Just done 12 days cycling round Devon & Cornwall with panniers and towing our camping gear in a trailer. My trusty Carerra Subway was fine most of the time:, Pretty comfy, nice riding position, sturdy enough fully loaded (and I mean FULLY loaded!) no flexyness with the trailer, but by fek it was scary trying to stop on those steep Cornish roads with vee-brakes! And then it rained and I shat myself!
And it's a heavy bike as a commuter…..

I might bang disc fork on the Carerra, but I was wondering if there's a full bike available that fits the bill for when I change it?

26in wheels (Don't tell me I want something else. I don't)
Strong and sturdy frame with rack and mudguard eyelets. (No carbon or Ti thanks)
Full MTB gearing (Probably 3×8. 8sp lasts longer. No hub gears thanks)
Disc brakes.

Right now I can't see much further than just a better specced Subway 2, TBH!
But you know, something different would be nice…. 🙂

Why not build yourself something cheap based on an Inbred frame?

If it's a full bike, rather than building it yourself, Thorn, but they're going to cost a fair bit more than the Carrera, though the derailleur models aren't too expensive. They give a three month money back if you don't like test ride/guarantee- that should get you through your next holiday. 😆

Why not build yourself something cheap based on an Inbred frame?

To be fair, I imagine I might do just that. 🙂

someone mentioned that salsa frame the other day – the ala carte. the new one doesn't have rack mounts but i think last year's is still available which does…

I have a genesis IOID which bar the hub gears fits the bill – mine is somewhat underutilised / overbiked for its role as a commuter. Nowt wrong with hub gears especially if you want long life

Carrera Subway from Halfrauds? Always seems to do well in C+ commuter tests. Doesn't the new Subway already have discs fitted?

I commute on a Cannondale Badboy,i reckon that would fit the bill nicely.

The Thorn Ripio is the one I would go for.
It has longer rear stays for heel clearence when carying panniers and is made out nice reynolds 725.

Thorn Ripio Framset

Or check out the Thorn site for the complete pdf showing a full build.

Picked up a bog standard Kona Dew from Evans for £300 last month – went for that over a Subway as it had 700cc wheels and thought it would be faster on a 12 mile commute. Please with it so far, it's heavy and basic but it does what I need it to do at a price I could afford.

Having said that, the Alfined Pompetamine with the VRS drop bar shifters would be my perfect towpath commuter…..

roadrat with 26" wheels would be ok with big tyres

I'd go for an Inbred with Deore disc groupset,and pick a fork and wheelset to suit.
Ian

nope, not enough tyre clearance on a roadrat with 26" wheels. a perfectly true knobbled 1.7 fits, but with any slight movement in the rim you're stuffed, and it lowers your bb a fair bit too.

Thorn bikes are great (i've owned one) but the sizing is odd and they ARE beefed up mountainbikes, so if you're looking for a roadie style tourer they are NOT what to go for.

Genesis altittude, say the 10

Handy mountain bike, adjustable fork, rack mounts……

roadrat with 26" wheels would be ok with big tyres

I had a Roadrat before the Carerra. The frame is simply too flexy for carring heavy loads, I tried it. Plus it didn't fit me too well. Nice fast commuter, but that's it.

Carrera Subway from Halfrauds? Always seems to do well in C+ commuter tests. Doesn't the new Subway already have discs fitted?

Not read the OP have you? 😉 There's 2 Subways. Mine is the cheaper Sunway 1 with 7sp and discs. I reckon the Subway 2 might be the sensible choice…. 🙂

I have a genesis IOID which bar the hub gears fits the bill

Sorry TJ, I said 'no hub gears thanks' in the OP simply because they don't have a wide enough gear range for what I needed up those Cornish hills, towing…. 🙂

Genesis altittude, say the 10

Handy mountain bike, adjustable fork, rack mounts……

I already have an Inbred. If I wanted to haul suspension around, I'd have chucked the rack on that!
Hmmmm…
In fact, I could do just that: Get a cheap rigid O-O fork and swap the rack over……
No fun in that though is there?

I bought a subway 1 last year for commuting through the crap. I keep thinking of getting something better but tbh it would be changing for changings sake because there is nothing wrong with it. I bought some deore v brakes for it because the tektro ones supplied are shite. Other than that and the front mech seizing because of the salt last winter, it's been faultless. Doesn't help you much though.

This one looks sturdy:

I've been salivating over expedition bikes recently, in a vain hope that I may, at some point in the future, be a free man. Aside from the Thorns, there are three brands that keep popping up over and over again as the ultimate tourers and fit the bill:

Fahrrad Manufaktur: From memory it may be that the mtb gearing and disc brakes are mutually exclusive on these bikes for some reason, but hopefully I'm wrong.

Tout Terrain: Most of these have discs as standard.

Koga Miyata: Discs as an option, I think.

Not cheap though!

I bought one of these :

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/bad-boy-disc-2010-hybrid-bike-ec020193?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=froogle

I swopped out the slicks for some 1.95 wtb allterrainasaurus (what a great name). If I was doing proper touring on it would probably fit a riser bar. Otherwise fits the bill for what you are looking for 😛

Iain, That Noodle is certainly about right yes. 🙂 I wonder what Mrs PP would think of me spunking 600 nicker on a 'commuter' 😯 8)

TBH I'm thinking of all the parts I've bought and sold over the years that would have been perfect. A certain Rock Lobster springs to mind for a start!

And my slot-drop Inbred. That would have been perfect with some gears on it. And the On-One wheelset I was given. GIVEN! and I SOLD THEM! 👿
I must stop selling stuff!

Anyway, I've got a brand new Deore HT2 crankset and an X9 rear mech in the garage. I think I shall build the new bike based on those!

spunking

nicker

😯

Hmm. Got a Hope/717 front wheel too.

And a saddle and seatpost……….

Shut up Effin! 😉

EDIT

Aww man, sorry. I saw that the other day on another thread and it had me giggling for aaaaages

Can we rename you Effinnjeffin?

Sorry.

Bad Poddy.