What touring bike? Help

[munromania]

Can anyone offer some advice on a bike or a forum/thread on CC?

I've done a few trips (upto 10 days) over the last couple of years on my mountain bike laden with panniers, tent etc. I'm going to be doing more and It's time I got myself a proper bike - budget up to £1k unless there are compelling reasons to head north. Where to start? And I don't want to spend 3 months re/searching or travel 00's miles to try out all the options. Reviews seem to be thin on the ground.

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[JackE]

bike

If you are spending that much on a tourer then a visit to Paul Hewitt in Leyland for a session on his "fitting jig" might be advisable. A friend speaks very highly of this service and the resulting Cheviot SE is the most comfortable tourer he's ever owned. A good fit is paramount for any long distance touring bike.

 

[jags]

im on the thorn sherpa ,great bike .you can see a lot or even a few sherpa's built up over on the thorn site.

 

[just jim]

Dawes Galaxy/ Super Galaxy link
Edinburgh Bike CoOp Country Traveller or Explorer link
Kona Sutra link

Have a try of some, see how you feel.

 

[P.H]

While you could probably do any tour on any touring bike, some are better than others for a particular type of touring. Narrowing it down before you start looking would save you a lot of time and effort. The three big differences are 700c or 26" wheels, the former are faster on decent tarmac with a better choice of road tyres, the 26" stronger, with a better choice of wide and off road tyres and more commonly available in some areas. Straight or drop handlebars, some consider it just a matter of personal preferance, I prefer drops on road and straight for the rough stuff. Weight, you might as well get the lightest bike capable of the use it's going to get. There'd be no point in getting an expedition type tourer for road tours on tarmac or the opposite.
I have a Hewitt Cheviot and a Thorn Raven, both touring bikes, both excellent at what they do, but they're very different bikes.

 

[Cathryn]

Try Spa Cycles in Harrogate - they do mainly Dawes tourers but at excellent prices.

 

[HelenD123]

Try Spa Cycles in Harrogate - they do mainly Dawes tourers but at excellent prices.

Not so excellent since the major price hikes this year.

 

[furball]

I really like my Ridgeback Panorama. Only slighly over you budget.

 

[wyno70]

I have this currently for sale:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120427798094&_trkparms=tab=Selling

 

[GrumpyGregry]

my review of my EBC country explorer is on the ctc forum

 

[chris667]

Go to Hewitt Cycles for a weekend and get one of their bike fittings for £50. Worth many, many times its price if it stops you spending £1000 on a bike you hate, and if you buy one of their bikes (the Cheviot is a strong contender for the best touring bike money can buy, IMO) you get a refund!

 

[oxford_guy]

Go to Hewitt Cycles for a weekend and get one of their bike fittings for £50. Worth many, many times its price if it stops you spending £1000 on a bike you hate, and if you buy one of their bikes (the Cheviot is a strong contender for the best touring bike money can buy, IMO) you get a refund!

I can vouch for the Hewitt Cheviot SE, spent a week touring Islay, Jura and Colonsay with a full camping load up and down many hills a few weeks back and it coped admirably...

 

[blazingsaddles]

I have a Thorn Sherpa and use the Nitto moustache bar.

Thorns website has some good tips regarding sizeing as you'll need to know what bars before you start. This will determine the top tube length of bike required. Generally speaking straight bars will require a longer top tube and drops a shorter top tube. I tried my Sherpa initially with drops for a thousand miles, I Couldn't get on with them so put on Moustache bars and they're fine. Being a concept sort of bike they look good with the tach bars. I'm also 17+ stone so I'm happier with the 26" wheels loaded up.

Hewitts only has 4 sizes of frame and if you are tall you may struggle for a fit. His max top tube length is 572mm. I'm 6'2" and its too short even with drops. Thorn also offer the Club tour which is a 700c tourer and it comes in 10 different sizes right up to 610mm top tube length.

Personally I wouldn't buy Dawes. I recently viewed a selection of their 2009 bikes and thought the finish on the frames was awful. I've never seen the well reputed Ridgeback, but why not spend the same and get the components/racks that you want.

I was where you are last autumn. Budget of a grand and a tourer to buy.

Choose well.

Regards,
bs