Road Bike or Touring Bike

john11

I have also posted this in the cake shop but thought this place might be better to get a response.

I am looking at getting a new bike as I have recently had surgery on my knees and want to take up cycling. My question is what type of bike do you recommend I get?

I want to go on a bike holiday next year, would a road bike or a touring bike be best? I will only really use my bike on the weekends as work is too far away and do not have showers. Would a out and out road bike be sufficient for cycling holidays, are they comfortable, durable enough for long journeys?

Thanks in advance

BobScarle

You can do a holiday on a road (race) bike but I am not too sure that I would want to. Cycling holidays can mean a number of different things. Are you wanting to camp and take all of your gear on the bike? Or will you be "Credit Card" touring, staying in B&B's and taking a bare minimum? In the first instance you will need panniers, the second, a largish saddle bag.

If you just want to keep it for holidays and you will be carrying a fair bit of kit, then a touring bike would be your best bet. Lightweight touring can be done on either type.

There is another option which lies somewhere in between the two. That is an Audax bike. Slightly more racier than a tourer, slightly more relaxed than a race bike. These will carry a fair bit of weight and are designed for riding all day on Audax events. The gearing is usually lower as well.

john11

Cheers Bob, yeah it would be taking all the gear on the bike and using panniers most likely. So you reckon a lightweight touring bike would be best, I reckon i will be cycling on weekends in the UK but hopefully get one or two holidays away a year.

I really like the idea of a road bike, but i'm guessing it would be no use for holidays/long weekends away? Will have a look at a Audax bike, thanks for your help.

simon_masterson

BobScarle wrote:

You can do a holiday on a road (race) bike but I am not too sure that I would want to. Cycling holidays can mean a number of different things. Are you wanting to camp and take all of your gear on the bike? Or will you be "Credit Card" touring, staying in B&B's and taking a bare minimum? In the first instance you will need panniers, the second, a largish saddle bag.

If you just want to keep it for holidays and you will be carrying a fair bit of kit, then a touring bike would be your best bet. Lightweight touring can be done on either type.

There is another option which lies somewhere in between the two. That is an Audax bike. Slightly more racier than a tourer, slightly more relaxed than a race bike. These will carry a fair bit of weight and are designed for riding all day on Audax events. The gearing is usually lower as well.

Basically what he said. A steel audax bike (or just an old steel racer, to be honest) would be far more suitable for you (by the sound of it) than an out and out racer; even if it did have the rack mounts these bikes aren't made for comfort, and the wheels aren't made for load carrying and have tyres to match. I'd get a nice Brooks saddle for it too.

keef66

For me the biggest drawback of using a race bike for longer distances would be that most won't take fatter tyres or proper mudguards.

I chose a Racelight Tk which was designed as a winter trainer so it takes 28mm tyres and has clearance / mounts for full length mudguards. It still has quite lively geometry though. It also has the bosses on the seatstays to mount a rack so it would do for lightweight touring.

In fact I have just acquired a Tortec rack, and some SKS chromoplasic guards to replace the broken originals. It is also sporting a Brooks B17 special saddle and a Carradice Barley saddlebag!

john11

Hi keef66, yeah that sounds like the ideal really, do you have a link where i could have a look for a racelight winter bike or what i should search to bring up relevant bikes?

Definately want a bike that i can fit a rack, so I am guessing that would rule out majority of road bikes?

g00se

Sounds like you need two bikes

There are some decent audax bikes here:

http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/530/bikes---t ... audax.aspx

I like the Tifosi CK7

andyeb

I'd suggest trying out some audax or sportive bikes. But unless you are specifically interested in maintaining higher average speeds, it sounds like you might be better off with a tourer.

But really there isn't any substitute to finding a good bike shop and find out what you like the feel of to ride.

cougie

You can do some supported bike holidays - a van takes your luggage from one B&B to the next ?

I'd think about that especially if I were new to cycling. Lugging around masses of kit doesnt really appeal to me.

Duffer65

It might be worth having a look at the Spa Cycles site...

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/

keef66

I got mine from Epic. Splendid advice / fitting / test riding / coffee service all round. No pressure to sell you what they have in stock. My frame had to be ordered in, and I specced almost every component.

They do offer a couple of packages on the Tk's but I wanted a triple

http://www.epic-cycles.co.uk/kinesisTK2.html

I managed to fit my visits in with business trips, but it would still have been worth it for the level of service.

MichaelW

For most Euro camping tours, you are better off eating out so your luggage need not be heavy.
You need to take cooking stuff if you are a penniless student or touring for a long duration or going to the wilds of Scandinavia.
Audax/winter training style is more than capable. Keep an eye on the tyre clearance, some bikes use standard racing brake callipers, others use long-drop callipers with more tyre and mudguard clearance, useful for when you carry loads or take rough trails.
Gearing can be 2 or 3 front chainrings. The usual options are racing double, compact double, road triple, MTB triple. They have different ratios suitable for high end speed, lugging heavy loads up steep hills or general riding around.
Material (steel or aluminium) is less important than people imagine, both work well.