Touring - another newbie trying to choose a touring bike

after reading all the other threads on similar subjects, my head is spinning. the tour i am planning will be my first, but it's going to be a doosie, so i want something a bit more sturdy than a trek 520 (as it happens, that's the only model in my area that i was able to test ride). i'm hoping to spend at most $2K on the bike. and i'm 6'2, so bruce gordon is probably not a good choice.

i did find a LBS that deals in Surly and Gunnar frames and got an estimate of $875 for the labor + LX kit, so the totals would be about $1385 ($875 + $450 frame + $60 assembly?) for a Surly Long Haul Trucker and $2000 ($850 frame + $275 rigid fork) for a Gunnary Rock Tour. there's a lot of positive comments about Surly LHTs on this forum, but their warranty (http://www.surlybikes.com/files/Frameset%20Warranty.pdf) seems a bit sketchy; i'm also leaning towards 26" wheels; and the LBS said Surly uses some "funny steel" of their own.

the Gunnar is really nice, but it's at the top of my range and doesn't seem exceptional enough for the price. and it'd be nice to have a third wattle boss on the frame (yeah, can get a customized frame for only $200 more).

the LBS also had a Bianchi Volpe but i was steered away from that because they said it wouldn't support enough load, though that doesn't seem to hold much water.

after considering the Gunnar some more, i remembered seeing the Dahon Flo (http://www.dahon.com/flo.htm) in National Geographic Adventure magazine. the Ritchey breakaway frame is definitely a cool selling point and is probably better than S&S couplers. and the specs look similar to the Gunnar. does anybody think this would make a good touring bike (with a rigid fork and cantilever brakes, of course)?

any other ideas i should consider?

thanks

The LHT at $1385 will be far better build than the Trek 520 at that price range. You could make the mods to the 520 but it will bring you up to the LHT range. I still think you can make the LHT for less than $1385.00 and if you can give a price list of parts you're going to use, forum members can probably find less expensive alternatives.

There's nothing funny about the chromoly 4130 on the LHT and the frame is solid.

Hi,
let's back the truck up here. Why do you think the 520 would be inadequate? Just what sort of tour have you planned? One thing you can do is get larger tires, and run them at a lower pressure. That will help.

There are other touring frames in your budget. Cannondale makes one.

let's back the truck up here. Why do you think the 520 would be inadequate?
because i test rode it and it feel sturdy enough to me. granted, a lot of others like the bike, but it didn't feel right to me. besides, i'd have to lower the gearing and the LBS kept insisting it was adequate and then actually said it wasn't their policy to swap components!?


Just what sort of tour have you planned? One thing you can do is get larger tires, and run them at a lower pressure. That will help.
about a year touring western/eastern europe, morocco, and australia/new zealand


There are other touring frames in your budget. Cannondale makes one.
i'd prefer steel over aluminum. i may be tall, but i'm also light, so an aluminum frame probably wouldn't flex enough to be comfortable.

There's nothing funny about the chromoly 4130 on the LHT and the frame is solid.

"100% Surly 4130 cro-moly steel, main triangle double-butted TIG-welded" You can't get much more "normal" than that.

Hi,
the 520 is ok, but it sounds like it didn't fit you.
A bike shop that won't swap a few components (especially on a 520)
isn't a bike shop. Not sure what you call it, but then I would't call it at all.

If you can try a LHT, that would be good. Be careful picking the size, I know a guy who got one a size large. The TT is a bit long, or something. It's also going to be heavy. The steel on the LHT has been used to make millions of bikes, it's fine, but it's definitely not light.

I have a Gunnar, and it's a great company. I would call them, and ask them if the Rock Tour is going to work for you. Just for the heck of it, ask them if they could do a version of the Adventure Cycle for you. Gunnar is actually the budget line of the superb bike maker Waterford. The Adventure Cycle is one of the best touring frames made. The geometry is spot on for a tourer, and it is rugged while being a couple pounds lighter than the LHT.
It would be worth stretching your budget to work something out with them, IMHO.

does this ad sound like a deal?

