What touring bike?

How do

Right – I don’t need a new bike. I’ve got bikes that do everything I could ever possibly want to do on two wheels. However, I’ve just gone back to being a permie and they have the Bikes2Work scheme which seems too good to turn down.

So, having had a think I’ve decided I want a full bore touring bike. One that you could ride to the ends of the earth on, and then back again. I know Mike hall did it on a Dirty Disco cross frame, but he’s nuts. And I’m fat. So that won’t work.

I realise a bag-o-sand won’t buy me much but my LBS will accept the voucher and I’m sure I can convince the owner (or Matt – you reading this?) that I can add a bit more. To be fair, I’ve got a bike (Airbourne cross thing with discs) that would probably do the job fine but thats not the point is it.

So, if you were to spec a dream touring bike what would it look like?

Personally I’d go for a Surly Long Haul Trucker or Disc Trucker which would come in at just over a grand for a complete bike.

I’ve got a Surly 1×1 and a Karate Monkey. Both excellent bikes and most people who ride the LHT seem to really rate them too. People have done some seriously epic rides on them too

Or what about a Genesis Croix De Fer for similar money? Not strictly a tourer but again people seem to have done some mad rides on them. Vin Cox rode his around the world.

I have a Condor Heritage, c 10 years old but superb for riding all day. Got brazed on bits for everything.

If it’s an Airborne Carpe Diem (Ti, if you’re a lucky get), then that has all the drillings you need and will go to the ends of the earth – and back – without issue. However, the geom leans towards ‘fast-touring’ but the (Ti frame) ride is as smooth as warm butter to compensate….. if you want ‘traditional toruing frame’ then carry on looking/dreaming 😉

Because I live in the past (or so my teenage daughter says) it’s got to be a Dawes Galaxy.

I would look at something like the Koga World Traveller.
Depends on what sort of touring you are doing, I would consider butterfly bars. Plus disc brakes and a dynamo hub.

PIONEERPersonally I’d go for one of these I think but the new 29er flavour one, it’s on their website but no images details yet.
Yukon is nice too.

+1 Surly LHT. Love mine, but would get the disc version.

I was talking about the N+1 syndrome and touring bikes with the wife the other day – they’re the only bikes where we don’t lust after something else a bit more high spec or prettier/blingier. We just can’t see the point of having ‘nice’ (anything Ti, custom made, nicely finished etc. etc.), when it’s going to be left out in all weathers, lashed to railings on the ferry, thrown around by baggage handlers, hauled on and off trains, locked up in strange places and every other bit of abuse you could possibly throw at them.

We’ve notched up about 16 weeks of fully loaded touring (camping & cooking kit plus 10L water bladder for wild camps, no hotels or restaurants on our tours!) on 26″ wheeled Surly long haul truckers. They are bombproof, absolutely bombproof. Frame stays rigid even with 30kg odd of kit on, very stable even if you’re not using front panniers. Powder coated frame takes all the knocks no problems and looks suitably utilirian/uninteresting enough not to worry about theft, and then if it does go a bit pete tong it’s only £350 odd for a new frame/fork.

700c version will no doubt roll a bit quicker, and they are not in the slightest bit lightweight, but they will handle anything thrown at them if you spec them according to intended usage.

Does the LHT have big enough tubing to be stable fully loaded?

Many thanks for all the replies

If it’s an Airborne Carpe Diem (Ti, if you’re a lucky get), then that has all the drillings you need and will go to the ends of the earth – and back – without issue.

Sadly its not the ti one, just plain old aluminium. However, its pretty comfy and I’ve got a carbon post in it at the moment to help further. The only issue I have is that the rear caliper mount is on the backside of the seat stay which seems to make fitting mudguards/a rack a total pain in the arse. It’s also chipped to buggery which shouldn’t bother me but does. The geometry does lead it to feel quite fast, but I like that coming from a background of riding mostly race bikes.

LHT sounds like a good bet – I’m off to look on Charlies website

I was looking at:

VSF Fahrrad TX Randonneur

see:
http://blog.chrisbikes.co.uk/2012/02/vsf-fahrrad-tx-randonneur.html

Also Triton Cyles had some good deals on Surly LHT and All City bikes

http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/m14b0s21p6860/SURLY_Long_Haul_Trucker_Complete_bike_%28700c_wheel%29

LHT are like tanks.

I have a VN Amazon – the Ti Carpe Diem.

I use a mudguard and rack on it with no problems at all, despite the placing of the disk caliper.

