What bike for NZ tour?

calblam
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What bike for NZ tour?

Postby calblam » Thu Nov 12, 2015 3:45 pm

I'm close to getting a bike for NZ in summer! Loaded touring (about 15-20 kgs Max).

I'm really interested in the Fuji touring bike, would fit it with fattest possible tyre (38).

Just wondering, should I really be going for more adventure bike? I'm not a mtb rider or planning on that. I imagine I will want to get along unsealed roads eg to beach camping hideaways , but nothing intentionally "offroad". Also of course roads and trails to coastal villages and festivals. South island.

I think the Fuji would cut it nicely for my first touring bike. Attracted to the wide gear range sadly missing from eg AWOL. And familiar with roadbikes. I'm really aware of the different bikes available, just wondering if there's any reasons anyone can suggest to think more to adventure bike in terms of accesibility.

calblam
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Re: What bike for NZ tour?

Postby calblam » Thu Nov 12, 2015 4:31 pm

I'm looking at some of the brevet ride pics from the link in an earlier post here

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page ... 57796&v=3E" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and based on my hikes last summer, would expect to be cycling a bit of unsealed, gravelly road like in some of these pics. Not being a bicycle tourer, its a bit hard to know. I would like the sealed hills to be easy enough but also to access gravel when I want to.

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RonK
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Re: What bike for NZ tour?

Postby RonK » Thu Nov 12, 2015 6:54 pm

Wide gear range? :lol:

It would depend somewhat on your age and fitness, but the 26t gearing of Fuji Touring would not be low enough for NZ, particulary if you are going backroads. I'm using a 22x34t chainring/sprocket combination for low gear, and still find myself walking at times. Otherwise the Fuji will be fine if you stick to sealed roads, but will handle gravel surfaces reasonably well.

I rode several stages of the Great Southern Brevet course a few years ago, on 32mm Schwalbe Marathon Supremes - a smooth shallow-treaded tyre designed for low rolling resistance on sealed roads. Taking that into consideration they handled the gravel surprisingly well, but did demand a lot of concentration to pick the best line and avoid the gravel drifts to remain upright. However I was very taken with this type of riding and will be going back to ride the entire GSB course, or at least as much as is normally open to the public. But I'll be doing it at touring pace, and will probably take a month.

For that ride I'm building A Salsa Fargo for me..., and will fettle it with 42mm gravel tyres. I'm also going to reduce my load to fit into bikepacking bags. I will ditch the triple chainset and go 2x10 with a 36/22 chainset and an 11-36 cassette.

Hakataramea Pass, on the way to Tekapo
Image


These are the kinds of surfaces you will encounter.

Naseby to Kurow via Danseys Pass.
Image

Queenstown to Mavora Lakes via the Von Road
Image

Queenstown to Mavora Lakes via the Von Road
Image

You can read more about it on my Gone Fishin' tour journal.
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...

BenGr
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Re: What bike for NZ tour?

Postby BenGr » Thu Nov 12, 2015 8:21 pm

Just like RonK, if I headed back I would go more mountain bike, and lighter. Can't say if this is necessarily the best way to see the country, as unless you cherry pick your locations you'll be spending the vast majority of time on sealed roads.

Fattest slick tyre you can fit would be my suggestion.

I got by with 34/36 low gear, but wouldn't recommend it (you'll be climbing 10%+ grades regularly)

To add to RonK

Alps to Ocean
Image

More Von Rd
Image

Rainbow Rd
Image

More at http://ausriderabroad.blogspot.com.au/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (sorry about the terrible autocorrect)

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outnabike
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Re: What bike for NZ tour?

Postby outnabike » Fri Nov 13, 2015 1:39 am

Great pics Ron. :)
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polishbiker
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Re: What bike for NZ tour?

Postby polishbiker » Fri Nov 13, 2015 4:54 pm

BenGr, do you have your complete route mapped somewhere?
I am flying to NZ in december and cycling 2 islands, interested to see your ideas.

ta

BenGr
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Re: What bike for NZ tour?

Postby BenGr » Sat Nov 14, 2015 10:40 am

polishbiker wrote:BenGr, do you have your complete route mapped somewhere?
I am flying to NZ in december and cycling 2 islands, interested to see your ideas.

ta
I'll take a photo of the maps I made. This was a bit over 3 months travel, just under 7000km cycled.

Image
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/conte ... 3Zjp4/file" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Image
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/conte ... vxDz5/file" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

calblam
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Re: What bike for NZ tour?

Postby calblam » Sat Nov 14, 2015 7:23 pm

Great food for thought here. I'm pretty into wanting steel. Rode the Fuji and it feels like being atop a big bike. Not quite how I will want to feel.
Looking to the AWOL as a more comfortable setup and put an some wide tyres,, and improving the gear range.
Wondering if i can just put a Deore crankset onto the existing sora 3x 9?

