langfordlewis

Dear Bike Forums

I am writing to you today in the hope that I may draw from your vast experience on the matter of purchasing a bicycle.

In short, I am in the market for a bicycle which will be capable of a fully laden tour, including camping gear, around europe for 6 months to a year maybe even longer.

I am considering these two:

Revolution Country Premier '14
Revolution Country Explorer '14

I wonder if anyone has any experience with them...? (am I correct in assuming they are pretty much the same bike with different handlebars?)

To give you some more detail... I am a novice, relishing the idea of throwing myself in the deep end of bicycle touring. For my benefit, I know I need something sturdy and reliable in order for it to take the strain and suffer as few hiccups as possible. I know that a Surly LHT would be my ideal but would be delighted with a Kona Sutra, Ridgeback Panorama and so on. I have spent the last few months scouring the internet for a good deal. Unfortunately, my mindset is my downfall. I actually won an auction for a Jamis Aurora 2012 in great nick for £209 (which I understand was a steal) but the seller reneged on the deal and I have smarted ever since. My brain is telling me I can find a bike worth £1200 for half the price. I have now grown frustrated with the search, hounded by my naivety and inexperience. An unreachable Fahrrad Manufaktur T-400 has just fallen from my grasp at £250. Therefore, to put my mind at ease at the cost of a couple of hundred pounds, I am slowly coming to terms with the idea of buying a bike brand new.

I have seen a raleigh sojourn for £690 brand new from spa cycles, which I am also considering if anyone has any experience with one?

ANY advice will be mucho appreciated. Models, shops, things to look for in components, things to avoid.

Thank you in advance for your time

Nick

10 Wheels

Solo tour of the US Southwest: Equipment List:

lescargo

I have a revolution country traveller 2013. Fitted with a front rack too. I do about 20 miles a day on it commuting. It was bought for a lejog which was aborted 24 hours befor set off. Seems a good bike. Ive no problems with it.

,

djb

Looking at the specs of these bikes, they both seem to be perfectly good tourers, very good gearing, and both would be very suitable for what you'd like to do.
I'd post your query in UK based touring forums, simply to get better answers from people who will know the UK market better than most of us.
Cheers

onbike 1939

Revolution bikes offer fair quality and outstanding value and I know this as I've worked on a few, some friends in my cycling club have these and have a good opinion of them.

For someone starting out touring they are a good choice.

What I would do before using the bike is have the wheels re-tensioned and stressed by a competent wheel-builder. The weak link in any budget-priced bike is always the wheels and having them tweaked before using the bike can save many a problem.

bradtx

Nick, Welcome to the forum.

While I do like the Raleigh Sojourn, I feel that either Revolution is a good choice.

Brad

ironwood

Do you own a bike now? If so, it is might be suitable. I went around Europe on a bike that wasn't designed as a touring bike, and I met other tourists on average bikes. One Dutchman rode to North Cape on an old Dutch three speed.

fietsbob

Doesn't look so different from other brands .. Taiwan makes a Lot of brands ..

If the Shop in Edinburgh is careful, in their attention to details in the assembly and adjustments . that could make some difference..

no bike shops in Norwich?

MichaelW

Specialised Cycles , Connaught Road is a touring specialist.

Bicycle Links sometimes have good used bikes and help you build your own.
There is always the CTC.

bradtx

For a Texan, what's CTC?

Thanks,
Brad

MassiveD

The bars description is pretty funny, do they really believe the bars pictured are going to allow you to tuck down and get Aero? lol

More hand positions?

People like trekking bars, which is great, but that picture and the bar are a bit of a hoot.

chasm54

Cycling Touring Club. Maybe the longest-established cycling organisation in the UK. Good source of info and some services, insurance etc.

OP as you know, Revolution is the Edinburgh Bike co-op's in house brand. (And for Fletsbob's benefit, the Edinburgh Bike Co-op has branches all over the UK.) they are generally good bikes with an equipment specification that makes them highly competitive at their price point. And in my experience, the staff are well trained and provide a good standard of service - bikes are properly adjusted to start with, minor servicing and repairs dealt with efficiently, and so on. I'd be pretty confident they'd tension the wheels properly for you, ask to make sure.

I've never ridden these particular models but a friend of mine has the Explorer. It's a not especially light but very adequate tourer, you'd have to move up significantly in price to do much better.

bradtx

Thanks, chasm54.

Brad

djb

this was exactly my outsider take on it looking at the specs and looking at the 600 pound price. Im not familiar with the specific shimano shifters, and front/back derailleurs, but in general, all ranges of shimano equipment, if taken care of normally (cleaned, lubed) will work properly for years and years. Key is to not allow gunk to build up on your drivetrain overall, lightly lube derailleur pivot points etc etc.

the 32 spoke wheels might be an issue, having them properly tensioned is very important vis a vis having a life with a touring load on the bike. I have toured on 32 spokes, expertly tensioned, without issues, but then I am light (140lbs), have usually had not much more than 25lbs on the rear rack, and also am careful not to bash over potholes and such when loaded.

perhaps switching to a stronger rear wheel would be a possibility at time of purchase.

chasms comment on this bike being an adequate tourer for the price seems spot on, and would leave you funds for helping to purchase all the other stuff one needs for camping etc.

good luck with your decision on both bike and possible trip.