Thinking about getting a tourer...

[numbnuts]

I've got a Thorn Club Tour, very nice bike to ride, but I think they are around £1400 now

 

[carolonabike]

I've just bought a Specialised Tricross which I'm going to use for touring. I'm only 5'3 and had limited choice. It's not a touring bike as such but it is a triple (although I'm going to change the cassette a bit from 25 to 28) and it has mudguards, fittings for a rack and 35mm tyres. It is heavier than my road bike but it's really comfy and I'm looking forward to my trip.

 

[doog]

I've just bought a Specialised Tricross which I'm going to use for touring. I'm only 5'3 and had limited choice. It's not a touring bike as such but it is a triple (although I'm going to change the cassette a bit from 25 to 28) and it has mudguards, fittings for a rack and 35mm tyres. It is heavier than my road bike but it's really comfy and I'm looking forward to my trip.

I have a Tricross. Remember you can always drop the inner of the front 3 rings down to a 26T or even a 24T . Spa Cycles do them cheap. Or even better change the cassette to a 30 something and the inner front ring to a 26 or 24 and fully loaded you probably wont have to worry about a hill or mountain again.

 

[stephenjubb]

I want a touring bike really badly. My first proper shop bought bike was a tourer. 30 years later Ive come full circle.

Ridgebacks look nice for the money ....

bike one their brilliant! you won't regret buying the right one.

 

[stephenjubb]

I have a Tricross. Remember you can always drop the inner of the front 3 rings down to a 26T or even a 24T . Spa Cycles do them cheap. Or even better change the cassette to a 30 something and the inner front ring to a 26 or 24 and fully loaded you probably wont have to worry about a hill or mountain again.

good idea, i did 22 low up front and 36 rear. needed it in scotland with my dicky knees and my kit.

 

[Danny]

+1 for Hewitt, agree it's not the cheapest option, but he makes a lot of effort to see you get just what you need and unlike some other bespoke suppliers doesn’t try to sell you anything you don't need. I bought mine nearly ten years ago, have never regretted the extra money or the cost of a trip to see him. During that time many of the people I've ridden with have changed bikes two or three times, in comparison, mine was the cheaper option.

I'm another Hewitt fan - my Cheviot is definitely the most comfortable bike I've had. Buy Leyland is quite a trek from Brighton.

So I'd say the key thing is to buy from a good local shop where you can try different bikes and they can make sure whatever you buy fits properly. Not all bike stores specialise in touring bikes so you may need to shop around a bit. If you can find a shop with female staff they may have a better idea of how to get the fit right for you.

Revolution bikes are good value, but I would be wary of just buying one mail order. If you can get to an Edinburgh Bike Co-op shop you'll find they are very helpful and generally know about fitting bikes for women.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Revolution bikes are good value, but I would be wary of just buying one mail order. If you can get to an Edinburgh Bike Co-op shop you'll find they are very helpful and generally know about fitting bikes for women.

I appreciate the Edinburgh bikes are good value for money and everything, but how do they actually compare to other makes like Dawes, Hewit, et al?? I mean, what are the components really like? How long do they last? Are they really the bargain people make out they are?? And so on.

Thanks

 

[Blue Hills]

Edinburgh Bike Co-Op is an excellent company I'd recommend for pretty much anything.

But I do remember looking at their tourers and with each one there was something I didn't quite like - some have implied above that they will swap bits - I don't know about this so can't really comment.

Again, as I say excellent value - I suppose if you have other bikes you could always transfer some bits you weren't so keen on for touring to other bikes - would be very cost effective. I'm thinking wheels maybe.

 

[vernon]

I appreciate the Edinburgh bikes are good value for money and everything, but how do they actually compare to other makes like Dawes, Hewit, et al?? I mean, what are the components really like? How long do they last? Are they really the bargain people make out they are?? And so on.

Thanks

If your purchasing is limited to an EBC bike by budgetary constraints then there's no point comparing them with up specced bikes - the playing field is not level.

The questions should be: if Hewitt and Dawes produced bikes identically specced to an EBC bike, would they be better? Would they be more expensive?

