New bike itch

[honesty]

the new bike itch this year has (or will) corresponded with the annual Dawes price cull. So given that Dawes prices are more than likely going to plummet in the next few months I'm scoping out a replacement heavy touring and commuting bike (with the added role of maybe having a tagalong attached almost permanently in a year or so) which one to go for? Im currently leaning towards the Gran Tour, but the Super Galaxy looks nice as well. Decisions decisions. (I reckon I'd get either below 1500 quid soon so their current silly price tags are less of an issue).

[F70100]

I just ordered a Super Galaxy from here. I think it's a 2014 model; disc brakes ( he said hesitantly) are only available on the 2015 Ultra Galaxy I think.

[Brucey]

several models here

http://www.evanscycles.com/categories/bikes/touring-bikes/f/dawes#

with discs, presumably to be discounted shortly....

FWIW I think that 'heavy touring' and 'commuting/tagalong towing' are perhaps sufficiently different that I'd seriously think about having one bike for each purpose. It isn't that you couldn't do the second job with a bike ideally suited to the first, it is just that after a year or two of that use, it might well be in a bit of a state whereby you wouldn't necessarily want to tour on it any more.

For the commuting/towing duties a galaxy cross might make a sensible choice; they've spent the money on the frame and wheels, the brakes should work better with better pads in, and the transmission is stuff that will be cheap to replace when it wears out. The flat bars you will love or hate I suppose.

cheers

[honesty]

Exactly the bike I recommended to a friend for the same use recently. Had a bit of a play and its very nice. I don't get on with flat bars though.

[Brucey]

if they discount it any more then it might be worth buying even if you intend to convert it to drops with bar-end shifters etc? I'm guessing that the parts will come to about £80 (spa cycles have ultegra 8s bar end shifters BTW).

cheers

[honesty]

That's a good point. Will investigate.

[honesty]

A friend has just pointed out the Ridgeback panorama deluxe to me. Seems an awful lot of bike for decent money (current £1350 online)

[JCroxton]

I've recently made the most of the very same sale as the OP - Got a Galaxy Classic for the other half which she's very happy with. A lot of bike for under £900. Rest of the bikes are here for those who wish to view.

[honesty]

I have just remembered that the Spa Roughstuff is available again now though, and if I'm going to be spend 1300 quid, it would be silly to overlook that model. Not sure I need the Sputniks it is specced with, and my get those changed to the LX17 rims Spa supply if I do go ahead though.

[531colin]

I have just remembered that the Spa Roughstuff is available again now though, and if I'm going to be spend 1300 quid, it would be silly to overlook that model. Not sure I need the Sputniks it is specced with, and my get those changed to the LX17 rims Spa supply if I do go ahead though.

Not sure where you are going with this? The "Roughstuff" bike is all about big tyre clearances for mud etc. and the longer front centre pushes the top tube length up.
Here are the usual pictures of 35mm Marathons on Spa Tourers, in each case there is 10mm gap under the guard, the front picture is a steel bike, the rear picture a (shiny) Ti bike with Tektro RX 6 brake which we generally prefer.

[honesty]

Hi Colin. I want the clearance and proper v-brakes. I want the big tyres, but I don't think I need the really heavy rims as I'm going to be generally using it on gravel etc. nothing too bumpy. I was thinking just going for a lighter rim and the LX17 seems to be the closest to the Mavic a719 rims I had previously. it's not a huge issue as it's give or take 300g, which in the scheme of things, is not massive but rotational mass and all that. I was also thinking of speccing the 40mm Marathon deluxe tyres rather than the normal ones as well.

Out of interest, what stem length do you run on your Roughstuff? My previous tourer had a 600mm effective top tube as well, and i was using a 80mm stem with a +30 degree and that seemed to work rather well.

[honesty]

Also Colin (sorry Ive been looking through your flickr photos!) what drop bar do you have on your roughstuff?

[531colin]

Here these are Deda compact bars (Fluida?) and something like an 80mm 40 deg stem.

However, the rest of the bikes have Nitto Noodle bars, and I don't like the short ramps(?) on the compact bars (the bit behind the hoods). Didn't like the "oversize" business much either, but the bike is just a bit too long for me to get comfortable with Noodles, which I reckon are about 30mm longer reach than the compacts.
So now it has these http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/zoom-anatomic-alloy-drop-handlebars-254-mm-clamp-black-prod20173/ and a 60mm 40 deg stem.
They are intermediate in reach between the noodles and the compacts. I don't much like the "anatomic" business, but on this bike I use the drops infrequently, so I'll put up with a bit of silliness in order to be comfortable. Also the handlebar bag is now as close to the headset as I can get it.

Re. top tube length, the roughstuff is 71 deg parallel (you know the camera never lies!) so you can mentally chop at least 10mm off the top tube length if you are comparing with a bike with 72 deg seat tube angle.

40mm tyres might be a bit too close to call for the Tourers, although you can have full-size Vees on the tourer if you want. If you phone the shop in a month or so when the silly season has dropped off a bit, you should be able to get them to put tyres of your choice on one of the test tourers and take some photos.

[honesty]

Thanks Colin. I have compact drops on my Thorn audax at the moment, so if that's what they ship with I'd be happy. Thinking about it at 100kg + full touring kit I could probably do with the Sputniks for complete bomproofness and the ability to stop worrying about the rims or where I ride it... What's 150g between friends when your saving 250g per wheel by changing to Marathon deluxe's anyway.

I'm definitely liking the roughstuff over the tourer though, the standard specs look to fit with what I want better.

[Davidwd]

The new Trek 920 looks gorgeous!

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tre ... wwodg3oLgA



http://images.evanscycles.com/product_i ... g-bike.jpg