Touring bike advice?
MiniMalts
Posts: 266
I'm looking to buy a touring bike, or a touring frame and build it up to the spec I want.
I only have a couple of requirements..
Fully hydraulic disc brakes or mechanical operated hydraulic brakes
If I buy a frame, then I would like to buy it from a company that doesn't just specialise in frames, but also sell complete bikes. The frame has to accept the brakes mentioned above.
Frame and forks to be steel.
No more than £700 for a frame.
What do people think of the Ridgeback Panorama Deluxe Frameset? http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/panorama-deluxe-frameset I like the Ridgeback tourers but none of them have disc brakes but the frameset has the ability to add them. Also, why do the specs for the frameset list things like spokes, bottom brackets and rims? :? :?
I only have a couple of requirements..
Fully hydraulic disc brakes or mechanical operated hydraulic brakes
If I buy a frame, then I would like to buy it from a company that doesn't just specialise in frames, but also sell complete bikes. The frame has to accept the brakes mentioned above.
Frame and forks to be steel.
No more than £700 for a frame.
What do people think of the Ridgeback Panorama Deluxe Frameset? http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/panorama-deluxe-frameset I like the Ridgeback tourers but none of them have disc brakes but the frameset has the ability to add them. Also, why do the specs for the frameset list things like spokes, bottom brackets and rims? :? :?
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Nice.
That said looks in all the same as a tour / Croix de Fer, which is a bit cheaper at 400 pounds or so
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/adventure/frames/tour-de-fer-725-frameset
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/adventure/frames/croix-de-fer-725-framesetleft the forum March 20230 -
Nice.
That said looks in all the same as a tour / Croix de Fer, which is a bit cheaper at 400 pounds or so
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/adventure/frames/tour-de-fer-725-frameset
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/adventure/frames/croix-de-fer-725-frameset
What's the difference between the Genesis Croix de Fer and Tour de Fer? (complete bikes, not frames)0 -
Nice.
That said looks in all the same as a tour / Croix de Fer, which is a bit cheaper at 400 pounds or so
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/adventure/frames/tour-de-fer-725-frameset
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/adventure/frames/croix-de-fer-725-frameset
What's the difference between the Genesis Croix de Fer and Tour de Fer? (complete bikes, not frames)
different frame geometries and I think the tour de fer is marketed with flat barsleft the forum March 20230 -
Nice.
That said looks in all the same as a tour / Croix de Fer, which is a bit cheaper at 400 pounds or so
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/adventure/frames/tour-de-fer-725-frameset
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/adventure/frames/croix-de-fer-725-frameset
What's the difference between the Genesis Croix de Fer and Tour de Fer? (complete bikes, not frames)
different frame geometries and I think the tour de fer is marketed with flat bars
So between the two frames which is best for touring use?
I just bought a complete Croix de Fer today and the shop assured me it was the perfect touring bike. Yeah, I fell for the sales patter, unless he was actually being honest?0 -
I think the TdF is probably better for heavily loaded touring - I haven't ridden one like you I've got a CdF but going by the Genesis site the TdF is heavier tubing with a lower bottom bracket and longer chainstays so it remains stable under load and gives ou more heel clearance with panniers. Given the weight of my CdF though It feels like the frame is substantial enough for any tour I'm likely to take.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0
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I think the TdF is probably better for heavily loaded touring - I haven't ridden one like you I've got a CdF but going by the Genesis site the TdF is heavier tubing with a lower bottom bracket and longer chainstays so it remains stable under load and gives ou more heel clearance with panniers. Given the weight of my CdF though It feels like the frame is substantial enough for any tour I'm likely to take.
Oh.
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There's not much weight difference between the two frames according to the website...
TdF - 3.90kg (medium frame)
CdF - 3.83kg (medium frame)
I'm guessing the weight difference between the two bikes (TdF 15.26kg/CdF 11.6kg) could be attributed to??
Really wish I'd done some more research on this. The TdF was the bike I should have had (I specifically wanted a touring bike for carrying my own weight (21 stone) and about 17 to 21kg on the rear pannier. The TdF has 36 spoke rims for this and the CdF only has 32.
