Touring - Volpe vs. Randonee, or others

Hi everyone. This is my first time posting on this forum, so hello. I have been reading some of the posts while researching my new bike but wanted to ask some questions myself..

I am looking for a bike for commuting, recreational riding for fitness (maybe some tri's or day races, but won't be super competitive), and touring. I don't have any fully hardcore tours planned, but moving to New Zealand so hope to do multi-day trips around the country. So, I want something that's flexible - fast and light for non-loaded road riding and also able to tour and go through town. A tourer that's not a tank seems like a good way to go.

Sadly, I also don't have that much to spend on it - no more than $1000. So, I've been looking at the Volpe, Novara Randonee, and recently just spotted the Fuji Touring and Jamis Aurora as well which seem comparable.

Their components all look pretty similar, to a novice like me:

http://www.bianchiusa.com/08_volpe.html
http://www.rei.com/product/744804#prodSpecs
http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/bikes/07_bikes/aurora.html
http://www.fujibikes.com/2008/sg.asp?id=422

Obviously all based on Tiagra group. I don't know about any of the other stuff, does anyone have any advice? In particular the wheels as this seems important for a loaded bike and expensive to replace?

They are all similar MRSP, but I can get a 15% off voucher for REI so that one would work out a bit cheaper....

Any thoughts people? See, I am already a bike geek and I haven't even bought it yet. Another possibility would be to financially ruin myself and splash out for trek 520 or cannondale T800 but the specs look really similar to the above, so seems not good value for money. My guts are telling me the volpe, as it seems a little lighter so more versatile. It's so frustrating that noone seems to stock any of these, so I can't just try them all and see.

Thanks for any advice,

Helen.

Hi Helen, you can get just about any road bike and throw a light rack and panniers on it and do hostel-based touring. I put a Tubus Fly on my race bike for credit card touring. If the bike you want doesn't have rack eyelets, there are a couple of options - Old Man Mountain or a Tubus skewer kit, for example.

In NZ the backpackers (hostels) are so close together, so nice and friendly, so moderately priced, I would probably do that for tours of up to a couple of weeks. Longer than that I would opt for camping, since the $ starts to add up.

If you are currently in the USA, try to buy your bike here, the prices in NZ were WAY higher (3 years ago).

My 520 is a tank, I wouldn't be happy with it as my only bike, it's just too heavy for day riding. (that's me, others may have other opinions).

The Volpe might be just the thing, how much does it weigh?

Cool. Yes, my one attempt at bike touring was in NZ on a trip there before, which was just like you described... that was on a rental bike... I am in the US at the mo, so trying to buy before I go.

I think the volpe weighs 26lb, in a 52cm which is my size (tho I think I got that from a forum, not the manufacturers, so might not be 100% reliable). That's compared to 29lb for the randonee. I don't know about the other ones.

H.

My guts are telling me the volpe, as it seems a little lighter so more versatile. It's so frustrating that noone seems to stock any of these, so I can't just try them all and see.


I have a Volpe that I've owned for about 1.5 years now. I was not able to find one in stock anywhere near me but I did find a place that had the Castro Valley in my size (which is the same frame and at the time was a drop bar bike). I was able to test ride that to be sure I liked the way the bike rode before having them order the Volpe for me. The San Jose also have the the same frame as the Volpe. If you can find either of those in stock somewhere it might help you decide.

I love my Volpe and have only had one issue with it so far. My front derailleur died last week after very little use (part of it just snapped off). Was pretty cheap and easy for me to get fixed (I've got the ultegra version now) and was probably just a fluke but I was a little confused by it. I swapped the tires for 28c Armadillos and the seat for a Brooks. I also added fenders and a Tubus Vega rack. I've used it for commuting and general around town stuff so far, no loaded touring yet so I can't speak to how it will hold up for that. It's not the lightest bike around, but I have had no problems handling it (I'm 5'6" and ~120lbs, so not a huge person).

Edit: Might as well throw up some photos. This is my 52cm Volpe after about 18 months of use, outfitted for commuting.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/CeridwenAnwyl/Bikes/DSC01255.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/CeridwenAnwyl/Bikes/DSC01245.jpg

The new ones still use the same frame as far as I can tell, just in a different color.

Thanks for the tips guys! Good to know what fenders / racks will fit on the volpe if I do go for that. Will have to check out tubus racks it looks like.

I had also considered trying a cyclocross bike instead, has anyone tried this? Or have any comments?

H.

Cool. Yes, my one attempt at bike touring was in NZ on a trip there before, which was just like you described... that was on a rental bike... I am in the US at the mo, so trying to buy before I go.

