fietsbob

Just go to a bike shop, they are not scary places.

sloping top tubes throw bike sizing charts in the bin,
because there is no consideration of how much slope..

horizontal top tube length then becomes more meaningful.

PStephens

I remember an old road bike my mom used to ride but she didn't like the bent over position. I wonder if they got rid of it...

Askel

If I was stuck with your budget, I'd go for a 26" wheeled mountain bike. Should be able to get it racked and panniered within your budget and have a couple bucks left over for some slick tires.

Of course, it's hardly the ideal touring bike. But you don't really get anywhere near ideal with a $400-$500 budget.

PStephens

We do still have that bike. All I remember is that it's an older orange road bike. When I get it I'll post up the model here. I may just get a free one... oh boy

etw

At the same time there is the old saying "good money after bad"

A local shop can help you in finding the right bike (they may even have some used ones), right size and get it set up properly. You can just walk into a store and buy a bike, but you may end up with a lot of problems or that will just be painful or difficult to ride. To do a major trip as you suggest, you don't want to end up out in the middle of nowhere with a major breakdown or other issues.

LeeG

1. know your bb to seat dimension. That way when you go to test any bike you set it up the same every time.
2. know your prefered handlebar position when you get on a bike. This is something you can eyeball measuring with elbow at the seat and seeing where your fingertips go in relation to the bars. It's just a gross measurment but it'll tell you whether you need a new stem.
3. an old used "road bike" won't be as adaptable for touring as an old used mtn. bike. regarding weight carrying and rear wheel strength. That's a gross generality that can be ignored with specific bikes.
4. you haven't said whether your $400-$500 budget is bike only or the whole deal. If it's bike only there are new bikes that can do the job, if it's the whole deal you should continue what you're doing, gathering information, and looking for a free bike where you may only need to replace the rear wheel, cassette and chain.

Just looked online at the bikes sold at the Bike Loft, a Marin CS1 for $429 could do it

PStephens

That is the bike only budget. If I can get free one though, then that's better. This old bike is a peugot. It looks just like this one: https://themixtegallery.wordpress.com...peug/#more-199

But the gears are annoying and I think the frame is too small.

Amesja

The Windsor Tourist would be what you are looking for.
.
Too bad it is sold out in the 58cm size. I think the 54cm would be way too small for you. A touring bike should be a little on the large size -NOT a little on the small side.

Something from a bike shop will be a good sight more expensive and out of this price range unless he finds a good shop with a good selection of good used touring bikes. Doubtful...

Riding across the country on a hybrid or MTB sounds like a recipe for butt-torture.

staehpj1

Not sure what size fits the OP, but didn't he say he thought a 19" frame fit him. That would make even the 54cm frame too big for him.

Personal preference, but most folks tour on way bigger frames than I would typically prefer and I definitely would not go with a bigger frame for touring myself. But I don't want my bars higher on my touring bike, preferring them a few inches below the saddle.

PStephens

19" was for a mountain bike. When I used an online calculator and measured my height and leg length, I got about 56-57cm.

How about this?: https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/..._cross_cx3.htm

And should if I had a choice between 56cm and 58cm, which would be the best option?

Niles H.

I would recommend the 56.

Amesja

This is what he said on the first page You must have missed it.

At that height I would say a 58cm for a touring bike -but that is "off the cuff" shooting. I'm 5'9" and ride a 58cm touring (really should ride a 56cm) with a bike inseam of 33-1/2". I'm sue if his tailor inseam is 33" his bike inseam is about 2" longer than that. 54 is too short for me (it's what I CX to protect the balls) so I am pretty sure that 54 would be way too short for him.

For a touring rig a size too large isn't a bad idea. He'll be in the saddle for long hours usually and not getting on and off very often. Better to be a little roomy than crunched up on a too-small bike.

PStephens

How about this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1984-Trek-52...#ht_500wt_1288

And it looks like my budgeting is working out because I have way more money than I thought I had in my bank account.

LeeG

with a 33" inseam I'm guessing you're closer to a 58cm than 56cm.

