What Newbie Tourer for £600?

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maxglide
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What Newbie Tourer for £600?

Post by maxglide »

Evening, all.

Sorry. It’s another one of those, What Bike questions.

I’ve perused the various debates - Steel vs Alu, 26" vs 700 wheels etc. and have decided 500 - 600 quid would get a decent entry level machine (was strongly advised to avoid Halfords ‘reduced’ £150 wonders.)

Aluminium although promoted as stiff, seems a better bet as it won’t rust and for UK/N.European riding, 700 wheels appear sensible. Is the steel vs alu issue more of a preference? There are many who have completed seriously long tours on alu bikes with no troubles.

I’ve narrowed the field down to the Revolution Country Traveller (alu), the Ridgeback Tour (alu), and the Raleigh Royal (steel).

They’re all roughly in the same price bracket, with presumably, similar build quality & quality of components?
From my newbie perspective, Ridgeback looks like the winner for quality, and because they have a 60cm frame which may suit my 6ft.
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531colin
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Re: What Newbie Tourer for £600?

Post by 531colin »

maxglide wrote:.......................... 60cm frame which may suit my 6ft.


What will all the guys over 6' 4" be riding, if you're on the biggest?
I'm 5' 10", I designed Spas 54 for me.
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meic
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Re: What Newbie Tourer for £600?

Post by meic »

Custom bikes or bikes that are too small for us. :cry:
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531colin
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Re: What Newbie Tourer for £600?

Post by 531colin »

meic wrote:Custom bikes or bikes that are too small for us. :cry:


Really?
This is Spas 54, set up for me at 5' 10"....saddle to pedal distance 34" ...(http://www.spacycles.co.uk/info/pedaltosaddle.php)

Image


Somebody 2" taller than me will want their saddle an inch or so higher, at a guess, so a 57 frame should be easily big enough.....heres the 57 with 35" saddle to pedal.........

Image

whats your saddle to pedal measurement that can't be accommodated by a 60cm frame?
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mr mchenry
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Re: What Newbie Tourer for £600?

Post by mr mchenry »

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CREPELLO
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Re: What Newbie Tourer for £600?

Post by CREPELLO »

Wow - look at those drops! I've not seen drops as compact as those before. I wonder what they are? Dawes have finally woken up to tourists not needing deep drops, especially if they've got bar end shifters on them.
webber
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Re: What Newbie Tourer for £600?

Post by webber »

maxglide
Posts: 194
Joined: 19 May 2013, 5:35pm

Re: What Newbie Tourer for £600?

Post by maxglide »

531colin wrote:
maxglide wrote:.......................... 60cm frame which may suit my 6ft.


What will all the guys over 6' 4" be riding, if you're on the biggest?
I'm 5' 10", I designed Spas 54 for me.


I tried a bike on a while ago in 'my size' (58cm if I remember) then tried a larger frame (59 or 60) and prefered the larger. Maybe the brand had a non standard sizing.
maxglide
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Re: What Newbie Tourer for £600?

Post by maxglide »



Looks nice, but the 67 quid postage...
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meic
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Re: What Newbie Tourer for £600?

Post by meic »

whats your saddle to pedal measurement that can't be accommodated by a 60cm frame?


You can buy 400mm seatposts so any frame can be made to fit my leg measurement, just as a 6 foot guy could ride a 51cm bike with a long seatpost.

Regardless of the frame it is fitted on, the fork steerer tube tends to be a limiting factor.
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maxglide
Posts: 194
Joined: 19 May 2013, 5:35pm

Re: What Newbie Tourer for £600?

Post by maxglide »

531colin wrote:
meic wrote:Custom bikes or bikes that are too small for us. :cry:


Really?
This is Spas 54, set up for me at 5' 10"....saddle to pedal distance 34" ...(http://www.spacycles.co.uk/info/pedaltosaddle.php)

Image


Somebody 2" taller than me will want their saddle an inch or so higher, at a guess, so a 57 frame should be easily big enough.....heres the 57 with 35" saddle to pedal.........

Image

whats your saddle to pedal measurement that can't be accommodated by a 60cm frame?


My inner leg is 34-34.5". I'll look at 57/58 then. Thanx.
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531colin
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Re: What Newbie Tourer for £600?

Post by 531colin »

maxglide wrote:
531colin wrote:
maxglide wrote:.......................... 60cm frame which may suit my 6ft.


What will all the guys over 6' 4" be riding, if you're on the biggest?
I'm 5' 10", I designed Spas 54 for me.


I tried a bike on a while ago in 'my size' (58cm if I remember) then tried a larger frame (59 or 60) and prefered the larger. Maybe the brand had a non standard sizing.


You do have to be very careful. Brands size very differently......some even size the frame by "where the top tube would be if it was horizontal".......which means there is nothing on the frame which actually measures the "size".
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CREPELLO
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Re: What Newbie Tourer for £600?

Post by CREPELLO »

maxglide wrote:
531colin wrote:
maxglide wrote:.......................... 60cm frame which may suit my 6ft.


What will all the guys over 6' 4" be riding, if you're on the biggest?
I'm 5' 10", I designed Spas 54 for me.


I tried a bike on a while ago in 'my size' (58cm if I remember) then tried a larger frame (59 or 60) and prefered the larger. Maybe the brand had a non standard sizing.

Remember that quoted sizes will differ if the frame has sloping top tube, with the oft quoted seat tube measurement reducing in size for any given 'size', the more that it slopes. A 60cm sloping TT frame is an XL frame, whereas with a straight TT, it would be a fairly large frame - and probably suitable for your 6ft height.

Very often companies only give sizes in S, M, L and XL if your lucky. Take no letter or figure for granted. It can be tricky establishing what 'size' frame you fit to. The best thing is to try out in a shop and remember that the handlebar stem length can always be changed (usually FOC) to get the best fit.

[cross posted with Colin]
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531colin
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Re: What Newbie Tourer for £600?

Post by 531colin »

meic wrote:........................ the fork steerer tube tends to be a limiting factor.



Image

That's a 700c fork, BTW
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