Decision time....

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bigjim

Legendary Member
Location
Manchester. UK
Yea but we got a good conversation going.:smile:
Basically light and fast and probably a bit more durable than a Carbon road bike .
You see I'm really confused about carbon. Some say its very strong. Some guy rode around the world on a carbon bike!
I've got a Giant SCR LTD. Nice and light, takes mudguards, rack eyelets and a carbon fork. Could make a nice light tourer. I've done a few 100 mile days on it. But that carbon fork......
 

doog

....
Yea but we got a good conversation going.:smile:

But that carbon fork......

I agree. On that round the world race you mentioned, I read a blog of one lad taking part who for some crazy reason decided to head into Eastern Europe - in winter. He was riding a Galaxy I believe and was involved in a low speed collision with a car that bent his forks. Someone bent them back for him but with carbon he would be looking at a new set of forks and heap of hassle with it.

My carbon forks have held up well touring, even with panniers but I have little confidence in them long term and am just getting round to completing a steel framed tourer.
 

Gravity Aided

Legendary Member
Location
Land of Lincoln
I think Big on a Bianchi is quite right- Looks a bit crinkly down there in Missouri. Route 66 goes a little north of the highest of the Ozarks,still quite hilly(and billy). Southern Illinois has its challenges, too, and those hills mostly south of the Route as well.

mo.jpg
 

Isla Valassi

Veteran
Location
Fife, Scotland
I suppose the half way house is something like I use, a Specialized Tricross. Alu frame, Carbon forks and fixings for racks. Basically light and fast and probably a bit more durable than a Carbon road bike . There are similar bikes out their, Genesis Croix de Fer for example that will give the OP a lighter bike with the option to carry a rack for the tent etc.
Like Doog, I too have the Specialized Tricross. It was used for a 3 week tour I did in Canada a couple of years ago. I had front panniers and a Carradice Super C saddlebag - could have also fitted rear panniers but wasn't camping, so they weren't needed. I didn't have time to try out the bike with the front panniers before I set out and had never ridden with panniers on the front before......it was a breeze. Within 5 minutes I had gotten used to the handling. I had absolutely no problems at all with the bike on the tour (920 miles)...not even a puncture!
 

Somebuddy

Über Member
Location
Lanarkshire
Thanks Isla , I am dreaming of a transam....... And was indecisive whether to use my tricross sport or buy a new Long haul trucker or similar steel famed bike. You have helped make up my mind. I will use the tricross. Maybe a new Brooke's saddle and some touring pedals. Currently use spd's, but like the option of clip in one side and flat on the other. And a bar end mirror. Oh and a front rack and panniers for the light stuff. Jings.... The list is never ending!
 

BigonaBianchi

Yes I can, Yes I am, Yes I did...Repeat.
Thanks Isla , I am dreaming of a transam....... And was indecisive whether to use my tricross sport or buy a new Long haul trucker or similar steel famed bike. You have helped make up my mind. I will use the tricross. Maybe a new Brooke's saddle and some touring pedals. Currently use spd's, but like the option of clip in one side and flat on the other. And a bar end mirror. Oh and a front rack and panniers for the light stuff. Jings.... The list is never ending!

...that's the best place to start...then talk about it and tell everybody you know you are going to do it...then it becomes a done deal...no way back...the more you tell everyone the closer you are to doing it...that's what I did anyway.

I should have replaced mine with a new one before I went..in the event it split on me in idaho and I had several hundred miles of arse pinching going on until I got to Missoula in Montanna, which was the only place I found on the Transam, that I saw, that actually had brookes saddles.
 

doog

....
Thanks Isla , I am dreaming of a transam....... And was indecisive whether to use my tricross sport or buy a new Long haul trucker or similar steel famed bike. You have helped make up my mind. I will use the tricross. Maybe a new Brooke's saddle and some touring pedals. Currently use spd's, but like the option of clip in one side and flat on the other. And a bar end mirror. Oh and a front rack and panniers for the light stuff. Jings.... The list is never ending!

My touring issues with the Tricross have been these : The stock rear wheel was never strong enough for me, a tent and two panniers and on one short tour, spokes went and the wheel was ruined. I upgraded to a 36 spoke open pro that has lasted well but the rim really is too narrow for any tyre over 25mm. So my advice would be at least to upgrade the rear wheel with something hand built and with 36 spokes . Try Rose for excellent, cheap, hand built wheels http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/

The lugs for the panniers, one popped out and I now use a P clip. Changed the stem to something more upright. Makes me wonder when the others will pop out , something you wont get on a purpose built tourer.

The gearing ? I thought a road triple would be fine for the mountains but fully loaded I struggled. I have dropped the inner ring to a 26T on the Tricross and could go further .My new tourer has an inner of 22T , below 20 gear inches on Sheldons calculator http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/ means spinning rather than pushing in my case at least.

The bike is highly stealable simply because it doesnt look like a ragged old tourer, it looks good This guy had his nicked on tour http://www.thecycleguy.com/2012/01/specialized-tricross-repair-rebuild.html . I cover the decals up with electrical tape on tour to make it look a bit more bland but it does get a lot of attention.

I used to be quite cynical of people praising its attributes, however there is little left of my original Tricross.
 

Isla Valassi

Veteran
Location
Fife, Scotland
My touring issues with the Tricross have been these : The stock rear wheel was never strong enough for me, a tent and two panniers and on one short tour, spokes went and the wheel was ruined. I upgraded to a 36 spoke open pro that has lasted well but the rim really is too narrow for any tyre over 25mm. So my advice would be at least to upgrade the rear wheel with something hand built and with 36 spokes . Try Rose for excellent, cheap, hand built wheels http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/

Actually Doog you've just reminded me that I used a pair of Mavic A319's 36H for the tour as I also felt the stock wheels wouldn't be up to the job. Since then I have also fitted this saddle
 
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