new tourer questions

Tako · June 2007

How light is light touring? How much can l get away with?

I'm looking for a touring bike; application: 1-2weeks self-sufficient touring (British Isles) and not expedition. My choices are a light fast audax (2nd hand Mercian or similar) or this:

http://www.bikefix.co.uk/index.php?uniq ... e=pics#a13

Apologies if this buggers up on-screen viewing but l don't know the html code thingymajig.

Anyone ride one? It looks reasonable and allows for more options but will l hate the geometry (look at the height of the handlebars) and weight? Or am l better off with a fast audax with 28mm tyres?

vernonlevy · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Tako

How light is light touring? How much can l get away with?

I'm looking for a touring bike; application: 1-2weeks self-sufficient touring (British Isles) and not expedition. My choices are a light fast audax (2nd hand Mercian or similar) or this:

http://www.bikefix.co.uk/index.php?uniq ... e=pics#a13

Apologies if this buggers up on-screen viewing but l don't know the html code thingymajig.

Anyone ride one? It looks reasonable and allows for more options but will l hate the geometry (look at the height of the handlebars) and weight? Or am l better off with a fast audax with 28mm tyres?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I don't think the bike fits the mould of a light tourer. What do you mean by self sufficient - camping? or cooking your own food in a YH?

Tako · June 2007

I'm new to touring. Yeah, self-sufficent means camping, cooking own food. Probably refuel supplies from shops every 3days or so.

amaferanga · June 2007

Being self sufficient for 3 days - food and water for 3 days then. That's not light touring. That's ~15 litres of water plus food to cook and snacks. About 20kg for starters!

Light touring to me would be 2 small panniers, maybe 25 litres capacity.

To carry camping gear and be self sufficient for 3 days or so you'd be much better with a proper touring bike, like the bike in your link.

An audax-type bike could be ok, but you'd probably need to upgrade the wheels to something stronger and perhaps lower the gearing a bit if you were touring somewhere hilly.

More problems but still living.....

Eurostar · June 2007

I would do it with the fast audax, so long as it has eyelets for racks at both ends. Faster and more comfy because you have a variety of riding positions. But the weight and volume of your luggage is up to you - some people manage your sort of trip with 2 panniers and a bar bag, but most do it with 4 panniers. How many sets of clothes will you take? How small does your tent pack? Will you take street shoes, or just wear cycling shoes in the evenings? Will you have expensive ultralight camping gear? Will you take lots of camera kit? These things make all the difference. If you can keep the baggage really light you should be OK with audax gears rather than MTB style gears like the ones on the bike you linked to.

Try to estimate the weight of your luggage and add your own weight then come back and ask the wheel experts here what spec wheels you need. Hand built 36 or 40 spoke audax wheels can cope with serious loads.

Tako · June 2007

Much food for thought! I may have given the wrong impression. I doubt l will be too far away from civilisation in case l run out of essentials.
Still undecided as to where to go 1st: NW Scotland or Southern Ireland.
I would imagine a cargo weight of 15-25kg. Triple chainset with 13-27 block(?)
If its doable on a fast audax, then that is what l will go with. Like the idea that when the bike isn't in action, it can still shift!

T800 · June 2007

Being Irish, I'd have to say head for the Republic first. To get to there, would you be flying or using ferry/train combo? Bikes can only be carried on a small number of mainline train routes in Ireland at present, though Irish Rail have promised that bike-carrying capacity will improve with the investment they're making in new rolling stock.

BTW, C+ forum code can help sort those long links!

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Tako

Much food for thought! I may have given the wrong impression. I doubt l will be too far away from civilisation in case l run out of essentials.
Still undecided as to where to go 1st: NW Scotland or Southern Ireland.
I would imagine a cargo weight of 15-25kg. Triple chainset with 13-27 block(?)
If its doable on a fast audax, then that is what l will go with. Like the idea that when the bike isn't in action, it can still shift!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

 Just a pic of my bike.
<hr noshade size="1">
So, after a lot of thought, I'd like to reconsider. Please, if it's not too late, make it a cheeseburger.

Tako · June 2007

Thanks T800. ps nice tourer but isn't Alu uncomfortable?

Yes, surface travel, no airplanes.
Anyone know if l have to bag/box the bike when on ferry crossing?
So.. Ireland 1, Scotland 0. Anyone recommend Scottish West coast.

nun · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by amaferanga

Being self sufficient for 3 days - food and water for 3 days then. That's not light touring. That's ~15 litres of water plus food to cook and snacks. About 20kg for starters!

Light touring to me would be 2 small panniers, maybe 25 litres capacity.

To carry camping gear and be self sufficient for 3 days or so you'd be much better with a proper touring bike, like the bike in your link.

An audax-type bike could be ok, but you'd probably need to upgrade the wheels to something stronger and perhaps lower the gearing a bit if you were touring somewhere hilly.

