Touring Bike Advice Please

[benbr]

I'm riding an old Genesis Croix de Fer 20, normally slow and steady 1-2 day cycle-camping on-road/canal-path/south downs way in the UK (not crazy downhill stuff obvs!) but hoping to do some longer trips abroad eventually.

Thinking about buying a new Kona Sutra as recommended by TomsBikeTrip. Some new things for me:
Bar-end shifter levers, will I ever get used to them?
Gears, my Genesis has 105s, should I upgrade the standard Deore? or are they OK?
Any general advice on the Kona Sutra vs the CdF?

Also, looking at dynamo light systems, what's the optimum spec? something that looks nice on a trad. tourer, not something that looks like it fell off a UFO! I looked at Son, B&W and Supernova so far.
Any opinions on hub dynamos? SON vs Shimano (SP sound a bit sh*t? )
Clever tips for cable routing?
Clever tips for USB charging ports for GPS etc?

TIA!

 

[geocycle]

I like SON dynamos and use one daily during all the dark months with an edelux light. Never had any bother although did get the bearings changed FOC after 20000 Miles. The classic is probably best if you want to charge gizmos. I have SP on my audax bike and works fine but was told longevity would be an issue relative to SON so depends how much you will be using it.

 

[All uphill]

If you want to buy a new bike go ahead, of course. I like bar end shifters, but I know some people don't, so I think that's a very personal decision.

If your priority is to tour, in what way do you think your Cdf will not be up to the job? Can anything you don't like be changed? Gear ratios, saddle, bars, wheels ? Getting your current bike right will save you enough for a couple of weeks on the road!

 

[Cycleops]

If you're the 'slow and steady ' type the Kona Sutra should suit you well, as long as it's not the Karma Sutra. The model has been running for a number of years so must be well liked. Kona is a decent brand.
Can't comment on the bar end shifters but you can get used to anything. But why don't you fix up your CdF as @All uphill suggests? If you just fancy a new steed though just go ahead.

 

[Jameshow]

What level is deore these days tiagra?

I'd suggest you find one to try.

 

[Gillstay]

I would buy a S/H one at the moment as there are so many good cheap ones after covid. Why buy new when prices are rockbottom.
Then you can add what ever you want to your spec.

 

[Mike Ayling]

Depending on your budget look at a bike with Rohloff.

 

[wafter]

A few thoughts; for context I have a CdF 30 (bought new for lots of money) and a Fuji Touring (bought not new for not lots of money).

You'll be broadly-speaking au-fait with the spec of the CdF (mine has 105 throughout with hydro discs); for comparison the Fuji runs Deore M591 3x9 and Microshift bar-end shifters and Tektro mini-V-brakes.

The Sutra looks like a nice bike and should potentially be a bit more relaxed / stable than the CdF; however I'd question your need to move away from the Genesis - what's your motive for looking to change?

While I love integrated shifters I have no problem with the Fuji's bar-end efforts, which can be superior in some ways - cheaper, simpler, arguably more robust and reliable while giving the ability to shift from one end of the cassette to the other in one stroke as necessary. Ergonomically they're a lot closer to STIs than domwtube shifters given their location; and are great for wafting along - if not smashing through the gears as you hammer down some gravel track on the side of a hill.

Despite the fact the Genesis is a nicer bike by every metric and cost me about four times what the Fuji owes me, I use the Fuji far more often. My reasons; which may or may not be applicable to either of the bikes you're involved with:

- It's tatty and cost a lot less so I'm less precious about it getting dirty, marked or nicked (would still be gutted but it's far more useable from this perspective). The Genesis will do pretty much everything the Fuji will; except I never allow it to because I'm too precious about it.

- It runs flat pedals as opposed to the CdF's SPDs - making it slightly less of a ballache to get out on, and more practical when off the bike at the other end

- I much prefer the triple gearing as I can stay in the middle ring nearly all of the time, rather than having to constantly shift between large and small

So.. in your position unless there's something that's really eating you about the Genesis, I'd stick with that and chuck a bit at sorting it out. A touring bike is a workhorse and as such will inevitably pick up some dings - this would really nark me on a new bike. That said some elements of the Kona should be superior for its intended purpose (geometry, maybe drivetrain and shifters depending) so if these are important to you that might be sufficient incentive.

Also, as others have said many used bikes are dirt cheap now - with tourers being eternally unfashionable so probably hit pretty hard in this regard.. so this is probably also an option worth considering.