Two Touring Questions......

[jt657]

Hello everyone.

Firstly, I'm looking at buying a bicycle, I will be using it for day rides in the UK, but also hope to do a tour in Europe next year-probably France and Spain.

Obviously for out and out touring something like a Ridgeback Panorama is ideal- sturdy, and ready to carry loads.

However I will also have to live with the bike in the UK, and whilst I'm sure the Ridgeback's good for commuting, I've also been looking at this----http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/new-boardman-cx-team-2011.83618/

It looks like a cracking bike and gets rave reviews from lots of publications. Obviously it wouldn't be able to take as much loadwise, and the frame is alloy rather than steel, but does anyone know if I would be ok undertaking a tour on such a bike?

This brings me onto my second question; can touring be done, with tent and cooking gear using only rear panniers? I know there are weight distribution issues but my experience of travel tells me that no matter how big your bag, you'll fill it.

Has anyone been on a camping tour, cooked their own food and managed with only rear panniers? I'd be travelling very light, as I'd hope the weather in Spain in spring/summer would be reasonable.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[snorri]

The bike in your link will be fine for doing what is has been designed to do, but it hasn't been designed for touring!
You are looking for a compromise, a tourer and a fast commuter so cannot hope for the best of both worlds in one bike. Perhaps you would consider two bikes, one a second hand tourer? There is often a second hand Dawes Galaxy to be found in the For Sale columns. Some may say these are a bit dated now, but they have a good reputation as tourers.You would need a bike with attachments for mudguards and a rack, few cycle tourists use drop bars nowadays, preferring straight or butterfly bars. You don't say how long you propose to take for your tour, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 months? Length of tour would influence bike choice. Many tourers make do with two panniers, and have the tent and other gear bungeed on top of the panniers. I use four panniers, but prefer cooler climes than Spain and like to have a few extras to add to the comfort. A bar bag is worth considering, these are handy for carrying valuables, camera, passport etc. and can easily be taken off the bike and into shops etc when the bike has to be left unattended.
That's enough from me meantime, more questions than answers perhaps, but others will be along soon with their views.

 

[andy_spacey]

I give up driving 3 years ago and ride a bike full time all year round. I also tour and did my first big tour this year from Coventry to santander Spain. I do this all on the same bike. I use a Dawes Galaxy which was a ex demo with a few scratches and dents and payed £860 new.

the boardman bike would not last that long on uk roads and your body would know about it.
So far i have done 7500 miles on my galaxy and still going strong, i have put a brook b67 on it and changed the wheels at 4500 miles because the rims were wore out.

Two of my friends have got bikes now and asked me what they need to do the same as what you are asking.
both have now got the Dawes karakum. it the same spec as the galaxy but with a alloy frame.( and no droped bars but i changed my galaxy to butterfly bars)

They are both very happy with the bikes and they do every thing they ask of them. on and off road, touring and fast commuting.

The karakum is always over looked because of the galaxy. I have rode the karakum and it feels just as strong as the galaxy and very smooth and fast.

you can pick i second hand one for £300, i new one up for £550 from a eBay shop or go to a high street shop and pay £750.

There are a lot of flash people that like flash bikes but they do ride every day in every weather or with any thing heaver than there iPhone.

​

just so you know. i don't work for Dawes..lol. if i had the money i would get a koga 26" wheel world traveller with a rollhoff hub and am saving up for one, but till them, my galaxy will more than do .

good look
andy

 

[Brommyboy]

My other bike, the Raleigh Royal (not the current model) is very similar to a Dawes. Ideal for commuting and touring, also shopping. Drop bars are far better for long rides, as they allow a change of hand position on bars. Mine has now done in excess of 65000 miles and still in very robust.

 

[vernon]

Don't get fixated on tourers with drop handle bars. I once was a staunch supporter of the Dawes Galaxy and similar bikes but had my eyes opened when I abandaoned my Galaxy in Orleans when the drop outs fractured and found a cost effective solution in a Decathlon B'twin hybrid/tourer with flat handlebars. I was sceptical about the comfort offered by flat bars and the speed penalty that I might face from having 700 x 38 tyres but much to my surprise, I was comfortable from the outset and just as fast on the hybrid.

Drop barred tourers seem to be the preserve of UK riders and it's worth considering alternative configurations.

The Boardman is likely to prove to be a liability. The gearing is too high for a tourer. There doesn't appear to be a way of fixing decent mudguards to the front fork. The change of hand position requirement is a received wisdom. Flatt barred bikes with bar ends offer a change of position and are just as comfortable on long rides as drop bars.

A tour in Europe would demonstrate the balance between drop barred bikes and flat barred bikes to be overwhelmingly in favour of the flat barred tourers. The only drop barred tourers that I have seen abroad in the past three years were pedalled by UK riders and both of them were Dawes Galaxies.

 

[vernon]

Oh and rear panniers. Yes. It's perfectly possible to tour with rear panniers only. I've have done so for the past four years and found that I didn't carry as much and, further more, I even had spare space to bring back bottle of wine and the like. I can fit my sleeping mat, sleeping bag, Trangia, fuel and food in one pannier and clothes and tools in the other with room to spare.

 

[onlineamiga]

Yup, I toured with a bar bag and rear panniers. (no front panniers) Strapped the tent and a few other bits to the rack. Was no problem. I didnt however carry cooking equipment. Was a 3 week tour.


I have a revolution country explorer from Edinburgh Bicycle. I think its a fantastic bike. Have a look at it, see if it suits. Done over 4500km on it now and had no issues.

 

[jt657]

Wow, these are all fantastic replies. Thanks guys.

It seems to me that opinion generally seems in favour of an out and out tourer (which can also be used day-to-day if need be).

I'll be looking on Ebay for a Ridgeback or Dawes. Does anyone have experience of Ridgebacks? I won't be committing to buy until after Christmas though- when hopefully there will be sales.

I'm not necessarily fixated on drop-handlebarred tourers, but if that's what I end up getting then fine- I think they'll offer a change of positions when needed, although I understand that other 'bars may do the same.

Would the replies seem to suggest that people generally think that the Boardman would shake my bones to dust on a longer ride?

 

[vernon]

Would the replies seem to suggest that people generally think that the Boardman would shake my bones to dust on a longer ride?

It's not that you'd be shaken to bits but be defeated by lesser hills than those that a properly geared tourer would cope with.

The gearing on the Boardman is too high for touring.

 

[jonathanw]

Not sure about your budget.

Have a look at the Genesis Croix de Fer. It is steel, takes a rack and mudguards easily, has disc brakes and is a very comfortable tourer. However depending on whether you go for a 2011 or 2012 model, you might be looking at £900-1100. There may be some cheaper, but probably not by much. It's a pretty good all round bike from CX to commuting to touring to club runs, depending on the tyres you have on it.

 

[jay clock]

Drop barred tourers seem to be the preserve of UK riders and it's worth considering alternative configurations.

AGREED - I switched from a Dawes clone to a Koga Miyata World Traveller and it was a revelation. Brakes that actually work!