corkscrew

Hi all,

I'm looking for a quality touring bicycle. This will be used for both commuting and eventually a Highway 101 bicycle tour I'm planning. I'm debating buying a frame and assembling everything myself (haven't done that yet, but want to learn) vs buying an older bike, vs buying a new bike.

I'm in love with the Surly LHT, as I'm sure everyone else is. How are the typical components if buying it pre-built?

Is there any love for the Nashbar Aluminum Touring Frame? https://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/st...0052_173291_-1

Any one here ride Pake C-Mute? https://www.pakebikes.com/pakemute.html

What would be a good older frame to keep an eye out for?

Thanks!

SweetLou

I'm not in love with the LHT. Just the opposite, I don't care for it.

If you are on a budget, then a complete bike will be much cheaper. I don't have an opinion about the components on a complete bike, because there are so many bikes, some have good components, some don't. You need to be a little more precise.

corkscrew

I was thinking a complete bike might be cheaper - if only due to me not wanting to hand pick the best components one by one.

I'm going to go test ride a LHT this weekend, that will give me a better idea if its worth the $$.

Now to just save up my pennies....stupid unemployment.

Jtgyk

I bought a slightly used nashbar touring frame with fork for $150

By the time I got it built up I was close to the price of a LHT or Ranonnee (REI), and have a bike with a good deal of used parts rather than all new.

I do like the frame and the fact that I don't have to worry about heelstrike anymore.
I also like the fact that I know about my bike from the ground up, and have gained knowledge and experience by building it up myself.

Would I build one up again?...Probably not. I'd save myself some time (if not money) and bite the bullet to buy one new (that way all your parts are new and/or warrantied).

You can get a fairly decent beginner touring rig new from bikesdirect.com. for about $600



I'm sure there are some other bikes from othe companies in the same price range.

Don't discount getting an old (non-suspension) mountain bike and rig it for adventure touring. (probably your cheapest option.

Booger1

If I was going to build a budget touring bike,I would start with an old mountain bike.They make fine touring bikes.

corkscrew

I already have a hardtail Cannondale MTB that I have a rack and 26x1.5" tires on. However I'd like a lighter steel (as opposed to the aluminum) frame that can take 700c tires. My Cannondale is just a pig with a rack and bags on it. I'd prefer to get an actual touring frame and set the Cannondale back up for dirt trails.

bikebuddha 

If your looking for a real budget bike, find a late 80s early 90s rigid MTB frame and use that. You should be able to get one for less than $50.

nun

I like the idea of buying the frame and parts from Nashbar. They have some good deals and if you came up with a big list I'd call and ask for a big discount too. I seeing a post by someone who did exactly that.

mrhedges

are you planning to do loaded touring? perhaps you could find an older road bike that would work. touring bikes were popular in the 80s. all the major japanese bike makers made several diffrent models of touring bikes. there are still some of those bikes around, sometimes REI branded Novarra touring bikes come up pretty cheap, my friend got one for $150 in perfect condition, it was from the early 90s. Those REI bikes are good but don't have the resale value of the old treks.

I

Nigeyy

A word of caution when thinking of buying a frame and building it up -very, very rarely does it turn out to be a cheap thing (have you got all the tools? You'll need to pay someone or buy them yourself). You'll probably spend close to the cost of an LHT all things said and done. Usually you are better off just buying a new bike.

The old '90's mtb route? It can work out if you can use plenty of the parts (e.g. there are really good deals out there with good drivechains with low miles on. Slap on a new stem, trekking bars, bar tape, touring tyres and inner tubes and a rack and you could have a tourer pretty cheaply). Personally I'd have no problems with a good quality 7 speed drivechain. But if you have to add a lot of stuff, it's just about like building from a frame up -it can turn expensive, fast!

On the positive side, building a frame can teach you a lot of stuff, and you'll really know your bike. You'll also have the opportunity to really spec it the way you want.

For full disclosure, I've built both of my touring bikes from the frame up (one a purpose touring frame, another a $4 90's mtb frame from a junkyard that still turned out about $500-$600 all said and done with a new 9 speed drivechain), and I really enjoyed it. But it's certainly not cost effective.

