Pulled in four directions for a touring bike
 

Help! So much to consider when buying a bike I want to have for the rest of my life. I have it narrowed down to these 4 bikes thus far:

#1
http://archive.fujibikes.com/archive...odname=Touring

I can get this bike for $1050 after taxes with an upgrade to Alex Adventurer 36 spoke eyeleted rims. The price is right and people seem to like their Fuji Touring bikes. Comes with a rear rack (not the best I'm thinking) and only 2 bottle mounts. Components not the best, but this bike is the cheapest option. Maybe higher end stuff isn't necessary for long-distance touring?

#2
http://surlybikes.com/bikes/disc_trucker

$1500, LHT with disc brakes. 'Nuff said.

#3
http://www.bikes.com/en/bikes/sherpa...dels/sherpa-30

$1500. Can probably negotiate a little with this bike, since they'll want to get it out of the shop soon. No disc brakes, but better steel (Reynolds 725) compared to my three other considerations (for the most part 520 quality as far as I know...), and people who own this bike LOVE it. Frame sizing is a little funny. I originally discounted the 53cm frame in the shop, only to see that's considered "Large" in their catalog (top tube length is about right for someone my size and the bike fit surprisingly well? I'm 5'10" with fairly typical measurements).

#4
http://www.mec.ca/product/5030-652/m...icycle-unisex/

$1350. Close to LHT geometry (longer chain stays than the Sherpa and Fuji if I'm not mistaken). Full Tiagra grouppo, including brifters, which makes me think this bike is good bang for buck.


I'm quite average in all dimensions, 5'10", 165 lbs, size 10 feet. I live in Canada. I'm a student, so bang for buck is an important consideration. I'm in pretty awesome cycling shape (getting very fast this year putting big miles in on my road bike), so I'm thinking the 30T granny gear on some of these bikes shouldn't be much of an issue? Some forums say smaller is necessary, but what kind of shape are the people who say this in? That being said, I want this to be a bike I'll have forever. Maybe in 15-20 years I won't have enormous thighs and calves anymore?

Discuss!!

More details:

I'm not a heavy guy, but I plan to ride multi-day (multi-week? month? one can dream!) unsupported. Which means the disc brakes are maybe more attractive to me (stopping power when the bike is heavy or wet, reduced rim wear)... +1 LHT disc. I also like the idea of brifters, since this will also be a bike I can scoot around town with when I need to carry things, and I like to ride quite aggressively. I can imagine this bike would also see some road-style (read: attack on every hill) riding... With the amount of riding I'm doing these days, perhaps even some cyclocross would happen when the season changes. +1 MEC National. I've heard the Tiagra brifters are actually quite robust as well (I've only ever used Dura Ace), but I can't imagine them being as easy to jerry-rig if they do fail on the road as bar-ends would be.

andrew.waye, I'm just a sucker for Rocky Mountain bikes, so that's my suggestion.

Brad

It's unlikely that this bike will be the one you'll have for the rest of your life. I'm not a fan of the 700c LHT handling, I had one and replaced it with a 26" wheel LHT. $.02 the 50tooth chainring cranksets with 11tooth cassette is a useless gear for touring but the low gears are all adequate for a strong rider. Likewise I've heard good things about the Sherpa. Your knowledge/skill in maintenance and the mechanic who assembled your bike will render material/performance differences between components somewhat irrelevant.

Any chance you can test ride these?

It sounds like you want a sport-tourer more than a heavy load carrier.

I can test-ride them all, except the LHT. That being said, I have pretty normal measurements, and I can't imagine any of these frame geometries to be uncomfortable. I'm quite comfortable with working on pretty much anything on a bike, and the mechanics/costumer support from the three shops these four bikes are at are great. The Fuji and Sherpa come with life-time tuning (including wheel truing) at Cycle Power, the LHT will be purchased from one of the best shops in Ottawa (Phat Moose) as far as costumer satisfaction goes, and I expect nothing less than the best from MEC's costumer service and product support.

