Initial preference is for flat bar but will consider drops. Racks and mudguards would be great but not essential. A dynamo might be cool too. Functional not fancy Shimano preferred over SRAM. He's tall so L or more likely XL a must.
Cheers.
Budget?
He's kinda indicated around £1500 +/-
That Carrera folding bike for ease of public transport as and when?
Some ex-demo hybrids here at good prices
https://bikesy.co.uk/special/exdemo/?categoriesfilter=hybrid+bikes
Recommended what you own… I’m very happy with my (drop bar) Sonder Camino, it’s got plenty of mounts to bolt things to.
Their flat bar version is under £1000.
Space Cycles probably offer a flat barred option
Double chainrings as a minimum, triple better.
Kona Sutra All Road tourer has always looked good value. Triple,racks etc
Personally? A hardtail mtb on gravel tyres. Not LLS but conventional geometry
Im over a thousand touring miles this summer on mine now. Comfy. Upright for seeing stuff. Low gears for hills. Ok you can get faster bikes but who cares? Its not about how fast you get there its about how much fun the journey is.
Bikes like this or "trekking" bikes as the Europeans call them make imo a much better touing bike than a drop bar skinny tyred bike.
I think genesis do one
https://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/genesis-tour-de-fer-10-flat-bar-vargn22400
If you want flat bars then it’s worth getting that bars as the brakes and gears are so much cheaper. Although that builds doesn’t look great value
Surly Bridge Club
https://surlybikes.com/bikes/bridge_club
Spa Tourer, absolutely delightful things.
If he's planning on taking the kitchen sink, Surly Disc Trucker is a great bike, although I've not tried the new version.
The Bridge Club, as above, or the Ogre would be a great choice.
The Genesis flat bar tourers are very well equipped, but check the geo. I found the small to be a bit odd, but the XL may well be fine.
If he can find a secondhand Specialized AWOL, definitely worth consideration, smashing bikes.
Isn't the Decathlon Riverside the go to reasonably priced tourer at the minute?
Check out the German sites, they do much better touring bikes than we do.
This was the result from a very brief Google search
https://www.bike24.com/p2529866.html
You probably won’t do much better than the Decathlon Riverside.
Thing is I like touring (ride a retro handbuilt tourer) - and if it was me I’d have the Spa Flat Bar (Reynolds 725) with the V brakes.
Ridgeback Panorama? I have the tandem version and it’s bloody brilliant. If I was to buy a single seat reasonably priced tourer, I’d look no further.
I have a Ridgeback Expedition in L got it online from Blazing Saddles bikes. I absolutely love that bike, so comfy. Only thing is , its cable brakes not hydro but theyre ample for the bike plus 15stone .
Did lpok at that Devathlon before I bpught the Ridgeback, but it was oit of stock permanently for months.