I might be too cheap
 

I am planning for a southbound solo tour along the whole Mississippi and need the cheapest (hopefully used) endurance/performance/touring bike.

Options such as specialized roboix, cervelo RS, canondale synapse... seem overwhelming and my main focus is low price. Within 700$

Advice or resources of any kind would be much appreciated.

thanks

-al

My friend has 66,000 miles on his.

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

Have a fun tour.

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...12_-1___202339

How much stuff are you carrying? The bikes you mention aren't touring bikes for carrying weight.

Al, I also suggest the Windsor from Bikes Direct. Some of the forum members have one and it seems all are pleased with a little personal attention to the wheels and perhaps a gearing change, both fairly common items for a touring bike.

Brad

To give advice one does need a bit more of a starting point.

I guess that your going to do the Mississippi River Trail? Its not necessary to know that, but just wondering.

When you say endurance/performance do you want to do high mileage days long days in the saddle? How much riding time do you have under your belt now? That's important. Planning long days/lots of miles without a base is possible, but can be really uncomfortable jumping in without experience. A touring bike like the Windsor Tourist will be a little more comfortable than a racing bike day after day for over two thousand miles, plus it is capable of carrying a load.
There are those who could tour on the bikes that you list, and ways of packing very minimal gear on a bike not designed for a load, but that can run into a fair amount of money for extra compact and lightweight gear.

Of the two bikes that Ten Wheels posted, the Windsor has slightly better gearing with a 32 cog in the rear, plus the price is better. If I was shopping for a new tourer to put that kind of miles on out of the box, the Windsor would be the one I would go with.

Either of those bikes will certainly do the job you're intending for them. Size as close as possible, then tweek to perfection. They'll tote a 40 lb gear load just fine, but less would be better. Balance the load with rear and front panniers if budget allows.

Give attention to the gear ratios. You may want lower than stock. Verify that the stock tires are high quality and puncture resistant. Manufacturers often skimp on tire quality.

I'm sure I'm not the only person who started touring on an old Schwinn Continental in the 70's with no money at all. I borrowed a friend's bike, rolled up some clothes in a sleeping bag and put it on the old book rack along with a tent, tied a gym bag between the brake hoods and threw some food and a cook pot in it, and took off for a couple of weeks. I liked it enough to eventually spend some money on the activity, but that's not needed to get going.

My current bike is a Novarra Randonee from the 1990's that cost $350 new (the previous year's model). Having spent four figures on a bike would not improve my enjoyment, and the extra work needed to pay for that bike would definitely decrease my enjoyment. This does not have to be expensive to be fun.

As LeeG asked it probably depends on what you will be carrying, but the bikes you mention are not generally thought of as touring bikes. I find that sporty roads bikes do just start to make sense when total gear load including bags is under 20 pounds or so.

For loaded touring the Windsor Tourist that was already mentioned can be had for in your price range. Three of us happily did the Trans America on them. Then my daughter and I did some additional tours on them until I got the ultralight bug.

When I got the ultralight bug, I rode a 1990 is Cannondale Crit bike on my next tour (San Diego to Pensacola). You can probably find plenty of similar bikes in your price range.

Follow the links in my sig line to read about those setups and my experiences with those tours and bikes. That includes a couple articles I wrote on frugal touring and ultralight touring.

That Windsor Tourist is a heck of a deal, with quality components.

I think someone on another thread said the Nashbar and Windsor Tourist are the same bike. BD owns Nashbar, according to the thread. The Nashbar Steel Touring has better components, but the frame appears to be the same.http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...g-bikes-(Sale)
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...of-these-bikes
and many more

I am pretty sure that is not true. Performance owns Nashbar and BD is a separate company as far as I know.

Staepj1, both of those Web pages are perfect for me and will chop Mt research time in half.thanks.

I plan on mostly camping along the waywith the lightest load possible, using a bivy and or my hammock.
I will do 70-80 mile days for nearly 3 weeks and bussing back up north.
i have no experience with real touring. Just daily commutes and 50 mile day trips now and then.
Windsor tourist looks great, I'd just like to find it used or less than 700.

Thanks all

Al, The Windsor is $600, but the sizes are limited this time of year. The least expensive venue into touring I can think of is buying a used fully rigid mountain bike, overhaul, road tires, racks and fitment items. There are several examples on this forum if you search.

Brad

If I were you I'd search craigslist for a used flat bar bike. You can probably find a good quality steel framed bike for under $200 and add what ever you like to it for a tour. Touring doesn't have to be expensive or require a nice shiny new road bike. My current ride I bought from a local bike shop that sells used / recycled / pre-loved bikes. I paid $200 for it and added about $250 more in better quality stuff to make it more comfortable for longer rides. Right now all I would have to do to it to turn it into a touring bike would be a set of fenders and a rear rack and I could take it out on the road.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps8c810c6f.jpg

I have vacation time coming up in August I might do an out and back trip to a state park.

Yup. Here you go. some good examples in here of older MTB's repurposed as tourers: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/828426-Show-Your-Vintage-MTB-Drop-Bar-Conversions


I have a converted '88 Trek 900 and though I have not toured on it yet, I like to call it my LHT: "Long Haul Trekker".

​

I dig the flexible improv ideas.
For a year and a half ive been riding and modifying an old raleigh marathon, currently stripped bone dry wity one speed, one break, and bullhorn bars.
Could this frame be a logical touring conversion?

I am glad they were helpful.

Here is a link to a couple that outfitted a couple of bikes for very little money. While the markets have changed some, many of the things they did are still viable today.

Good luck with your trip and let us know how you make out.

Aaron :)

I stand corrected

I just bought a BD Motobecane Gran Tourismo. It is a little more, but I am not an indexed shifting fan.

Excellent-let us know how things turn out with it.

Details are building-
Monday May 19th I depart mid/east MN!

Saving for the Windsor Tourist, as well as the REI bivvy, a stuff sack, and either a front rack, or banier for the back rack.

ONE CONCERN- 3 weeks southbound in the spring is sure to involve some rain. I can't tell if conditions will ever be below 70F, but must I bring a light rain shell, or any leg layers beyond 2 pr. shorts?

Also, any info on the MSPI river trail would be helpful.

Thanks everyone.

-al

A rain shell is worthwhile(as are fenders, and shoes and socks made out of something fast-drying), as is some lightweight warm gear-- the record low for May in Minneapolis is 18F, and the average low is 49F, so the first few nights have the potential to be cold. At least bring some poly long johns, and maybe a down shell to wear under your raincoat while camping. You'll also likely hit some summer thunderstorms.

Here's a $400 BD bike that'd be suitable, although not optimal, for touring:
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...liberty_cx.htm

"Also, any info on the MSPI river trail would be helpful."

First place to look is here: http://www.mississippirivertrail.org/ There is also a guidebook, Bicycling Guide to the Mississippi River Trail, available on Amazon among other places: http://www.amazon.com/Bicycling-Guid.../dp/0981895204

Finally I would check out www.crazyguyonabike.com for journals of people who have ridden the trail - just enter "Mississippi River Trail" in the search box. There are at least two people journaling their ride right now. Here is one of them: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?..._id=13091&v=DD

mike

Planning has begun! Depart MN monday may 19th.

3 concerns to address here:

Has anyone had a flat on the windsor tourist? Im saving for it. I will bring and my small pump.

Southbound for 3 weeks in the spring is sure to involve some rain, but i cant tell if temperature will drop below 70F. Will i need my light rain shell and any leg layers beyond 2pr. Of shorts?
Im packing ultralite and frugal..

Lastly, any information on theMSPI trail would be helpful.

Thanks everyone.

Al