Bike advice please
04-27-05, 10:27 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Scandinavia
Posts: 141
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Bike advice please
Planning a long tour (3000 miles) of US west.
Plan is to tour lightweight, just 2 panniers + light tent and a small handlebar bag. Perhaps 20-25 pounds + water (want to do highway 50 in Nevada so need to carry lots of water at times)
Looking at the Cannondale SR500, since this is a bike I can also use as a race bike
after my trip (can't afford both "real" tour bike and road bike so looking for something in between).
Comes with 700 x 25c kevlar tires. Are these OK? Can I smack on some bigger tires?
Also gives a somewhat more upright riding position than normal roadbikes.
Would this be a good choice? Anyone tour on these Sport Road models?
https://www.cannondale.com/bikes/04/ce/model-4RR5Y.html
Plan is to tour lightweight, just 2 panniers + light tent and a small handlebar bag. Perhaps 20-25 pounds + water (want to do highway 50 in Nevada so need to carry lots of water at times)
Looking at the Cannondale SR500, since this is a bike I can also use as a race bike
after my trip (can't afford both "real" tour bike and road bike so looking for something in between).
Comes with 700 x 25c kevlar tires. Are these OK? Can I smack on some bigger tires?
Also gives a somewhat more upright riding position than normal roadbikes.
Would this be a good choice? Anyone tour on these Sport Road models?
https://www.cannondale.com/bikes/04/ce/model-4RR5Y.html
04-28-05, 12:45 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Juneau, AK
Posts: 201
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I have no experience with the bike you mention.
Try it. If it works, great. If it doesn't work out, you'll have learned something, and still have a bike that might work for racing. Since there is no room for rear fenders (fronts I can't tell), know that riding in the rain will have the rear tire throwing water at you all the time. It might not rain. You might not ride if it's wet. Or, you might not get as hot and sweaty as I would in a full rain suit.
The bike I toured on, for three decades (a Peugeot UO-8), was what one might call a "sports-tourer." Neither a racing bike nor a true touring bike, it worked better as a touring bike than a racing bike. It had room for fenders and eyelets for racks.
I've never toured on anything narrower than 27x1.25" or 700cx32s, but that's not to say 25mm tires won't work. That seems a bit narrow for touring, to me, though.
Also, the lowest gear seems a bit high for touring if there are any mountains on the route. A 27" gear is a reasonable low for mountain road riding. Some people like even lower gears.
I have to admit I've never seen a bike sized "S, M, L, XL." Kind of like a cycling jersey. Will you get to test ride one, or at least stand over the bike to check the frame sizing youself?
Some thoughts, anyway.
Try it. If it works, great. If it doesn't work out, you'll have learned something, and still have a bike that might work for racing. Since there is no room for rear fenders (fronts I can't tell), know that riding in the rain will have the rear tire throwing water at you all the time. It might not rain. You might not ride if it's wet. Or, you might not get as hot and sweaty as I would in a full rain suit.
The bike I toured on, for three decades (a Peugeot UO-8), was what one might call a "sports-tourer." Neither a racing bike nor a true touring bike, it worked better as a touring bike than a racing bike. It had room for fenders and eyelets for racks.
I've never toured on anything narrower than 27x1.25" or 700cx32s, but that's not to say 25mm tires won't work. That seems a bit narrow for touring, to me, though.
Also, the lowest gear seems a bit high for touring if there are any mountains on the route. A 27" gear is a reasonable low for mountain road riding. Some people like even lower gears.
I have to admit I've never seen a bike sized "S, M, L, XL." Kind of like a cycling jersey. Will you get to test ride one, or at least stand over the bike to check the frame sizing youself?
Some thoughts, anyway.
04-28-05, 03:52 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: England
Posts: 12,948
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 19 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
7 Posts
Look for a frame which can take longer drop caliper brakes. This will give you options for wider tyres and fenders and also give you some wiggle room if you bend a rim. You can't just swap the brakes, you need a frame with more clearance as well.
You dont need to go all the way to an expedition tourer with cantelever brakes, calipers are fine if they have enough room.
You dont need to go all the way to an expedition tourer with cantelever brakes, calipers are fine if they have enough room.
