upgrading bikes from Dawes Karakums to?????

[slowster]

If a 120kg cycle tourer wanting to haul around 50kg of stuff went to a frame builder they’d be built a bike not dissimilar to the 18kg Nomad. As it is the OP and his wife are both 5’ 5”, don’t need to carry more than 25kg between them, will be riding in Western Europe and probably want to have an enjoyable time of it. The frame builder would build lively bikes in the region of 12kg.

You've just brought it home to me that when I ride back from the supermarket with two full panniers, I am often lugging more weight than a full camping load, and the route is largely off-road. So I probably do place more importance on frame strength and stiffness than the OP needs to. Whenever I see an expedition type bike, the first question that goes through my mind is whether it would be suitable for the supermarket run.

[beeb]

weighed our karakum yesterday and they are 13kg

this thread has reminded me that for the next 15/20 years I want to be able to get that bike on top of my car roof or on and off a train

being 60 now that is only going to become more difficult as i get older, so think the nomad is just too heavy for what we need

so now looking to create a list of 13kg or less bikes and will take it from there

thanks for contribution all

[Thehairs1970]

weighed our karakum yesterday and they are 13kg

this thread has reminded me that for the next 15/20 years I want to be able to get that bike on top of my car roof or on and off a train

being 60 now that is only going to become more difficult as i get older, so think the nomad is just too heavy for what we need

so now looking to create a list of 13kg or less bikes and will take it from there

thanks for contribution all

This doesn’t help the OP but fit a tow bar carrier rather than roof,then you won’t have to lift anywhere near as high. However, if this is an excuse to get a new bike, I fully support your reasoning.

[Bonefishblues]

weighed our karakum yesterday and they are 13kg

this thread has reminded me that for the next 15/20 years I want to be able to get that bike on top of my car roof or on and off a train

being 60 now that is only going to become more difficult as i get older, so think the nomad is just too heavy for what we need

so now looking to create a list of 13kg or less bikes and will take it from there

thanks for contribution all

This doesn’t help the OP but fit a tow bar carrier rather than roof,then you won’t have to lift anywhere near as high. However, if this is an excuse to get a new bike, I fully support your reasoning.

Beeb is the OP

[nsew]

weighed our karakum yesterday and they are 13kg

this thread has reminded me that for the next 15/20 years I want to be able to get that bike on top of my car roof or on and off a train

being 60 now that is only going to become more difficult as i get older, so think the nomad is just too heavy for what we need

so now looking to create a list of 13kg or less bikes and will take it from there

thanks for contribution all

3.5k will buy the finest hand built touring bike with top drawer components. A Rohloff hub lends itself particularly well to transporting on cars, trains, busses etc. Some train carriages are narrow entranced and have huge step-ups. Shand Cycles are based in Livingston https://www.shandcycles.com/who-we-are/ A Scottish couple on Scottish bikes travelling Europe? Sounds about right. A low key paint job on such a high end bike would be perfect.

[slowster]

Re

now looking to create a list of 13kg or less bikes

A Rohloff typically weighs a few hundred grams more than a similar derailleur set up. Most Rohloff equipped bikes on the market will probably weigh more than your Karakums. Especially so if they have disc brakes, since those add another >0.5kg compared with a pair of V brakes.

If the Thorn Rohloff models would be too heavy, I would suggest you speak to Oxford Bike Works to see what he (and Lee Cooper) would suggest in response to your weight requirements and wheel size preference(s).

I suspect that as well as V brakes, one of their suggestions might be to have a traditional 1" threaded steerer. Years ago when discussing steel forks and 1" vs 1 1/8" steerers, Chas Roberts placed a length of 1 1/8" steerer tube in my hand to drive home how heavy it was and persuade me to go with his recommendation of a 1" steerer. A touring bike with a 1 1/8" steerer tube long enough to get the bars level with the saddle probably weighs significantly more than a threaded steerer set up.

I think 1 1/8" threadless steerers are superior for off road bikes, but for road touring 1" threaded is better not only because it is lighter, but also because the combination of quill stem, smaller clamp diameter bars, narrower head tube and steerer etc. absorbs more road buzz and gives a better ride. If the bars need to be very high, e.g. higher than the saddle, a Nitto quill stem with 280mm shaft can be used.

[nsew]

650b Rohloff fast touring bike fillet brazed , built in 2014 and the first bike we won an award for “Best Touring Bike” Bespoke 2014 this is when we thought 32mm 650b was a big tyre, so much work went into this bike, nickel plated frame ends and stem, full specification build down to using cx ray spokes, ti Philwood BB, CK front hub ti Brooks saddle king ti cadges the bike ended up weighing just under 21lb (9.5kg) a lovely fast bike to ride, touring bikes don’t have to be slow. - Sven Cycles

[keyboardmonkey]

...So hit me with the suggestions, is it a Thorn Nomad with Rohloff, dyno charging hub, brooks saddle, wheels? tyres? racks?...

Just in case you haven't seen these two Rohloff-equipped Thorns for the smaller rider:

viewtopic.php?f=40&t=145979

viewtopic.php?f=40&t=146401

(I know nothing about Thorn - or Rohloff for that matter - so I'd be interested how the search goes.)

[beeb]

Two thorn ravens now on order, very exciting.

[nick12]

Are you going for the rohloff or derailer ?

[beeb]

Rohloff