My road bike is 12 years old now and needs new wheels so, of course, the logical thing to do is to buy a brand new bike. The last couple of years I’ve mostly been using the road bike for pootling along country lanes and unpaved NCN routes on 25mm tyres so I wanted something with chunkier tyres. I also wanted to try some light touring / bike packing next summer, e.g. trans cambrian way. I’ve had my eye on a Genesis Croix de Fer for quite a while since seeing one at the Cycle Show a year or two ago but there seems to have been an explosion in options recently in the 1200-1500 range. So far I’ve come up with a short list of bikes to look at:
Genesis Croix de Fer
Salsa Vaya
Cotic Escapade
Specialised Sequoia

I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations.

Pinnacle arkose?
Whatever you go for, make sure you get shifters where the cables are routed under the bar tape. Makes carrying luggage far easier.

Pinnacle Arkose.

I have the 2015 version and it’s been ace.

The 2017 edition has clearance for massive (45c) tyres, which is pretty much my only complaint from my version*.

*I had another annoyance which was the BB being made of slightly hardened cheese but I put a 105 on it & that’s been fine.

Baaaa

Bought an Arkose yesterday

Did loads of research and road a few things. very few bikes IMHO are geared low enough for bike packing. The Seqouia is the closest on your list. So in the end I went with what felt right on the test ride and what was good value. I’ll have to sort out gearing if and when I go touring

Good god, its got to be a Tripster ATR – there is no other choice

I believe there is a short thread on here about them …… 😆

I’ve been looking at this sort of thing fo a while and the Giant Anyroad is at the top of my list at the mo

I know someone who may have a Tripster surplus to requirements if his knee surgery doesn’t work….. 😕

DrP has two halves of a tripster going cheap…

I’m selling a All city macho man disc. I was going to re advertise @ £400 for full bike great condition. Cheers 1 shed.

Naturally I’ll recommend what I have, a 2015 Arkose. I know clearances on the 2017 are increased but mine takes Nanos 40c through goop without much hassle. I’ve also got a Fargo which feels like a big leaden lump in comparison.

I know someone who may have a Tripster surplus to requirements if his knee surgery doesn’t work…..

what size would that be then, may be interested

I saw the tripster thread but my budget would barely cover the cost of a whole frame let alone a whole bike.
I’m looking at buying a new bike because it’s got to last me years so I want that new bike feeling.
I’ll add the Arkose and All-road to my list

Genesis Equilibrium Decade ?

Still some deals around on the 9+kg stainless version

http://www.paulmilnescycles.com/genesis-equilibrium-stainless-road-bike—-stainless-steel-frame–carbon-fork—2015-2937-p.asp

what size would that be then, may be interested

don’t believe everything you hear from Cash, although its true, my tripster with 1000k on it is sitting in the garage until my knee surgery gets finished next month – we shall see what happens

and the tripster is Ti so it’s the last bike you will need !!!!

OP what is your bike? Those you list may not ride better in any way, albeit discs may be an upgrade.

we shall see what happens

I’m expecting commission…..

I’m expecting commission…..

hmmm

I have just looked at this for my wife, we decided on a Claris spec Salsa Vaya. I’m not sure they bring the complete bikes into the UK though, we are in NZ where the complete bikes are incredibly good value for money. The Vaya can take 40mm tyres and comes fitted with WTB NanoRaptors so it’s a bit more burly than a road bike.

I bought a sora cotic escapade a couple of yrs ago. It’s great.

Bought some new wheels (alpkit) with tubeless nanos 40c which work great. The std cotic wheels with 35c slicks on are great on the road, the nanos great off road.

I got the sora 9 speed with cable discs, the cable discs are a bit agricultural but work well enough. May put trp calipers on at some stage.

The big advantage with 9 speed for me is that on the alpkit wheels I have an xt 11-36 cassette on it which works fine with the sora brifters.

Only prob with the sora brifters is that the cables are not under tape routed. I have used a bar mounted alpkit drybag without any probs though.

Put the 11-36 on as I’ve been using it for kids trailer duties.

OP what is your bike? Those you list may not ride better in any way, albeit discs may be an upgrade.

It’s a 2004 Lemond Nevada City. I used it for commuting 10 miles to work and back over hilly terrain in sunny California but now I’ve moved back to the UK and have kids my riding tends to be quite different. The bike won’t take anything much bigger than the 25mm tyres it has on it now (28mm would be a very tight fit I think) and it’s quite harsh on the smaller roads I tend to ride it on.