scootaloo

I've been wanting a dedicated touring bike. I currently ride a Cannondale hybrid which is fine for a commuter, but I wouldn't want to take any long trips with it. I really like an amount of uniqueness in my stuff, and I also love the Peugeot brand. So I thought, I might get a new Peugot touring bike. I'm pretty much settled on them as long as one of their offerings is actually a real touring bike, even if Trek or someone else has a better one.

Anyway, I was looking through Peugeot's website (I'm only interested in current models, no vintage touring types), and from my limited understanding of what a touring bike should look like, none of them seem to fit the bill to me. Even the ones listed under their "trekking" category don't seem to be right. I wondered if some of you could take a look at their offerings and tell me which of them, if any, might be suitable for touring:
Bikes range, innovative and designer two wheels models - Peugeot

Thanks!

veganbikes

The closet thing they seem to have is the CT 02 but it is aluminum and the racks look to be the same. I didn't know Peugot was still making bikes I haven't seen a new one in many many many many years.

Honestly I would go with a brand that makes touring bikes and is clearly making touring bikes. Surly LHT or DT, Trek 520, Fuji Touring, Co-Motion (they have a bunch)...If you want to be unique custom build the frame either yourself or through one of the hundreds of custom bike builders in the U.S. or probably thousands abroad. There are tons of people who understand steel and have built at least one touring bike and you can make it your own with the geometry that fits you and your riding style and have the mounts you want where you want them. Yes it can be costly but if being unique is a goal that is the best way to show it.

Brands who don't really do touring bikes and don't understand it are going to make poorer offerings that might get the job done but not as well. Plus anyone making a fully loaded tourer not with steel makes no sense. Steel is real, comfortable, durable, repairable. Even if I wasn't doing fully loaded or doing ultralight touring I would still go with steel, Columbus XCR or True Temper S3 or OX Platinum something in that lightweight steel realm. Carbon, aluminum, just doesn't have the same ride quality.

fietsbob

NB There are NO dealers in the US, or Canada , at all , ( I looked, at the website)

are you planning to buy in a Spanish speaking country in the southern hemisphere or travel to France , first?

scootaloo

I was going to buy it in France and bring it home with me to the US when I left.


@veganbikes, I thought about the lack of steel products, but I don't see it being a real dealbreaker for me. I'm still exploring the little details with touring bikes though.

fietsbob

what they call Trekking bikes, there, would be a Hybrid in US/CDN markets .

OR, Is a real touring bike is what you seek ?

wheelinthai

Have you ridden a titanium frame? May be I'm being critical, but Cannondale made aluminum framed tourers that were not giving an inch to the 520. Same for Blackburn aluminium racks. Their lightness is god bless when you ride up a steep incline. BTW, I ride a Bianchi Volpe as a light tourer, because it's my style, yet I don't look down on Merida CX riders with the aluminium frame steeds. Components can make a lot of difference, i.e.,wide tyres.

fietsbob

Not sold in US, but something you can do a piece by piece parts pick, and meet the built bike at one of their dealers in Europe

Including France and ride it around the world from there . https://www.koga-signature.com/en/Dealers


Koga Signature - Koga Signature... Custom Order Bicycles

Doug64

I almost agree with this statement. If you want a touring bike get one that will do the job--function over form.

However, I have a Cannondale T2, Bianchi Volpe and a LHT, all 58 cm frames I really don't find a lot of difference in rides between the Aluminum framed Cannondale and the steel bikes, except that it is more stable. I've ridden all three bikes on multi-month tours. Front end shimmy at high speeds while going downhill loaded with the Volpe and the LHT is an issue; never with the Cannondale. I like the Volpe the best because of its handling characteristics, but if I'm really loaded down, I'd take the Cannondale over the LHT. The ride is about the same, and it handles better. I don't think an Aluminum frame should be a deal breaker in most case. Not many of us will ever do tours where repairs in 3rd world countries will be an issue. If I did, I'd use steel.

I did see a contemporary Peugeot, and it seems to be built in the Europeon's concept of trekking/touring bikes. I'd also question if they are still built in France, or do they farm the fabrication out. Actually Peugeot's licence was bought out by Cycleurope.

Cycleurope refreshes traditional*brands*Gitane*&*Peugeot | Yannig Roth / marketing, design & other exciting subjects

If I was limited to just a Peugeot, I'd probably go with the CT 02. It will probably tour OK. Truthfully, I'm thankful there are other choices.

fietsbob

it's almost universal now , a brand is painted on the frame in a huge Chinese factory and shipped out to the distributor that ordered it
painted with their name on it .. in ROC or PRC

economy of scale and low overhead and the consumer wanting low cost and High spec. in bikes , has made that a world wide situation .

veganbikes

I have not. However I have heard from people it is a very soft more flexible ride and maybe not the best for touring. I do with to try one but as I haven't I didn't mention that frame material.

Components do make a huge difference but I think frame does have a lot to do with it. Plus steel racks can be light. Tubus stuff isn't too bad from what I have heard and the Blackburn racks my store carries for "touring" are clunky and have extra weight that doesn't need to be there and while the stainless steel rack they make is nice looking it is not great for mounting panniers and could have some weight reduction as well.

I think the 520 and the Fuji Touring are decent bikes but more at the lower end of touring bikes at least from what I have read and seen of them. They aren't bad bikes but like I feel about aluminum just aren't quite up to snuff. I ride both steel and aluminum regularly and my steel bike takes the bumps and abuses of the road more comfortably than my aluminum bike. If someone wishes to ride aluminum go ahead but I will tour steel till I die ; )

Doug64

You might want to check this out. The 520 costs $900 more than the Fuji (Windsor) and $200-$300 more than the stock LHT. I've only test ridden one, so I can't comment on ride. However, IMO the finish is better than the LHT, and the top tube is shorter than the long top tubes on the LHT. I'd love to find a 520 frame and build it up, but my wife would also want another bike, and we don't have room for 2 more bikes

wheelinthai

Thanks for your feed back. Not for praising aluminum frame. May be I should look at Cannondale, if I decide that I need a stiffer frame, for a more loaded tourer.

Doug64

Unfortunately, Cannondale quit making their bikes in the U.S. in 2010, the same year they built their last touring bike. They are darn nice bikes. We have a Cannondale T2, and a T800 in our family. My wife rode the T800 across the U.S.