Touring - where to purchase a used touring bike

Any ideas? I'm searching ebay, but people seem to think theyre old crap is vintage touring material... I'm looking for something preferably less than 10 years old and with not much more than 5,000 miles to be my first tourer and get me through a cross country trek next year. Craigslist isn't panning out either, I dunno if its my area, North NJ/VT, or if people just don't resell their touring bikes, I can't find a thing.

Appearance of touring bikes on ebay is a random event; some weeks several, others few. What is your price range? I've seen a number of decent bikes listed on ebay for a few hundred dollars (<$400) that could work as tourers, and then there are dedicated touring bikes and sometimes those do sell for more. If you are willing to convert an old mountain bike into a tourer, then you can find one of those for less. If your budget is around $1000, then I'd recommend getting a new Surly Long Haul Trucker.

I don't know if this shop will ship, but they often have used touring bikes and frames listed on their site.
http://bike123.com/

- i have seen used touring bikes at the LBS (Trek and C'dale)... it doesn't hurt to ask, or to post a 'Wanted' note on the LBS Community board...

I probably shouldn't suggest this;) but take a look around at your LBS and thrift stores for a hardtail MTB to convert to touring use. They make an awesome ride (http://www.vwvagabonds.com/Bike/BikeEquipment.html). FWIW I have two "touring bikes" and neither one of them was ever designed or intended for that use. One is my Giant Excursion which was originally marketed as a European Utility bike with flat bars (currently has drops and brifters) the other is my early 90's Giant Iguana which started out life as a mountain bike, but is now becoming an Expedition Tour bike.

Aaron:)

My price range is 500-800, and I'm looking primarily for a dedicated touring bike so I don't have to work hard to get components to fit, like panniers or hubs, drops, etc.

If your willing to go older you can score great deal.
I got this low milage Velo Sport complete with luggage for $50.
Its an 87' and has tapered double butted infinity tubes, sealed bearings and a generator with lights.
It needed nothing but tires.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b400/fj40/DSC01960.jpg

My price range is 500-800, and I'm looking primarily for a dedicated touring bike so I don't have to work hard to get components to fit, like panniers or hubs, drops, etc.

If you're willing to spend a little more, Surly LHT Complete is $950.

EBAY pretty much has put the price of used bikes out of sight. Once apon a time, folks posted used bikes for sale at the local bike shop bulletin board or Community Collage. There were good deals to be had. Now everybody sells online.

There are at least 100 people watching EBAY for used touring bikes...and only a few nice ones are for sale each week. It's really a sellers market.

Just buy a Surly new and don't look back.

In your price range you should be able to find something. Like Ricohman found, an older steel touring bike is a pretty nice find. To add to that, in the mid 80s touring bikes (real touring bikes) were selling great. I know several people who bought them and put a grand total of 50 miles on them. There they sit. collecting dust.

Check Craigslist. Even in other areas. Many people will ship. Good luck on your search.

Another new option is REI. They have decent touring bikes too, like this one for $850:

http://www.rei.com/product/730480

Become a member ($15), wait for the 20% discount coupon offer (seem they offer one every 2 or 3 months), then also get a 5% rebate on your REI credit card.

Passing through Montana or Portland any time soon? ;)

Anyone try the Windsor Tourist? $600 and it seems to have the right stuff. I was thinking about getting one, putting my low riders on the front, handlebar bag, and my old Brooks saddle. Probably add mudguards, too.

Older Windsor's were really nice bikes (From the 80's) ....... Do not know much about the new ones from Bikesdirect.

Yes. We rode three Windsor Tourists on the TransAmerica this Summer and were very happy with them.

If you are touring in the mountains I recommend that you replace the crank to get lower gearing. Since the bike was only $599 I didn't mind spending $80 for a Sugino XD600 crank.

The rear rack was kind of whimpy, but one of us used it and had no problems (the other two used Blackburn rear racks since we already had them). There were no front racks so we added Nashbar racks.

If you go with the same stuff we used you could get the bike on the road within your budget using all new stuff including panniers. All of the stuff we used worked out well despite 4,244 miles of hard use/abuse.

