New to touring - help me choose a bike!

[CobbledClassic]

Hello all, new to the forum!

I am a fairly experienced road rider, but would like to go touring with a friend.

I am having trouble choosing a bike - it's not a market I've ever looked at before and I need help!

The traditional tourer still seems to be as popular as ever, I have considered models like the Condor Heritage and a few Ridgeback models. Sadly a nice Ti bike like the Enigma Etape is out of budget (approx 1K).

However I have looked on the Genesis website and a few of their models really took my fancy - specifically, the Croix de Fer, Vapour and Day 01 Alfine. They seem very versatile and budget friendly. I like the idea that I could get one, tour on it and then have a cyclocross bike as well (which I have always fancied).

So my questions would be - are the above Genesis bikes capable of touring, and which one would you consider to be the most suitable? Are there are other similar bikes you think I should consider?

I should mention we will be doing 1-2 week tours next summer in the UK and possibly France and Germany, ideally with a mix of camping and staying in B&B's.

Thanks for your help!

 

[willem]

They are not ideal. On a tourer I don't like disc brakes, carbon forks or high gearing. Also, I prefer 26 inch wheels with fat tyres for their comfort and off road and bad road capabilities. Unless you want to race cycle cross, I think the better bet is a bike like the Surly Long Haul Trucker with 26 inch wheels. It is a great and affordable drop bar tourer, with pretty serious off road capabilities.
This morning I went for an 80 km ride with a bunch of friends. The bike I took was my 26 inch wheeled drop bar tourer, currently fitted with Marathon Extreme tyres. It was pouring with rain, and the tracks in the forest were muddy, if not pools of water. The bike did fine. I could have taken my son's mtb, but my bike has proper mudguards (and a Rohloff hub so wear was minimal).
Willem

 

[jags]

have a look at thorns club tour it has 700 c wheels so no major change from the road bike capable of carrying panniers front and read in comfort . touring can run into a lot of money especially if your going to camp .so be warned LOL.

 

[seraphina]

Dawes Horizon? List price is around £700-odd. Which gives you £300 to spend on shiny farkles or nights in a B&B.

I have one and I love it. Great bike -all day comfort and feels quality.

 

[CobbledClassic]

Thanks guys.
I realise the Genesis bikes arent ideal for hardcore touring, but if they can do the job then that's all I need for a bit of light touring round the uk.
Anyone own a genesis and been touring with it...?

 

[Scoobysnack27]

I've not used any of the Genesis bikes, but have been touring for the last few years (everything from weekend trips locally, up to three week tours of Northern Spain last summer) using a Specialized Tri-Cross Sport. My partner has also ridden hers for everything and everyday for the last 5 years and never had a problem. I was worried that this might be too much of a compromise but it seems to work for me on everything from the above to use for commuting to work. Maybe worth a look - some of the early problems (fork-shudder etc) have now been sorted and I love it!

 

[onlineamiga]

I have the Revolution Country Explorer from Edinburgh Bicycle. I used this bike for a tour and had no major difficulties with it what so ever. Its now got over 4500km under its belt and its showing no sign of wear. For the price I think its a brilliant bike.

You really have to get the right bike for you. After all you are going to be spending a hell of a lot of time on it. You have to be comfortable.

 

[Dave Davenport]

I've toured using a Kinesis Racelite T in the past but bought a Thorn Sherpa four years ago and imo it's well worth getting a bike designed for the job. It rides much better loaded and copes with trails that the Kinesis would have struggled with unloaded, let alone carrying 40lb of kit.

 

[doog]

I have used a Specialized Tricross Sport for the last 3 tours. Although its fast and light it doesn't inspire confidence. As I have at least 25 years of touring ahead of me (having decided life isnt a dress rehearsal) I will be investing in something designed for the job, either a Surly LHT or a Thorn.

 

[tbtb]

I've toured France at length on a Genesis Aether 2010, w/ 2 panniers of light(ish) camping gear and tent on the rack - it's built lighter than a Croix de Fer but everything was fine. That said, before departing I replaced the 25mm tyres with 28s, and I replaced the rear mech, chain and block (to get a 34 block on), and I put on mudguards and a rack. I changed the pedals too. And the saddle, and the stem. That's not the cheapest way to get a light tourer but there are surprisingly few available so light and with relaxed frame angles and wide gears, so you do have to swap some parts around sometimes. But the basic wheels and frame and fork - the bits you'd worry about if you weren't sure of the bike's strength - were fine and strong, no problems, and those of the croix de fer are much stronger, I'm pretty certain.

The frame angles on the Genesis bikes you list are even more tour-suited than the Aether (i.e. relaxed angles and long chain stays)and the Aether was fine and stable itself.

A Croix de Fer would be a good tourer - it holds the world round-the-world record apparently and in the 2012 catalogue they describe using it for a 1600 mile loaded tour of Iceland and the pictures show lots of panniers etc. If as you say you like the notion of having a cyclocross bike you can tour on, this should be a frontrunner. You might tweak the tyres and gearing of course.

The Vapour disc has the nicer colour but the gearing is higher due to the chainset. Not sure of the alfine gearing on the Day01 but the hub gear is maybe less fun when you puncture?

These bikes use mechanical disc brakes, perfectly reliable and good for big loaded downhills imo.

Cyclo cross bikes seem to fall into two camps - some are racy but strong and some are relaxed but strong. The Genesis ones, sold with talk of touring use and fun day rides, are in the relaxed but strong camp, ideal for your needs if you can live with the gearing or are prepared to switch the block/rear mech/chain.

 

[del]

+1 for the Surly LHT, not actually done a big tour on it yet (will do in a week) but so far its performed flawlessy! great bike, looks good, feels sturdy and i suppose it just feels right... Im in love with my surly

 

[martinwhprice]

Hi, I was in your position only 2 months ago, completely new to the market as well.
If you're looking to go second hand...
The best advice I can give is to take your time, find out exactly what's important for your requirements and then to keep looking and wait until exactly what you want comes up.
Once you know what you want (my requirements were braze ons for pannier rack, drop handlebars, reputable brand and good clearance between pedals and the back wheel), ebay and preloved.co.uk were really helpful for me.
This week I found my bike, it's a 2003 Dawes Sardar, should do the job perfectly. And I got it at a great price of £260, I was willing to go up to £500 so I'm chuffed with the outcome.
Also - local bike shops were invaluable to me, asking them what they recommend for the type of tour you're looking to do, what they know about the market, what parts of the spec really matters, etc.

Cheers