Newbie seeks advice - which Touring Bike?

If I was in a position to buy a new touring bike now, this would be what I'd go for:

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... b1s21p1987

A great bike at an excellent price.

two things
Dont even consider a flat bar bike, you really do need as many hand positions as possible for a long ride.
On the hoods you hands are in a natural mode, well at least they are for me, cant remember relaxing my arms by my side and seeing my knuckles facing forward.
Also, considering the Dawes would rarelt be ridden on the drops why does it have bar end shifters :?:
Maybe take a look at the Condor website as well (Heritage & Fratello)

Some questions and thoughts:

Do you intend to tour on the road only (or fairly decent unmade roads) in Europe?

If so, a traditional British tourer with 700c wheels would do you (like the Galaxy).

If you intend going beyond Europe you really need a 26 inch wheeled tourer, and if doing rougher stuff (in UK or beyond), an "expedition" or mtb type tourer will be better.

You can tour on a mudguard/rack ready non-touring specific road bike (g/f tours on a Trek 1.2), just with lighter loads.

Do you want a front rack? (if doing fully independent camping touring then you probably will) - only some have front rack mounts (not impossible without, just messier).

I bought a tourer last year, liked Galaxy (but not the base model with bar end shifters) and the other models were too pricey, so I bought a Condor Heritage with Tiagra (I could spec every component). (NB, bar end shifters are the best choice if reliability / robustness is a priority if touring far from bike shops - though you can always carry a relatively small and cheap set to replace broken STI's should that happen).

Other candidates are the Hewitt tourers; Byercycles; and the Ridgeback Panorama (looks like a great Galaxy alternative). Hewitt, Condor, and probably Byercycles allow a fair amount of customisation, and Hewitt's fitting service is legendary.

Thorn are probably the most extensive touring bike builders, there is a frame and spec to suit everyone, they do get pricey though (just out of my range), and they cater well for expedition tourers.

Personally I agree with the above comment about flat bars, they make my wrists ache after long rides, though if getting an expedition bike I might succumb (o to some butterfly bars).

I am a fan of steel bikes, they look and ride better than aluminium IMHO, and should be able to better stand the abuse, but there are some well rated aluminium tourers, like Koga Miyata, or Cannondale. There is some idea that steel can be welded in any blacksmiths shop around the world if you get stuck - not sure if that is still a real possibility with some of the more advanced steel tubes.

StanwaySteve62 wrote:

understand the reliability thing but what a pain (shifters)

Yes, I like my STI's but I know many people who are very happy touring or commuting with bar end shifters. I suppose you may be more relaxed and less het up about gear changing when touring . . . maybe.

The Dawes Galaxy is an excellent choice being made out of Steel it can be easily Repaired if you happen to have an accident and part of the Frame breaks unlike Aluminum.

Consider getting a Thorn Sherpa in a 28" Wheel or better still a 26" these are Excellent Bikes and also Steel. The Thorn Raven if you can Stretch your Money to a 14 Gear Rohloff Hub Gear Bike. In fact I would go for the Thorn instead of the Dawes in the 26" Wheels.

26" Wheels are more Stronger and easily obtainable for Tyres and Rims in more Remote areas of the World.

I have Ordered a Surly Long Haul Trucker with 26" Wheels and Drop Handlebars with Bar End Shifters a Steel Touring Bike as I have heard very good Reports about them,they are an American Bike. If I dont like the Drops I might get Straight Handlebars for the Surly afterwards.

Then there is the Dutch Koga in Steel with 28" Wheels and the Koga in Aluminum with 26"these are also great Bikes.

The Kona Touring Bike in Steel. The Fargo another Steel Bike.

The Europeans prefer Straight Handlebars, and Butterfly Bars for Touring especially but in these Islands and America they like the Drop Handlebars. Thorn Bicycles likes Straight Handlebars best as they say these are more comfortable but whatever their Customers prefer they will give them.

I was going for a Thorn Sherpa but it is easier for me to get a Surly LHT.Good luck with your choice these are all very god Bikes. :shock:

I'm guessing the barend shifters on the Galaxy keep it priced a little lower than if it was equiped with STIs. I have barend shifters fitted on my '97 Galaxy and find them very useful. You can change up and down very quickly for hills. One flick of the lever takes you from top gear straight to bottom gear.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/angliatv/3 ... 474133292/

Ed

If you're not wanting a front rack, the on-one pompetamine versa is worth a look.

Drop bars, hub gears, cable disc brakes, handbuilt wheels and only £800. The only issue is the lack of front rack mounts.

I went with a Hewitt Cheviot in the end. Paul and his team measure you and spec the bike to your wants. I havent moved a screw on mine since I picked it up. One of the reasons you get bar end shifters is the clash between bar bags and the lower end shimano non hidden cables. I've got Campag on mine as they are maintainable and not as expensive as Shimano. Personally I think the outside Europe 700/26 thing is tosh. If you are seriously going off around the world you'll carry a spare tyre and on epics can have stuff delivered to drop off points or Poste Restante.

StanwaySteve62 wrote:

two things
Dont even consider a flat bar bike, you really do need as many hand positions as possible for a long ride.
On the hoods you hands are in a natural mode, well at least they are for me, cant remember relaxing my arms by my side and seeing my knuckles facing forward.
Also, considering the Dawes would rarelt be ridden on the drops why does it have bar end shifters :?:
Maybe take a look at the Condor website as well (Heritage & Fratello)

Hmm. A tad dogmatic. People successfully travel round the world on flat-barred bikes. A pair of barends give plenty of choices of hand position. And if you need the widest choice of hand positions then butterfly bars are the way to go.