Randommoose
Über Member
Hi,
I came across this forum when looking for some information and so decided to join so here I am!
I have a Schwinn Adventurer GS (ladies). When I lived in Surrey I used it for getting to uni and then for commuting (normally with panniers loaded with instruments etc as I am a music teacher). Did about 2500 miles a year. Then I moved to Gloucestershire and on the day I moved, injured both knees (lifting, not cycling) so couldn't ride at all for a while and stairs were bad too. So, that combined with living in the middle of hilly nowhere meant I stopped cycling.
I have recently moved within Gloucestershire and am now in a flat area and my knees are good enough to cycle (not tried any hills or loaded panniers though). So I would like to get back into it! Current commute wouldn't work unless I was fitter (12.5 miles each way) so it will just be pleasure cycling for now. However, in a year and a bit I will be moving, hopefully to London to start a paramedic degree, so I would want to sell my car and motorbike and just use the bicycle to get around.
I am considering getting a different bike as I have some problems with the current one:
a) it is HEAVY (17kgs) and you really feel the weight at times.
I think I want to have drops - I changed the flats to butterfly bars (installed quite flat so I can stretch out) but I still feel I need more stretch to be comfy.
c) it is slow - even when I was fit, about 22mph was the fastest I could get it but average cruising speed was only 16-18mph.
d) the tyres feel 'draggy' (yes they are pumped up to spec) so I think I want narrower tyres.
e) the brakes were constantly needing adjustment (often while riding) to not rub on the wheels. Maybe I haven't found the magic way to adjust it.
However, the bike works well (apart from the brakes moving) and is in very good condition (I bought it new). It is also good for carrying stuff. It has front suspension which I don't need.
What I would ideally like is a bike that is light(er), fast(er), has drops, has good brakes, can carry panniers (with light loads, maybe occasionally a heavy load, often no panniers), multiple gears, narrow tyres, mudguards, bottle attachment. Saddle is unimportant since I have my own (Selle SMP Strike TRK - does the job). I reckon this leads to a touring bike. Either that or keep and adjust the Schwinn for riding with loads and get a road bike for everything else.
If I do change bikes, I will need to buy secondhand due to lack of money. I might also need to wait a few months. My inside leg is 30'' so that is frame size of 19''. The Schwinn is 17'' but that is a hybrid. I am female but would be fine with a men's bike.
So, the upshot of all this is, what sort of things should I be looking out for in a secondhand tourer (or should I be aiming for something completely different)?
Sorry it is such a long introduction post but I thought I might as well get all the information done in one go.
Moose
I came across this forum when looking for some information and so decided to join so here I am!
I have a Schwinn Adventurer GS (ladies). When I lived in Surrey I used it for getting to uni and then for commuting (normally with panniers loaded with instruments etc as I am a music teacher). Did about 2500 miles a year. Then I moved to Gloucestershire and on the day I moved, injured both knees (lifting, not cycling) so couldn't ride at all for a while and stairs were bad too. So, that combined with living in the middle of hilly nowhere meant I stopped cycling.
I have recently moved within Gloucestershire and am now in a flat area and my knees are good enough to cycle (not tried any hills or loaded panniers though). So I would like to get back into it! Current commute wouldn't work unless I was fitter (12.5 miles each way) so it will just be pleasure cycling for now. However, in a year and a bit I will be moving, hopefully to London to start a paramedic degree, so I would want to sell my car and motorbike and just use the bicycle to get around.
I am considering getting a different bike as I have some problems with the current one:
a) it is HEAVY (17kgs) and you really feel the weight at times.
I think I want to have drops - I changed the flats to butterfly bars (installed quite flat so I can stretch out) but I still feel I need more stretch to be comfy.c) it is slow - even when I was fit, about 22mph was the fastest I could get it but average cruising speed was only 16-18mph.
d) the tyres feel 'draggy' (yes they are pumped up to spec) so I think I want narrower tyres.
e) the brakes were constantly needing adjustment (often while riding) to not rub on the wheels. Maybe I haven't found the magic way to adjust it.
However, the bike works well (apart from the brakes moving) and is in very good condition (I bought it new). It is also good for carrying stuff. It has front suspension which I don't need.
What I would ideally like is a bike that is light(er), fast(er), has drops, has good brakes, can carry panniers (with light loads, maybe occasionally a heavy load, often no panniers), multiple gears, narrow tyres, mudguards, bottle attachment. Saddle is unimportant since I have my own (Selle SMP Strike TRK - does the job). I reckon this leads to a touring bike. Either that or keep and adjust the Schwinn for riding with loads and get a road bike for everything else.
If I do change bikes, I will need to buy secondhand due to lack of money. I might also need to wait a few months. My inside leg is 30'' so that is frame size of 19''. The Schwinn is 17'' but that is a hybrid. I am female but would be fine with a men's bike.
So, the upshot of all this is, what sort of things should I be looking out for in a secondhand tourer (or should I be aiming for something completely different)?
Sorry it is such a long introduction post but I thought I might as well get all the information done in one go.
Moose
I don't think I could do anything like that at the moment though due to loss of knee strength and general loss of fitness.
