Genesis tour de fer or other suggestions...?

[Dave 123]

I've been measured up for a Thorn Raven which is expensive and I'll be saving for one ( I have a part time job lined up at the university sports centre but there's been a HR cock up, I won't be able to save that quickly!)

So I have a weeks holiday in June and would be looking for a sub £1000 tourer to get me going, and who knows, maybe even last me a life time.

Not sure on the trip yet. It may be an East Anglian loop around the coast from home or a jump on the train to France and take it from there.

The other thing to consider is that I may be looking at Evans as I can get £75 for my sons knackered hybrid (or I could use that to tour on....)

 

[steveindenmark]

If you are going to get a Thorn Raven, which is a full blown touring bike. How about getting something lighter, like a roadbike, that you can add a rack and pannier to for the time being. That way you will have 2 different styles of bike when you get your Thorn.

 

[andym]

The Genesis Tour de Fer looks like a pretty decent starting point - you could do a lot worse.

You might want to also check out the Planet-X Kaffenback.

Really any bike that can carry a couple of panniers can be a tourer. There are things you can do if you don't have the lugs on the frame, but if you have the choice get one that comes with them.

After that the things to look for are:

- clearance for larger tyres and/or mudguards;
- 32-spoke wheels
- triple gear set

And that's about it really, although personally I'd add cable disc brakes to that list (ie Avid BB7s).

Don't think that more gears means better - in fact a 24-speed set-up will be more durable than 30-speed.

When it comes to saving up I'd make a pair of quality hand-built wheels the priority.

 

[vernon]

I've been measured up for a Thorn Raven which is expensive and I'll be saving for one ( I have a part time job lined up at the university sports centre but there's been a HR cock up, I won't be able to save that quickly!)

So I have a weeks holiday in June and would be looking for a sub £1000 tourer to get me going, and who knows, maybe even last me a life time.

Not sure on the trip yet. It may be an East Anglian loop around the coast from home or a jump on the train to France and take it from there.

The other thing to consider is that I may be looking at Evans as I can get £75 for my sons knackered hybrid (or I could use that to tour on....)

There's some good value touring bikes available from
Edinburgh Bike Co-op http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/browse/bicycles/touring-bikes
Spa Cycles http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s21p3059 and http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s21p2414

 

[Dave 123]

I was looking at the Spa steel tourer @vernon.

I shall give the co op a look!

 

[jay clock]

If you want a bike that will serve as a cheap tourer the Carerra Subway can be a great solution

 

[KneesUp]

If you want to do it cheaply whilst you save for a Thorn, I'd suggest you can do it for way less than the price of of Tour de Fer.

If you already have a hybrid to hand, you could just use that, as you say. East Anglia or mainland Europe isn't going to throw up anything it won't deal with. I'd be tempted to build up the hybrid with parts you would like on the Thorn - racks, bags, wheels, pedals and so on, and use that, with a view to transferring the parts over later.

Or if you already have £1,000 to spend, get an Oxford Bike Works Model 1 and forget about the Thorn altogether?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I've been measured up for a Thorn Raven which is expensive and I'll be saving for one ( I have a part time job lined up at the university sports centre but there's been a HR cock up, I won't be able to save that quickly!)

So I have a weeks holiday in June and would be looking for a sub £1000 tourer to get me going, and who knows, maybe even last me a life time.

Not sure on the trip yet. It may be an East Anglian loop around the coast from home or a jump on the train to France and take it from there.

The other thing to consider is that I may be looking at Evans as I can get £75 for my sons knackered hybrid (or I could use that to tour on....)

@andym mentioned the Kaffenback, which reminded me that they've have it as one of their deals of the week at £750. http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXKA...mc_cid=39c2342827&mc_eid=ed9aaf7abe#customise
Good clearance, rack mounts, disks, but doesn't have a triple chainset (will take a 32 tooth rear cassette option, which will partly make up for the loss of low gear options.)

 

[andym]

@andym mentioned the Kaffenback, which reminded me that they've have it as one of their deals of the week at £750. http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXKA...mc_cid=39c2342827&mc_eid=ed9aaf7abe#customise
Good clearance, rack mounts, disks, but doesn't have a triple chainset (will take a 32 tooth rear cassette option, which will partly make up for the loss of low gear options.)

The double chainset and ten-speed gearing would be negatives for me - but the website says there are custom-build options available (but I couldn't work out whether it says anywhere what those are). It might be worth asking - IME Planet-X can be pretty flexible.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

The double chainset and ten-speed gearing would be negatives for me - but the website says there are custom-build options available (but I couldn't work out whether it says anywhere what those are). It might be worth asking - IME Planet-X can be pretty flexible.

If you select a colour and size first, that will make the ''customise'' box available. 9 speed and triple are not options listed there, though. You'd have to phone, I think.