Choosing the right bicyle - Advice needed
- Thread starter putovatelj
- Start date
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- Location
- Glasgow
Hi and welcome to CC!
It's a very nice bike, but I can see that the gearing is high for a tourer.
Either it's very flat where you want to ride, or you are extremely fit!
It's a very nice bike, but I can see that the gearing is high for a tourer.
Either it's very flat where you want to ride, or you are extremely fit!
Spiderweb
Not So Special One
- Location
- North Yorkshire
As above you would really struggle with hilly terrain with that gearing. I may be mistaken but the frame doesn’t look to have any bottle cage mounts, that would be an issue for me, you need to keep hydrated on long rides.
ChrisEyles
Guru
- Location
- Devon
Lovely bike! Would make a great commuter (I'd add mudguards personally).
I ride a similar age road bike with a high-ish bottom gear of 42t x 28t. When I'm riding a lot and bike-fit I can get up pretty much anything, but I remember struggling on tougher climbs when I started out (and I'd probably struggle again now as I'm not getting as many miles in as I'd like).
I really wouldn't want to tour on it with heavy panniers. It's worth noting that you might struggle to lower the gears easily as 5/6 speed freewheels tend not to have large tooth counts and unless you swap the bottom bracket out you'll be limited in choice of cranksets that will fit.
For long rides and credit card touring I'd say go for it. For loaded-up camping trips you'd probably be best off looking at something with lower gearing... it is a smart bike though!
I ride a similar age road bike with a high-ish bottom gear of 42t x 28t. When I'm riding a lot and bike-fit I can get up pretty much anything, but I remember struggling on tougher climbs when I started out (and I'd probably struggle again now as I'm not getting as many miles in as I'd like).
I really wouldn't want to tour on it with heavy panniers. It's worth noting that you might struggle to lower the gears easily as 5/6 speed freewheels tend not to have large tooth counts and unless you swap the bottom bracket out you'll be limited in choice of cranksets that will fit.
For long rides and credit card touring I'd say go for it. For loaded-up camping trips you'd probably be best off looking at something with lower gearing... it is a smart bike though!
Cycleops
Legendary Member
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
You can tour on anything, the question is would you enjoy it? As above the gearing is too high but are your legs are up to it? Nice bike but really not ideal for touring but back in the day it would have used for it. Men were men in those days and women didn't complain!
If you want a classic steel framed vintage bike a Dawes Galaxy would be ideal such as this one;
https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/...ke-64-cm-frame-very-good-condition/1343612304
What isvyour budget?
Whereabouts are you?
If you want a classic steel framed vintage bike a Dawes Galaxy would be ideal such as this one;
https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/...ke-64-cm-frame-very-good-condition/1343612304
What isvyour budget?
Whereabouts are you?
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putovatelj
Regular
Thanks for the replies!
Do you think that changing the crankset to a one that has 3 cogs would solve the problem?
I have other bikes in mind, my main criteria is the lugged steel. I've found some hercules and pegasus bikes with 18 or 21 gears which seems good.
Do you think that changing the crankset to a one that has 3 cogs would solve the problem?
I have other bikes in mind, my main criteria is the lugged steel. I've found some hercules and pegasus bikes with 18 or 21 gears which seems good.
putovatelj
Regular
Also, what gears are the minimum for touring? Somewhere I've read that 8 gears are sufficient.
putovatelj
Regular
SkipdiverJohn
Deplorable Brexiteer
- Location
- London
You've posted up a motley collection there, and two of them are not lugged construction, which you say you want.
The first one would NOT be my choice for either commuting or touring. It's got close-ratio high gearing and no mudguards or bottle mounts, as already mentioned. I would ride that bike on easy terrain on nice summer weekends - and use it for nothing else. I would not run it into the ground getting to work on or load it up for touring either.
The others are a mixed bag, although they have more suitable gearing. The other lugged one looks too small compared to the frame sizes on the others. The stem is virtually right out of the fork steerer - possibly unsafely so.
There's another small-ish size welded frame with no mudguards and the rear wheel is quite close to the seat tube - so I would not want to mount a pannier on it because it may lack heel clearance.
The only practical looking one appears to be a 26" rigid MTB frame, with big volume tyres, mudguards and rack. The frame isn't lugged though. It would probably make a very useful tourer being fully kitted out and low geared but looks too clean & tidy to use as a commuter hack though. If I left that around unattended where I live, it would get stolen in no time.
The first one would NOT be my choice for either commuting or touring. It's got close-ratio high gearing and no mudguards or bottle mounts, as already mentioned. I would ride that bike on easy terrain on nice summer weekends - and use it for nothing else. I would not run it into the ground getting to work on or load it up for touring either.
The others are a mixed bag, although they have more suitable gearing. The other lugged one looks too small compared to the frame sizes on the others. The stem is virtually right out of the fork steerer - possibly unsafely so.
There's another small-ish size welded frame with no mudguards and the rear wheel is quite close to the seat tube - so I would not want to mount a pannier on it because it may lack heel clearance.