Hold off deciding until you can test ride. The LHT is a stellar package for big loads and rear loads but it's not what I'd want for fast unloaded riding. The steering feels slow. With fenders the toe overlap with the front wheel was irritating.

The decision seems to be between disc brakes and drive trains. Drive trains can be changed to suit needs. Brake types not. Go with the LHT for cold, slushy Ottawa and rim preservation. LHT is a recognized premier touring bike, so little risk. Super easy to sell should you become dissatisfied with some aspect.

I'm hoping this bike will never see slushy! Or even salt, if I can help it. I have a bomb-proof SS for around town in the winter months. But yes, the LHT does seem to be the gold standard at the moment. If only the MEC National had brifters AND disc brakes... then this would be much easier. I get the feeling though that the LHT gets a premium price tag just for its name. The Sherpa uses better steel. The National uses a better grouppo. The Fuji is $500 cheaper...

I'd be happy being able to decisively decide on one of these bikes, but I'd also be happy if people can provide reasons to eliminate one of these bikes from the list as well, just to make the choice a three-way rather than a four-way tie!

If you're looking at the MEC national, why not consider the MEC Cote? cable-actuated disc brakes, Tiagra group, same price point. Braze-ons front and back for racks. 2 bottle cages, plus the one on the downtube (not sure why someone would use that one).

I'm very happy with it.

Why not the Cote? Alum frame, shorter chainstays. Disc brakes and A319 rims are nice though.

I have a LHT but it wouldn't call it good for zipping around town or attacking anything. I have different bikes for doing those things. It is good at carrying loads and riding in comfort all day long day after day.

If you want something that is going to be good for a little bit of everything why not something like a cross check?

have a look at cycles toussaint;they hav a very well spec'ced 650b bike complete with hammered fenders,frt n reat stainless rack,frame pump and bottle cages for i think 1600-1700......the company hq is in calgary and 2 guys who it are both avid cyclists

Touring is sitting in the saddle for hours a day turning the pedals , then getting up the next morning and doing it again ..

getting the fit sorted out is more important than what the brand of bike it is..

My vote would be for the LHT but I am very biased I have several bikes and if I could only keep one it would be the Trucker.

I bought a LHT from Phat Moose, and I'm very pleased, but I'm on the other end of the spectrum: a 60 year old "relaxed" rider. They did build it up for me to try, so I'm sure they'd do the same for you. Have you looked at Salsa Vaya at Phat Moose?

Tall Trees have LHTs too, I think. And Bertrand's did have a Trek 520. I tried it but the fit didn't seem to suit me as well as the LHT.

Really, I think they're all good: the Sherpa has the fanciest tubing, but the components seem a little under-specced, the MEC seems to have good specs at a good price.

I'm going for the MEC National... can anyone talk me out of it?

See if they can change the 30T chain ring to a 24T....Needed for big hills with a heavy load.

Spec says Tiagra 50-39-30T,

Yea +1 on the 24t.. as is the low is 1:1.. 30:30


its only got the 30t on there because that's how Shimano packages them, to factory sales ,
You Dont have to leave it like that on Your Bike.. change it.

Granny-gears half the size of the big ring are about right.


Cannot say if the STI stuff , the Brifters will work as well then,

My Touring bike with a 50,40,24 uses friction bar end shifting , it works fine.

but the, pragmatic, better bar end shifter from Shimano is 9 speed ,

the Touring advantage comes when it needs a friction backup for the RD not working right
in index mode.

but perhaps the folks in the MEC shop can make all those changes.. , It's doable..

Do any local shops carry Jamis, Salsa or Soma bikes? I personally prefer the geometries of the Jamis Aurora, Salsa Vaya and Soma Saga over the Surly LHT. Fit can be very personal, and the LHT might be perfect for you, but for me the top tubes are too long and head tubes too short. Prices are comparable for all of these models.

So do and neither would I.