antokelly

if theres such a person as a pro cycle tourist it has to be this guy.
so is he telling the truth about this bike or is he getting paid to say its the best touring bike

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uVz...y8pXEdJb9Vsx-g.

LeeG

I'm not going to diss his avocation, just don't see the need for 30gears and 10spd chains. I figure if the tires are holding air you're in the ball park.

BigAura

Co-Motion bikes are definitely quality, but he's probably getting the bike as a comp or some other support from the company. At least that's my guess.

I met a couple in Alaska doing a project called The Geography of Youth which included bicycle touring as a component. They raised money via Kickstarter and lotsa corporate sponsors. They were both riding comp'ed Waterford's.

Dahon.Steve

No question, Co-Motion makes a good product. What good is the best if you can't afford to buy one?

veganbikes

Everything I have seen from Co-Motion seems to be pretty legit. Plus I think the dude has ridden quite a bit and can give a good review of it. Granted he probably got a good deal or it was comp'ed and yes that gives you a bit of bias. However if the product is truly crap something would be said. If his bike failed there is no way he would want to still promote it because if you are in the middle of nowhere and your touring bike gives out you are not a happy camper.

After looking at many touring bikes I found that for a cheaper price and generally similar or in a few cases better components were to be found on the Surly Disc Trucker. In some of them I researched you were paying more for a handbuilt frame which is worth it if you can afford it but the LHT and DT are a good deal.

antokelly

i reckon he got the bike for nothing he's seems pretty good at that .mind you can't knock him for it if not why not.
but he's totally wrong in his review ,what he should have said imho, was this is the best touring bike i've blagged so far in years.

Cyclist0094

I have met many other tourists who have ridden much farther with much less. He was paid to promote the bike.

egear

Well the guy has to make a living some way. What caught my eye was the style of bike he was on. Not really a traditional touring bike more like a cross-over. Oh hey I have one of those an it's called a Fargo!!!! Anyway I must say it seemed to handle pretty well with all those bags on it. Seemed as though the bags were in excellent shape for all those miles. Maybe they came with the bike?

Tandem Tom

I am familiar with this guy. Apparently he does some type of web based business that allows him the freedom to travel.He web site is a great resource for reviews of equipment and tips.
He has personally answered some of my questions.

Cyclesafe

Look, Co-Motion markets itself to build perceived value to justify their high prices. This video is far too sophisticated to have been put together without a financial incentive. That's OK. It's no different than the promotional efforts of any other premium brand, from Mercedes to Pampers.

I rode an Americano 47,000 miles. I had no complaints about the bike, just as I would probably have had no complaints about a LHT or Fargo, either of which I would have bought had they been available in 2006 when I needed a touring bike to ride unsupported to Alaska.

If money is an issue, there are many cheaper perfectly-functional alternatives to Co-Motion (or Thorne, etc). Just like there are alternatives to Mercedes and Pampers.

bradtx

When there are two, or more, in diapers the alternatives to Pampers could be more important than alternatives to a Merc.

No doubt the video is an infomercial, wonderful advertising for a well regarded bicycle brand. No doubt that with funding anyone of us could proclaim our our brand of touring bike the best and be as truthful.

Brad

antokelly

ah its a nice bike though.im happy with my new Thorn audax which i just got an hour ago

RPK79

Seriously what is wrong with using the default font and size...

hueyhoolihan

no, there is no truth in the video. it's a prime example of advertising BS... almost a caricature, really.

seeker333

Notice the main character of the video is accompanied at times by one or two other bicycle tourists (one must be the camera man), and they both seem to be getting along without the benefit of a CoMo Pangea. I first thought the video was an ad for red Ortlieb panniers, rather than the Pangea bike.

The CoMo Pangea is very nice with some thoughtful features, but CoMo is one of the more expensive choices in a touring bike. A Thorn Nomad is probably it's equal at slightly lower cost, and if you want a Rohloff hub then the Nomad should be on your short shopping list.

The great majority of bicyclists can get by fine on a less expensive Surly LHT/DT with a derailleur drivetrain.

veganbikes

I am unsure as to what happened there I had intended on using a different font or size. I must apologize for that. I am new here and my account seems to keep logging out automatically while I write.

LeeG

Maybe someone here can answer a question wrt the big head tube, I've noticed significant difference between road tubing and larger diameter top and down tubes for load carrying, does the big head tube provide any advantage?

Booger1

Bigger is better.....Just look at the knobs on your new BBQ's......

And Air Jordan's are the best tennis shoes......Just ask mike!

Truth in the video?.....Yeah,Co-Motion makes nice bikes.

seeker333

Stiffness increases with the diameter of the tube. The once-standard 1 1/8" headtube (and 1" before it) have evolved to larger diameter, and in some cases conical, headtubes. This not only makes the HT stiffer, but allows for larger headset bearings (which in theory last longer and turn with lower friction), a larger diameter (stiffer) fork steerer tube, etc. Hidden/internal headsets are forced to use very small bearings in a std 1.125" HT, which wear out faster. I suspect the conical HTs in particular came about so that internal headsets with larger bottom bearings could be utilized - so in this case a seemingly weird frame design evolved to permit a hidden, long lasting headset.

In some cases frame-builders use a larger diameter HT to make it easier/prettier to join the downtube to the HT. A DT with same diameter as HT must be ovalized slightly at the HT end so that the weld joint will not go up the sides of the HT. This same DT is then ovalized slightly at the BB joint 90 degrees to the HT oval, so that the DT can be joined more cleanly to the BB shell. CoMo likely makes the Pangea HT this way for strength and appearance sake.

I owned a Taiwanese steel Yokota mtb in 1991 with a 1.25" diameter headtube. Oversized HT is not a new development in bike tech.

Chuckie J.

If I could afford one, I'd get a Co-Motion in a heart beat. Many years ago I bought a Seven as my off-road touring bike and it's something incredibly special. I don't regret it at all. It taught me what a great bike feels like.

A LHT or Volpe will work just as well and for the vast majority of people new to bikes they ride like an absolute dream. I've got lots of "ordinary" frames like these and they're great.

IMHO, everyone's right on this one!

fietsbob

maybe since Anto just got a new frameset from Thorn He is worrying about 'the Beat' claim

thinking he bought a notch down from "the best" ..


They will make changes If you want , as will Rod cycles and any of a number of Custom frame builders .

for the more budget conscious, Taiwan has decent tig welders too . just you take it as Is.

mobile_simon

I probably wouldn't feel any difference between it and my $300 frame, plus touring frames take a lot of abuse in their lifetime. If I ever hit the lottery I would still pick up a Pangea Rohloff in a heart beat though.

LuckySailor

The larger tubes are there because the thickness of the tubes has been reduced, and the CoMotions use 725 tubing as I recall to reduce weight. CoMotion makes a great bike but very expensive. You can build the same bike yourself and save quite a bit of money, but it takes a fair amount of time to get it all done. I'm not sure that I would want thinner tubes anyhow. They're just easier to ding and dent. My 2cents.

onbike 1939

Try ticking the "remember me" box as you log in.

enigmaT120

How much of the price difference between the Co Motions and, say, my Fargo, are due to wage differences, as the Co Motion is made in Eugene, OR? I would like a Rholoff Divide, or whatever they call it. Of course, a bunch of that price difference is the hub, which costs almost as much as my complete Fargo.