More problems but still living.....
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

You can definitely do self supported touring on an audax or sport touring bike I tour in the US on a sport touring bike and my gear weight including food and water is around 12kg. I have a tent, sleeping bag and alcohol stove. Here's a link to a discussion on ultralight touring with gear lists and weights.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.ph ... ight=20lbs

Eurostar · June 2007

Great list, nun. Very impressive. There can't be many people with gear as light as that. I don't think I'll ever get down to that weight as I have a weakness for luxuries and gadgets. Like a tiny laptop. My tent is a Puppy Pile Too. It's huge but only 850 grams. Plus I like to take a hard disk MP3 player and a book to read. I never go anywhere without an electric toothbrush. And my stove is absurdly posh - a Primus Omnifuel Titanium at 400 grams exc. fuel. I like to think I will rustle up some haute cuisine on it one day. Tell us more about your stove. How much alcohol do you carry, where do you buy it, how much do you use when you are cooking?

<hr noshade size="1">
<h6>What's the point of going out? We're just going to end up back here anyway</h6>

Tako · June 2007

Nice read. But l want to be comfortable without denying myself luxury, especially if l want to make base for a couple of days, or being a total weight weenie. I have a friend who's into the wild camping and his trips are like a SAS mission and ultra-austere. I see the appeal but not for me. Maybe l will change my mind once l get some miles under me??

nun · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Tako

Nice read. But l want to be comfortable without denying myself luxury, especially if l want to make base for a couple of days, or being a total weight weenie. I have a friend who's into the wild camping and his trips are like a SAS mission and ultra-austere. I see the appeal but not for me. Maybe l will change my mind once l get some miles under me??
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

My approach is to reduce weight so I can enjoy my riding more, but without compromising camping comfort. I have an insect proof tent, a good sleeping pad and a warm quilt. My stove isn't going to produce gourmet meals, but it is good at cooking eggs, soups, oatmeal and couscous. It wil boil 8 oz of water in 3 to 4 mins with 1/2 oz of fuel. I carry 8 or 16 oz of alcohol fuel and stock up at chemists, supermarkets (some sell denatured alcohol) or camping stores. If I want a really good meal I go to a cafe.

I tend to listen to the radio, but I'm thinking of getting an mp3 player or a new phone/web device, although I'm not sure I want to combine them because of battery usage. I'm also looking at getting a solar recharger. I often take a book for bed time reading too.

Tako · June 2007

Nun, that wasn't a criticism - l'm not touring experienced to critique so whatever works.
Actually thinking about it more, this trip is meant to be a gastro-bike tour - we've been watching far too much Rick Stein!
So evening banquets will defintely be sampling the culinary delights of these shores!

Diogenes · June 2007

My two pennies worth,

Light touring for me would be one or two small panniers, stopping in hostels, BB etc for which an audax style light tour would be okay.

If I was carrying tent, sleeping bag, panniers etc I would go for a tourer such as Dawes Galaxy, Hewitt Cheviot, Thorn Club. You want something which is not going to flex and shimmy with the weight on board and is also comfortable. If you are carrying 15 to 25 kg cargo weight then and extra 4 or 5 kg in the bike will make little difference.

Get something which can do the job.

D[:D]

Too short for my weight!
The Bikes
A Day out
C2C 2006

nun · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Diogenes

My two pennies worth,

Light touring for me would be one or two small panniers, stopping in hostels, BB etc for which an audax style light tour would be okay.

If I was carrying tent, sleeping bag, panniers etc I would go for a tourer such as Dawes Galaxy, Hewitt Cheviot, Thorn Club. You want something which is not going to flex and shimmy with the weight on board and is also comfortable. If you are carrying 15 to 25 kg cargo weight then and extra 4 or 5 kg in the bike will make little difference.

Get something which can do the job.

D[:D]

Too short for my weight!
The Bikes
A Day out
C2C 2006
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I've found myself staying in motels more as I've got older and a bit richer than when I was a penniless student. However, I still like to take my camping stuff along just incase I carn't find a suitable bed or its a nice night and I'd prefer to camp. My luggage consists of a Carradice Nelson Longflap and a roll bar bag and a couple of stuff sacks for tent and sellping pad.

Michael Falk · July 2007

Just that you featured a T400 here. My friend bought one in Frankfurt when we arrived to tour Europe for 6 months. It certainly does the job & it gives you the options of doing light or heavy'ish touring. You can always change to quicker tyres.
The older model my friend bought had the very durable Continental TravelContact tyres (the current model, I think doesn't); the slightly less practical Cargo rack instead of the Logo; & an easier 1st gear (22X32).
The way it is set-up gives the rider a rather upright riding posture.
It appeared to be a good, practical bike for the price.

Michael

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