New touring bike - suggestions?

[Blue Hills]

At the risk of annoying you jayclock, can I ask what you mean by square tapers needing re-tightening?

You mean the BB within the shell? Or the cranks?

The latter it is pretty normal to tighten once or twice after first installing the crankset and having done a bit of pedalling. But am not aware of anything more than that.

all the best.

 

[jay clock]

Hollowtech bb for touring?

Better to stick with old school square taper.
External bearing bb bearings won't last and might let you down somewhere inconvenient, whereas square taper will last for years.

Square taper chainset with decent touring gearing https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s109p2657/SPA-CYCLES-104-Touring-Triple-Chainset

That chainset might be good. Cranks a bit short.

I have never had a problem with Hollowtech BBs but may have to put my preference aside to get a chainset with small enough rings

 

[jay clock]

At the risk of annoying you jayclock, can I ask what you mean by square tapers needing re-tightening?

You mean the BB within the shell? Or the cranks?

The latter it is pretty normal to tighten once or twice after first installing the crankset and having done a bit of pedalling. But am not aware of anything more than that.

all the best.

I had problems on tour with both. Probably poor fitting in honesty, but since I have never had problems with H2, I prefer them

 

[Vantage]

I ran their XD-2 chainset for a while on my tourer and had no issues. It's now on the shopper bike. Same price as the one linked to. Available with 175mm cranks.
I now run the TD-2 cranks which are more polished (I'm a bling tart) and I prefer the 5 visible arms as they're easier to work on imo. I went for a 46-36-24T setup on that but I think that too might be a bit too high for some hills when loaded. I found out the TD-2 also requires a different length BB.
If you shove a UN55 BB in there it'll last years without incident and they're buttery smooth.

 

[Blue Hills]

We'd better get off this square taper fetish vantage as jayclock has his own ideas. But just to say I have an XD2 48/38/28 on my favourite Ridgeback rebuild. I actually prefer its less shiny look - in fact I think it looks rather classy and "no brand". I understand that it is actually a Sugino. I wouldn't use the 48/38/28 on fully loaded touring bike, especially round y/our way, but then Spa have other stuff of course. Where would we be without them?
edit - ah, just read jayclock's post above - he's weakening

 

[jay clock]

I am weakening! My ambition is fully black as much as possible so will look at the xd2

 

[jay clock]

Thanks to everyone for their help and ideas particularly @mcshroom for suggesting the Ridgeback.. Have been into the very lovely Biketart near Canterbury and bought the frame.. Now need to get a shopping list of what will work!

 

[Blue Hills]

If you do decide to favour that nice Ridgeback frame with a Square Taper jayclock, I can recommend this to help with screwing the BB in - it stops the tool slipping and allows you to screw it in with controlled pressure.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BOTTOM-BRACKET-FREEWHEEL-REMOVER-BOLT/dp/B00NU2FJK6

or this may essentially be the same thing


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bike-Bottom-Bracket-Removal-Tool-Road-Bike-Square-Hole-Axis-Of-The-Sleeve-ToolRG/153140020694?_trkparms=aid=555018&algo=PL.SIM&ao=2&asc=52945&meid=db17e45b211146aab4cbfda622dac0a8&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=6&sd=153170552076&itm=153140020694&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851


Apologies if teaching you to suck eggs.

edit - on taking another look at that beautiful frame I note that the write-up from Bike tart says:

@@
World series bike are sensibly specified. Brazed downtube cable stops mean traditional gear levers can be used if needed. All complete builds use a square taper bottom bracket to allow replacement with a more readily available cup and axle unit.

@@

Listen to the bike

 

[jay clock]

OK UPDATE!! Bought the frame from the extremely friendly and beautifully located Bike Tart in Kent. Looks lovely and having offered it up next to a Genesis, size seems right. Two people have described it as having a long top tube which suits me fine

I have had a chat with a few shops and placed some orders! Not cheap but I am going for exactly what I want

Wheels - Spa. Exceptionally friendly and helpful (Andrew Johnson) and £208 for what sounds like a strong set of wheels with XT hubs and Kinlin rims. All in black (silver spokes)

Drivetrain - spoke to several places and general view is that MTB chainset etc is fine, so getting all this stuff from SJS. Hollow tech II!!!! Based on the fact that I have had problems in the past with square taper, and in 15 years+ have never done so with HT (sorry lads!)

