N+1... light touring bike

monkeydan

Hi all,

I have vague plans to do some light cycle touring later this year and am considering my options bike-wise.

Currently I have a Ribble Sportive Bianco and two fixed gear bikes - a Langster Steel and one I built myself over Christmas based around a Dolan frame and Kinesis CX fork (front disc brake, no rear, set up with rack and mudguards).

I'm not riding the Ribble and don't have room for another bike without getting rid of one or more. Ultimately I would like at least one geared bike but would prefer something a bit more practical than the Ribble - looking for something which will take a rack and mudguards, larger tyres for a bit of off-roading, etc.

So far it seems my options are as follows:

1. Wait until April / May when I can get a Cyclescheme voucher through work and get an OTP for a grand or under. Sell Ribble and Langster.

2. Buy disc frame and dismantle the Ribble for parts (105 groupset, headset, stem, handlebars, etc.) Sell Langster and Ribble frame / wheels.

3. Buy all the bits and put it together myself. Sell Ribble and Langster.

I am somewhat limited by finances (supposed to be saving money this year - boo!) and don't really know what I can expect to get for the Ribble and Langster if I decide to sell. I am leaning towards option 2 as I had a lot of fun building my first bike and would like to step it up by getting involved in some gear action :-)

Really just typing this all up in the hope of getting some inspiration from someone!

In terms of OTP, I was looking at Planet X London Road, Pinnacle Arkose Three, Genesis CdF 10.

Hadn't looked at a massive amount of frames but possibly the London Road, or something by Genesis...

Any and all suggestions, advice, etc. gratefully accepted!

Cheers

Dan

infopete

for light touring you don't need a new bike just something to carry your clothes (not that need ever comes into bike buying decisions).

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/carradice-ca ... prod17845/

monkeydan

Thanks for the suggestion, however I have two main issues with this

1. When I say 'light touring' I do mean being able to carry a one-man tent, sleeping bag, etc. Just not carrying every single thing I would need for a month-long trip.

2. Just getting a saddlebag means no new bike!!

Cheers.

kinioo

Go for used tricross - job done !

I think you are overthinking here...

I have done 1.5k touring France via Pyrenees Spain to Portugal on my Specialised Hardrock - no probs (my wife was on cheapo £200 mongoose or something ...)

Just two panniers on the rear rack !

Good luck anyway

passout

London Road looks good or maybe a Surly Straggler?

Monty Dog

You don't need panniers and a rack for bike touring - soft luggage from the likes of Alpkit, Wildcat and Adipura amongst others - a framebag, seatpack and bar-roll will carry as much as panniers. Put that on CX-type bike and you're free to go to far more interesting places than a traditional tourer will allow.

monkeydan

Thanks for the suggestions... would like to 'build' (i.e. assemble) myself but realistically I think spreading the cost over 12 months via Cyclescheme is probably going to be the best thing to do. There are quite a few CX-style bikes which look like they tick the boxes so will get test riding and see what I prefer come April / May when I can get my hands on the voucher!

Cheers all.