Options for new touring bike

[Philip_Rogers]

I'm currently ride a Hewitt Cheviot SE which is a shade too small for me. I have a 25mm layback seatpost and a 130mm stem on a large Hewitt frame and I still could stretch out a bit more. I bought the bike used, so no reflection on Hewitt's fitting service which I understand to be great. This time round I will get myself properly measured and go from there. I'm in the SW and most of the good touring bike shops are miles away so would like to have some thoughts on what could be good options.

Currently, my ideas are:

1) get measured by Paul Hewitt and buy a Cheviot SE XL frameset and new stem/bars. Transfer all parts over and sell my current frame.

2) as above but I do have lots of spares e.g. Ultegra 9 speed STIs, chainset, rack, saddle etc.., so also buy anything I don't have two of, e.g. wheels, brakes, dérailleurs, then build a new bike based on the XL frame and sell off all the old stuff on my current frame as a complete bike. This would still make a very decent bike for someone just a bit shorter than me.

3) 1 or 2 above with a Van Nicholas Amazon fitted by Hewitts instead of their own Cheviot SE. All in this would cost me about £600 more either option.

4) A Hewitt Grampian custom-made, costing about £300 more than an off the peg Cheviot SE. This, however, is still much cheaper than my local frame builder Argos of Bristol.

5) something completely different, e.g. Spa Ti Tourer or Sabbath Silk Route. Spa are a very long way from me and no regional Sabbath dealer seems to keep a bike in to even look at.

I use my bike to commute 10 miles each way over a very hilly route, often carrying stuff, plus would do day rides and B&B tours. I cannot ever see myself pulling a tent around! What difference would a Ti frame make to my ride? I know it would weigh a bit less and won't corrode. Is it worth the extra money?

All suggestions welcome!

Thanks

Philip

[reohn2]

Thorn Club Tour or Sherpa ?

[honesty]

Enigma Element, looks very nice.

[Jay Gee]

Hilly commute, day rides, light touring - how about an audax bike? I'm still in love with my Sabbath September, (bought for LEJOG last year).

[andrewk]

Scrub the Spa Ti tourer option, I made the mistake of buying one as it was a bit cheaper than a Van Nic Amazon. This has proved to be a false economy. Its crude and with useless brakes, graunchy gearchanges and other issues in addition to a heavy steel fork which probably weighs more than the frame.

[Philip_Rogers]

Thanks for the contributions. I like the Hewitt, but just get uncomfortable on a long ride. It is well finished and is quite light. The Spa Ti looks good value BUT the frame seems quite "industrial" and not polished up. I find Spa great for components, bags etc but it'd be an overnight stay to go and try a bike. Hewitts is just about OK for a day trip. My wife has a Lady Amazon with flat bars and I'm really impressed with it but Van Nicholas are quite a bit more pricey now than when we bought hers 3 years ago.

Decent brakes are vital. My ride home from work includes a 1 in 8 with bends that is over a mile long. Unfortunately the ride in to work has a mile long 1 in 8 up at the end of the ride!! p.s which brakes do you have? The Spa is listed with mini-Vs replacing Tektro 720s.

[Brucey]

Scrub the Spa Ti tourer option, I made the mistake of buying one as it was a bit cheaper than a Van Nic Amazon. This has proved to be a false economy. Its crude and with useless brakes, graunchy gearchanges and other issues in addition to a heavy steel fork which probably weighs more than the frame.

-is that the same Spa Ti bike as was so useless that the Chief technical officer of the CTC bought one, and has been happily using it for several years? The brakes are so useless he has somehow survived several tours (including in the Himalayas) without comment....

Erm......

cheers

[andrewk]

Scrub the Spa Ti tourer option, I made the mistake of buying one as it was a bit cheaper than a Van Nic Amazon. This has proved to be a false economy. Its crude and with useless brakes, graunchy gearchanges and other issues in addition to a heavy steel fork which probably weighs more than the frame.

-is that the same Spa Ti bike as was so useless that the Chief technical officer of the CTC bought one, and has been happily using it for several years? The brakes are so useless he has somehow survived several tours (including in the Himalayas) without comment....

Erm......

cheers

Yes, the same but maybe different brakes, mine came with mini V brakes which just don't work adequately with Tiagra levers. Not all Spa Ti tourers were shipped with mini Vs, the test bike I rode at the shop had cantilever brakes if I remember rightly and they worked. Specimens provided to journalists for test are generally well sorted, mine wasn't.

[531colin]

............ Spa ........... an overnight stay to go and try a bike...................

........ Spa Ti tourer .... I made the mistake of buying one ........... Its crude and with useless brakes, graunchy gearchanges and other issues in addition to a heavy steel fork which probably weighs more than the frame.

Sounds like there could be one in London to try.......