I think the volpe weighs 26lb, in a 52cm which is my size (tho I think I got that from a forum, not the manufacturers, so might not be 100% reliable). That's compared to 29lb for the randonee. I don't know about the other ones.

H.

the 520 in a 17" (49??) is xx w/front and rear tubus steel racks & fenders. mooooo

TYPE-O alert! it's 31

ps. your volpe looks lovely... I think the current colour is some kind of ugly muddy green, but hey ho.

woah, that makes the volpe and all these others even bigger tanks! Can that be right? Maybe I've mis read the weights. Will check it out

woah, that makes the volpe and all these others even bigger tanks! Can that be right? Maybe I've mis read the weights. Will check it out

AHHH NOO!!! type-o type-o!!!

it's 31

ahhh. Ok. So the volpe is somewhat lighter. That's good news! Do you happen to know how much a typical alu road bike would be at roughly this size?

unknown

Back to the original question, which is what bike to buy? I was going to answer: "buy the Novara because it has a lifetime guarantee that REI really does honor" but then I noticed you said you're moving to New Zealand. I think that changes things -- you might want to find out which of the bikes you mentioned has a New Zealand distributor. Maybe even buy in New Zealand -- the NZ dollar can't be any worse than the US $ right now. Seems like it'd be a pity to buy a bike and then a year later have some sort of problem show up, but you can't get a warranty honored because you're half a world away from the store where you bought the bike. Guess that applies the other direction if you buy the bike in NZ and then move back to the US.

Yes, good point. I had wondered about that. Unfortunately none of them have proper dealers in NZ. There are importers for Jamis and Bianchi. The bike shops in Wellington seem to have Trek, Giant, Cervelo (that one's a tri specialist). Bikes in NZ are significantly more expensive than in the US (like, 40% more). I did think that if I get an international brand they'll at least have seen, they might feel more comfortable. I guess I could also check with e.g. Bianchi if there's any repair shops that would honour their warranty...

I look at cyclocross bikes. They will be much faster for races and regular riding than a tourer. Plus they'll generally weigh less, can still fit fat tires, and some accept racks from the factory. Put on skinny tires for racing, fatter for touring or commuting and you have one versatile bike. Cyclocross bikes aren't great at anything but are good at most. I've borrowed a friends Specialized Tricross and used it for commuting for about a month and raced a tri on it. It was fine. Plenty fast for what I want it for and it has rack and fender mounts for touring. I plan on getting one someday too because I can't afford a bunch of bikes. The Tricross is nice but there are plenty of cyclocross bikes that would fill your needs.

Yes you are right about the prices should not be with the current exchange rate though ( bad time to come with USD in your pocket ) i think its mainly the freight price you may want to check what the airline is likely to charge you as it can be quite steep some are good some are not

If you want to check out the prices www.torpedo7.co.nz they have Bianchi but no volpe

Helen,

All the bikes you mentioned are good choices, and of course if possible you should test ride them all. I'd steer you toward the Bianchi Volpe based on what you stated in your original post, though, just going on the frame measurements. I think the frame is just a bit shorter (check the wheelbase and chainstay lengths), meaning it likely will ride a bit quicker. It's still long enough for panniers for when you want to tour, but will be a bit sportier for the other kinds of riding you mention.

I also like the stock gearing more than the others -- it's lower, and I like lower gearing.

Two other things: the Volpe's I've seen come stock with slightly knobby tires. If you are going to be riding mainly on the road you may want to consider asking the dealer to swap them out for smooth road tires when you get the bike, as part of the deal.

Also, the 2008's I've seen coming into stores now are gold, like this one:

http://www.bikyle.com/images/BiKesRoad2008/BianchiVolpe_08.jpg

There are still some green ones around if you like the green, so you should have your pick...

Also, you might want to stick with brands that are distributed in NZ (which eliminates the REI) because if you want to sell the bike while you are there you'd likely do better w/a brand that is recognized there.

All the bikes you're looking at are very simular-- just because there isn't an REI in NZ doesn't mean local bike shops can't work on your bike. The Randonee is a pretty easy bike to work on. (the rest of bikes you're looking at as well)

Don't buy any bike you can't test ride! This is the one big advantage of the Randonee. Your local REI will gladly stock your size for test ride and you don't have to buy it. But a good Bianchi or Fuji shop are also good choices.

The Randonee weighs more than a Volpe because it has a stock rear rack. The Randonee has very good brakes (Shimano cantis), otherwise most of the parts are basicly the same.

Don't get a cyclocross bike unless you're a strong rider. The have double chainrings and tight road style cassettes. Not the kind of gearing you want, I'm guessing. The bikes you're looking at are very good all arounders with wide gear ranges

If you plan on using front panniers, you should know that the new Volpes do not have front pannier mounts on the fork. (The older models did.) I believe that the other three models that you are considering, the Fuji Touring, the Jamis Aurora, and the Novarra Randonnee, all have mounts (basically, holes drilled into the fork) to facilitate the addition of "low rider" front racks.