The best option would be for you to learn how to true a wheel, adjust bearings and not buy anything until you can decide what is the best option without asking people who aren't right there with you and the bike in question. A BikesDirect bike should have someone go over the wheels, that could be another $20-$40 expense. I believe that bike has 32 spoke wheels which could be sufficient or not depending on your load except that bike has radial front wheel (read the specs) which isn't optimum for loaded touring. You said loaded touring and you picked a cross bike which could be fine if most of your riding was unloaded and you packed carefully for the heavy load.

Is there a reason you picked a CX bike and not a touring bike from BikesDirect?

LeeG

yes, that is a bike sold on ebay.

PStephens

Oh thanks dude.

It's a Trek 520. Is it a good buy?

Niles H.

Yes, if it's largely in good shape throughout.

PStephens

I know it was originally $1400 and it's one people tour on a lot. It's 57cm which I think would fit me. But for a 1984, is he asking for too much?

Niles H.

You might be able to do even better, but you would might also spend a lot of time looking.

On the other hand, something like the Windsor isn't a whole lot more, especially considering shipping. And the bearings, components, frame, wheels, cables, tires, etc. are new. And you probably get some kind of warranty (not essential by any means, but kind of nice to have).

If the Trek were in mint condition with high-end components, I would jump on it.

If you can find out more about it (history, rear derailleur model, hub types/models, how much it has been ridden, how it has been stored, and if it comes with a rack the model/brand for example), we could make a clearer recommendation.

Has it spent much time in the rain, and have any of the bearings gotten wet (water inside -- which can ruin them)?

Has the frame ever been damaged in an accident? Is there any rust?

Niles H.

Sounds like he'll throw in some extras, which could be good. What exactly are they?

How much for the extra wheels?

He sounds okay, and like he knows a bit about bikes, and is conscientious.

I would want to find out more, though.

The fact that he has replaced that cable suggests a fair amount of riding.

I would have to wonder what kind of shape the bearings are in. And can you overhaul them yourself if necessary, or are you willing to learn?

They may or may not need replacing before who knows (without further information) how long.

LeeG

a 2012 is $1400 and a different bike than a 1984 520.
He isn't asking too much, the question is whether you want to spend $445($375+$70shipping) for a bike with 27" wheels and 126mm spacing when most stuff nowadays is 700c with 130-135mm spacing. It's not clear to me that those brakes can be adjusted to fit 700c. I've put 700x35mm wheels on long reach centerpulls that originally went on a bike with 27"x 1/4" tires and the handling was about the same. The other issue is whether you want a bike without a warranty.
It's a nice bike, a modern frame will be stiffer and better able to carry large amounts of weight but that would be a nice riding bike.

It looks like it would be a good learning experience.

I think of old bikes like that as something someone with more than one bike buys because they want THAT bike. If it was me and my budget was $500 come hell or high water I'd want to ride the bike, pick it up, see if the headset was good or notched, how true the wheels really are. Drop the chain off and see if the crank turns easily or is notched feeling or loose. If it can ride in a straight line without pulling to one side. If the bearings run smoothly. Stuff you take for granted with a new bike.

PStephens

I've read articles of guys that have done this stuff with the cheapest of bikes and either made their stuff, sold stuff from thrift stores and used the money to buy stuff, or they just found what they needed at a thrift store. I'm not looking to race to Kansas. If my butt hurts, then my butt hurts. I'm really just looking to get from point A to point B. I'd probably walk if I thought I could afford to sustain myself for that amount of time. Heck, all of this stuff could get stolen. I remember once in a documentary a guy saying how the adventure starts when everything screws up.

So I don't think I can afford ideal. I just want to know what will work. Also I don't really weigh too much (I think I'm just above an underweight BMI) and I don't imagine I'd be carrying that much weight. I think the most weight would be the bivy tent and sleeping bag.

