Which Commuting bike - tourer or racer?

amc

As the resident office 'weirdo', my friend has asked me for some advice on which Ride2Work scheme touring bike to buy.

He is after a bike essentially for commuting but as he takes a lot of stuff it would need to have a panier rack and have room for mudguards. And isn't the lightest, he would prefer a tourer rather than racer. Wants to spend around £1,000.

I don't know too much about tourers so would appreciate some general thoughts - he seemed to like the look of Dawes Galaxy 2009 Touring Bike.

But as he doesn't intend on doing any touring and it just for commuting - i thought he could get a road bike that could take paniers, guards etc - ant maybe 25 or 27mm wheels?

All help appreciated.

msw

If he's carrying a lot of stuff a tourer sounds like a great idea. You could get a "road bike" and spend ages checking whether or not it will fit full guards, front and rear panniers, possibly canti brakes, big tyres etc - but why not get something that has all that already? Even if the fittings are all there on the bike you choose, you can easily spend over £100 on putting all these little extras together.

And a tourer is basically a road bike that can take all that stuff, anyway.

Dawes Galaxys (Galaxies?) have a fine reputation and Ridgeback also make some well thought out tourers - the Panorama is the closest to the Galaxy at just over the £1000 budget and the next one down is the Voyage at £700.

amc

I probably wrote that wrong - he takes about panier worth of stuff (sometimes split over two paniers) but that's it. Clothes, few books etc so not THAT much stuff.

msw

Ah right - he probably has a few more options then, although even so it's not all road bikes that will have pannier mounts and mudguard clearance with 28mm tyres.

One that does though is the Kona Honky Inc: http://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=honkyinc - Evans do them so he should be able to order one to have a go on. I bought the next one down (Honky Tonk) a while ago and it's been great, and if I had the budget I might go for this next time.

Having said that it was still a close call between that and the Ridgeback (which comes with all the guards and panniers) and don't underestimate what a MASSIVE pain fitting full length guards yourself can be.

Monty Dog

Salsa Casseroll could be another option as could be a Planet-X Kaffenback - both are steel frames with sufficient clearances and mounts for guards and racks. A cross bike like a Specialized Tricross or P-X Uncle John would also fit the bill.

amc

Mmm - interesting. Thanks.
It's going to be through Evans' scheme so something they sell is a must. I though maybe a Specialzed Allez Elite, Cannondale CAAD 9, Genesis Aether???

Crapaud

A CX bike would fit the bill: most will take panniers and rack and mudguards. Lighter and faster than a tourer. It'll also give him options if he gets the bug.

Specialized Tricross was ~£700 the last time I looked.

sparkins1972

I would always suggest for that kind of use that he takes a look at the Genesis Croix de Fer. Steel framed, disk braked, takes a rack etc. Very comfortable to ride, well specced and a bit different

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/cross/croix-de-fer/croix-de-fer/overview/

tigerben

I am currently looking for similar bike as my commuter as hate wearing a ruck sack on my road bike.

My current shortlist

- CAAD X - upgraded CX bike for 2011 - supposedly will have panier mounts - current CX9 does not have the mounts / nor does the CAAD 9. Not sure when this hits the shops

- Enigma Etape - lovely Ti option - unfortunately the wrong side of £2k!

- Trek 1.5 - I can get the 2010 model cheap - it will take a rack and proper mudguards although I think you can only get a 25m tyre with mudguards on and i think i want to go for 28's

- Planet-X Kaffenback / Uncle John - although not sure about the colours / buying online

I have rejected the Tricross as i cannot get past the ugly forks and the Genesis CdF on grounds of weight/ requiring disc specific wheels (plus nobody seems to have them in stock).

ForumNewbie

A Dawes Galaxy might be a bit more than you need if you are commuting, even if carrying a load. It is a bit heavy and more suited to serious touring. I have started commuting occasionally (18 miles each way) on a Specialized Sirrus Elite. A comfortable fast straight bar bike that I have fitted a rack to and may go for mudguards as well soon. This would be well within your budget at £650 RRP.

Noclue

When i had this conundrum i opted for the genesis vapour (cross bike) as i wanted it to double up as my winter trainer and it had a compact chain set rather than a cross specific one (46/36) or a triple that came on the tricross, and i have to say i really like it.

amc

Any thoughts on Trek Pilot 2.0 - comes with 25m tyres, although i'm not sure if can take panier racks.
Problem with Evans is that it's v hard to swap bits over as you would in normal bike shop - they to sell it exactly as it comes

guilliano

Pilot is made for exactly this purpose..... light touring/commuting. More relaxed riding position than their normal bikes with larger callipers to accept mudguards and rack mounts