Beginner - Tourer advice?

[Giken]

Hello Everyone, this is my first post on cycle chat. Last year, I converted my GT mountain bike to road tyres and have been cycling regular 60 mile round trips, taking on reasonable gradients. However, I would like to now take on long distance! And after speaking to other cyclists; I now want to invest in a 'Tourer', I have been informed that the 'Dawes Galaxy' is probably the machine I need. Can anyone tell me what the difference will be in my spending £1800 - £800 on my new bike?

Some advice would be very much appreciated!

Giken

 

[vickster]

Frame material, weight, components

Given you are in N Yorks, maybe spend some time at Spa in Harrogate who sell Dawes plus their own in steel and more exotic stuff like Ti

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

 

[rbreid]

About £1000 if my memory serves me right Seriously though good advice above re Spa. Have a good look round ask lots of questions. Try and be specific in your intended use and DON'T take your plastic with you. Bicycles and impulse buys almost always end in tears. Value for money I'd choose a Spa model over the current Galaxy but that's just an opinion. Take your time, gather info, choose wisely and above all have fun

 

[steveindenmark]

You also need to know what you are going to use it for. I know that sounds dumb. But are you going to put loads of camping gear on it. If you are you will rear or front racks, or both. Are you going to do a lot of off road work? If not you dont need the hassle of front suspension, lots of extra weight and difficult to fit a rack.

Read the stories in Crazy Guy on a bike and see who is doing something like you want to do and what they are doing it on.

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/

It is now nearly Winter so dont rush making a decision and remember the only dumb question is the one you dont ask.

Steve

 

[mcshroom]

Do you want drop bars, or would you prefer to use flats (or even butterfly bars)? You want a bike that is comfortable to ride, and also if you are camping, then a bike that is designed to carry weight would be useful.

I went for drop bars, so that's where I'll concentrate. I currently have a 2012 Dawes Horizon which i really like (and I notice Spa have them reduced to £500 - http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s21p2415). R520 chromoly steel and space for 38mm tyres under the guards. If you would prefer disk brakes then Edinburgh Bicycle Coop have their 'Revolution Country Explorer' which other members on here have and would recommend. Other companies include Ridgeback and Pearson (and others).

From there you can go upwards in price.

On flat bars, look for trekking hybrids, and avoid suspension forks which add more weight and little benefit on roads and sustrans style tracks.

Decent steel is less stiff and can be more comfortable than aluminium, but don't get too hung up on materials as Aluminium tourers can be perfectly comfortable (I had a Dawes Vantage before the horizon and it was a good comfy tourer, built from 6061 Alu).

I'd probably steer clear of carbon forks/frame though personally as it's not common to find bikes made from carbon that are able to carry a lot of weight.

 

[grolyat]

Some random thoughts on tourers...
You mention the Dawes Galaxy in your post. IMHO, that bike is very competent, but rather dull and old-fashioned. It is a typical British touring bike... which is different in many respects from the bikes you'll see being used as tourers on the continent or, indeed, on the pages of crazyguy. I've toured on half a dozen different bikes and (whilst my current Surly Crosscheck is fantastic) I have yet to find the "perfect" tourer. Anyway, my perfect tourer would be different to everyone else's!

It would definitely not have: drop bars, cable brakes, suspension or any type of derailleur. All those things are fussy, fragile or useless.
It would have:.steel frame, hydraulic brakes, Alfine 11 hub, flat bars, front dynohub (for a phone charger and lights)

I can live without a front rack. But I'd be tempted by any frame that would allow a belt drive instead of a chain.

Off the peg? I really like this:

http://www.dawescycles.com/p-404-nomad-700c.aspx

£740 from here: http://www.bikes2udirect.com/B3963.html

Although I'd fit some Magura brakes ASAP. That would make it (IMHO) a sensational tourer, capable of anything.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/...Black+Brakes&gclid=CKDavbCyxroCFfSWtAodnWAAsg

 

[BigonaBianchi]

I ride a dawes galaxy 2007 frame. It is a great bike for long distance road touring carrying a relatively heavy camping load. My experience is that there are some upgrades from the off the shelf bike that are well worth it...

