macaodh

hi,
i've a quick question. i started touring about 3 years ago going from budapest to Normandy (france) and have got just a tad addicted.... (fine, i can't stay off the bike and there's nothing more i like in the world). I've been using the same bike up untill now (an ideal crosser) and have loved it even with it's problems. However last monday some lovely people decided to borrow my bike and loved it so much they kept it. For this reason i'm in the market to buy.
My question is this. I need a new bike that will do for touring and getting in and out of college fast. There's a second hand Giant ocr going at a bike shop here (not sure if it's an ocr 1,2 or 3 - and won't make it down to look for another day or two) but just a little worried if it will, A: hold me (i'm 2m tall and 105kg - 6"5 and 16,5 stone) and B: will it hold my gear (i normally take about 20/30kg max on back paniers).
It would be a great help if anyone knows this bike as i'm not really bike savy when it comes to knowing types of gears/frames etc. Or does anyone know of a good bike for about €700 (~$1000)

Thank you so much - and if anyone saw a blue ideal crosser with a massive frame and duck tape over the saddle in dublin on monday night i would love you... (even better if you saw it on tuesday... )

p.s - i'm guessing you can put hybrid tyiers on them???

eibeinaka

The panniers should be OK. I had a Giant OCR2 which had eyelets for a rack. I commuted regularly with quite a bit of weight on the rack. For extended tours with the wheelset it comes with might be a stretch. You're not going to be able to fit a wide tire or fenders to it. I estimate I could probably have put 28mm slicks on it, but nothing bigger.


The frame had better be an XL for you. I had a Medium (I'm 6'0'') and it was too small. An L would have been my size.

It's quite smooth riding for an Al frame road bike, but I'm not sure it would make a very comfortable tourer.

centexwoody 

I'm your size & weight. Just finished selling an aluminum cross bike that was the roughest ride I've ever owned - felt every vibration in the road.

Tour on steel - the Surly Long Haul Trucker or other extended frame, the largest you can find.

macaodh

yea that was one thing i was worried about, my last bike was a steal frame soaly for the reason that your man in the shop, one i told him what i was using it for, refused to sell me anything but. Me thinks i might go back to him.
With out wider wheels (28mm ain't that massive) don't think i'm going to be comfortable really going long distances. plus i'll be off the bike more reparing punctures then actually ciycling . But it's such a nice bike....

A well, thanks anyway, back to the drawing board

librarian

I have a OCR Touring. I've had two steel touring bikes and two aluminum touring bikes over the past 40 years and I would not want to tour on anything but aluminum. I weigh 260 and both the Lotus, and Fuji steel bikes felt whimpy. When I got my Cannondale about 15 years ago it was night and day. Felt great. I finally got a OCR touring last year cause I had the money and I wanted one with disk brakes. I'd never go back to steel.

GiantDave

I have a OCR touring bike that I wish I had not bought. I did it right this time with an LHT. To me, steel is much more comfortable. Aluminum is too stiff and rough for me. You may want to ride a steel bike first (borrow one). My OCR was a large, but is a "compact" frame and I could never really dial in the fit. Im 6'2" and 240. I guess I'm the opposite of librarian in the alum vs steel debate.
The OCR 1,2,3 are not "touring" type bikes, they dont have touring geometry (relaxed). I dont know if they have eyelets for fenders/racks. The wheels are made for 25mm or so tires.
Its probably ok for in and out college runs but in my opinion, not for touring.
Hope this helps.