whats the best bike??

[peggsville]

I am doing lejog next spring, but i am unsure whats the best bike to have, i want a tourer and have narrowed it down to the dawes vantage or a specialized tricross. My friend has the tricross and he is really happy with it, but i have been reading all the reviews for the dawes vantage and it sounds like it would be a good buy. please help me make my mind up!!!!
I dont want to be paying anymore than £600. we will be mainly camping so the bike will have some weight on it.

 

[ianjmcd]

whats your reasons for doing lejog ?? is it for charity ?? if so maybe a LBS would lend you a decent bike or sponsor you

 

[Soltydog]

My friend has the tricross and he is really happy with it, but i have been reading all the reviews for the dawes vantage and it sounds like it would be a good buy. please help me make my mind up!!!!
I dont want to be paying anymore than £600. we will be mainly camping so the bike will have some weight on it.

You probably need to have a ride on each & see which you feel is best Despite many people loving the Tricross, I had one for a couple of years & never really took to it, not sure why, but I replaced it with a Ridgeback Panorama, which still isnt 100% right for me, but I find it better than the Tricross

 

[growingvegetables]

You probably need to have a ride on each & see which you feel is best

+1

Fwiw - I bought a second hand Dawes Vantage just the other week. Aye - and I am totally smitten .......

 

[vernon]

Advice counts for nothing as you will never get a consensus of opinion.

There is no single bike that's best for the ride.

But there is a bike that's best for you.

Within the £600 limit you also need to look at the Edinburg Bike co-operatives bikes the Country Traveller and the Country Explorer are worth looking at. The Raleigh Royale is also worth exploring.

To make an informed decision you need to be able to test ride the bikes. The Edinburgh Bike Co-operative offer test rides other bike shops might also do the same. You also need to think about what you are going to do with the bike afterwards. Will your cycling stop once you've ticked the LEJOG box? Do you intend to continue cycling and if so what sort of cycling appeals?

 

[peggsville]

whats your reasons for doing lejog ?? is it for charity ?? if so maybe a LBS would lend you a decent bike or sponsor you

Its something me and a friend have always wanted to do. We will be doing it for a charity dont know which one yet. what is a LBS??

 

[Poacher]

Its something me and a friend have always wanted to do. We will be doing it for a charity dont know which one yet. what is a LBS??

LBS=Local Bike Shop

See list of Forum/Cycling Acronyms in Beginners - there's quite a few in there that I'm not familiar with!

 

[doog]

Dont get too hung up if you are simply looking to do one trip. If its just the LEJOG and you dont intend to carry on with this hobby then you simply need a bike that will take rear panniers and that roughly fits you and will last your journey on tarmac roads. Trust me 3 days in you will be more concerned about your own physical failings rather than the bikes ability to make it to the other end.

Any of the bikes mentioned above will do.

If however you become hooked (or think you may become hooked ) on this hobby then look into it a bit deeper.

 

[Crankarm]

The best bike is the one that fits you properly and you feel comfortable on. Test ride a few.

 

[Falwheeler]

I asked this same question on the CTC Forum recently as I'm hoping to do JOGLE next May. I already have a good tourer, an old but updated Raleigh Randonneur, STIs etc and a Tricross Sport, and was unsure which to use. Although I've ridden 1000s of miles on the Raleigh the Tricross feels much more comfortable and has lower gears so it looks as if that will be the one.

 

[peggsville]

I asked this same question on the CTC Forum recently as I'm hoping to do JOGLE next May. I already have a good tourer, an old but updated Raleigh Randonneur, STIs etc and a Tricross Sport, and was unsure which to use. Although I've ridden 1000s of miles on the Raleigh the Tricross feels much more comfortable and has lower gears so it looks as if that will be the one.

yes i sat on a tricross sport yesterday and felt very comfortable, its 2nd hand but its got the racks/mudguards already on so that might be the one, hoping to get the asking price down from 550 to 500 though!!! LEGOG in May thats when we are doing it.

 

[Muddyfox]

The best bike is the one that fits you properly and you feel comfortable on. Test ride a few.

This is very good advice, i bought a secondhand Ridgeback Panorama because it was cheap but it was to big for me, lovely bike but when its the wrong size long rides become very uncomfortable .. i now ride a Dawes Karakum which fits and its lovely, can pedal all day without any discomfort

 

[Falwheeler]

yes i sat on a tricross sport yesterday and felt very comfortable, its 2nd hand but its got the racks/mudguards already on so that might be the one, hoping to get the asking price down from 550 to 500 though!!! LEGOG in May thats when we are doing it.

We live in Cornwall so we are doing JOGLE, coming home We may pass on the road

 

[MOB]

Tricross get good reviews but I would go for a tourer which can fit larger tyres as comfort is paramount, for me, on longer rides.

 

[itchybeard]

Its not just a Tourer that takes larger tyres and how large does one want...
You know, any bike will do, if you had a son and he had a standard mountain Saracen or Viking bike, that will do! borrow that, save money if only a one of ride... stick a rack and panniers or like me, two 22ltrs rucksack with bungees strapping it on and tent on top and away you go. That's it really.
Shop people will say, get this and that but it really depends what you sit on and like the feel.
OK, a rite heavy steel bike may not be for you!
£600, a good amount of money for a brand spanker for you.
Trek hybrids are around £320-450 that will do the job.
Claud butler are around £220-350 that will do the job.
Pinnicle from Evans are around £300-480 that will do the job.

My experience of travel here and abroad is if it has wheels, even a unicycle then that's it, hop on and go.