Budget touring bike - advice?
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 7:26 pm
Hi,
I'm new around here as well as being pretty new to any kind of serious distance cycling, so any help/advice on what I'm trying to get together would be appreciated.
(PS. I have had a look around at other threads & am still working things out, so please excuse the rather long, rambling post)
---
I've been trying to put together a decent bike for going on trips for up to 7/10 days to do some photography - basically following wherever looks like a good place to shoot without going into heavy/rough trail territory. I also have had very little experience with decent road/hybrid bikes & none with touring - mountain bikes only, & a Giant Yukon Disc was the best - so this is what I've managed so far...
I almost managed to purchase a German built Guderit LC45 on eBay which looked to have absolutely everything I wanted but was outbid in the last 5 seconds - but it gave me an idea of what I needed (hadn't found this place yet & doubt most of it would of meant much before I started looking into things) - so after a lot of running around I purchased a 2008 Norco VFR3 Disc in great condition & am working on turning it into the bike I want.
I also have very little of a budget left (on sick benefits for the next 3 months), so I'm strictly looking for bargain basement items for the next few months.
The Norco bike itself is great - very happy with how it rides - but there are a few things I'm worried about or would like some advice on.
Some quick specs on it: 2008 VFR 3 Disc
Shimano Deore/R440 drivetrain ; Shimano M485 hydraulic disc brakes ; FSA Vero compact cranks ; Shimano M505 clipless pedals ; Hutchinson Urban Tour 32C tires with Protectair flat protection
http://m.norco.com/archives/2008/3/74/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It also has special mountings for the rear disc to allow for carrier install, along with a nice Ritchey Low Rizer handlebar & Ritchey seatpost.
---
QUESTIONS:
The rims are Alex Ace 19, 32 spokes with Hutchinson Urban Tour 32c tyres - & while they are pretty quick on the road they seem pretty thin to me (coming from a mountain bike) - how will they handle on a gravel/dirt road with up to 30kgs on the back?
http://www.everybicycletire.com/shoppin ... r-622.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It also has only 18 gears - they seem great in the few days I've had it but will it cover what I need on longer trips? The bike itself has an odd gear setup with Deore shifters & rear derailleur that can handle a triple crank, but the front crank & derailleur are a double. Shifts nicely so far but it could be changed to a full deore setup - am I likely to need to?
Another thing is the SPD pedals - seems like a great idea for long trips but from what little I've seen very few touring bikes have clipless pedals. Is there a good reason for that? I've found them surprisingly easy to get the hang of & I've only used them twice now.
---------------------
I also wanted to get some advice on my budget purchases to turn it into a semi-tourer/commuter:
I've already ordered a rear rack - Vavert Daytripper Platform Rack ( http://www.evanscycles.com/products/vav ... vAodvpQAFw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ) - handles 25kg, only weighs 800gms, & I got it cheap on auction - but I still need to get panniers.
Couple of things I wanted to know about panniers first:
- is the weight added to the pannier bags in addition to the total weight capacity of the rack? ie. with this setup probably a max. of 20kgs on the 25kg rack to be on the safe side, then can I add extra 10-15kgs in the pannier bags?
- And do I need to balance out the front & the back? ie. do I need a solid front rack & how much weight do I need on it if I have 25/30kgs on the back?
I was just planning to have a mid-size detachable basket for the moment to carry my camera gear - can I get away with that ?
---
The most affordable pannier bags that I could find are the Tioga 48l commuting bags - now down to $36 at one place:
http://letour.com.au/clearance/tioga-bi ... -pair.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Are these likely to be solid enough if I did a bit of work strengthening them, ie. waterproof fabric sewed to the outside back/bottom +some leather sheeting I've got lying around for the inside base/back ?
Or should I hold out for the Tarpaulin Panniers at more than double the price & a kg heavier, but look to be very durable.
TIOGA Tarpaulin Rear Pannier : http://www.torpedo7.com.au/products/TGB ... 20Products" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Anyone have experience at making do with cheaper panniers? Is it worth the effort to save a few dollars?
---
And finally, cheap camping gear suitable for a semi-touring bike - where it's generally only being used a few days at a time, with the occasional 7/10 day trip.
Can you carry those pop-up tents on a touring bike? They seem to only fold down to about an an 80cm circle & I can't figure out where I'd put it on the bike. The plus is that they seem to weigh much less for a good sized tent: OzTrail - $50 - Weight: 1.8kg http://www.tentworld.com.au/products/te ... -tent.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCYHqf3DTCw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
My other choice is a reasonably decent 2 man dome tent as I want a bit of room, but they are all over 3kgs in my price range.
There is a decent Coleman tent on special for $40 that folds down into a small rectangular box that looks ideal to carry on a rack, but it weighs 3.5kgs...
All up my choice of tent, sleeping bag & cheap air mattress weighs almost 7kgs - too much? (would probably get a better air mattress in the future when budget improves, but want to keep the tent)
----
Any help appreciated.