Shifters - High on Bikes, Sora STI triple

Brakes. very pricey. TRP HY/RD from Merlin. I am bit confused about post fit or flat fit but ordered what they told me they think I need

Bars, stems etc from Wiggle. Hope rotors with orange middles, should look natty. Tyres, GatorHardshell 32mm

Black mudguards

Tubus rack

I am bit concerned that I may have issues of compatibility etc in setting up the brakes, but let's wait and see. I probably need some cables too.

Saddle will initially be a Charge Spoon, and pedals some SPDs I have already

The look is going to be burnt orange frame with everything else black! May hunt out orange bar tape!

Any comments?

 

[mcshroom]

I look forward to seeing the completed build

 

[jay clock]

I look forward to seeing the completed build

Me too. I will be pleasantly surprised if it is rideable

 

[Vantage]

Any comments?

Yep. Regarding the MTB drivetrain, an MTB front mech won't work very well with STI. Get a road spec front mech.

 

[Spoked Wheels]

OK UPDATE!! Bought the frame from the extremely friendly and beautifully located Bike Tart in Kent. Looks lovely and having offered it up next to a Genesis, size seems right. Two people have described it as having a long top tube which suits me fine

I have had a chat with a few shops and placed some orders! Not cheap but I am going for exactly what I want

Wheels - Spa. Exceptionally friendly and helpful (Andrew Johnson) and £208 for what sounds like a strong set of wheels with XT hubs and Kinlin rims. All in black (silver spokes)

Drivetrain - spoke to several places and general view is that MTB chainset etc is fine, so getting all this stuff from SJS. Hollow tech II!!!! Based on the fact that I have had problems in the past with square taper, and in 15 years+ have never done so with HT (sorry lads!)

Shifters - High on Bikes, Sora STI triple

Brakes. very pricey. TRP HY/RD from Merlin. I am bit confused about post fit or flat fit but ordered what they told me they think I need

Bars, stems etc from Wiggle. Hope rotors with orange middles, should look natty. Tyres, GatorHardshell 32mm

Black mudguards

Tubus rack

I am bit concerned that I may have issues of compatibility etc in setting up the brakes, but let's wait and see. I probably need some cables too.

Saddle will initially be a Charge Spoon, and pedals some SPDs I have already

The look is going to be burnt orange frame with everything else black! May hunt out orange bar tape!

Any comments?

Sounds good.

Hallotec II for me too over Square Taper, Hallotec II are so light the you can take a spare BB on your tour if you are concerned.

Today I finished my new tourer, 11.9kg without rack and fenders.

I went for mechanical discs, Avid BB7, I've run them before and I like them, easy to take apart if you have to and a doddle to adjust. I did consider the TRP but they fit so close to the spokes that made me nervous i wouldn't go hydrolic for touring, in case of a problem, mechanicals are my choice.

XT / KINLIN is a good combination, Spa's wheelbuilder is a good builder, I've re-rimed his wheels before. I went for Hope hubs and H Plus Son rims, more expensive but lighter and very very strong.

Not sure what rack to get....

I bought some SKS 53mm mudguards that I need to fit.

I went for Schwalbe Marathon Mondial 40c tyres.... 700g each not 645g as reported.

Crankset is shimano deore 48-38-26

Crankset can be found cheaper elsewhere but I was buying a few things there so I got free postage

Fitted my old and trusted handlebars and 9 speeds shifters.

Let's see a picture of your touring bike when ready

 

[Bodhbh]

Tubus rack

I am bit concerned that I may have issues of compatibility etc in setting up the brakes, but let's wait and see. I probably need some cables too.

Any comments?

Splitting hairs as they're almost identical, but I noticed upthread you were going for the Tubus Logo. Unless you have a requirement for thru axle mounting - no rack mounts or the rack would foul disc caplipers on the seat stays - I would go for the Evo version of the Logo. The side rails are slightly lower for lower CoG and the attachment point at the bottom is neater. As I say splitting hairs, but if you're gonna blow £100 quid on a rack it may as well be just so.

Yep. Regarding the MTB drivetrain, an MTB front mech won't work very well with STI. Get a road spec front mech.

I'm running a MTB front mech on my commuter with a trigger shifter designed for use with road mechs (it's complicated...). It works fine, despite the fact they have different cable pull and it shouldn't on paper. I'd be inclined to give the above a go at least.

 

[Vantage]

I'm running a MTB front mech on my commuter with a trigger shifter designed for use with road mechs (it's complicated...). It works fine, despite the fact they have different cable pull and it shouldn't on paper. I'd be inclined to give the above a go at least.

If he was reusing old parts it'd be worth chancing but as the parts are all new, he might aswell get it right first time