Newbie - Touring Bike Advice

[SteveHull]

Hello all,

I am new to this site, but would welcome your opinions......

I am a keen cyclist, currently have a decent MTB which I use on local trails and paths, and also on country roads.
Often do 15-30 miles on it, weather permitting.

However later this year I am planning to explore France and Spain on bike, and I know the MTB would not be suitable as I would need panniers etc, and the MTB has one or two issues arising that need more investigation/deem it possibly unreliable for longer trips.

I am looking at a couple of Dawes Models currently on special offer as shown in the links below.
My maximum budget would be around £300, so top end Dawes is out of my reach, and second hand ones are like rocking horse poo, seldom seen.

Here are the links, would these be up to 50/75 miles a day for a few weeks in your opinion, would you be happy to set off on them, or what would your reservations be?

Most grateful for any advice you can offer, what a great forum, I am sure to be picking your brains further in the coming weeks!!

All the best, Steve - Hull.

http://dawescycles.com/product/sahara-gents/ £199

http://dawescycles.com/product/discovery-201eq-gents/ £269

[Gattonero]

There's several people that would tour around Europe or the world with a 20" folding shopper, so any new bike of decent quality will do.

The models you've linked are good value for money, although they won't offer top performance or last very long, they will do the job if well kept.
My concern is about the wheels, they have to work a lot on touring bikes, and with little money you can't buy good wheels. But again, if you are a considerate rider you may do 50.000km without even have to true those wheels. Just keep away from potholes (another reason to ditch suspension seatposts!).
Another thing to do, but this is subject to your skills as mechanic and tools available, is to strip down those bikes and reassemble the right way. Budget bikes are always poorly put together, often you open the headset and there's no grease at all, same for the BB and any other part. With limited budget, one has to do part of the work by himself, which is also educational.

And yes, try to do as many miles as you can, with regular increments.

[gregoryoftours]

Those bikes are ok and are not bad for the money, you could definitely tour on them. I think however that there are definitely better choices around in that price bracket.

I agree that the weak point is likely to be the wheels - they are both freewheel back wheels for those models which are more prone to the axles bending or breaking than in bikes with freehub rear wheels. I've built up a few hundred of a similar dawes model - the Mojave - http://dawescycles.com/product/mojave-gents/
Many had axles that bent after very little use or were already bent out of the box.

I think that for the money this bike is a better bet - http://www.decathlon.co.uk/hoprider-300 ... nformation
It has stronger rear wheel having a freehub where the axle has less strain put on it, most of the components are better and it also has a hub dynamo and lights which is a real bonus.

The only downside with this bike that I can see is the cheap Sunrace grip shift gear changers - everything else is as good as or better than the Dawes.

Also consider the Ridgeback hybrids in your price range - http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Ridgeback-Speed ... godC5IOwA#
They are also better specced for the money, freehub rear wheel, most other components.

Really you will be ok on any decent cheap hybrid - I did JOGLE a few years ago with a friend who completed it with no problems on that type of bike.

[gregoryoftours]

Just a thought - many bike retailers offer a free check/ tune up of a bike you've bought for them after a month or so - I'd definitely take advantage of this and bring any problems to their attention in case they get missed in the check. Most times the gears will want adjusting after a bit of use as the cabling beds in.

[Brucey]

FWIW I agree with GoT, a budget rear wheel with a screw-on freewheel isn't likely to last that long in a loaded touring context and is likely to be one of the first parts to give trouble (assuming that the bike is set up right; something you can't take for granted.... ).

Way back when, screw-on freewheels were all you could get, and I used to carry a spare axle when on tour, and tools to suit. If you end up with a bike like that, I'd suggest that you do likewise. It would be a good idea to carry spare spokes and become acquainted with how to fit them too; cheap machine-built wheels can start to break spokes in a few hundred miles touring from new; they can be made far better if they are given a 'stress-relief' treatment BTW.

If you keep your eyes peeled a £200-300 budget will certainly go a lot further if you spend it on a decent used machine IMHO.

cheers

[al_yrpal]

My first tourer was this - viewtopic.php?f=16&t=36102&hilit=For+a+song Halfords Carerra Subway. As ever with Halfords you need to have a good look around it when you get it and make sure everything has been assembled and adjusted correctly. The Subway was a great tourer, had excellent componentry, and well within your budget.

Al

[hamster]

It might be worth considering a 1990s MTB frame and rigid fork. Typically you can pick one up for £50 - often you can find a decent and barely-ridden complete bike for under £100. Transplant your MTB bits over. These older frames have better geometry for touring and rack / mudguard eyes so are simple to convert.