Out of the two, which would be more comfortable/nicer to ride over long distances?0 -
I thought the TdF had longer chainstay length which is part of why it's a better tourer when fully loaded. AFAIK the cdf is more gravel bike that's suited for touring and the TdF is more along the lines of touring being the main thing. Both bikes are good and you can tour on either. Useful bikes IMHO.0
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Plenty of people tour on the CdF. It has been around a while and I guess genesis saw that people were using the frame for touring and decided to do a slightly more specialised version with the longer chainstays etc.
You will be fine touring on a CdF if that is what you have. You have bought frameset only, so the wheels etc. are all something you can now specify.0 -
It's quite obvious the extra weight of the TdF comes from all the paraphernalia of racks and lights it's equipped with.
If you carry heavy loads the difference in weight of the bike is irrelevant...left the forum March 20230 -
Carrying that pannier weight I would have gone for something that would take front racks too so that the weight can be spread. The TdF would probably have been the better choice for fully loaded touring. Then again, I personally only ever like to do lightweight touring at the moment and plant to do that on my Condor Fratello!RIP commute...
Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.0 -
Plenty of people tour on the CdF. It has been around a while and I guess genesis saw that people were using the frame for touring and decided to do a slightly more specialised version with the longer chainstays etc.
You will be fine touring on a CdF if that is what you have. You have bought frameset only, so the wheels etc. are all something you can now specify.
According to the website the CdF doesn't have a longer chainstay unless I'm missing something?
I bought a complete 2015 CdF for £1,300, some £450 below it's actual price.0 -
Carrying that pannier weight I would have gone for something that would take front racks too so that the weight can be spread. The TdF would probably have been the better choice for fully loaded touring. Then again, I personally only ever like to do lightweight touring at the moment and plant to do that on my Condor Fratello!
The CdF does have mounts for front racks. I'd never really considered them. My other bike is a Ridgeback Speed and I had about 6kg in each pannier on the rear and 2 or 3kg in the top box and it wasn't a problem.0 -
It's quite obvious the extra weight of the TdF comes from all the paraphernalia of racks and lights it's equipped with.
If you carry heavy loads the difference in weight of the bike is irrelevant...
Oh yes, forgot, about that.
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Not really regretting my purchase, a couple of friends have pointed out the parts (group set etc) are much much better than fitted to the TdF.
At £400 for a TdF frame I could swap everything over (would need to put a new brake pipe in and extend the length of the chain to take in to account of the extra length) and sell the CdF frame. The TdF has a less aggressive frame by all accounts but apparently, I won't notice a difference between the CdF and TdF?0 -
According to the website the CdF doesn't have a longer chainstay unless I'm missing something?
I was referring to the Tour de Fer and it's longer chainstays.
I hadn't realised that you'd bought the whole bike as you started your concurrent threads talking about a frame purchase.
But, whatever, you can tour on whatever you have and the CdF is more than capable.0 -
According to the website the CdF doesn't have a longer chainstay unless I'm missing something?
I was referring to the Tour de Fer and it's longer chainstays.
I hadn't realised that you'd bought the whole bike as you started your concurrent threads talking about a frame purchase.
But, whatever, you can tour on whatever you have and the CdF is more than capable.
I was open to either a full bike or a frame build my own. When I saw the CdF 30 with £450 slashed from the price I thought it was a no brainer really.0 -
Surely the main difference between cross/gravel bikes and tourers is the gearing - tourers generally have a triple eg 48/38/28 as opposed to a cross 48/38 or 50/34. Because taking a fully loaded bike up a hill you appreciate a 1:1 ratio or lower, especially at the end of the day.0
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https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2325630/GermanyTour/20151012_092136.jpg
here's my croix de fer frame I built as a tourer. bar end shifters and MTB drivetrain.
still sprightly and fun when loaded up as you see there. i'm sure it would have been more than fine with front panniers as well.
set up like this i would think it's only marginally different to the tour de fer.0 -
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2325630/GermanyTour/20151012_092136.jpg
here's my croix de fer frame I built as a tourer. bar end shifters and MTB drivetrain.
still sprightly and fun when loaded up as you see there. i'm sure it would have been more than fine with front panniers as well.
set up like this i would think it's only marginally different to the tour de fer.
Rhine? Looks very familiar, as I spent a week around Koblenz a few years backleft the forum March 20230 -
that's right, that's a campsite at Oberwesel, a little way south of koblenz.0
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that's right, that's a campsite at Oberwesel, a little way south of koblenz.
Lovely part of the world and great cycling lanesleft the forum March 20230
