help with choosing the bike
 

Hi guys im writing you because i been waiting for a lot of years to be able to buy my touring stuffs (there are non in my country) so now it came to this, im debating between a Marinoni Extreme Pro vs a Rocky Mountain Sherpa 30. Both looks really cool but the frames are made in different parts, the marinoni is made in Italy and the Sherpa in Cambodia so idk, besides taht the amrinoni comes with better gear and disc brakes (something that i really love) and the rocky comes with v-brakes. The bieks are here:

http://www.bikes.com/main+en+01_102+...ATID=26&Y=2013
http://www.marinoni.qc.ca/Html/TurismoExtreme.html

The difference in prize is 700 CAD but its because of the better gear in the Marinoni. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP GUYS. By the way im thinking in go from Alaska to Argentina.

Francisco.

Touring is an activity , not a thing.. if you can stand to ride it for weeks and carry stuff

like a sleeping bag, and tent and not ride in a loop from your front door .. ...its touring.. dont over think this.

Francisco, Welcome to the forum.

With S. American intentions you'll likely be advised to use a bike equipped with 26" wheels. Either bike you listed will work fine, but there are additional expenses involved with bicycle touring, in particular for the novice tourer. If you've limited your choice to either of the two listed, choose the less expensive.

Brad

Francisco: sounds like a great trip. I'm not sure if I'd get either bike for a trip like that. In theory, disc brakes are the better choice but cantis but discs may not be as easy to service. I'd get something a bit overbuilt that takes 26 inch wheels (tire availability is going to be an issue) and which has very forgiving gearing. I can't tell what kind of crank these bikes some with but I'd want a steel 24 or 22 tooth inner ring. I'd get bar ends rather than brifters (if you drop the bike and mess up the shifters you are out of luck but the bar ends should be fine). I'd also keep it as simple as possible in terms of parts.

Where are you located when it comes to buying bikes? How much are you willing to spend? If you are in North America, the Surly Long Haul Trucker is well regarded, comes in a 26 inch wheel version, and has a sensible parts selection. There are bikes out there designed for touring off road that would work well for you; I'd take a long look at the Salsa Vaya for that reason.

HI guys, thank you for your answers, isnt that im a novice, i been doing it in my country for a while but i was using a mountain bike so that is why im a little bit confused. Im i Canada right now and my shop carry the Surly Long Haul Trucker, Kona Sutra adn the marinoni Turismo. On the other hand do you think that the place where the bike is made is something to think about or nowadays the quality is good wherever the bike was made.

Thank you!

I know if I were doing this trip, I'd focus on a bike that is suitable for offroad as well as road touring, that has 26 inch wheels, and which has a parts mix that is easy to fix and replace in the middle of nowhere. This is may be out of your price range but the bruce gordon rock n'road tour ex will give you some good ideas of what to look for in a bike: http://www.bgcycles.com/rocknroad.html

The large majority of bicycle frames and forks are now made around the Pacific Rim and quality seems pretty good.

Brad

I'll make it easy for you - get the Surly LHT - excellent design and good value. It's made in Taiwan by Maxway, who makes many fine (Rivendell!) bike frames. If you want discs brakes get the Disc Trucker - exactly the same as LHT but disc instead of rim brakes. Both the LHT and DT are made with long (46cm) chainstays so your heels don't strike panniers as you pedal. Many so-called "touring" bikes skimp on this important detail to save $5 in manufacturing cost. The LHT/DT top tube is larger diameter and thicker-walled than many competitors, which translates to improved load handling and riding stability. Most every detail on the LHT/DT is well though out and implemented. If you are looking at complete Surly bikes, know that the components are well chosen for performance and value.

If you can build your own bike you might prefer to customize componentry, maybe even saving money over the complete bike (although hasty first-timers often end up spending more). MTB fans often choose the DIY route to build LHTs with flat bar/mtb components instead of the traditional drop handlebar. Framesets are as low as $399 shipped in the USA.

I own a LHT and a DT. The brakes on the DT are better (better modulation/control, more power, and they work in the rain), but this comes at a cost of increased weight. A DT weighs 2.0-2.5 pounds more than a same size, identically-equipped LHT due to heavier frame/fork brake mounts and the extra weight of disc calipers/rotors and longer cable/housing runs. Cantilever aficionados will correctly warn that disc brake rotors are prone to bending from improper handling/transport/maintenance. However, rotors can be easily unbent and trued in the field with only a small adjustable wrench, good lighting and some patience for the repair.

If you prefer mtb-style flat bars over drop bars, then an excellent brake compromise is V brakes on a LHT. Vee brakes usually offer better braking than cantis without the weight penalty of discs. Vs can also be fit to drop bars but either special levers or cable-pull adapters are required for compatibility.

Like others, I also recommend a 26" wheeled bike if you plan to tour outside North America, due to the relative scarcity of 700c wheel/rims/tires/tubes in other parts of the world. 26" wheels are easier to fit to smaller frame sizes without compromising geometry or toe-fender clearance. Surly LHT/DT are offered in 26" versions for all sizes.

Thank you for your awesome explanation, i was actually thinking in buy a surly disc trcuker, and also customize a little bit the components. Again THank you very much!!!

where are you in Canada? If in Montreal, theres a good store that stocks Surly LHTs, as well as the Troll- a neat bike with 26in wheels that would be a great tourer for rough stuff as well and is in the same price range of the LHT.

Yeah i will get it at bowcycle