[Bicycler]

Or, as the OP is looking at hybrids, older bikes in that style (as cheap as mountain bikes). Or maybe (perhaps especially) an older touring bike (more expensive but patience on this forum/eBay/Gumtree should get a quality machine within budget).

With any second hand bike purchase it does require the knowledge to be able to separate the wheat and chaff. There's no point in buying something that will require significant work or expense, or last decade's cheap bike.

I was under the impression that the OP wanted this new bike in addition to his modern MTB, so couldn't just swap the bits (if they'd fit). Many mountain bikes from the 80s well into the 90s are indeed great as rugged tourers for carrying heavy loads. The problem is that they started getting all long reach and short chainstays at some point in the 90s and then started adding suspension and dropping eyelets. If you get a bike that's much earlier than those changes you can end up with issues of obsolete equipment (narrow rear spacing, freewheels, Ultraglide or Suntour cassette hubs for example). Again it requires the knowledge to pick out the right age/spec of bike which avoids these or to understand and deal with any problem they may present.

[Norman H]

£300 is doable but is at the bottom end of what will get you a half decent new machine. As others have said there are used bargains to be had. I would avoid Dawes, I'm amazed at some of the prices paid for second hand Galaxies. In my view SH Dawes tourers tend to be overpriced. There are plenty of lesser named makes which can be picked up at a fraction of the cost if you search carefully. I would also avoid anything with less than 130mm rear end spacing as you will find sourcing replacement parts more problematic and modern 8 and 9 speed components are more durable than older 5 and 6 speed freewheels.

A word of caution here. Buying second hand is not without its pitfalls. Unless you are confident in your ability to spot potential problems and perhaps, more importantly, your ability to fix them yourself, you could well end up spending far more than you intended. If possible take a knowledgeable friend with you when you view potential purchases. Another pitfall is the possibility that the bike may be stolen. Common sense is your best friend here. View the bike at the sellers home address, ask the right questions and if it doesn't feel right, walk away.

Purchasing from a forum such as this one is probably the best way to avoid these hazards.

[yostumpy]

what size frame would you be looking at. There is a Specialized bike in the for sale section for £275 (not mine) . You will be FAR better buying a good s/h one than a BSO. (bicycle shaped object) , especially if you take to touring and do a lot over the years. Also bear in mind a good s/h one (in good , I mean well known and respected and also good condition) then should you not take to touring, you'll prob get your money back, but with a budget BSO you'll get bugga all. If you let us know what size, then I'm sure we can all keep an eye out for a bargain for you.

[Bicycler]

If you are after a new bike and...
you'd like a Dawes and...
you are planning to buy online (which is always less than ideal but I think that's what you were planning from your OP)and...
these are your size
then
http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... Gwod68cGWA (£249)
and
http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... Gwod2fMFrw (£299)
are better options than the ones you originally linked to. In particular they have Shimano cassette hubs and Alex rims (a known brand) which should make for a better touring wheel. The modern FSA threadless headset and stem are also a bonus over the unbranded 1 1/8" threaded ones which are becoming obsolete. Similarly, the 8 and 9 speed drivetrains are preferable long term to the 6/7 speed ones on the bikes in the OP.

[Bicycler]

You will be FAR better buying a good s/h one than a BSO. (bicycle shaped object) , especially if you take to touring and do a lot over the years. Also bear in mind a good s/h one (in good , I mean well known and respected and also good condition) then should you not take to touring, you'll prob get your money back, but with a budget BSO you'll get bugga all.

I'm not keen on the term BSO at the best of times but particularly not when we're on about bikes like those the OP linked to which are serviceable bikes from a reputable company. Compromises are made when bicycles are built to a budget and these should be noted, but we should never get to the point where we're describing budget bikes as BSOs.

[SteveHull]

Thanks for your great response everyone...
Just having my sarnie at my desk, will have a thorough read tonight.
Thanks again, Steve.

[gregoryoftours]

Yes those bikes bicycler linked to are really good value and a much better bet. On reflection I'd avoid that decathlon bike I linked to, despite the bonus of the dynohub, those gear shifters are really cheap and nasty. Definitely second hand has the best potential for a good bike, but as people have said you have to know what you're looking for in terms of quality and condition - cost of any worn bits and fitting can add up extremely quickly.

Yes BSO means a halfords £99 full suspension MTB or a tesco bike, not a £300 hybrid!

[Stevek76]

Just a thought but you might want to try a longer ride on your current bike. 15-30 miles occasionally on flat bars is one thing. Spending most of the day and most days a week is another entirely. While finding a bike with drops will probably end up outside the price range (unless you go s/h) it's worth finding out if you need to fit bar ends or even butterfly bars to allow more hand positions if you get a flat bar bike before you get to France.