Struggling to find suitable bike - Day Touring.
NDawn
Posts: 238
Hi there. My dad and I are in the market for a couple of Sportif/Audax bikes. The main use of these will be for day touring when we go on holiday and days out just pottering and not requiring a pannier. So ideally they'll have a more upright, comfortable position. But we also want them to be racey/kight enough to handle going up hills relatively quick and down the other side stable enough.
They ideally would be able to support a light rack on the back, and mudguards front and back as well, ideally with seperate bolts.
We've had a look around a few LBS today and we've seen everything we like, but in different bikes sadly.
The first bike was a Specialized Secteur, it supports a light rack on the back but no mudguard on the front fork. The geometry and position of the Secteur was very nice, and would be comfortable over a longer distance.
There was a Trek 1.5 which again had a single bolt of the back for a light rack, and supported mudguards front and back, but seems a bit more race orientated so not sure how it would fair over the longer runs for comfort.
We looked at the Ridgeback touring bike, but we don't want to go with a full on tourer really, we want something a bit lighter and faster.
We also looked at a Pinnacle Sentinal 3 which seemed to best suit our needs, mudguards front and back, relaxed geometry and light pannier on the back, but tbh I have never heard of Pinnacle so I have no idea how good a bike it is, we didn't test this one sadly, but it looks Ok and is reduced at the moment. I'll have to go take a better look tomorrow.
Our budget is £1000 max with the scope to possibly go a tiny bit higher should it be required.
We'll need to get a set of mudguards/pannier as well and some SPDs.
We are also thinking about buying a steel built touring bike and buying a separate racing bike, but we don't really want to spend extra or have an extra bike hanging around.
It just seems to be difficult to find exactly what we want so we may have to compromise on something.
Any help would be amazing. Cheers.
They ideally would be able to support a light rack on the back, and mudguards front and back as well, ideally with seperate bolts.
We've had a look around a few LBS today and we've seen everything we like, but in different bikes sadly.
The first bike was a Specialized Secteur, it supports a light rack on the back but no mudguard on the front fork. The geometry and position of the Secteur was very nice, and would be comfortable over a longer distance.
There was a Trek 1.5 which again had a single bolt of the back for a light rack, and supported mudguards front and back, but seems a bit more race orientated so not sure how it would fair over the longer runs for comfort.
We looked at the Ridgeback touring bike, but we don't want to go with a full on tourer really, we want something a bit lighter and faster.
We also looked at a Pinnacle Sentinal 3 which seemed to best suit our needs, mudguards front and back, relaxed geometry and light pannier on the back, but tbh I have never heard of Pinnacle so I have no idea how good a bike it is, we didn't test this one sadly, but it looks Ok and is reduced at the moment. I'll have to go take a better look tomorrow.
Our budget is £1000 max with the scope to possibly go a tiny bit higher should it be required.
We'll need to get a set of mudguards/pannier as well and some SPDs.
We are also thinking about buying a steel built touring bike and buying a separate racing bike, but we don't really want to spend extra or have an extra bike hanging around.
It just seems to be difficult to find exactly what we want so we may have to compromise on something.
Any help would be amazing. Cheers.
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Comments
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At around £1000 you're edging into the realms of custom built audax/fast day bikes if you buy a frame, groupset etc and build it up yourself to keep the cost down, that's the route I decided to take.0
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Something like this perhaps:
http://www.surosa.co.uk/4351/products/S ... eloce.aspx
Surosa are based in Oldham - I use an earlier version of the frame as a training bike and its good value.0 -
You can get really good clip on mudguards (Crud Roadracers) that would fit the secteur...
However, I'd get something built up like that Surosa bike or a Ribble.0 -
Cheers guys, might have to suggest taking a trip over to the Ribble warehouse at some point,
The Surosa looks nice as well
Wish I had the skills to build my own. I'd buy the frame and the components separately then, but alas I'd end up somehow attaching the wheels to the bottom bracket. 0 -
NDawn wrote:Cheers guys, might have to suggest taking a trip over to the Ribble warehouse at some point,
The Surosa looks nice as well Wish I had the skills to build my own. I'd buy the frame and the components separately then, but alas I'd end up somehow attaching the wheels to the bottom bracket.
Just seen your location.
Try Rick Green Cycles in Handforth (speak to Paul and no one else!!).0 -
Have a look at the Verenti Kilmeston (Wiggle) - I've been very impressed by mine.0
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Ah, never heard of that store NapoleonD, cheers I'll have to take a trip out to visit it this week.
The Verenti looks like an ideal bike, just a shame it is in white!
The Millook looks great as well, but carbon seat stay = no pannier support! Arghh hehe if the Kilmeston was any other colour it would seem to tick all the boxes. 0 -
I believe Trek frames to be a little higher at the front anyway, for a more tourey sort of bike.NDawn wrote:There was a Trek 1.5 which again had a single bolt of the back for a light rack, and supported mudguards front and back, but seems a bit more race orientated so not sure how it would fair over the longer runs for comfort.
What do you mean by longer runs? I've just come back from 45 hilly miles and I'm planning a 60 tomorrow on my Trek 1.7 comfy enough for me, but would be more comfortable on something more tourey
Pinnacle are evans' own brandNDawn wrote:We also looked at a Pinnacle Sentinal 3 which seemed to best suit our needs, mudguards front and back, relaxed geometry and light pannier on the back, but tbh I have never heard of Pinnacle so I have no idea how good a bike it is, we didn't test this one sadly, but it looks Ok and is reduced at the moment. I'll have to go take a better look tomorrow.
Those ribble audax bikes look great VFM and you do see a lot about, which can't be bad I suppose. I think their website is advertising as "last at these prices" so may be due a price hike.0 -
Cheers for the advice Stratcat, I have to admit the 1.5 looked good, but it did look a bit low down on the front, but that was most probably due to how it was setup at the time.
I think I'm going to take a gamble and purchase a Verenti Kilmeston, I think it's a heavyish frame though, but so far ticks the most boxes. Just a bit nervous buying blind.
The Ribbles do look good VFM as well, but so far, prices wise this is how it stands.
Pinnacle Sentinel 3 @ £799 (105 mainly)
Verenti Kilmeston @ £791 (SRAM Rival + Mudguards)
Trek 1.5 @ £775 (105/Tiagra)
Ribble Winter Audax @ £795.95 (105 + Mudguards)0 -
How about the Kinesis Racelight TK. http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... t-tk-28905
Review is over 2yrs old and maybe the specs have changed slightly but it seems to have many happy owners here.0 -
Yeah originally I was going to get one built up at the local LBS but sadly they can't do that anymore. Would loved to have had one. I know someone who built one recently and they love it.0
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I recently was in the same position. I would try them first. I tried a Trek and a Secteur and found the Secteur much more comfortable for me. I ended up with the Secteur elite.Specialized Rockhopper SL Comp
Specialized Secteur Elite0 -
I do similar rides on my planet x uncle john. Although it is a 'cross' bike, the geometry is more like that of a relaxed road bike. Mines built up with Campag Veloce and Mavic Cosmics, runs beautifully.
A tough, good quality, versatile road bike....perfect for day rides and light touring.0
