JOG-LE July 2009 - Advice needed

[Jonny Fisher]

Dear all,

Myself and 3 friends from Uni (Glasgow) are cycling John O Groats - Lands End, climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in the process.

I have a budget of £400 tops to get a decent bike for the trip and don't mind getting a good second hand one.

We're doing the trip with no outside assistance so the bike would have to be able to get loaded up with rear Panniers.

If anyone could recommend a good bike for the trip i would be most grateful as i am currently trawling through EBay!

Best wishes, Jonny

 

[ACS]

Dear all,

Myself and 3 friends from Uni (Glasgow) are cycling John O Groats - Lands End, climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in the process.

On foot or on your new MTB?

 

[Jonny Fisher]

Hi, we'll be running up the mountains and leaving the bikes at the bottom - sorry, should have made that clear!

So i'm looking for advice on what the best bike for my budget will be, thanks

 

[samid]

I would go for something like this. But I'm a sucker for lugged steel

 

[Amanda P]

Another vote for almost any bike that says "Dawes" and "Galaxy" on it. (Super Galaxy, Ultra Galaxy or just plain Galaxy. (Isn't there a version with toasted almonds in now?)).

You can't go far wrong with these (and I speak as someone who's done LEJOG on a Galaxy - a 1988 one in my case). A new one will be rather more than your £400 budget, but second hand ones will go for that much.

They aren't all lugged steel - more recent ones have nasty, fat-tubed, blobby-TIG-welded alloy frames, but they still do the job. (Oops, did my prejudice show there?)

Don't skimp on the saddle (you'll be sitting on it a long time), and make sure you get one in the right size. You may be best getting advice on sizing from an experienced cyclist going with you to look at a bike you're thinking of buying, and looking at you sitting on it.

What feels comfortable to you sitting on a stationary bike, or even riding it round the block, isn't necessarily what'll be most efficient, or most comfortable during a long day climbing welsh mountain passes with loaded panniers on board.

 

[hubbike]

I did it with a 2nd hand hybrid that cost me 100 quid. Do you have a bike already? Chances are it will manage. otherwise your cheapest option is a 2nd hand MTB.

 

[Kirstie]

I did it with a 2nd hand hybrid that cost me 100 quid. Do you have a bike already? Chances are it will manage. otherwise your cheapest option is a 2nd hand MTB.

...with SLICKS though...not knobblies.

Edinburgh bike co-op do some good value tourers...
Specialized tri cross is good if you can get one...
An old Dawes galaxy or audax would do it too.