Long distance European Cycling...which bike?

[BigonaBianchi]

Friend of mine rode the length of germany with me on a cruddy old rusty aldi cheapo mtb with bits falling off...
not advise it though!

DawsGalaxy for me .

 

[betty swollocks]

Use the bike you have and put touring type tyres on.
Consider using a trailer such as this:- https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=b...AXp94CgCQ&sqi=2&ved=0CE4QsAQ&biw=1480&bih=981
or this:-https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&gs_rn=5&gs_ri=psy-ab&tok=mVZ0tEyj9BRgzODEABM06w&pq=bike+trailers&cp=10&gs_id=2wg&xhr=t&q=extrawheel&safe=off&rls=ig&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.43287494,d.ZGU&biw=1480&bih=981&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=mqM7UeenEOjR0QW41YH4Dg

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=6834

http://www.adventure-cycling-guide.co.uk/bike3.htm

And one I read ages ago...the $100 world touring mtb

http://travellingtwo.com/resources/the-100-touring-bike

http://www.longwaysomewhere.com/resources/converting-a-mtb-to-a-touring-bike/

 

[doog]

Hi everyone,
Im new to this forum so "Hello" i have some advice to ask for a future European long distance cycle and the type of bike i can get away with.
I dont have a huge deal of money and currently own a hard tail bike, i will be camping along the way so panniers will be needed but i assume a touring bike is going to be needed for this type of trip?
If so then could you recommend a faily well prices one that should be reliable enough for this type of trip.

I look forward to hearing your opinions on hardtail vs touring bike.

Kind regards

Samuel

I am building a tourer from a steel framed mtb, I reckon I can do it for under £200 in total (although I have the frame) . I have toured before but fancy doing it on something built by me for not a lot!

Thread posted last night here

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/worth-making-a-tourer-out-of-this.125763/#post-2352363

 

[vernon]

If your budget stretches to £750 then the Decathlon Riverside 7 offers a lot of bike for £600:

Magura hydraulic rim brakes.
Hub dynamo lighting
Kick stand
Shimano Deore drive train
Hydraulic forks with lock out
Rack.

I had a less well equipped previous incarnation i.e. SRAM 8 speed drive train, conventional rim brakes and a lower spec fork and it served me well for two touring seasons and some 100km audax rides before I sold it to a friend. I usually rode it with the suspension locked out though the suspension worked well on not too challenging trails.

 

[xilios]

Welcome to cyclechat.
We use hybrid bikes and have served us well since 2005 without any problems (details on our page).
For the money your talking you can get a really nice set up. Check out the link below for the variaty of bike you can tour on.
http://www.pbase.com/canyonlands/fullyloaded

 

[Crankarm]

There has been absolutely tonnes of stuff written on this very subject. Search is your friend.

 

[Bodhbh]

You can tour fine on that bike. You will be looking to add a rear rack, change the tires for something slicker, and fix some mudguards. You *might* also add bar-ends, have a new back wheel built, add a front rack, change the forks to rigid ones, and maybe one or two other things, but these are less important and depend on your budget. If you start on the optionals, you might as well consider gettting a new bike....from a cost and effort point of view. But then again the effort you put into pimping out your MTB will pay off in terms of how well you know your bike if you have mechanicals.

As crankarm says, questions like what is the best cheap tourer, can you tour on a mountain bike, etc., have been covered many times and it's well worth having a play searching the forum archives.

 

[willem]

Many people tour on hardtails . This is not a great bike, but a new 500 pound bike would not be that much better either. My advise would be to buy a handbuilt rear wheel strong enough for touring (LX hub, Exal sp19/Sputnik rim) from a reputable wheel builder. Rear wheels are often the part that fails, and it is a pain if they do. Fit 50 mm Schwalbe Big Apple tyres for speed, comfort and reliability. Avoid using a front rack, but get a quality rear rack such as from Old Man Mountain (they are often best with discs), or Tubus (if it works with your discs). Take spare blocks for the discs. Spend the rest of the budget on lighter gear. In my experience rear panniers are enough if you use light and compact gear, and avoid taking unnecessary stuff. Of course this does not apply on expedition tours and in winter. Iffy bikes survive much better with a lighter load.
Suggestions for light weight quality budget gear: Wildcountry Zephyros 2 (the new Lite version if you have the budget), Exped Synmat Basic or Synmat Basic UL (even lighter, but not as warm and sturdy) mattress, Alpkit bag.
Enjoy,
Willem

 

[stephenjubb]

Hi everyone,
Im new to this forum so "Hello" i have some advice to ask for a future European long distance cycle and the type of bike i can get away with.
I dont have a huge deal of money and currently own a hard tail bike, i will be camping along the way so panniers will be needed but i assume a touring bike is going to be needed for this type of trip?
If so then could you recommend a faily well prices one that should be reliable enough for this type of trip.

I look forward to hearing your opinions on hardtail vs touring bike.

Kind regards

Samuel

Hi

The Dawes Sardar (old style steel frame) is highly regarded. If you search for sardar on here and forums.ctc.org.uk you'll find good reviews. They are rare to find but one is for sale here

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dawes-Sar...1004740445?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item27d0ad435d

It should be all you need at £350.00

I wouldn't have around before making a decision as they sell quick and rare.

I did not buy as I have a super galaxy.

cheers

steve jubb

 

[Blue Hills]

nice looking bike - looks good for someone who likes drops (I don't) - the scratches I'd see as a plus (but maybe I'm perverse) - avoids neurotic worry about your pride and joy getting its first blemish, implies a bike that has seen some good times and so you will as well, less nickable possibly.Bits could be replaced as you go along.

 

[Brains]

Keep your bike.
As others have said change the tyres, add a rack and mud guards
Add panniers and you have a touring bike

My first tour (two weeks camping across France) was on a converted MTB.
With the benefit of hindsight it was great as over those two weeks I completely changed my ideas on the perfect touring bike for me and had the ideal bike for me built over the following winter.

 

[Yellow7]

I agree with Brains. My first tour was on my old faithful Raleigh mountain bike (no suspension Front or rear). Only change I made on seconds tour was fitting a Brooks sprung saddle, which made all the difference & without the need for padded shorts....although since then (2007) I've treated myself to a fully spec'd tourer.