Remember that smaller LHTs are 26″ wheel only (might not affect you or be an issue). They are a bit of a truck. Very stable once up to speed though.

Salsa Vaya or Fargo might be worth a look.

Also consider if you really want a UK/SoCal “tourer” or something more akin to a Euro tourer (Koga Miyata or any decent 29er with suitable tyres). I’m slowly coming to the conclusion that I need something like that and I’m planning an El Mariachi…..

druidh – do you not get issues with the stays fouling on the caliper? I’ve tried all sorts and can’t get them to fit. Would appreciate a photo if you have any?

Sadly its not the ti one, just plain old aluminium.

Same here then 😉 I’ve got around the rear mudguard issue by using two seperate guard stays (take a normal SKS ‘double’ stay and cut one of the arms off, just after the bolt loop), separately mounted under each caliper bolt head – solid and clean looking. Just had mine powdercoated – looks as good as new again! If a 56cm Ti one comes up (or a VN Amazon, as the good druid says), I will get that and swap the bits – I’ve also got a Airborne Lancer ‘race’ frame and that is a lovely thing to ride all day fast…..

I’ll get a decent photo as soon as I can (on mobile at the moment). There is one on my Flickr page but I’d have to go find it and it might be better if I took a close-up.

Cool, thanks – would be appreciated.

BristolBiker – thinking about getting mine powder coated too, or just strip it back to bare metal and leave it. Either way I’m torn between using this and building it up (I’ve got some old Dura_ace stuff in the garage and a nice set of pro 2’s on Open Pro’s) or just getting a bike on bikes to work.

Two photos on my Flickr stream now – see my profile for a link.

LEGEND!! Cheers for that, I’ll have a stab at fitting them tonight!

We saw more LHTs than any other bike when touring across the US last year. Second most popular were Trek 520s.

I’ve been eyeing up one of these http://www.evanscycles.com/products/jamis/aurora-elite-2012-touring-bike-ec031761#features but think like grahamg posted, probably a bit too ‘nice’ for a proper touring bike. The Surly LHT does look a good starting point…

I liked the look of the Raleigh Soujourn.

http://road.cc/content/review/59935-raleigh-sojourn

thorn make some nice ones.both with rohloff and with regular gears.
you can download their brochures off their site.

I got a Kona Sutra touring bike on Bike2Work scheme. Love it – use it most days for commuting and have used it for a couple of tours without concern. Its also been used regular for a good delof off road riding.

Can’t really find anything to complain about it.

Use a koga 700c touring bike. Quick bike reliable, strong, comfy. I use my for commuting but also for touring. I even use it for towing a kids trailer.

Also consider thorn bikes. Bloody brilliany

I thought about this and ended up with a steel Jones.. so don’t listen to my advice ) (but it’s a brilliant expedition bike if you canlive w/o front panniers)

Thorn would get a very close look, or maybe the Surly, but I’d ask the same q as Al about any steel frame for proper touring. A bike that rides nice+springy unloaded can be a wobbler with 40lbs attached to it. The thing I like about the Jones is it’s a very rigid base to load up onto.

Ridgeback make a couple of nice steel tourers – same frame factory as many other steel options mentioned here.

Thorn know how to make a proper touring bike….

Depends if you are doing ‘fast’ touring or loaded i guess, i always went for 26″ wheels and found a rohloff worked best for me…….although as you said you’ll not get that for a bag o’ sand! 😀

looked at one of these whilst in Netherlands, well spec’d and not too heavy.. German/Dutch only though

Giant Expendition LT

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/de-de/bikes/model/expedition.lt/9892/51265/

+1

+1 Surly LHT. Love mine, but would get the disc version.

I think my LHT rides much better and more stable when it’s fully loaded.

Thorn Raven here and it is bullet proof, not the fastest thing on the planet though, thought it was just me being crap but have heard the same from another owner.

LHT are fab but ride differently from the Thorn.

+1 for a Surly LHT. Can’t fault it. Twice across the USA on mine carrying me (16 stone) and 35-45 pounds load depending on how much water I was carrying. Apart from punctures the only mechanical was my fault. A cheapo suspension seat post failed at around 7000 miles.

Totally stable bike loaded or unloaded. My last tourer a Dawes Galaxy couldn’t cope with my weight and camping gear loads.

The LHT has better tyre clearance than many tourers. I’ve got 700x42s and mudguards on mine. Not bad off road capability. Fine on forestry roads. Managed the Corrieyairick Pass with a two rear pannier load.