Solid commuter with touring potential

[boink]

Only having room for one bike I'm looking to buy something that's steel framed and fine as a responsive daily commuter with one or two panniers, but that can also handle a 15 stone chap on a 2-3 week camping tour. At top end of my budget I'm looking at the Surly LHT, or Kona Sutra. Bottom end, Fuji Touring or Dawes Galaxy Classic (on offer) Have heard and seen good things of Edinburgh bike's Traveller, but currently none in my size (57-58cm). Another option for me is to strip decent components off my current cross bike and get a frameset. The Croix de fer frame looks lovely and as sleek as an 80's 531 touring bike.

Not really fussed over disc brakes but want nice low gearing and decent clearance for guards.

[reohn2]

Spa's own tourer in either Ti or steel springs to mind,and gets good reports all round.

[boink]

I like the look of their own bike but It'll be on interest free credit if I go for a bike (rather than frame-set) and don't think they offer this. Certainly not on the website that I can see.

[boink]

As someone who liked the old 80's Galaxy a lot, this looks a good deal in 631. Better components ( I think) than similarly priced Ridgeback Voyage.
http://www.bikesheduk.com/dawes-galaxy- ... ords=dawes

[Brucey]

IIRC there is some variation in the tyres that each of the frames that you are looking at will accept. Have you thought through what kind of tyres you will be using?

cheers

[boink]

Tend to use 700c x 28. Never bigger than 32s. Marathon touring type.

[Brucey]

with a load on, I'd maybe want to use something wider than that, and without a load on, I'd want to use something nicer than that.

So if you can try out some different tyres before you buy a new bike (I'm assuming that 35s/no 'guards will go in a bike that normally has 32s with 'guards) this might well help to focus your choice of bike somewhat.

cheers

[irc]

I've got a Spa Steel Tourer and a Long Haul Trucker both built up from a frameset. I'm 17 stone. I'd happily use either as a commuter and tourer. Very little between them. The Spa has clearance just for 700x37s and mudguards. The Trucker plenty clearance for 700x42s and mudguards.

I like the nice touch of the Spa having M6 bolts for the lower rear rack mountings. Not that I've broken a rack bolt since fitting better bolts but for the extra weight involved why not? The Trucker maybe a fraction slower handling but both are pretty flawless. Better quality paintwork on the Spa if that matters.

I've got V brakes on them both. Using cheapo Bell brake pads from Asda the braking is superb. Much better than the original Shimano pads.

Hard to argue with a frame, fork and headset for £315 though.

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... 7s143p2984

[boink]

Thanks so much for the advice above irc. Exactly what I was looking for. Spa frame-set it is.

[pete75]

Hard to argue with a frame, fork and headset for £315 though.

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... 7s143p2984

Earlier this year got a Long Haul Trucker frame set for £249 at Triton cycles. Couldn't make my mind up between the Spa and Surly but the Triton offer swung it.... A good machine and I'm happy with it but guess I'd have been just as contented with the Spa offering. Have never read a bad word about either of them.

[Gearoidmuar]

I've done a lot of bike tours. About 80, over 27 years. In that time I've toured on proper touring bikes (British Eagle, Coventry Eagle, Dawes Galaxy and Currently Thorn Raven Tour), a Moulton APB and several tweaked MTBs. MTBs make great touring bikes with a little adaptation. They have great brakes and a terrific gear range, have strong wheels and you will never get a pinch puncture. You must make sure you can mount some kind of carrier and have heel clearance. The reach can be too long/low, but that's easily fixed. You need bar-ends IMO, and fitting some kind of mudguards is desirable. Another point is slick tyres. I toured for years on Specialised Fatboys. Great tyres and fast. My latest touring tyres are the Lite Version of Schawlbe Big Apple. These are fantastic. Low friction and no puncture so far in 7000 miles! The Thorn Raven Tour which has Rohloff Hub is the best bike I've toured on. I've cowhorn bars which I love, on it. It's really a rigid MTB with 26 inch wheels, proper mudguards etc.

[pwa]

Tend to use 700c x 28. Never bigger than 32s. Marathon touring type.

If you buy a tourer (Spa, Dawes, etc) 32mm tyres are normal, but anything narrower might be too narrow for the wheel rims. If you think you might want to cycle with camping gear, but also want a good commuter, the tourer is the clear choice. Tourers make good commuters, and are faster on the road than mtb style bikes.

[Bicycler]

It appears from the above post that Boink prefers a drop bar setup, is familiar with older touring bikes and doesn't go for very wide tyres. I also suppose from the mention of 28-32mm tyres that Boink is not one for off-road riding. Overall then I think Boink is right to be looking at traditional touring bikes rather than converted mountain bikes. Newer touring bikes tend to be that bit stiffer than the 531 ones of old but that's arguably not a bad thing if carrying a full camping load though it does mean that the ride is often not quite as nice unladen as the older ones were. I'm sure the Spa will be lovely

[boink]

Bicyclers got me about right. Hardly use drops but want them for long downhills and headwinds. More likely to do road based tours and a bit of towpath than off road. My old Galaxy picked up some big dents (531) easily but was more fun to ride unloaded than the ultra solid Panorama I've just borrowed from a mate. The Spa frame just looks a little bit lighter than the Surly LHT and if it handles slightly better (as irc says), that'll do me. Spa do a 57 too which I think may well be my ideal sizing. I'll post a pic and give an update when it's all built up.

Cheers and thanks for all of the advice as ever.

[Brucey]

sounds like you are on track there... I would say 'you can't go wrong then' but that surely tempts fate...

cheers