Touring - Bike touring help

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lanty
05-07-05, 11:20 AM
Okay here's the deal.

I'm going to cycle from Turkey to the very tip of Scotland next year alone and I need to sort out a bike.

I own a R600 cannondale , converted into a single speed for city use.

I have been looking into getting a Volpe BUT my wife (clueless to bikes) does not like the new bike idea.

I've looked at many forums for touring so I’ve got a rough idea what's possible to convert with my bike and what's not possible.

Do you think it's possible to convert? or should a dump my wife and get a Volpe?

One thing if i do convert my old bike is how hard it to mix the gears with mountain bike style shifters for straight bars.

Help me please.........

P.S. I went out for first bike ride yesterday in one year and tried to ride around Bear Mt, NY area with my one gear and nearly killed myself...........................
:mad:

velonomad
05-07-05, 07:17 PM
hmmm trip of a life time, 3000 miles through europe The trip itself with airfare and expenses alone is probaly going to be $5000 mininum. and we are agonizing over an $850 bicycle? With all due respect to you and your wife this is called being "penny wise and pound foolish"

If the money is that much of an issue get a used touring bike or a MTB from the Late 80's early 90's that is steel framed with rigid forks . for example ( assuming you are in the NYC area) here is a Bridgestone mtb on craigs list for $75 assuming it has a decent componet group and doesn't have serious wear or damage, a complete overhaul would put you in good shape for the type of tour you are taking.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/bik/72116237.html

As for converting the R600 back to a geared road bike, I can't comment because you didn't say what if anything you did to the frame when you turned it into a single speed. Nor have you mentioned what parts you saved when you stripped it down. You could easily run up a $300-400 parts bill if you trashed all the old componets .