 

[Cycleops]

[quote="vernon, post: 2494260,

The questions should be: if Hewitt and Dawes produced bikes identically specced to an EBC bike, would they be better? Would they be more expensive?[/quote]

Seems to me a bit like comparing leading brands in a supermarket to "own label". As EBC don't have the marketing spend or overheads that Dawes Ridgeback et all have they should provide good value for money. You are always going to swap out various bits that don't suit but thats par for the course.

 

[Domestique]

Have a look at Byercycles, pleasure to deal with and will build you what you want.

 

[mcshroom]

The Dawes Vantage and EBC Country traveller up until recently were almost identical specs and very similar prices. Most bikes now are built using the same Shimano/tektro kit really anyway so it comes down to the best fitting bike more than anything else (I'm excluding weight within reason for a touring bike). I've had a Vantage and now have a steel Horizon and to be honest there is a little more flex in the Horizon so it's slightly more comfortable, but there was nothing wrong with the comfort of the Vantage. What I have found is these bikes really feel right with luggage on them.

Also if you're interested in flat/butterfly bar touring then the flat bar kit can be cheaper, so it's always worth looking at good trekking style hybrids as well.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I appreciate the Edinburgh bikes are good value for money and everything, but how do they actually compare to other makes like Dawes, Hewit, et al?? I mean, what are the components really like? How long do they last? Are they really the bargain people make out they are?? And so on.

Thanks

So.... I bought the green 'un in 2008. It's a Revolution Country Explorer. I've done several tours on it in Scotland and elsewhere, and for two years it was my commuter

compared with other brands.... well you tell me if any of the following would have been any different....

I upgraded the Avid BB5 brakes to BB7's because BB5's are a bit parp.
I replaced the saddle with a Brooks and while I was at it swapped the bar tape to match.
I broke a spoke in the rear wheel drive side and replaced it. The rims will never wear out of course. The hubs are shimano; say no more.
I had a shifter cable go that was replaced under warranty.
I changed the seatpost for one with no layback because I prefer my weight a bit forward on a bike with loaded rear panniers. Wheelies and manuals are best kept for the mtb.
The chain was replaced when it wore out and so was the cassette. These need swapping again soon. I blame riding the bike on sustrans off road routes in the Highlands in really filthy weather.
The Sora front mech had a pingfeck last year - sorry Shimano, you let me down.
The mudguards fell apart. I blame the south downs way. it shook them to pieces.
The frame the fork the rack the bb the rear mech the stem the headset the bars the shifters et cetera are all original and going strong.

Was my bike a bargain? You betcha.

Revolution bikes are good value, but I would be wary of just buying one mail order. If you can get to an Edinburgh Bike Co-op shop you'll find they are very helpful and generally know about fitting bikes for women.

I have bought three revolution bikes sight unseen straight of the web after a chat with their people about sizing. The green 'un (see above) is still in use. The other, a fixed, was sold on when I bought a Charge Plug off Wiggle dirt cheap and is still in regular use around the district and the third was bought for a friend who uses it two or three times a week.

 

[Blue Hills]

Have a look at Byercycles, pleasure to deal with and will build you what you want.

As I understand it, the frame used by Byercycles for its Aravis is exactly the same as that used for the Hewitt (and for that matter the Pearson Compass).

Not sure how tall the OP is but I actually have a Byercycles flat-bar tourer I must get round to selling - I bought it from someone about 18 months ago in near-mint condition but then decided that it was too small for me (I knew sod all about bike sizing and it looked so good I had my heart set on it).

Since I got it it's been ridden about 8 miles from Liverpool Street to my home and twice round the park - will try to find/sort a pic.

(I eventually bought a Hewitt by the way (!) as I wanted to get the sizing right and trusted his expertise - the equivelent Byercycles would doubtless have been cheaper and just as good - after all they are standard bits on the same frame.

 

[jags]

Anyone interested in my Thorn Sherpa size 50cm suit a person 5.2 to 5.7.
its in pristine condition with all top notch groupset handmade wheels by sjs cycles new supreams tyres.
£ 1050 .if interested i can send photos to your email address .