I'm new around here as well as being pretty new to any kind of serious distance cycling, so any help/advice on what I'm trying to get together would be appreciated.
(PS. I have had a look around at other threads & am still working things out, so please excuse the rather long, rambling post)
---
I've been trying to put together a decent bike for going on trips for up to 7/10 days to do some photography - basically following wherever looks like a good place to shoot without going into heavy/rough trail territory. I also have had very little experience with decent road/hybrid bikes & none with touring - mountain bikes only, & a Giant Yukon Disc was the best - so this is what I've managed so far...
I almost managed to purchase a German built Guderit LC45 on eBay which looked to have absolutely everything I wanted but was outbid in the last 5 seconds - but it gave me an idea of what I needed (hadn't found this place yet & doubt most of it would of meant much before I started looking into things) - so after a lot of running around I purchased a 2008 Norco VFR3 Disc in great condition & am working on turning it into the bike I want.
I also have very little of a budget left (on sick benefits for the next 3 months), so I'm strictly looking for bargain basement items for the next few months.
The Norco bike itself is great - very happy with how it rides - but there are a few things I'm worried about or would like some advice on.
Some quick specs on it: 2008 VFR 3 Disc
Shimano Deore/R440 drivetrain ; Shimano M485 hydraulic disc brakes ; FSA Vero compact cranks ; Shimano M505 clipless pedals ; Hutchinson Urban Tour 32C tires with Protectair flat protection
http://m.norco.com/archives/2008/3/74/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It also has special mountings for the rear disc to allow for carrier install, along with a nice Ritchey Low Rizer handlebar & Ritchey seatpost.
---
QUESTIONS:
The rims are Alex Ace 19, 32 spokes with Hutchinson Urban Tour 32c tyres - & while they are pretty quick on the road they seem pretty thin to me (coming from a mountain bike) - how will they handle on a gravel/dirt road with up to 30kgs on the back?
http://www.everybicycletire.com/shoppin ... r-622.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It also has only 18 gears - they seem great in the few days I've had it but will it cover what I need on longer trips? The bike itself has an odd gear setup with Deore shifters & rear derailleur that can handle a triple crank, but the front crank & derailleur are a double. Shifts nicely so far but it could be changed to a full deore setup - am I likely to need to?
Another thing is the SPD pedals - seems like a great idea for long trips but from what little I've seen very few touring bikes have clipless pedals. Is there a good reason for that? I've found them surprisingly easy to get the hang of & I've only used them twice now.
---------------------
I also wanted to get some advice on my budget purchases to turn it into a semi-tourer/commuter:
I've already ordered a rear rack - Vavert Daytripper Platform Rack ( http://www.evanscycles.com/products/vav ... vAodvpQAFw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ) - handles 25kg, only weighs 800gms, & I got it cheap on auction - but I still need to get panniers.
Couple of things I wanted to know about panniers first:
- is the weight added to the pannier bags in addition to the total weight capacity of the rack? ie. with this setup probably a max. of 20kgs on the 25kg rack to be on the safe side, then can I add extra 10-15kgs in the pannier bags?
- And do I need to balance out the front & the back? ie. do I need a solid front rack & how much weight do I need on it if I have 25/30kgs on the back?
I was just planning to have a mid-size detachable basket for the moment to carry my camera gear - can I get away with that ?
---
The most affordable pannier bags that I could find are the Tioga 48l commuting bags - now down to $36 at one place:
http://letour.com.au/clearance/tioga-bi ... -pair.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Are these likely to be solid enough if I did a bit of work strengthening them, ie. waterproof fabric sewed to the outside back/bottom +some leather sheeting I've got lying around for the inside base/back ?
Or should I hold out for the Tarpaulin Panniers at more than double the price & a kg heavier, but look to be very durable.
TIOGA Tarpaulin Rear Pannier : http://www.torpedo7.com.au/products/TGB ... 20Products" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Anyone have experience at making do with cheaper panniers? Is it worth the effort to save a few dollars?
---
And finally, cheap camping gear suitable for a semi-touring bike - where it's generally only being used a few days at a time, with the occasional 7/10 day trip.
Can you carry those pop-up tents on a touring bike? They seem to only fold down to about an an 80cm circle & I can't figure out where I'd put it on the bike. The plus is that they seem to weigh much less for a good sized tent: OzTrail - $50 - Weight: 1.8kg http://www.tentworld.com.au/products/te ... -tent.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCYHqf3DTCw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
My other choice is a reasonably decent 2 man dome tent as I want a bit of room, but they are all over 3kgs in my price range.
There is a decent Coleman tent on special for $40 that folds down into a small rectangular box that looks ideal to carry on a rack, but it weighs 3.5kgs...
All up my choice of tent, sleeping bag & cheap air mattress weighs almost 7kgs - too much? (would probably get a better air mattress in the future when budget improves, but want to keep the tent)
----
Any help appreciated.