[531colin]

Scrub the Spa Ti tourer option, I made the mistake of buying one as it was a bit cheaper than a Van Nic Amazon. This has proved to be a false economy. Its crude and with useless brakes, graunchy gearchanges and other issues in addition to a heavy steel fork which probably weighs more than the frame.

Yes, the same but maybe different brakes, mine came with mini V brakes which just don't work adequately with Tiagra levers. Not all Spa Ti tourers were shipped with mini Vs, the test bike I rode at the shop had cantilever brakes if I remember rightly and they worked. Specimens provided to journalists for test are generally well sorted, mine wasn't.

CJ tested a bike quite early on, before we started fitting mini-vee brakes. His has CR720 cantis, which are still available as an option.
Customers are given the choice, and most specify the mini vees, as they are more powerful than wide profile cantis, the snag is that you need to run the pads close to the rims. Noodles with a barrel adjuster are currently fitted, which makes this easier.
If anybody knows a source of mid profile cantis at a reasonable price, I would be grateful if you would share the information.
The steel fork is exactly the same as the ones on the test bikes, still made by Lee Cooper, still Reynolds EB708 blades, I'm not comfortable fitting low-rider bosses to anything lighter.
AFAIK every tourer has been built with a "Shimano triple" transmission, so although the various bikes will have a smattering of slightly different components, I don't know of any systematic differences.

CJ still seems to be enjoying his one....http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=74922&start=30

EDIT.....right on cue, somebody (else) with problems with CR 720.....http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=75269

[reohn2]

Thanks for the contributions. I like the Hewitt, but just get uncomfortable on a long ride.

Tyres?
Tyre pressures?
It could be the H/duty fork,as it's made to carry a load.

It is well finished and is quite light. The Spa Ti looks good value BUT the frame seems quite "industrial" and not polished up. I find Spa great for components, bags etc but it'd be an overnight stay to go and try a bike. Hewitts is just about OK for a day trip. My wife has a Lady Amazon with flat bars and I'm really impressed with it but Van Nicholas are quite a bit more pricey now than when we bought hers 3 years ago.

Decent brakes are vital. My ride home from work includes a 1 in 8 with bends that is over a mile long. Unfortunately the ride in to work has a mile long 1 in 8 up at the end of the ride!! p.s which brakes do you have? The Spa is listed with mini-Vs replacing Tektro 720s.

Disc brakes beat the pants off anything out there for overall stopping power wet or dry.
I have a Salsa Vaya:- viewtopic.php?f=18&t=70333 and wouldn't swapping for all the Ti in China.
The Vaya simply does everything I've ever wanted .

[yakdiver]

Thorn Club Tour or Sherpa ?

+1 for the Thorn Club Tour

[Philip_Rogers]

Thanks for the contributions. I like the Hewitt, but just get uncomfortable on a long ride.

Tyres?
Tyre pressures?
It could be the H/duty fork,as it's made to carry a load.

Schwalbe Marathon Racers 700/30 at about 90psi

It is well finished and is quite light. The Spa Ti looks good value BUT the frame seems quite "industrial" and not polished up. I find Spa great for components, bags etc but it'd be an overnight stay to go and try a bike. Hewitts is just about OK for a day trip. My wife has a Lady Amazon with flat bars and I'm really impressed with it but Van Nicholas are quite a bit more pricey now than when we bought hers 3 years ago.

Decent brakes are vital. My ride home from work includes a 1 in 8 with bends that is over a mile long. Unfortunately the ride in to work has a mile long 1 in 8 up at the end of the ride!! p.s which brakes do you have? The Spa is listed with mini-Vs replacing Tektro 720s.

Disc brakes beat the pants off anything out there for overall stopping power wet or dry.
I have a Salsa Vaya:- viewtopic.php?f=18&t=70333 and wouldn't swapping for all the Ti in China.
The Vaya simply does everything I've ever wanted .

[reohn2]

Thanks for the contributions. I like the Hewitt, but just get uncomfortable on a long ride.

Tyres?
Tyre pressures?
It could be the H/duty fork,as it's made to carry a load.

Schwalbe Marathon Racers 700/30 at about 90psi

Try dropping 20psi out of the front tyre you'll be amazed how comfortable it'll be,with no loss of speed.
Take a look here for some further reading on the subject:- http://www.bikequarterly.com/images/TireDrop.pdf

[al_yrpal]

I am very happy with my Salsa Vaya 3 as a tourer. Cheap as chips to buy (comparatively) http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/m14b0s21p ... ring_Bikes Well equipped as standard. Very comfy on all sorts of surfaces. Quite practical for a wee bit of off road stuff. Steel frame is quite stable heavily loaded. The only thing I had to change was the granny ring to give me a low enough bottom gear range to suit my ageing muscles.

Al