What is the best lightweight tourer bike that can carry a full camping load?

[Tony]

Read all this, and looked at my touring bike/load.
It is true, as said above, that once you load the bike its own weight becomes rather secondary. I replaced my rear wheel with a tandem-spoked set-up on a Hope hub, which is not light. I wanted strength. I'm a big bloke, and I generally lose about a stone and a half on a long tour, so I can always lighten the rider.
The kicker here is in what you tour for. Posts like the one above are fine, if all you want to do is cover miles.
I want to ride, see things, take photos, walk, birdwatch......

 

[willem]

Sorry, I don't want to create a misunderstanding: I ride for the fun, to enjoy the landscape, to visit old churches etc etc. I am no longer one of the younger ones, so if I want to continue going to interesting places, I need to leave all that heavy junk behind. You really don't need a 3 or 4 kilo tent (1.5-2 kilo will do), a bulky 2 kilo sleeping bag (1 kilo or less for a -5C bag), heavy cotton clothing, etc. The best luggage is the luggage you leave home.

My point was that trying to shave a few grams off your bike makes little sense, and risks mechanical failures. Lighten the load instead.

Willem

 

[Deafie]

You might find this thread interesting.
http://www.adventurecycling.org/forums/viewmessages.cfm?Forum=6&Topic=2750

 

[peejay78]

 

[JackE]

What's the maximum load for an Amazon? My recollection was that they weren't suitable for full on camping touring.

User482,
Sorry for delayed reply. I'm a light-weight cycle camper (max 12-14 kgs) and the Amazon handles it beautifully. I'm pretty sure it would easily take loads of 18-20 kgs. Ask them directly at: www.vannicholas.com. Because of the carbon forks it's only a "rear load" bike but that suits me fine as I'm trying to tour as light as possible.
I find it a brilliant bike for weekend rides all year round (when I need an audax type bike) and then for short summer tours I just change from 28 to 32 Marathons and off I go. I find it a lot more comfortable to ride than my previous steel (631) Dawes Audax, it seems to absorb the shocks from the crappy road surfaces around here much better. I get less back ache as a result.

 

[dmb]

another vote for the van nic.

 

[User482]

User482,
Sorry for delayed reply. I'm a light-weight cycle camper (max 12-14 kgs) and the Amazon handles it beautifully. I'm pretty sure it would easily take loads of 18-20 kgs. Ask them directly at: www.vannicholas.com. Because of the carbon forks it's only a "rear load" bike but that suits me fine as I'm trying to tour as light as possible.
I find it a brilliant bike for weekend rides all year round (when I need an audax type bike) and then for short summer tours I just change from 28 to 32 Marathons and off I go. I find it a lot more comfortable to ride than my previous steel (631) Dawes Audax, it seems to absorb the shocks from the crappy road surfaces around here much better. I get less back ache as a result.

Thanks for the info. That load would be fine for me - I don't tour with more than 2 medium panniers! My current bike is a Thorn Audax, which is great, but it only takes a 28mm tyre which is a bit narrow for touring on potholed roads and cycle paths.

Having done LEJOG last year, I want to do the French coast to coast next - sounds like the Amazon would be ideal.

 

[JackE]

User482
The Amazon would be an excellent choice for the Channel to the Med (I'm planning to do it in 2010). Don't know where you live, but if you were to get Paul Hewitt (Lancs) to build it up for you then you'll be guaranteed a near perfect fit and his hand-built touring/audax wheels are very highly regarded.

 

[Royalrider]

I've just done that very thing JackE. My Amazon arrived from Paul Hewitt yesterday!!

 

[JackE]

Royalrider,
Don't want to start an Amazon "love-in" on here, but do let us know how you find it and your experience of the Paul Hewitt fitting service. Are you a light or a "loaded" tourer?

 

[Fab Foodie]

Oh god that is beautiful.

 

[Royalrider]

Will do. The weather's a bit grim up here near Derby but am itching to get out when the ice is off the roads. Don't want to detract from the OP but I went for the Amazon, not specifically for touring. I did lots of research for a bike capable of touring but also for getting off the tarmac onto sustrans type trails on long day rides. It seemed to fit my requirement/riding style better than an audax bike of the Yukon, Enigma Etape, Sabbath September etc all of which I considered. My touring is limited to 4 days in the Peak District last summer, C2C booked for May and a planned but not booked week in Suffolk with the wife next summer all 'light' B&B. The Paul Hewitt fitting was a valuable experience and not just for the 'fitting' which took about 90 mins with the 'chat'. It was a 180 mile round trip with an overnight stay in Manchester but worth it.
I had an idea that I wanted the bike to have Ultegra gears and Open Pro rims (I was setting it more for audax than touring) Paul discussed this and he advised, if I wanted Shimano, to go with 105 as I wasn't looking to save every ounce of weight and it gave a good gear ratio for the triple set up. He also advised to go for deore xt hubs, (better sealed apparently!) for track and trail, built into DRC STouring rims, slightly heavier, I tested them against Open Pro but more 'bomb proof'. I went for 28c Gator Skins.(my choice not his recommendation) Hope it will be a big improvement on my Raleigh Royal circa 1980.!

 

[P.H]

it only takes a 28mm tyre which is a bit narrow for touring on potholed roads and cycle paths.

What size tyres can an Amazon take? They all seem to have 28 or 32mm and there doesn't seem to be clearance for much more. If you're not careful you'll end up spending a lot of money for not much difference.

 

[peejay78]

Oh god that is beautiful.

i have one on order, replacement for a stolen bob jackson, tescos gave me a voucher for halfrauds or condor. as much as i'd like 12 apollo MTBs, the lure of 1 condor just edged it.

full ultegra GS, open pro wheelset laced to ultegra hubs. bosses for rear rack, curved seatstays, compact chainset. it can rest next to condor acciaio (lightweight steel racer).

very VERY excited. arrives mid-january. france beckons.

 

[User169]

i have one on order, replacement for a stolen bob jackson, tescos gave me a voucher for halfrauds or condor. as much as i'd like 12 apollo MTBs, the lure of 1 condor just edged it.

full ultegra GS, open pro wheelset laced to ultegra hubs. bosses for rear rack, curved seatstays, compact chainset. it can rest next to condor acciaio (lightweight steel racer).

very VERY excited. arrives mid-january. france beckons.

I got a Fratello about 2 years ago. A great audax machine, but I've never used it for touring. I've noticed a considerable amount of flex even with only two moderately loaded panniers, so it really would have to be lightweight touring I'd say. Really good looking bike though.