Touring road bike on a budget!*?

IE

Hi All,

I'm going to be doing some light touring in Europe with a friend (from a non-cycling background) next spring. We'll be looking at doing around 600/700km in about 6/7 days so nothing completely insane.

Although I come from a cycling background and have most of my gear already, my friend is only getting into the sport and has a limited budget of around £500 to pick up a bike to train/prepare on and then use for our trip next April. The bike needs to be stong enough to hold panniers while also reasonably comfortable and sturdy enough to last the tour.

I'm completely unfamiliar with the Decathlon own-brand bike so was hoping for your opinions on this bikes suitability for the task: http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/sport-2-51-63-69567479/

Or even better if anyone knew of a different type of bike also for £500 or less they could recommend it would be great!

I know £500 isn't alot to play with so trying to make it go as far as we can (i'm sure he'll stretch to purchasing a tripple set etc before the trip)

Many thanks in advance for your advice on this!

IE

Anyone?

vorsprung

Spa Cycles do pretty good prices on touring bikes but they don't have anything under 500 quid

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s21p0

huuregeil

Secondhand is the way to go, particularly if you know what you're doing with bikes. £500 secondhand will easily buy you a very nice steel tourer (maybe 10 or so years old) with good quality wheels and groupset (again, likely looking at 8 or 9 speed cos of age). This will gives years of service and won't depreciate much at all. The other plus is that cyclotourists selling such bikes tend to have kept them in good nick. Try looking on the CTC forums or ebay.

TMR

I'd go for a second hand frame, look on eBay, and then just upgrade the Group Set, add panniers (cheap as chips) and you're good to go!

I've had a look for you. This isn't too bad, you wouldn't even have to alter the Group Set! Just buy it, get it serviced and you'd have over £200 to buy some quality Ortlieb panniers...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dawes-Super-Galax ... 3cb1071a75

Avanti Roman

The Decathlon is a great value bike but you can't fit a rack as there are no bosses on the carbon seatstays.

Trek 1.1, Specialized Secteur & Allez, Giant Defy & Pinnacle Sentinel all have provision for racks. Plenty of places are currently discounting 2010 bikes. Try Evans or a search in froogle.co.uk

Claude Butler & Revolution both offer heavier £500 pure tourers complete with racks & guards or you may find a £700 2010 Dawes or Ridgeback tourer in a sale for nearer your budget.

Phate

Check out the Revolution Cross from the Edinburgh Bicycle co-op! sub 500 and eyelets for panniers etc!

Berk Bonebonce

How about a cheap rigid mountain bike? Buy a rack and a pair of quality new tyres. eg. Dawes Saratoga Rigid.

father_jack

yeah but MTB are still slow even with road tyres. I'd recommend second hand too, got near mint condition 520 steel/veloce for half price. SJS have cheapest panniers I've seen

fastbatard

How about the Ribble 7005. I've been looking at their website lately and looks good value for money.
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bikebuild ... BRA&bike=1

Avanti Roman

fastbatard wrote:

How about the Ribble 7005. I've been looking at their website lately and looks good value for money.
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bikebuild ... BRA&bike=1

Good shout - but better to get The Ribble Audax bike for £20 more as it can take a pannier rack and comes with guards fitted. Bargain & understandably popular.

IE

Thanks a million for all your responses, there's plenty of info here to mull over!
I'll let you know what's purchased in the end and how the trip goes!

Thanks again

IE

cakewalk

Revolution Country Traveller '10 - Edinburgh Cycles. 500 quid.