second hand bikes? Are there any touring specific forums where people sell stuff? Also, what sort of bike is recommended? I want a bike that will last me a few 500+ mile tours.
And I guess I should start looking at breaking in a Brooks saddle now, ready for next year.
CTC forum? gumtree?
But it depends on what you have at the moment: it might be that with a few judicious purchases (eg new wheels) you might have a bike that will do want you want. Alternatively you might be able to transfer serviceable parts from your present bike to a new frame.
But it depends on what you have at the moment: it might be that with a few judicious purchases (eg new wheels) you might have a bike that will do want you want. Alternatively you might be able to transfer serviceable parts from your present bike to a new frame.
A classic tourer would be a Dawes Galaxy. At the cheaper end, you should also look into older steel mtb's with a rigid fork. The better ones had nice frames, and can be had very cheaply. Fit a good rear rack like a Tubus Cargo, avoid taking so much that you need a front rack (easily done), fit wide slick tyres like 50mm Schwalbe Big Apples, and you should be all set. Of course, as with all second hand bikes you may need to replace wearing parts like cassette and chain, brake blocks (Koolstop Salmon are the best) and for your safety the brake cables.
Willem
Willem
John the Monkey
Frivolous Cyclist
- Location
- Crewe
Agreed - Belgium has a great system for navigation too, the Knoppunkten(?) AND loads of nice routes to follow (we really liked the Veurne-Brugge canal, and passed loads that looked good, the Hoproute, Kastellroute...)
jay clock
Massive member
- Location
- Hampshire UK
I have just flogged my much upgraded Carerra Subway (one of six bikes and was getting a new one in). This is an MTB based bike but with no suspension. Ideal for touring (worked for me) and cheap. You can get a new one for not too much and with new tougher wheels and poss better groupset etc it would not be pricey.
Do check anything you look at for heel clearance vs the panniers as MTBs are shorter in the wheelbase
Do check anything you look at for heel clearance vs the panniers as MTBs are shorter in the wheelbase
jay clock
Massive member
- Location
- Hampshire UK
just re-read this from the start and have a couple of comments.....
Another option is use Warmshowers to find a host, and even if you don't stay there, agree to leave stuff there.
Finally, I have created a web page with my experience of taking bikes on planes, mainly the low cost operators, with full details of suggested bags and boxes etc..... see here
http://tinyurl.com/bikesonplanes
not at all true. many airports don't have them for security reasons and you are talking about a fiver a day.
Another option is use Warmshowers to find a host, and even if you don't stay there, agree to leave stuff there.
Finally, I have created a web page with my experience of taking bikes on planes, mainly the low cost operators, with full details of suggested bags and boxes etc..... see here
http://tinyurl.com/bikesonplanes
JC, I did not mean that the airports themselves owned/operated them. Madrid, Barcleona, Malaga and Aviles have storage facilities (mini-almaneces) very nearby. IMO £5 a day is not bad.
Funnily enough I did that ride as part of my tour in 2008. Here's a link that should give you some ideas.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/3503
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/3503
Except that I paid £80 for 2 weeks storage in Venice and Dave Davenport paid over £100 in Nice IIRC. It would have been cheaper to buy new soft bags from Decathlon and flog them on return - which is what I did in Bologna.
I have left bike bags at airports (Venice-Copenhagen-Stockholm-Athens x 2 - Olbia, Sardinia) in the luggage facilities – It is not cheap – but something I had budgeted for and I could guarantee to some extent that my bike would go on the plane on the return trip).
When the Eurobus had a better range of destinations – Venice – Frejus etc it was a very attractive way of travelling - no hassel, simply get to the pick up point and climb aboard – it has always been expensive and on the face of it time intensive – but I would still recommend it as an option for French tours – trouble is that flying for a decade or so looked to be the most economic option – and with the number of destinations much more exciting – I think people migrated away from the bike bus and instead of it expanding its services it has become a shadow of its former self.
In recent years now that it is easy to look up things on the internet I have been exploring emailing campsites near my chosen airport to see if they will store the bags for a small fee.
When the Eurobus had a better range of destinations – Venice – Frejus etc it was a very attractive way of travelling - no hassel, simply get to the pick up point and climb aboard – it has always been expensive and on the face of it time intensive – but I would still recommend it as an option for French tours – trouble is that flying for a decade or so looked to be the most economic option – and with the number of destinations much more exciting – I think people migrated away from the bike bus and instead of it expanding its services it has become a shadow of its former self.
In recent years now that it is easy to look up things on the internet I have been exploring emailing campsites near my chosen airport to see if they will store the bags for a small fee.