The only practical looking one appears to be a 26" rigid MTB frame, with big volume tyres, mudguards and rack. The frame isn't lugged though. It would probably make a very useful tourer being fully kitted out and low geared but looks too clean & tidy to use as a commuter hack though. If I left that around unattended where I live, it would get stolen in no time.
Touring bikes need:
Low gears
Luggage rack eyelets
Heel clearance by longer chainstays
Stiff enough frame for luggage
Good brakes for long, loaded descents
Stable steering when loaded
Clearance for suitable tyres, eg 32mm.
Some bikes make good light tourers but get skittish when more heavily loaded at the rear.
Friction gear levers can operate any transmission system. Modern indexed systems force you to stick more or less to that system. Drop bar systems do not play well with flat bar mtb lower geared systems.
In my opinion, 3x8 transmission systems were the peak of development for touring and subsequent 9/10/11/12/13 speed brings no advantage and much disadvantage.
Low gears
Luggage rack eyelets
Heel clearance by longer chainstays
Stiff enough frame for luggage
Good brakes for long, loaded descents
Stable steering when loaded
Clearance for suitable tyres, eg 32mm.
Some bikes make good light tourers but get skittish when more heavily loaded at the rear.
Friction gear levers can operate any transmission system. Modern indexed systems force you to stick more or less to that system. Drop bar systems do not play well with flat bar mtb lower geared systems.
In my opinion, 3x8 transmission systems were the peak of development for touring and subsequent 9/10/11/12/13 speed brings no advantage and much disadvantage.
putovatelj
Regular
Do you think that lugged frames really make a difference?
The 26" MTB seemed as the best buy from the start, but then I've read that lugged frames last longest.
The 26" MTB seemed as the best buy from the start, but then I've read that lugged frames last longest.
HobbesOnTour
Guru
- Location
- España
Take a deep breath and slow down!
By my count you've got this thread running in at least 3 forums!
People tour on all kinds of bikes in all kinds of ways in all kinds of places. Have a look at this thread on CrazyGuyOnABike for inspiration:
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1mr&doc_id=8000&v=4jK
What kind of touring do you see yourself doing?
By that, I mean where? Will it involve lots of travel - planes, trains & automobiles?
Will it be on road or off-road?
Will these be long tours or short weekend trips?
Will you be self sustained, carrying camping gear, stove, food etc or more credit card style?
Are you handy with bike maintenance?
First of all, is there any reason you can't use your existing bike to get a taste for touring? I ask that because quite often we can have an image of what "Touring" is before we actually tour. After we've done a tour or two, our image can change, sometimes significantly.
It's very easy to get caught up in things like "I need the strongest bike" or "I need the lowest gearing". Apprehension, combined with some very effective marketing can convince us that we "need" far more than we actually do.
Again, I suggest that you try to get an idea of what and where you want to do and go and once satisfied, you'll have a better idea of what you actually need. And a great way of doing that is to see if your existing bike can get you out, actually touring, practising and learning. (Sorry, that's very boring!)
As for the MTB frame? I tour on one. It's my second touring bike. The first was wrong by pretty much all touring wisdom, yet I still managed about 12,000 km fully loaded on it.
This bike was put together based on what I learned while touring on the first. It's possible that the frame is not as strong as others out there, but my philosophy is this - if it ever breaks, I can pick up another frame for a pittance, transfer all my components over and continue. (Assuming of course it doesn't break while hurtling downhill!
) In the meantime, I have a go anywhere touring bike, equipped with the things I want (dynohub, usb charger, XL bottle cages, appropriate racks, strong touring wheels, great flexibility in tyre choice) for less than the price of an off-the-shelf touring bike without some of those features. It's a 7 speed triple and while I might have to look a little harder to find a cassette, they're available and cheap. Ditto with 8 speeds. I agree with @MichaelW2 above.As for buying second hand, I personally wouldn't be too worried about the components. I would however, pay a lot of attention to the frame to make sure that it is in good condition.
Good luck!
biggs682
Itching to get back on my bike's
- Location
- Northamptonshire
Pick up an early 90's steel non suspension mtb ie Marin Bear Valley and such like , give a good once over and hey presto one cheepish touring bike
I like that one but as others have said not the most ideal
But nothing stopping you from using it
SkipdiverJohn
Deplorable Brexiteer
- Location
- London
Lugged frames are variable in quality & strength just the same as welded ones. A well fabricated frame made of weldable-grade steel can be just as good as a well made lugged steel frame. However, it's important to compare like for like. A lot of modern welded frames are aluminium, which are generally inferior in lifespan because they are prone to weld defects causing fatigue cracks, something that happens only very rarely with steel. Then you've got lugged frames that are made out of steel grades that may be weakened by welding, so lugged is in these cases superior because it achieves a higher strength frame.
It's quite possible to find lugged steel MTB frames, dating from the late 80's and early 90's, which are usually made of Reynolds Cro-moly or Mang-moly alloys. I have two in Reynolds Cro-moly, a plain gauge 500 frame and butted 501 frame. Both now nearly 30 years old and both nicely made & nice riding. Most welded MTB frames will be plain hi-tensile, not the stronger lighter butted alloys, as they were built to sell in a budget market segment..
