OK Ive had a shitty year and want to treat myself.

I want a drop bar bike that

-Is steel/titanium
-Can be used as a lightweight tourer…max 7 days w lightweight camping kit
-Does not have discs
-Can be used on canal paths as well as being torquey on the road
-Takes mudguards
-Looks the muts nuts
– A budget as close to £1500 as poss

Fire away w suggestions

Surly cross check

Why no discs?

I’m just back from another wee tour with my Van Nicholas Amazon. It’ll take discs, cantis, or V-brakes if you prefer!

I’ve had it round Glentress with some 35mm knobblies on but use 28mm road tyres for touring. I’ve even run it with 23mm tyres for a bit more speed.

P1040521 by druidh_dubh, on Flickr

I’m just back from another wee tour with my Van Nicholas Amazon

Slight hijack, somewhere nice?

mcmoonter – Member
> I’m just back from another wee tour with my Van Nicholas Amazon
Slight hijack, somewhere nice?

Skye, Moidart, Ardnamurchan, Mull.

Audax, every time. You’ll struggle to get Ti for £1500. Have a look at Spa cycles. If you are small then an 853 Thorn Audax would fit the bill in steel.

Either way, something about 72-73 degrees parallel and modest fork rake.

If you want to include winter road riding and based on this year’s summer any kind of canal path then disc should be top of the list, for the sake for your rims if nowt else.

Pick up a reasonable strong frame like a Kaff, splash-out on some top end campg and two sets of wheels, on-road and off.

As suggested above the Spa Ti Audax is worth considering. Frameset £850 or complete bike from £1550.
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s143p2371
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s21p2573

One of these:

Either a double cross, Smoothie or ES

http://www.somafab.com/frames

Would this be suitable?

Treat yourself to a holiday, visit Mike Varley at Black Mountain Cycles and pick up one of his ‘cross frames.

http://www.blackmtncycles.com/p/black-mountain-cycles-frames.html