BigBlueToe

I built my LHT up from a frame. I bought it right before the complete bikes came out. I used a mixture of nearly-new parts from Ebay (a few) and new. I didn't want to compromise by buying less than excellent stuff. I built the wheels myself. In the end I spent quite a bit more than I would have if I'd bought the complete. Some of my parts are better, but mostly they're about the same. I learned a ton in the process, but also made a few mistakes that caused inconveniences. I had fun. I'm glad I did it, but if I were in the same position today I'd buy the complete.

The Smokester

Like BigBlueToe I also built up my LHT from the frame. I got exactly what I wanted but the cost was about $1800 (compared to $1000 for the complete)...I did not bother to shop around for the components. It is not a "better" bike than the complete but the handlebars, saddle, gears, gearing and fenders are the bee's knees for me and it was a great learning experience. I have now built three other bikes (some for others) including building the wheels. So, I would say "go for it".

If you want my build list please let me know.

onnestabe

If you want to go the route of modifying/restoring an older bike, here's a thread from the classic and vintage forum that gives a list and discussion of suitable vintage touring bikes.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/404119-vintage-touring-bikes.html

cyccommute 

There are a few routes you can go but I doubt any of them will save you much money in the long run.

As Nigeyy has already pointed out, building from a bare frame isn't cheap, especially if you haven't done it before. There are lots of tools that you may need. There are homebrew ways to make do but there are other tools you just can't get around using the tool for the job...not if you want something functional at the end of the day. That adds to the cost of the build. If you've never done this before, it's possible to make a major screw up that ends up costing you much more then you saved. Cross thread a bottom bracket or get the headset in crooked and you're looking at a new frame...not cheap

You can go with an old bike and rehab it. But that is almost worse than starting from a bare frame. You have a bike, it seems functional (and may even be functional) but it has warts. You start fixing those warts - 27" wheels, old brakes, friction shifters, freewheels, etc - and the costs add up even faster. And, because it's an old bike, finding parts to fit can be headachy. Retrofitting an old mountain bike falls into the same category. You have to figure out what can work with the bike and what can't.

There's always the used 'modern touring bike' route but touring bikes have never had that much of the market share so finding them can be difficult. Used also means that you don't know the history of the bike. Plus you've got to find one in your size. Unless you are fairly experienced in bicycles, you might not know where to look for damages that could cause you problems down the road. And the bike doesn't come with a warranty. You break it and you're back to looking for a new frame.

This is not saying that building your own or retrofitting something is wrong or impossible or even undesirable. However do go into the endeavor with your eyes open and with the realization that it's not cheap nor is it necessarily easy. If you want to be on the road tomorrow, buy new. If you want to do it on a budget, buy new. If you want something that lasts, probably buy new. If you want to tinker with something...constantly...build your own. Or upgrade the crap out of a new one You can drop a bucket load of money in a bike that way too

Thulsadoom

+1

That's a great deal on a very good bike.

staehpj1

We rode three Windsors coast to coast on the Trans America. I was very happy with them after we replaced the cranks to get lower gearing ($80 for a Sugino XD600)

Check out our journal for more details:
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/staehling2007

juggleaddict

I had read part of your journal previously : ) nice to meet you in . . text?

paxtonm

Hi,

Since you mention budget considerations and unemployment, I might have a suggestion. Get a bargain built-up tourer, like the Windsor, and ride it for a while. Find out what drives you crazy, and swap out what doesn't work after some careful shopping. Talk to others who do the kind of riding you want to do and take their opinions with a measure of salt.

One thing: I'm a competent mechanic, and I've found most bicycles built at the factory to be badly assembled. I'm not talking about a local bike shop or a touring specialist that you have a relationship with, but factory built frames. You might consider taking a prebuilt bike, going through the bottom bracket, headset and hubs, checking the wheels for tension and roundness, giving the brakes and shifters a good workout and then you'll practically have assembled the bike. Oh: if you do go factory assembled, don't assume that the seatpost has been adequately greased, that the cranks are torqued to spec, that the stem won't slip. Just saying from experience.

It's [I][B]fun[B][I] messing with bikes, so go for it. Next week I'm building up a new one, but my circumstances (barely) permit me to put one together to my spec. I'm looking forward to it, to say the least.

Mark

dcbikeguy

I noticed there is a link to this same story on the bikesdirect.com website, specifically towards the bottom of the Windsor page:

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/tourist.htm

Is this with your permission? Do you have any sort of a relationship with those guys? Just curious...I did enjoy reading your journal.

Meek

I regret selling my Bridgestones: MB-1 and MB-0(Zip)...