Hiya from Shropshire

[ChristinaJL]

Hi, I'm Christina and currently in Shropshire, although I'm a home counties gal originally!!

Been cycling for as long as I can remember, but only recently taken up road riding in the last couple of years. I have a specialized dolce elite road bike and a dawes karakum. Planning on doing some touring this year if the in-laws can be persuaded to babysit.

Currently trying to decide on which carradice saddle bag will fit my 52cm road bike, not worked it out yet. And my husband is trying to decide on whether to get a specialized secteur sport or a giant defy 3 and he can't decide either.

Looking forward to "chatting!!"

 

[bauldbairn]

Welcome to the CC forums Christina.

Good luck with the touring.

There are a few members on here who have the Specialized Secteurs, so they are highly recommended - there was a thread only last week I think?

 

[bauldbairn]

Here's a link to a Specialized Secteur Sport thread for your husband to look at;

https://www.cyclechat.net/

They're a right clichey little gang and Norm and IanRauk are the ring leaders(only joking guy's ) . Hopefully there will be some useful info there for him.

 

[ChristinaJL]

Hi, thanks for the welcome and the link!! I'll get him to have a look later.

I sent an email to carradice asking about the bags, as I really want a camper long flap bag, but not sure it will fit on my road bike.

 

[Norm]

Greetings, Christina, from someone who is still a Home Counties gal... well, Home Counties at least.

Here's a link to a Specialized Secteur Sport thread for your husband to look at;

https://www.cyclechat.net/

They're a right clichey little gang and Norm and IanRauk are the ring leaders(only joking guy's ) . Hopefully there will be some useful info there for him.

I would be grateful if you left my ring outta this, sir.

I was also looking at the Defy 3 but went with the Secteur Sport. Some of that was down to local reasons* but the Secteur fits my size and suits my riding style and the rides that I want to make.

* The local reasons being that my local Giant stockist wouldn't allow test rides even though I'd bought 2 bikes from him in the previous 3 months, whereas my local Spesh guy gave me the bike for as long as I wanted

 

[ianrauk]

Hello Christina and welcome aboard good ship CycleChat.

I am indeed one of these Secteur ringleaders that Bauldbairn speak of...
You wont go wrong with a Secteur that's for sure.

 

[ChristinaJL]

Thanks all!!

I keep telling the other half to get the specialized, but whether he'll listen to me is another thing.

 

[bauldbairn]

Thanks all!! I keep telling the other half to get the specialized, but whether he'll listen to me is another thing.

No offence ChristinaJL, we'll talk to you all day if you want.
Your husband would also be welcome on the forum(Mr ChristinaJL) - he could tell us what he wants from a bike - what his budget is etc. Then we will go through a lengthy process of discussing this bike and that bike - different tyres/racks/panniers etc, post after post. Then when we've finally decided what bike your husband should get - he ignores all our invaluable advice and goes off and buys something else completely. - -

 

[Randochap]

Welcome Christina, from Canada. My very first tours were out from Wednesfield, into the S. Shropshire Hills.

In fact, I just did what was my first 80km trip (in 1964) -- from Wednesfield to Chatwall -- virtually on Google Maps (street view). It's still a beautiful place I see.

I write about some of those adventures on VeloWeb.

I have a few Carradice bags (one 30+ years old). My newest is a Barley, which I find holds plenty for day rides or brevets.

 

[ChristinaJL]

he could tell us what he wants from a bike - what his budget is etc.

Well, he's on cycle to work scheme, but has to decide on 1 April, so I keep telling him to hurry up. His maximum budget would be around the £650 mark (i.e. the secteur sport) He wants the bike for cycling to work once or twice a week (36 mile round trip) and cycling out on the road with me. He can't keep up with me on my road bike, as he has an old marin hybrid. Hence, he wants a road bike, but won't need it for racing, so he wants one with drop handle bars that is also comfy.

We'll mostly be doing longer day rides, hopefully, and maybe the odd sportive once we both build up the mileage. Two small kids and no babysitter hamper us a bit, but we'll get there eventually!!

I think the secteur sport fits the bill nicely, but for some reason he seems to like the bright yellow of the giant defy 3 - have told him I'll call it a banana bike if he gets that one.

 

[ChristinaJL]

My newest is a Barley, which I find holds plenty for day rides or brevets.

Thanks for the welcome everyone!!

I ordered a barley in the end for my road bike, and a camper longflap for my karakum, so I'm hoping they arrive on Monday. Oh and a new brooks saddle too so I can strap the camper to it. Still debating whether I need any support for the barley (have a rack on the dawes so that's ok) - a bagman sport or the SQR bracket, but I guess I'll wait and see how the barley fits my bike.

 

[Norm]

Christina

Those requirements pretty much match mine exactly, although my commute was a bit longer. There's also no danger of me struggling to keep up with Mrs Norm, who doesn't cycle at all.

 

[ChristinaJL]

Well, I think I've nearly got him decided on the specialized. I showed our little girl pictures of both and even she picked out the secteur sport.

Now I just need to decide on sqr or bagman sport for my bike then we're sorted for some lightweight touring as I bought front and back arkel panniers last year.

 

[Darkmarkster]

Currently trying to decide on which carradice saddle bag will fit my 52cm road bike, not worked it out yet. And my husband is trying to decide on whether to get a specialized secteur sport or a giant defy 3 and he can't decide either.

Looking forward to "chatting!!"

Hi and welcome I have a 56cm road bike and currently use the Carradice Super C Saddlebag.

It holds around 20-24 litres and fits in everything but the kitchen sink although there are cable ties for that

 

[ChristinaJL]

currently use the Carradice Super C Saddlebag.

Is that sufficient for a couple of days to a week's tour then? The camper is about the same size, I believe, so we're hoping we can get away without buying another full set of panniers.

It will be a bit close as to whether the barley fits my bike, being a women's it's shorter in the frame and less room between the saddle/wheel. maybe I should get a man's bike.