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RonK
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What bike for NZ tour?

Postby RonK » Sat Nov 14, 2015 9:14 pm

Can't see much problem with the Awol gearing. Don't assume that 1x11 is not adequate for loaded touring.
The main concern with the Awol spec is that low gear isn't quite low enough, but a smaller chainring would quickly fix that.
Keep in mind that with a touring load your average speed is going to be under 20kph so big gears are superfluous.
The 2x10 setup that I'm going to use on my Fargo has a slightly wider range, but I'm using that to achieve a lower low gear, not a higher high.
Even so, top gear is good for 40kph at 90rpm cadence, but I'll need to be riding down a mineshaft to reach it.
But why take such a narrow view of what is available? There are many offerings from Salsa, Soma, and Surly that would be as good or better choices than the Awol.
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...

polishbiker
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Re: What bike for NZ tour?

Postby polishbiker » Sun Nov 15, 2015 2:54 pm

BenGr wrote:
polishbiker wrote:BenGr, do you have your complete route mapped somewhere?
I am flying to NZ in december and cycling 2 islands, interested to see your ideas.

ta
I'll take a photo of the maps I made. This was a bit over 3 months travel, just under 7000km cycled.

Image
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/conte ... 3Zjp4/file" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Image
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/conte ... vxDz5/file" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Can you try again?
I get an error when clicking on the above links:

Error (404)
We can't find the page you're looking for. Check out our Help Center and forums for help, or head back to home.

BenGr
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Re: What bike for NZ tour?

Postby BenGr » Sun Nov 15, 2015 5:32 pm

strange, must have been coz i was logged in.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8m1ifyd5zkkcx ... 4.JPG?dl=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.dropbox.com/s/oxxtv0q6sglt3 ... 3.JPG?dl=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Should work now.

polishbiker
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Re: What bike for NZ tour?

Postby polishbiker » Sun Nov 15, 2015 11:06 pm

worked.
thanks

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outnabike
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Re: What bike for NZ tour?

Postby outnabike » Mon Nov 16, 2015 4:08 pm

BenGr wrote:strange, must have been coz i was logged in.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8m1ifyd5zkkcx ... 4.JPG?dl=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.dropbox.com/s/oxxtv0q6sglt3 ... 3.JPG?dl=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Should work now.
Hi BenGr,
All I get is that I have to open an account with Dropbox.
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BenGr
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Re: What bike for NZ tour?

Postby BenGr » Mon Nov 16, 2015 5:10 pm

outnabike wrote:
BenGr wrote:strange, must have been coz i was logged in.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8m1ifyd5zkkcx ... 4.JPG?dl=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.dropbox.com/s/oxxtv0q6sglt3 ... 3.JPG?dl=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Should work now.
Hi BenGr,
All I get is that I have to open an account with Dropbox.
Thats just a popup I believe, just click continue or close or something like that (not showing up for me anymore, and i'm not logged in)

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StevOz
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Re: What bike for NZ tour?

Postby StevOz » Mon Nov 16, 2015 5:47 pm

Well with a little bias I'd say my ride would go the distance and travel well. :)
StevOz wrote:After 6 years service, 3 sets of tyres, 2 front chain rings and 4 rear clusters I decided it was time to upgrade my old Giant Sedona CX 26 inch ride to new 28 inch ride, rather then spend the coin on another set of sprockets and tyres.

So after a bit of googling and seeing what was available here at the local bike shop I purchased a 2015 Fuji Traverse 1.3 disc, discounted to $800 end of financial year deal, great bang for buck.

I've been riding it everyday and liking it, a faster smoother ride then the old Sedona and a well worthwhile upgrade.

The seat had to go and I replaced it with a Acentia Pax Aura Comfort Saddle, much better. I also fitted a topeak 29er disc rack and MTX trunk bag DX, which is a much better option then a backpack and easily fits my daily needs and shopping.

So here it is...

Image

polishbiker
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Re: What bike for NZ tour?

Postby polishbiker » Thu Apr 07, 2016 9:43 am

just came back from a 15 weeks tour around north and south, was a beautiful country :)

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rifraf
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Re: What bike for NZ tour?

Postby rifraf » Sun Jun 12, 2016 2:07 pm

polishbiker wrote:just came back from a 15 weeks tour around north and south, was a beautiful country :)
G'day Polish,

Did you take the Nomad :?:

Did you blog your trip?
Surly Ogre, Extrawheel trailer.

polishbiker
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Re: What bike for NZ tour?

Postby polishbiker » Wed Jun 15, 2016 6:08 pm

Hey : )

i sure did, performed beautifully as always.
I dont have a blog, just facebook website for each trip:
https://www.facebook.com/PawelCyclingNewZealand/

see you out there! :)

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