Cheap touring bike

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
blazingsaddles
Posts: 158
Joined: 4 Sep 2008, 10:51pm

Cheap touring bike

Post by blazingsaddles »

A friend has asked me to look out for a cheap touring bike. He has a very low budget of £ 100.00 - £ 150.00 at the very most. What do people on here think about ebay item 230813511113

?

Thanks,bs
fatboy
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Location: North Hertfordshire

Re: Cheap touring bike

Post by fatboy »

Not my thing but doesn't look to be too bad a starting point. But remember he needs a rack, mudguards and almost certainly slick tyres so make sure these are budgeted for. Needn't be too expensive mind.

For light touring http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Alloy-pan ... 2ebf688488 rack would do you OK.
Mudguards http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... 2b0s80p387
Tyres http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... 0s142p1092
"Marriage is a wonderful invention; but then again so is the bicycle puncture repair kit." - Billy Connolly
Cachao
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Joined: 23 Jul 2010, 11:56pm

Re: Cheap touring bike

Post by Cachao »

I'd look at good 80s steel tourers. I've got an old Claud and it's fantastic (set me back £220 admittedly, but still good value)
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horizon
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Re: Cheap touring bike

Post by horizon »

My instant reaction was go for it - great. Better to buy a nicer one from a friend than dealer but it ticks all the boxes. It's not a touring bike but it will get from A - B with a load. I wouldn't even change the tyres or add mudguards.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
blazingsaddles
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Joined: 4 Sep 2008, 10:51pm

Re: Cheap touring bike

Post by blazingsaddles »

Thanks,

I've gone for another less than half the price. Not fashionably I admit, but here it is ebay item number 180909889197
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531colin
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Re: Cheap touring bike

Post by 531colin »

Image

Is it too late to change your mind?
blazingsaddles
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Re: Cheap touring bike

Post by blazingsaddles »

No, as the sale has fallen through. Anything interesting in mind?
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531colin
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Re: Cheap touring bike

Post by 531colin »

blazingsaddles wrote:No, as the sale has fallen through. Anything interesting in mind?


lucky escape, I'd say. Its got plastic brakes and levers, probably pressed steel hubs, def. screw on block....I wouldn't even try to make a thing like that work, and I'm good!
On the other hand the Saracen (?) you linked first has cycle parts made of metal, with at least a smattering of basic Shimano stuff, and I can make them work. Not sure if its a freehub or a screw on block, and I have seen some Saracens with awful BBs, but a much better bet.
MarkF
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Joined: 4 Apr 2011, 10:20am

Re: Cheap touring bike

Post by MarkF »

You can get a mint hardly used Dawes 201 Discovery or 301 for that budget. A 201 got me strated touring, did the Yorks Dales and Asturias on it.
Russcoles
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Location: Bristol, UK

Re: Cheap touring bike

Post by Russcoles »

Does this friend have any sort of bike already?
Is he technically minded or is someone (ie you) prepared to put in a lot of work to get a bike sorted for him?
Whats sort of touring is he considering?

If you want a good quality bike capable of carrying loads and which doesn't sell for lots of cash on ebay, consider a shopping bike. I have a couple of them each cost me £50 on ebay.
My latest looked like this on ebay:
Image
and looked like this (after a bit of work) doing John O Groats to Bristol:
Image
This is a Royal Enfield Revelation and is probably the best of the small wheeled shopping bikes for using as a tourer. It is however rather rare so you are unlikely to find one.

A Dawes Kingpin is a good place to start, replace the wheels and add deraileurs and change the handlebars and add racks to get a nice little tourer. This one is a folding version so it doesn't require bike reservations on trains.
Image

Yes small wheels make the ride bumpier but thats why they both have very good padding on the handlebars and a sprung saddle. The Raleigh Twenty is the best known of this type of bike but as it has some unorthodox features and in the UK there are a lot of other options, I would avoid it.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DAWES-KINGPIN ... _500wt_949
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-daws- ... 1114wt_932
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/retro-classic ... _500wt_949
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Royal-Enfield ... _500wt_949 (this is a rebadged version of the Vindec made after Royal Enfield went bust)

Look at raleightwenty.webs.com I am not the only insane person to convert these bikes!
blazingsaddles
Posts: 158
Joined: 4 Sep 2008, 10:51pm

Re: Cheap touring bike

Post by blazingsaddles »

531colin wrote:
blazingsaddles wrote:No, as the sale has fallen through. Anything interesting in mind?


lucky escape, I'd say. Its got plastic brakes and levers, probably pressed steel hubs, def. screw on block....I wouldn't even try to make a thing like that work, and I'm good!
On the other hand the Saracen (?) you linked first has cycle parts made of metal, with at least a smattering of basic Shimano stuff, and I can make them work. Not sure if its a freehub or a screw on block, and I have seen some Saracens with awful BBs, but a much better bet.



Glad that fell through then. I've lots to learn, cheers. I'll keep looking. I need a 21" size frame for him.
blazingsaddles
Posts: 158
Joined: 4 Sep 2008, 10:51pm

Re: Cheap touring bike

Post by blazingsaddles »

MarkF wrote:You can get a mint hardly used Dawes 201 Discovery or 301 for that budget. A 201 got me strated touring, did the Yorks Dales and Asturias on it.


Will put these on the list, thanks Mark.
blazingsaddles
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Joined: 4 Sep 2008, 10:51pm

Re: Cheap touring bike

Post by blazingsaddles »

Russcoles,

love the unauthodox looking bikes. Especially the Royal Enfield. They have an owners club, motorcycles and bicycles. They must handle like they are on rails with the low height of luggage! Very strong wheels too I imagine. How do you go about fitting front and rear derailleur with chainset and cassette? Or is it hubgear only?
blazingsaddles
Posts: 158
Joined: 4 Sep 2008, 10:51pm

Re: Cheap touring bike

Post by blazingsaddles »

What about ebay item 261047700321 ? Its comes complete with mudguards. I can't find any info on the steel spec, will it cope with 16-20 kilos on the back. Its got 36 spokes a wheel.
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531colin
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Re: Cheap touring bike

Post by 531colin »

blazingsaddles wrote:............... I need a 21" size frame for him.


The Saracen would give somebody over 6' quite a stretched-out position.
The Ridgeback is a sit-up-and-beg for somebody 5' 6"
.................. :?:

15 speed (5 at the back) is a screw on block, and 5 speed shifters limit you to screw ons.
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