What bike for touring/commuting/child carrying?

I would like one that will last a lifetime so other bike money can be spent on real(mtb)bikes. I live in the Cairngorms so it must be hill friendly, good for a rack and mudguards and have discreet graphics.

Preferably steel. I like steel.

I would like to do a Lands End to John O Groats type ride in the next few years with longer tours planned for the distant future.

£1000 max

charge juicer?

Dawes Galaxy if you can find one for the money.

*Edit;
Here you go, 2009 model for not a lot;
http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/21923/Dawes_Galaxy_Bike_2009

Nice colour, too.

Dawes Galaxy if you can find one for the money.

I'm someone on here (but it might have been road.cc or bikeradar) had a 56cm Super Galaxy f&f for sale not that long ago for a great price (like £75 or something). Had it been in my size, I'd have bought it like a shot.

Surly Long Haul Trucker

I've got one and it's brilliant. Handles fully-loaded touring perfectly and is a nice enough ride unladen that I haven't been on my Specizlied Roubaix for over a year.

Bob Jackson world tour, the frames ( 653 tubing, choice of 100s of colours) are around £350, from what I remember. The frame builds into a lovely steel tourer.

Thanks all, that should provide me with a bit of evening research.

Hewwit

Thorn Sherpa, bit over budget but built to last.

Ridgeback Voyage

Tp mail me..

How tall are you?

Fancy a 2nd hand Kona Sutra?

id second any of those bikes…or i can get you a sabbath silk route frameset.lifetime warranty.ti loveliness! £1099

in the past i have had
2 x dawes galaxy
1 x dawes super galaxy
1 x claude butler dalesman
1 x aravis tourer
1 x surly long haul trucker (present bike)

without a shadow of doubt the surly is the comfiest, nicest out of them all.

p.s all were steel, either 531st or 631

Can recomend the hewitt cheviot. Very sturdy and comfortable. Did lejog on mine carrying full camping kit. Paul Hewitt is well regarded for his fitting service.

ton – Member
in the past i have had
2 x dawes galaxy
1 x dawes super galaxy
1 x claude butler dalesman
1 x aravis tourer
1 x surly long haul trucker (present bike)

And what about previous to 2009 Ton?
😉

Nice to see some brands getting multiple recommendations, food for thought…

cycleworld – I'd love a ti frame but an environmental job dictates otherwise. I might pop over the hill at some point though to see what stock you carry.

mail sent

Thorn bikes are incredibly well built – but go to bridgewater to try one first.

Mine had the short rake forks fitted and handled like a pig, from what I gather they ride nicely with the larger rake forks attached. (It was a bargain on here and I couldn't resist)

Also, they're wierdly sized, and have a rubbish EBB design. The grubscrew EBB doesn't tolerate people getting finickety about chain tension or you'll put dents in it too close together and strip your bb eccentric. Also, the red ones look MINGING in the flesh and chip easily. (green, blue and black are purty)

Would I buy one again? In a heartbeat … though I would go to Bridgewater and make sure I got the correct size, the correct colour and the correct forks.

BUY a thorn!

oh, it's mebbe a bit of overkill for what you intend to do with it…

also looking for a bike for similar duties; have also looked at Genesis Croix de Fer and Devinci Caribou 2. discs and triple chainset would be ideal for hilly terrain but few bikes seem to have them. Kona looks fine but maybe a bit porky as a winter road bike. Anyone seen a Trek Portland in the flesh?

I don't think Portlands are brought in to the UK (a customer told me this earlier this week).

As on the other thread – VN Amazon and some disc forks…..

Or buy my (soon to be available) 2007 Sutra 😉

Picked up a very nice 2008 Trek 520 off here for £200 posted!

looks as if the Devinci Caribou 2 ticks most boxes. Any had experience of the brand?

http://www.devinci.com/bikes/browse#1_13_15

Dalesman is great, as is Galaxy.

I've got a Portland – seems ok, full guards and a rack have worked well in the rather damp weather recently. Shame it's got shimano sti's and the cable disc brakes take a bit of hauling on.
Done about 400 miles on it this year, not as nice as my cc tourer (designed and built for salmon guards and standard drop brakes in 853), but then it's a different beast.
Once I get the SOs light tourer updated from 97 Chorus we'll be taking the sleeper up to Fort William and cycling back home in mid June and I'll probably ride the Portland carrying the heavy stuff.

Singular Peregrine?

These look good for the money

markenduro – looks a good deal especially with the racks etc. will maybe try and see one in the flesh. may be a bit porky as the winter / distance road bike though…

cynic-al – Member
Hewwit

grim168 – Member
Can recomend the hewitt cheviot. Very sturdy and comfortable. Did lejog on mine carrying full camping kit. Paul Hewitt is well regarded for his fitting service.

+1

I've done just over 4000 miles on mine last year and really can't fault it. Touring, meandering around on my rest days and a daily 20 mile commute to work. It pretty much handles everything.

I ordered mine over the phone giving him the measurements he wanted and it fits spot on.

I'm on the Isle Of Man which is pretty hilly and run it with an XT triple groupset.

You can even pick your own frame colour and alter the spec to suit you.

Have a look at Hewitt Cheviot

Here is a pic of mine 🙂

Just ordered a Genesis Coix de Fer for winter road use and touring.

Liked the steel 735 frame (24lbs), discs (rims won't get worn out!), comfortable geomtery and decent spec. Only modifications for touring will be a bigger cassette (12-32) to make the climbs more accetpable and different tyres. Fact it can go off-road is a bonus and will open up some interesting new routes mixing on and off road.