LeeG

right, those guys knew what they were doing. So will you after a year of riding/fixing. Ideal includes what you can afford. $1500 isn't ideal, sounds like $500 or less is. What is ideal is a good posture and a butt and body that aren't killing you and you are taking care of it.

Your $450 budget is bottom end good enough quality new stuff. The real value you're getting is the shop ensuring it's right out the door, education and follow up service. Once you take your really nice $445 28yr old Trek 520 into the shop for BASIC tuneup servicing it's going to be a $500 28yr old bike. If the headset is notched and needs replacing or the stem is just a bit too long and you want to replace it your $445 28 yr old Trek 520 is a $600 bike. That's what I mean when someone thinks of getting a bike like that ebay Trek 520, it's because they want THAT bike.

Ideal would be if that 28yr old Trek was in your town and you could ride it and give it a look over. If you pick up a bike by the top tube so the front wheel is barely off the ground so the front wheel can swing slightly from left to right and you don't see the wheel/handlebar center itself into a notch you've got an undamaged headset. If you lock the front brake and rock the bike back and forth and feel a knocking sound you know the headset is loose and needs tightening. If in tightening you discover it's notched you've got a bike that won't ride hands off well.
That Trek is better than 80% of the bikes I saw while touring in '84 and probably half of the bikes I saw in the shop and on the road had some damage I couldn't tolerate as a mechanic/rider but they didn't know the difference.

Yeah, I'd want to know what works too. If you know what works you can ask, if you don't you won't and it may not matter. Ask the seller about the headset, does it turn smoothly without notching. Do the chainrings/crank run true or does it rub the front derailleur with each rotation.

btw, I understand your trepidation going into a shop with a low ball budget when the ideal bike they sell is $1000+. Where your goal is a trip, not necessarily a bike whereas the folks working there are about The Bike. That's ok, if you find a helpful person they know you'll come back to get a tire,tube,patchkit,floor pump,frame pump,racks, etc. More importantly though it's what they're there for, they want you to get the ideal bike, even if it's $450. Just be straight up, if you aren't planning on buying for a few weeks, say that, if you can't afford more than $500 say that, if you want to set the bike up for touring say that. Just be reasonable and don't expect undivided attention with open ended questions on a busy day. Pick a time when they aren't busy and be clear about what you're doing as you are here. That experience will get you closer to ideal with a $500 budget than picking stuff out of ebay.

PStephens

Before your post on what questions to ask, I asked his opinion on using the bike for loaded touring and he said,

"I used to carry groceries of up to 100 lbs with a BOB trailer and a rear rack once a week for a year. It seems to ride better with more weight! You might wish to get wider tires and wheels for the bike if you wish to go for a long distance; lower pressure would make the ride more comfortable. I have a front and rear rack that you could use for this bike as well as beefier wheels that you could also use for touring. One of the wheels, however, has been disassembled and you would have to rebuild it again. Is this within your abilities?

As for gearing, even without the "megarange" freewheel, it takes hills like a champ with a 26/38/48 in the front and 28/14 in the rear.

About the BOB trailer, I still have the quick release for it."

Niles H.

Sounds okay.

If you have the inclination, learning enough about bike maintenance snd repair isn't all that hard. Online resources are there (the bicycle tutor videos at youtube.com cover many of the basics; Park Tools has excellent tutorials; Sheldon Brown is great). The tools are basic, and they are good to have. You'll want to take some along anyway.

The lowest gear he mentions (26-tooth on the chainring, 28-tooth on the rear cog) is not that low. It's okay, but many touring cyclists like having something lower. No big deal, and not that hard to change.

The extra wheels are a plus, if priced right.

What are the other extras he mentions in the ebay description?

The racks, if decent, are a definite plus.

This looks like a viable option for you.

(That said, there are other viable options. Have you looked at the Nashbar touring frame? If building up a bike from scratch inspires you, it might be worth consídering. There are some good posts on multiple threads about the Nashbar build.)

There are multiple viable options, rather than one single right answer.

I would also ask why he's selling it.

There are some good posts about the Windsor on this forum and elsewhere. This is one good thread,