If I'm wrong, I'm sure that someone will correct me within an hour or so.

I am a very big volpe fan, I weigh abot 220 and went fulley loded for two weeks with no problems. I have been a hang around at the LBS for 15 years, they sell volpes as touring, cross and drop bar hybrids, and I don't think they stretching anything . My volpe has full touring brazeons inc. ft. low rider mounts(the mid fork mounts arn't on all volpes) the bb hight is 85 mm the LHT is about 72. The Volpe is more fun to ride.

Thanks for all the comments. I had been reading and thinking maybe the volpe's the best way to go til I saw the comment about it not having front rack mounts. Hmm. Anyway, I have a list of local-ish dealers of all these bikes so going to call around and see if there's anywhere I can go and test drive them...

Many of the Volpes have this low rider mount' but not all. Some years have them and some not. It is not a big deal to find bikes in stock that are a year or two old. this may be the way to go' older ones here are 10 percent a year off retail. what size would you need? I don't work there.

THIS betting man would have to put his money on the Aurora when pit against the Volpe, but would love to hear from folks experienced with both recent models.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Surly Long Haul Trucker yet: http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/BI401G00-Surly+Long+Haul+Trucker+Bike.aspx

$900 delivered to your door is a good deal for what you get. But if you do have an REI nearby, give the Randonee a test ride. You can't beat REI's customer service. Even if you're in NZ, just tell them you're on vacation and I'm sure they'll be very helpful with any problems.

Thanks for all the comments. I had been reading and thinking maybe the volpe's the best way to go til I saw the comment about it not having front rack mounts. Hmm. Anyway, I have a list of local-ish dealers of all these bikes so going to call around and see if there's anywhere I can go and test drive them...
I wouldn't worry about the lack of front mounts. That's a pretty easy thing to work around.

I think the Volpe or a cross bike is a good choice for your uses. The nice thing about a cross bike (and the Volpe too iirc) is that if you put knobby tires and fenders on, you're all set for dirt and gravel roads. It won't be like a full MTB but can be used on a lot of trails.

One thing about test rides: just make sure the bike generally fits you. Last time I bought a bike, half the LBS's did not have a bike in my size; I was limited in what I could really learn about a specific bike.

I was in Australia 2 years ago, and my brand new REI brand tent blew a zipper. They mailed me a new one, and they paid the shipping. How's that for customer service.

"a tourer that's not a tank seems a good way to go."

Don't know if y'all would agree, but I think the Surly LHT is more of a hard core tourer than anything else, which doesn't seem to be the highest priority of the original poster. Perhaps the Surly Crosscheck or Jamis Aurora Elite (formerly Nova) might be more appropriate.

Hi guys,

Been out looking at a few bikes since I last posted... tried the randonee but found it really heavy and not so comfortable. I think that I want something a little more sporty, and a little more upright probably too.

As a result I've started looking a little more at cyclocross bikes, but the lower-end ones which aren't so racing-specific and have triple cranks.

I just tried a specialized tricross sport which felt pretty good. The same shop has managed to pull a volpe out of the woodwork too so going to try that on Sat too and hopefully decide then. I also have the opportunity to try a bianchi axis and a fuji cross bike tomorrow so going to give them a try.

Incidentally, does anyone have any experience (good / bad) with buying bikes off ebay? Seems a good way to get an amazing deal, but also quite risky to buy a bike unseen.

Cheers for all your helpful comments,

Helen.

A Surly CrossCheck Complete would be a great choice if you could find a dealer willing to swap a few parts. For New Zealand, I'd definitely want a triple crank and the widest possible gear range. The south island is very hilly!

Hi,
What size fenders do you have on your bike? I'm looking at buying the SKS P45 ROAD FENDER SET. Did your fenders connect to the frame crossbar? (I don't know the name of the rear horizontal metal piece that is part of the frame.) Any suggestions?
I'm also interested in raising the stem.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Surly Long Haul Trucker yet: http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/BI401G00-Surly+Long+Haul+Trucker+Bike.aspx

$900 delivered to your door is a good deal for what you get. But if you do have an REI nearby, give the Randonee a test ride. You can't beat REI's customer service. Even if you're in NZ, just tell them you're on vacation and I'm sure they'll be very helpful with any problems.

I'd go with the Volpe. I have the LHT myself, and I love it, but it is a tank, and probably way too slow and heavy for what the OP wants to do. The Volpe is about the same price, has components of roughly equal quality, is sportier and lighter, but still adequate for light touring.