Step through touring bike

[PH]

A slightly different option - You could consider a folding bike for touring, I've done a couple of tours on an Airnimal Joey, a bit over your price, but secondhand ones come up frequently and sell for around £600, which is about what I paid for mine in excellent condition. You'd have the low stepover, plus all the advantages of a folder and a bike that fits a larger range of people. The latter being the main reason I have mine, it doesn't fold very often, but it's been ridden by a few visitors.

[Sid Aluminium]

In your price bracket, look for a used late production Moulton APB or a used TSR. Made in England; proven 'round-the-world tourer.

[CAM]

Hello,
I have a Raleigh Royale 531 ladies 19" bike from the 1980s that I posted on the forum a while back for sale without success: it is a quality mixte frame, but would need a rebuild.
I would like to see it go to a good home, so please let me know if you are interested. I can send pictures.

[Thehairs1970]

Thanks CAM. After an off the shelf really.

[zenitb]

Thanks for the replies so far. I reckon Oxfored and Thorn are too expensive, esp Thorn, but will check it out. Temple Cycles are looking lovely.

e.g. Cube Travel Trapeze

I've seen this. Any experience of it?

That rear rack arrangement looks like the carrier is attached to, and stabilised by, the polyprop. mudguard?

I own the Cube Travel Pro TheHairs.. this is the 8 speed hub gear version of the Cube Travel and its a very solid bike - with the exception of the belt drive that originally came with it. After destroying two belts I have retrofitted a 1/4" chain.. I deliberately didn't recommend my version of the bike since for touring the derrailier gears would give a better range. I mainly use mine for commuting although I have lowered the gear ratios with a view to touring with it (I have two other touring bikes ATM)

Dont be fooled by the rack support Bonefish.. there is a solid metal bar inside the mudguard securing the rack to the seatstay bridge.. if anything its stronger than a convertional setup. This is done just to make the bike look a bit neater although conventional rack mounts are provided. The rack that comes with the bike is all you would need though .. with high and low mounting options and a bracket for the built in lighting. I really like the way it comes with dynamo lighting BTW .. I always tour with dynamo lights now since you can never get caught out by the dark.

I posted up the post just so the German "trekking" option was shown somewhere ... this style of bike is very popular over there and you get a very robust, usable bike.

My Cube Travel Pro .. (hub gear version)

Regarding getting hold of Cube bikes there are many UK dealers. Although Berkshire Bikes didn't have the Travel in stock to check they DID have the Cube Hyde (basically the same thing without mudguards, rack or lighting) and I sized myself up on that. Its a big bike. I ended up on a 54cm whereas I would normally be 56cm or 58cm. Worth checking the sizing carefully.

[Bonefishblues]

Mystery solved - you can see the source of my original puzzlement!

[zenitb]

Mystery solved - you can see the source of my original puzzlement!

Absolutely..to be honest I was puzzled when I got the bike...until I looked insde the mudguard!! at some point I will get a photo up (when I have uncaked it from all the mud!!)

my commute !!

[Thehairs1970]

Thanks Zenitb. I also notice there are eyelets on the seat stays anyway. Or you could also mount a rack using p clips. So that's not a worry. Cheers for photo and info.

[willem jongman]

I would suggest that for many step through frames using both front and rear racks may be a bit much for stability. An alumium frame may be better in this respect than a steel frame, but even so, step through frames are not nearly as rigid as diamond frames. My wife and I have been touring and camping with just our rear panniers for quite a while, and have had no problems fitting all our luggage into just the rear panniers.

[JJF]

Possible step-through choices have been mentioned in Cycle mag recently. Feb/Mar 2019 gave a review of the Islabikes Janis and mention of their Joni and Jimi. In Aug/Sep 2019 an article described a Bristol Bicycles Touring Step-thru tourer.

[Fidodido]

Zenitb, I notice you said that you swapped out the gates drive after wearing out two belts.
Was it a simple conversion using a single Shimano cog on the hub to replace the belt sprocket, and likewise a chainring on the front? I have a Trek Soho with Shimano Nexus and gates drive that I would like to change at some point in the future. I use the bike like a poor mans Shand!

[Sid Aluminium]

I would suggest that for many step-through frames using both front and rear racks may be a bit much for stability. An aluminium frame may be better in this respect than a steel frame, but even so, step-through frames are not nearly as rigid as diamond frames.

Thus my suggestion of a space-frame Moulton TSR.

[soapytwist]

Thus my suggestion of a space-frame Moulton TSR.

I can second the idea of a low-end space frame Moulton, the APB or TSR. The TSR is preferable though; the frame is better put together than the early APBs and the factory spec rear rack bag made by Carradice and is quick release. The only downsides are that at your price range you'll be looking for second-hand, and the racks and rear bag are expensive if they aren't already on the bike. The upside is that they tend to be well looked after when up for sale. Oh, and the smaller wheels mean that the front bags sit lower and handling when fully loaded is much less skittish than on a larger wheeled bike.

[zenitb]

Zenitb, I notice you said that you swapped out the gates drive after wearing out two belts.
Was it a simple conversion using a single Shimano cog on the hub to replace the belt sprocket, and likewise a chainring on the front? I have a Trek Soho with Shimano Nexus and gates drive that I would like to change at some point in the future. I use the bike like a poor mans Shand!

simple Fido ..standard shimano lock ring on the rear sprocket...standard bolt holes on the chainwheel..

[zenitb]

Zenitb, I notice you said that you swapped out the gates drive after wearing out two belts.
Was it a simple conversion using a single Shimano cog on the hub to replace the belt sprocket, and likewise a chainring on the front? I have a Trek Soho with Shimano Nexus and gates drive that I would like to change at some point in the future. I use the bike like a poor mans Shand!

simple Fido ..standard shimano circlip on the rear sprocket...standard bolt holes on the chainwheel..