SPD pedals
Brookes B17 saddle
Schwalbe marathon plus tyres 28's (these roll fast under load, and I didnt get a single puncture across the states)
Quality stem
Third water bottle cage
Front low rider racks
Padding under the bar tape
Mavic rims

Those are my upgrades of choice, doesn't mean the stock bike isn't good enough, but I found these made it a great bike instead of just a good frame with low end gubbins. My point being budget for these type of things.

 

[Giken]

Frame material, weight, components

Given you are in N Yorks, maybe spend some time at Spa in Harrogate who sell Dawes plus their own in steel and more exotic stuff like Ti

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

Thanks for the advice and the 'link' Vickster. Really impressed with the feedback I have received from everyone.

 

[Herbie]

Some random thoughts on tourers...
You mention the Dawes Galaxy in your post. IMHO, that bike is very competent, but rather dull and old-fashioned. It is a typical British touring bike... which is different in many respects from the bikes you'll see being used as tourers on the continent or, indeed, on the pages of crazyguy. I've toured on half a dozen different bikes and (whilst my current Surly Crosscheck is fantastic) I have yet to find the "perfect" tourer. Anyway, my perfect tourer would be different to everyone else's!

It would definitely not have: drop bars, cable brakes, suspension or any type of derailleur. All those things are fussy, fragile or useless.
It would have:.steel frame, hydraulic brakes, Alfine 11 hub, flat bars, front dynohub (for a phone charger and lights)

I can live without a front rack. But I'd be tempted by any frame that would allow a belt drive instead of a chain.

Off the peg? I really like this:

http://www.dawescycles.com/p-404-nomad-700c.aspx

£740 from here: http://www.bikes2udirect.com/B3963.html

Although I'd fit some Magura brakes ASAP. That would make it (IMHO) a sensational tourer, capable of anything.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/magura-hs33-silver-black-brakes/rp-prod62012?_$ja=tsid:46412|cgn:Magura - Brakes|cn:Chain Reaction-UK-PLA-PLA-All-DT-SE|kw:232747UK_Magura HS33 Silver/Black Brakes&gclid=CKDavbCyxroCFfSWtAodnWAAsg

My Dawes Galaxy is far from dull.....how dare you Sir

 

[BigonaBianchi]

My Dawes Galaxy is far from dull.....how dare you Sir

trust me it's not dull

 

[Herbie]

trust me it's not dull

Looks amazing and not a bit dull : )

 

[jazzkat]

I bought my Galaxy two years ago from Spa cycles it was on a special at the time and I think I paid about £650. I'm not sure I'd pay the current price rrp.
I think it depends on the type of touring you want to do. If you are credit card touring, staying in B and B's, you could do it on an Audax type (racer with guards and a rack!) bike. If you are carrying a decent load you are going to want to have something a little bit more specialised. Having said that I often see guys doing LeJog on the A6 up here on loaded up mountain bikes.
You pays your money.......

 

[Herbie]

I bought my Galaxy two years ago from Spa cycles it was on a special at the time and I think I paid about £650. I'm not sure I'd pay the current price rrp.
I think it depends on the type of touring you want to do. If you are credit card touring, staying in B and B's, you could do it on an Audax type (racer with guards and a rack!) bike. If you are carrying a decent load you are going to want to have something a little bit more specialised. Having said that I often see guys doing LeJog on the A6 up here on loaded up mountain bikes.
You pays your money.......

nice bit of shopping to get your Galaxy for that price....money well spent

 

[mcshroom]

Be careful with the new 'Galaxy' range. They've basically rebranded all the touring bike range as Galaxies so you get stupid bikes like the Galaxy AL which is similar to the old vantage, the Galaxy is now similar spec to my horizon, and to get the old Galaxy spec you need the 'Galaxy Classic'

 

[jazzkat]

Be careful with the new 'Galaxy' range. They've basically rebranded all the touring bike range as Galaxies so you get stupid bikes like the Galaxy AL which is similar to the old vantage, the Galaxy is now similar spec to my horizon, and to get the old Galaxy spec you need the 'Galaxy Classic'

I don't like the sloping top tube of the new ones, it just looks wrong to me.
Shame on Dawes for the re-branding.