Made to fit or Off the rack tourer for long distance touring

[Bensonater]

Hi all,
I'm currently in the market for a tourer for an Alaska to Argentina bike trip I am planning for next year. I have done a fair amount of research into which bike I think would suit my needs and I was aiming to spend in the region of £1250-2000. I had pretty much decided on going for a Surly Disc Trucker (after deciding disc would be personally better for me) when they announced the changes to the 2021 model and I wasn't so sure. The fact I'd like to take a British bike brand as well is adding to my uncertainty. I then spoke to a friend of mine who suggested going to a bike shop like Oxford Bike Works and getting a bike made to fit which would only cost marginally more.

So a few questions for the group
1. Does anyone have any experience with going for made to fit tourer vs off the rack?
2. How much does the cost of the bike weigh on your mind as you're cycling around? My friend who has cycled around 50,000km touring globally has only ever done it on bikes less than £1,000 so never had to worry about leaving the bike outside shops whilst touring etc. I'm worried that once the bike starts to get more expensive the more unnecessary worrying might creep in
3. With the above being said is it really necessary to spend this much and what are the advantages of spending that extra money?

FYI Bikes I've been looking into
Dawes Galaxy (before it got discontinued)
Surly Disc Trucker
Genesis De Fer range
Kona Sutra
Oxford Bikes Works Model 2/3

[Bonefishblues]

If you're doing a trip of a lifetime (or the first of many) then why not get something which suits your very precise needs. OBW is very much in that market. Also speak to Lee Cooper (direct), perhaps, who makes frames for both them, and also Stanforth, which is another brand to look at.

None of the above will make you a 'flashy' bike - which is what might attract the opportunist thieves.

[Cyclewala]

Ready made bikes are cheaper but may not always be to your preferred specifications.

Shops like Spa Cycles and Thorn specialise in touring/expedition bikes and should be able to build you a customised bike on a standard frame. Unless you are an odd size, standard frames are just as good and can be made to fit with the right stem, seatpost and chainset. The above shops will likely build you a bike under your budget cap.

[Bonefishblues]

With Thorn prices my strong impression is that one could get a true custom frame included for the price of one of their OTP bikes using another supplier.

[PH]

I then spoke to a friend of mine who suggested going to a bike shop like Oxford Bike Works and getting a bike made to fit which would only cost marginally more.

The likes of OBW, Spa, Thorn, are not custom frame builders, they'll build a stock frame to your requirements and although they're British brands there won't me much British hardware on your bike. Nothing wrong with that, except you may be basing your decisions on a false idea. You can get a fully custom built bike, but it's unlikely you'll do so in the budget you've specified. Whether you need that is debatable, most people can find the perfect fit on a stock frame with the right choice of components, which just leaves the indulgence of choosing the finishing touches.
Sounds like a great trip, I don't know what bike would suit it best, or you. I guarantee at the end of it, the bike you chose won't be the memorable thing.

[Bonefishblues]

OBW's custom frame model:

https://www.oxfordbikeworks.co.uk/models/model-3

[PH]

With Thorn prices my strong impression is that one could get a true custom frame included for the price of one of their OTP bikes using another supplier.

But would it be as good? Sometimes the economy of scale indicates not, particularly when it comes to some specialised fittings, such as Thorn's Rohloff ones. They also, along with Spa I think, use some custom made tubing, which wouldn't be available for a one off.

[PH]

OBW's custom frame model:

https://www.oxfordbikeworks.co.uk/models/model-3

yes, price from £2,500 when the OP has said

was aiming to spend in the region of £1250-2000

[Bonefishblues]

OBW's custom frame model:

https://www.oxfordbikeworks.co.uk/models/model-3

From the OP

was aiming to spend in the region of £1250-2000

You said OBW don't do true custom, hence my post

[thirdcrank]

Sourcing a bike in the UK to take to the US for touring over there sounds like a formula for wasting money.

Also, if anything goes wrong that you cannot fix yourself, there may be an advantage in having something locally recognised. I fancy most bike stuff is nowadays more international than was once the case, but I could imagine there might be more of the sharp intake of breath with a UK brand. OTOH, if you had a British lightweight frame of the type said to be drooled over in the US, it might be different again.

[djb]

Hi all,
I'm currently in the market for a tourer for an Alaska to Argentina bike trip I am planning for next year. I have done a fair amount of research into which bike I think would suit my needs and I was aiming to spend in the region of £1250-2000. I had pretty much decided on going for a Surly Disc Trucker (after deciding disc would be personally better for me) when they announced the changes to the 2021 model and I wasn't so sure. The fact I'd like to take a British bike brand as well is adding to my uncertainty. I then spoke to a friend of mine who suggested going to a bike shop like Oxford Bike Works and getting a bike made to fit which would only cost marginally more.

So a few questions for the group
1. Does anyone have any experience with going for made to fit tourer vs off the rack?
2. How much does the cost of the bike weigh on your mind as you're cycling around? My friend who has cycled around 50,000km touring globally has only ever done it on bikes less than £1,000 so never had to worry about leaving the bike outside shops whilst touring etc. I'm worried that once the bike starts to get more expensive the more unnecessary worrying might creep in
3. With the above being said is it really necessary to spend this much and what are the advantages of spending that extra money?

