Gravel bike for touring?

[first_bass]

I'm in the market for a bike suitable for touring and have been interested in a Super Galaxy (had a Galaxy back in the '80s and loved it) or Tour de Fer. But, having checked through my employer's CTW scheme, the Tour de Fer is out of the scheme's price range and the Super Galaxy is always out of stock. I visited a LBS which is on the scheme. They don't really do tourers but the guy suggested a gravel bike. Are these a good alternative? He suggested they were usually suitably equipped with braze-ons for luggage/mudguards/bottle cages and had the necessary more relaxed geometry.

One specific want, apart from the usual tourer paraphernalia, is disk brakes. Plus, having ridden a hybrid for the last 20+ years, it's time for me to ditch flat and riser bars and return to drops.

Thanks.

[whoof]

You can tour on a gravel bike but if you want a touring bike with disc brakes Evans do ride-to-work on discounted bikes. This one is £1000 (reduced from £1450) and if you 'trade-in' any bike, even if it's out of a skip they will knock another £100 off. It's only in 59 cm though, don't buy the wrong size to get a 'bargain'.
https://www.evanscycles.com/jamis-auror ... e-EV306053

[first_bass]

Thanks Woof! Unfortunately, Evans aren't available through my employer's scheme and, anyway, 59cm is just a wee bit large for me!

[mr bajokoses]

Could be worth asking if your employer will do the £1000 on CTW with you paying the balance directly.

[PH]

Is it a proper bike shop? If so they ought to be able to build you a bike from your choice of frame. The usual suspects like Surly seem to be available to most shops, but even if they bought the frame retail, it might be worth their while.
I know someone who had a Spa frame built up by a LBS, I don’t know if shop got a trade price, but the price of the complete bike was comparable(Though different spec)

[Bmblbzzz]

Gravel bike covers a spectrum from 'tourer with disc brakes and fat tyres' to 'long-distance cyclocross'. Get one at the non-racey end and it'll be great for touring.

[Greystoke]

Just make sure the gears on a gravel bike are low enough

[Paul Smith SRCC]

Providing the gearing is low enough a Gravel Bike could well be kitted out and be a valid choice as a touring bike as many have front and rear luggage carrying capabilities. Alternatively a more focused touring bike like the Ridgeback Voyage offers lower gearing and has generous clearances that although not as generous as a Gravel bike may be suitable for the occasional excursion off tarmac

[first_bass]

Lots of useful stuff here, thanks all.

I don't think the Voyage is the bike for me (although I do like Ridgeback, and have a Velocity at the moment). it's a nice looking machine, but doesn't have disc brakes, which is an absolute for me. And the Expedition, as well as being outwith the CTW price range, doesn't seem to be available anywhere I've looked.

I'm going to give the bike shop who advised me about gravel bikes a swerve: he also said to check the websites of the companies which they stocked, because they could order in. But no options for a test ride: if they ordered it I'd have to buy it! I think not!

Back to the drawing board I think.

[mjr]

doesn't have disc brakes, which is an absolute for me.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=123534&p=1253180#p1253180 and the janheine link therein. Unless you're off into deep mud, I don't think there's much to choose between disc and rim brakes - if anything, rim brakes have the edge IMO.

[pal]

I have a Ridgeback Ramble (officially a 'gravel bike', I think...), which I use for light touring (though I think it could cope with a heavier load too). The gearing goes fairly low (it's a compact rather than a triple, but the range is reasonably wide), and I've found it a comfortable ride for long tours (though obviously these things are subjective...) There still seem to be some 2018 models knocking about, discounted to a price which brings them under the cyclescheme limit (e.g. https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Ridgeback-Ramble-1-2018-Touring-Bike_113886.htm )

[iandriver]

I happily tour on a cx bike when I only have the front rollers on the back. With full sized panniers it doesn't have the heel clearance, so I take the full on tourer when fully loaded. Measure carefully any design you choose.

[first_bass]

Some interesting views and advice here. mjr: for me it's not necessarily about performance. What I hadn't mentioned previously is that I need the bike for commuting too. The big disadvantage of rim brakes, and especially V-brakes, is that they cause a lot of wear and tear to the rims. I've probably gone through 3 or 4 pairs of rims over a period of about 13 years. Maybe I'm hard on them, or maybe it's just that commuting is very demanding on bikes. Although I've heard a view that 18 months might not be a bad rim life.
Anyway, I'm happy to say that I've found a LBS on my employer's scheme which supplies the Tour de Fer, so I'm happy!

[pjclinch]

doesn't have disc brakes, which is an absolute for me.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=123534&p=1253180#p1253180 and the janheine link therein. Unless you're off into deep mud, I don't think there's much to choose between disc and rim brakes - if anything, rim brakes have the edge IMO.

For me the choice isn't disc or rim but hydraulic vs. cable. IME hydraulic brakes give you better control over the power because it makes it all fingertip stuff: you don't need that, but it's nicer in use.

The main problem with hydraulic rim brakes (aside from initial cost) is there aren't many to choose from, and that comes down to about none these days if you want drop bars too.

Pete.

[mjr]

Well, IMO hydraulic brakes are too grabby, brake discs and pads are too expensive (cheaper to buy new rims occasionally) and most of them are irritatingly noisy.