Check out our journal or ask if you want more details on what worked and what didn't. http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/staehling2007

Cannondale T700, 55 cm, Central NJ, $450: http://cnj.craigslist.org/bik/469643633.html

A few have popped up on CL over the past few months, but you're right that they aren't very common.

EDIT: Did you mean Northern NJ or NH?

I've purchased one bike by searching craigslist nationally (in google search type something like: "touring bicycles site:craigslist.org" - though you might be better off using more specific touring bike make and model names, as 'touring' will bring up many non-dedicated touring bikes). You'll have to find someone who knows how to package and ship or is willing to bring it to an LBS for packaging and shipping.

I agree with others - there seem to be a lot of people in the market for touring bikes on Ebay. Unless you are willing to spend you are going to be hard pressed. I think getting an older mountain bike and turning it into a tourer is a great idea for someone on a budget. I bought my son an old Rockhopper for $240 (including shipping) that needed very little work. Add some bar ends and racks, street-type tires, and you've got a solid, tough bike with low enough gearing for hills.

Craigslist seems to have more good deals than Ebay because not so many people are competing. And you can buy something from across the country. I found a saddle I wanted, contacted the seller, we worked out a price that included shipping, and it was no problem.

You can also get lucky. I was cruising garage sales once in my own little town and found a guy selling an old Nishiki touring bike with a set of 4 panniers. I didn't want the bike, but the panniers looked like something my son could use. I told the guy I'd give him $20 for the panniers. He said it was a deal if I took the bike too. Okay.

Good luck.

thanks for the input everyone. is the windsor everyones talking about the same one offering cheap bikes on ebay?http://listings.ebay.com/_W0QQsocmdZListingItemList?pfid=1841&gcs=1516&sacat=-100&reqtype=2&socmd=ListingItemList&catref=C4&sabfmts=1&sbrsrt=d&ftrv=1&ftrt=1&fsop=34&fsoo=2&from=R2&pagetype=2&saobfmts=insif&socdpfcat=98084&_trksid=m37&pfmode=2&a14=34676&alist=a14

The one from that page (link below) looks like the same bike. The price is $50 less than we paid, but if you order from their web page shipping is free, so the difference is really only $10.
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-TOURING-COMMUTING-ROAD-BIKE-WITH-SHIMANO-27-SPEED_W0QQitemZ230187119154QQihZ013QQcategoryZ98084QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Edit: I should have mentioned that the seller on eBay is the same company that sells the bike through their webpage (Bikes Direct). We found them to be OK to deal with. There was a glitch on one of the 3 bikes (they shipped the wrong color), but they were quick to correct it. You will not get local bike shop type service though if that is important to you.

If I'm not able to find a relatively newer touring bike, are there any road bikes out there that are known for making acceptable touring bikes? It seems like things like steel frames, triple front rings, wider tire clearance and holes for racks are the requisites for a good touring bike

Also, a brand new Bianchi Volpe should be in your price range... many folks have successfully used these for touring (just check the geometry yourself to make sure it'll work for you... I have heard the chainstays are a touch on the short side.)

When I read a thread like this I'm really sorry I let my 1985 Centurion Pro-Tour 15 go--it was my first really nice bike and I hardly rode it, didn't take very good care of it, and don't even remember what happened to it.

Never again.

I just listed my slightly used(commuted on it for 900 miles) custom Surly Long Haul Trucker on ebay. It's got all the good stuff, built from the advice of this forum.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130171190232&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=003

No reserve, 99 cents starting bid.

Check out the build list. Bike weighs 24.5 lbs and is totally bombproof.

That is a very nice bike. Be interested in seeing how you do with it. I have pretty much concluded that it isn't worth selling a full bike, that it's better to keep the components, and just take a loss on the frame. I'll be interested if this bike proves me wrong.

Thanks. I had good luck selling my Bianchi San Jose there. Had it on Craigslist and a local MTB forum, listed for 500 with no bites, then I put it on ebay and sold it for 715. Hopefully this will be a smart move as well.

With the money I'm thinking about trying a Rohloffed equipped trekking bike using the carbon drive system belt drive. Should be interesting :D