FYI Bikes I've been looking into
Dawes Galaxy (before it got discontinued)
Surly Disc Trucker
Genesis De Fer range
Kona Sutra
Oxford Bikes Works Model 2/3

first of all, i hope that you are able to make this trip happen.
My experience and that of travelling companions of mine show that stock bikes are fine, but having toured a lot over the decades, there are things like gearing that are clearly advantagous , ie low gearing, and tire clearance (for mud) that were big factors for me choosing which bike to use for my Latin America trips.

I chose a Sury Troll, mostly for the ability to take wide tires with still lots of room for mud buildup and crud like that, but Idid buy one used and set it up for dropbars--which I knew from experience = more comfort over the long run, and also have a mountain bike triple on it 44/32/22 along with fairly standard 9 spd stuff that can be replaced easily if a breakage occured.
The one special change I did was to use a unique shifter system, Gevenalle shifters, from the States. Made for dropbar use, they are essentially bar end shifters, thumbie shifters, mounted onto the top of the hoods and brake levers . Simple and sturdy, but to me the best option for a drop bar setup as I didnt want bar ends.

I ve ridden about a third to a half of Mexico, and also Central America, so I can say that having really low gearing is really really important. If you are familiar with gear inches , my bike has a range of 16.7 to 103 g.i. with 2in tires, 26in wheels.
Yes, discs are worth it, just to not wear out rims. Mechanical discs to aavoid any hydro issues.

I love my bike, and a theft would be tough, but I do think theres an advantage to not having a super expensive bike---lets be clear, this has absolutely no bearing whatsoever on how I approach security, but I wouldnt be keen taking a bike worth 3 times my bike.

One of my travelling companions did Alaska to bottom of S America, and he used stock bikes, but mostly one thats a mtb, ie tough and with mtb triple gearing for low gearing.
You cannot appreciate how low gearing is importnt, you'll be carrying loads of crap, and latin American roads can be rough, and steep like in the UK, so low gearing is essential. You'll usually be averaging a low avg speed anyway, so it makes no difference with low gearing, but you will use those low gears a LOT, and for hours at a time.

Alaska etc from my friends experience can have pretty serious peanut butter mud situations, so clearnace helps, although from his experience, I'm aware now that if its really bad, its better to wait out a day or so for sticky roads to dry a bit.

goes without saying, good strong wheels are a plus, and staying on top of bike maintenance. Always will be better if you are competent with repairs and keeping stuff in good shape.

Im totally sold on wider tires, I used 2in tires that still rolled well, and would not go narrower than that. Such an advantage on rough roads and loose stuff, even fully loaded up.

re low gearing, one main reason is that you have to carry more stuff . I took a spare tire, slightly more tools, tubes, and at times water , and water is heavy. And necessary when its stinking hot and you cant be sure of going past stores or whatever.
And you'll be in a huge range of temps, so while not carrying all the stuff all the time, you will have to have way more warm clothes etc than I did in Mexico and other places. Even at my highest areas in Guatemala, it wasnt colder than maybe 5c, but you'll be in all kinds of weather.

again, I cant emphasize lower gearing and straightforward components, including mech discs.

hope this helps a bit

[djb]

i'd add that to me, its worth putting money into a really good wheelset--totally worth it in the long run and will help to increase chances of not having wheel issues.
On that note, another reason / advantage to wider tires at not too high pressures, is that the higher volume takes a big big amount of shock/forces into your wheelset, racks , panniers, and yes, you.

There are some really excellent tires out there, and some can have that wonderful mix of being tough and ride nicely when you dont over inflate them---but Iwasnt riding in Alaska, so I understand that you'll want tougher tires than what I used. (I used Schwalbe Supremes, not ideal for very sharp stone gravel areas due to the thinner sidewalls)

the west coast part of the states (oregon, california) is a very cool part of this trip. I did it decades ago, neat place, if you decide to do that route.

my bike btw

[Psamathe]

Only input I'm in a position to make:
1. When you say "Made to fit": are you talking about being measured and having a frame made to fit your dimensions or an off-the-shelf frame with your choice of wheels, brakes, etc.. I suspect that your choice of wheels, brakes, gears would allow you to chose components with better worldwide availability/maintainability.

2. The "de Fer" range: I ride a 2014 Croix fe Fer and I can just squeeze 6mm mudguard clearance with 32 tyres and that is a struggle. My touring is mainly European roads and cycle paths so less of an issue where I suspect your use you might want a bit more/easier mudguard clearance? BUT I suspect the Tour de Fer would have better clearance - I've not ridden one but camped one night and somebody there had one and it looked a nice bike. ps I love my Croix de Fer and knowing what I know now I'd buy the same.

Ian

[Bonefishblues]

I'll just leave this here

https://www.stanforthbikes.co.uk/produc ... quill-stem

[Sid Aluminium]

A Co-Motion Pangea is well out of the target price bracket, as is an Alex Moulton SST.

Odd-ball suggestion: Priority 600. Pinion. Gates. Discs. Dynamo hub. Hits your cost window.
https://www.prioritybicycles.com/products/the600

I had pretty much decided on going for a Surly Disc Trucker (after deciding disc would be personally better for me) when they announced the changes to the 2021 model and I wasn't so sure. The fact I'd like to take a British bike brand as well is adding to my uncertainty.

FWIW my Surly Disc Trucker humorously wears "Alex Singler Constructeur" decals. https://velocals.com/


Fun fact: June Siple rode from Alaska to Argentina on the famous "Hemistour' in 1972 on a used Peugeot PX-10, but fitted with hand-built 26 x 1 3/8 wheels.