63CM Heron touring bike, designed by Rivendell built by Waterford, Reynolds 531 frame/fork, 60.5 toptube. Components consist of xtr/xt 21sp drvetrain/brakset, handbuilt Suntour XC Pro/ Ma 40 36' wheelset, Conti Toptour 32c tires, Time ATAC pedals, Brooks saddle, Nitto "noodle" handlebars, Bruce Gordon rear rack, computer, stainles bottle cages. Frame/parts are in excellent condition. Frame has been used less than 3000mi and has been toured only down the Calif. coast once. Frame has been prepared with a internal rust inhibitor-"frame saver". A new frame costs you about $1100 new; take mine complete for slightly more- $1350 obo.
i'd expect the only major change i'd need is to replace the drivetrain, right?

just found out it's a 1998 model

If you're willing to spend $2k, you could consider a custom. Mercian makes sturdy, lugged custom frames with all the doo-hickies you can name and made to fit you for just about $1000 (the King of Mercia is great - I recently ordered one), which would leave you an additional $1000 (or less) for components. Bob Jackson also makes decent frames in this price range. I'm sure there are American builders too who will make you a great tourer for about this price if you just look around. You really have to know what to tell them though, which requires some specificity and knowledge.

The Cannondale is a good choice, despite your misgivings about aluminum. That T2000 is one of the few 'off-the-shelf' complete bikes that is absolutely meant for loaded touring, including sensible gearing.

The LHT is definitely a smart choice no matter how you slice it, and affordable. It may be the best value in touring, and is beloved by the whole community of LHT riders.

Waterford's less expensive frame, the T-14, is another excellent and incredibly sturdy machine, but is still expensive at $1300. I had the opportunity to ride both the Waterford adventure cycles, and I was super impressed by the feel and the handling, and especially the strength.

Another possibility from beyond the sea is the Thorn Raven, which has the Rohloff speed hub (a $1000 piece of equipment in its own rite) and comes in at around $2000 for the whole machine, the frame of which is specially integrated around the hub.

And finally, if you're touring places beyond and are planning on bringing the bicycle on airplanes, the Bike Friday folding bicycle with the special tow-case and racks & panniers is a neat choice, and is also custom made to fit you. It may look strange and tiny, but these things ride beautifully and make international travel much easier. They are also really customizable. You fold the bike and put it in the case, then when it's off the plane, the case becomes a little trailer. Completely self-supported and made for travel.

my timeframe is around 6 weeks. so custom and overseas don't look feasible.

and the surly lht won't be in stock until september.

everybody raves about the rivendell atlantis and the heron touring/wayfarer is very similar, so that's why the used heron seemed like such a bargain at $1300.

if i'm going to break the bank, i'd probably go for the Bilenky Eco/Travel Midlands (http://www.bilenky.com/prod39.html).

my timeframe is around 6 weeks. so custom and overseas don't look feasible.

and the surly lht won't be in stock until september.

everybody raves about the rivendell atlantis and the heron touring/wayfarer is very similar, so that's why the used heron seemed like such a bargain at $1300.

if i'm going to break the bank, i'd probably go for the Bilenky Eco/Travel Midlands (http://www.bilenky.com/prod39.html).

Right on. I hope you find a good bike for yourself! :)

The Heron is a nice bike, from what I hear, but I have no experience with them or any other Rivendell-inspired product, and have not researched them much.

I'm pretty sure you could get a Bike Friday folding bike within 6 weeks - they really are smart bikes to look into (the Pocket Llama is the current ride of the world's most-traveled man: Heinz Stücke), and they offer so much customization of components that you could get precisely what you want from them and still keep the price within some semblance of reason. They are known as an expensive alternative, but I think their benefits are befitting of the price, and I intend on getting one for airline travel within the year. It's such a great thing to not have to ever deal with taxis or paying extra to box and dismantle half your bike and pay an extra $100 to stow it on the plane.

..and you can order a Surly LHT online well before September instead of waiting for the LBS to get one for you; that is, if you harbor no specific loyalties to the LBS and would be willing to order online. I would bet that you could get it much cheaper this way too. Spicer cycles (http://parts.spicercycles.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=37&Description=long+haul+trucker&Brand=405&Submit.x=0&Submit.y=0) has them for $348.

I'd also bet Bruce Gordon could hook you up within 6 weeks, but that's something you'd have to look into.

Hi there ...

from what you have described, a Trek 520 will be fine and can handle the route you have chosen, unless you are planning on going off the largely formed roads and going bush.
I have used one of these bikes for years, and it hasn't let me down, although I prefer my thorn nomad for gravel roads.

A Bruce Gordon bike with 26" wheels is also a good steed ...

thorn can get a bike to you within a couple of weeks, or you can get them from sheldon brown at harris cyclery. they are definitely an expedition grade bike and have been used on many round the world tours and are built to survive all kinds of abuse, and the new ones are powder coated ...

i have also built up a tourer based on a MTB that works very well too ...

you can have a look at my touring bikes (http://www.hoogie.co.nz/bikes/the_bikes.htm) here

Tribble,
Herons are very nice bikes. I doubt you would need to change the drivetrain. Mtb gearing is just the ticket for touring.