Best bike for commuting as well as touring?

[Jane-o]

Hello!
I'm a huge cycling fan but have very little knowledge of makes / types etc of bikes...
I'm buying a bike to go on a ~50day cycle (on roads), then to use as a commuter bike afterwards. Which would be best?
I've been to the 4 local bike shops and have had 4 different suggestions: a tourer vs a racer vs an audax vs a cyclo-cross.

Which would be best? and which make? My price range is roughly £750 (with accessories on top of this - max MAX £1000)

I'd really appreciate thoughts and expertiese.

Thank you!

 

[vernon]

Hello!
I'm a huge cycling fan but have very little knowledge of makes / types etc of bikes...
I'm buying a bike to go on a ~50day cycle (on roads), then to use as a commuter bike afterwards. Which would be best?
I've been to the 4 local bike shops and have had 4 different suggestions: a tourer vs a racer vs an audax vs a cyclo-cross.

Which would be best? and which make? My price range is roughly £750 (with accessories on top of this - max MAX £1000)

I'd really appreciate thoughts and expertiese.

Thank you!

One thing that you have not included is the possibility of you wanting to tour. The desire can sneak up on you and it was an activity that I'd not considered when I bought my first bike after a 25 year break.

All of the bikes will do the job and I suspect that each of the bike shops were basing their recommendations on what they had in stock.

In terms of robustness and durability the tourer is the best bet followed by cyclo cross then audax then road bike.

They all should be equally comfortable.

For coping best with hills the order is pretty much the same - the tourer has the lowest gearing.

My personal choice would be a tourer followed by an Audax bike. The first will come with mudguards and rear rack, the latter with mudguards thus saving a bit extras.

It's quite a subjective thing and no doubt others will have their own different persectives on the matter.

As for makes:

Dawes, Ridgeback, Edinburgh Bike Co-op own brands will do for starters.

There still some 2008 models lurking around at much cheaper prices than 2009 models.

 

[Jane-o]

Thank you!

Would a tourer bike be suitable for commuting / zipping about afterwards? Or is it quite a bit heavier?

Yes - the touring is from London to Morrocco! But I'm not planning to carry front paniers and we will be on roads all the time - not going to 'rough track' it.

 

[HelenD123]

Thank you!

Would a tourer bike be suitable for commuting / zipping about afterwards? Or is it quite a bit heavier?

My tourer is actually lighter than the hybrid I've been using for commuting.

 

[Plax]

I have a Dawes Galaxy touring bike that I use for commuting.

 

[vernon]

Thank you!

Would a tourer bike be suitable for commuting / zipping about afterwards? Or is it quite a bit heavier?

Yes - the touring is from London to Morrocco! But I'm not planning to carry front paniers and we will be on roads all the time - not going to 'rough track' it.

Until November last year, my bike of choice was my Dawes Galaxy. I used it for long and short distance touring as well as 100 and 200km audax day rides not to mention short leisure rides.

The bike is not slow. I have startled more than one Lycra clad weekend warrior by hanging onto there rear wheels for more miles than they felt comfortable with seeing as I'm a 22 stone man mountain.

It's easier to use a tourer for both roles satisfactorily than it is to use a road bike.

Weight is not that much of an issue as you'll be so fit after your ride to Morocco

 

[asterix]

It's easier to use a tourer for both roles satisfactorily than it is to use a road bike.

Weight is not that much of an issue as you'll be so fit after your ride to Morocco

..agreed. You'll find bike weight's not nearly as important as rider fitness and offers very little compensation for lack of it.

 

[Scoosh]

Thank you!

Would a tourer bike be suitable for commuting / zipping about afterwards? Or is it quite a bit heavier?

Yes - the touring is from London to Morrocco! But I'm not planning to carry front paniers and we will be on roads all the time - not going to 'rough track' it.

Same post as in Beginners - different responses

While possibly not as robust as a tourer, an audax-type bike should be a bit quicker - which might not be necessary if you are in company and chatting as you ride. A tourer will probably have thicker tyres = slightly more comfort but slightly less speed.

If your tour is 'supported' (someone else carrying the heavy stuff), then the audax-type might be good.

Either an audax-type or a tourer will be fine for commuting, leisure riding and getting in the fitness miles

What are the other people on the tour riding ? If you don't know them yet, the tour organisers should be able to put you in touch and it might be a nice ice-breaker

 

[GrahamG]

A tourer is the ideal commuting bike, especially if you have stuff to carry.

 

[Iainj837]

I have a Raleigh Venture Pioneer touring bike ideal for commuting and of course touring

 

[palinurus]

A touring bike is obviously good for touring, especially if you'll be carrying a fair amount of stuff. They also make fine commuting machines.

 

[jimboalee]

As I said on the other thread ( and please only start ONE thread on ONE subject ), a young lady here at JagLandRover commutes on a Dawes SuperGal.

I commute on a Dawes Giro 500 or an Apollo County or a BSA Twenty ( whatever the weather dictates ).

I Audax on the Dawes Giro 500. I rode an Audax last Saturday. A short 100. There was a 160 on the same day. I saw lots of 'Traditional Tourers' but many more Roadrace bikes with flimsey mudguards or no mudguards at all.
Strangely, I didn't see any 'Commercial "Audax" bikes'.....

I ride 200 and 300 Audax on the Dawes Giro 500 or my Specialized SWorks full blown Roadbike.

I wouldn't tour on the SWorks, I'd strap a rack to the Dawes Giro 500.

BTW the Dawes Giro 500 is Aluminium.

 

[oscarplu]

Its a little bit more than you wanted to pay, but what the hell, it would be worth it!!!!
http://www.koga.com/uk/bike.asp?collectionid=10&segmentid=83&id=1212458

 

[jimboalee]

The young lady with the Dawes SuperGal is riding it today and I have taken a photo of her SuperGal next to my Giro 500.

I will post the photo later, but just as an insight, her saddle height is 1 inch lower than mine although she is a good two inches shorter than me.
Her handlebar clamp is 1 inch higher than mine - but still LOWER than the saddle surface.

Ride a bike with the handlebar clamp HIGHER than the saddle surface against a headwind, and you will soon be wishing you bought a 'proper' bike.