One bike to ride them all
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One bike to ride them all
Postby IanC » Mon Mar 21, 2016 6:11 pm
Say I buy a Ti Van Nicholas Cyclocross Amazon (or similar) with a dynamo hub, drops and lugs for paniers etc. With skinny tyres on road bike rims I'd hope not to be dropped too often in my fairly easy going weekend bunch rides (if they are sprinting form the lights - that's not my group!)
Then swap to the sturdy rims and touring tyres, bolt on the paniers, pack some knobbly tyres and jump on a plane. When we get to the destination we tour for a while, find a base in an area with MTB trails, take off the paniers, slip on the nobblies and ride the easy trails.
My first bike was a hybrid and did neither the road nor MTB tracks well. However, looking at the Van Nick site, I can build a cyclocross bike only a couple of water bottles heavier than my road bike. People seem to ride those bikes on country I'd think twice about on my full suspension MTB. Mind you, I'll keep my full suspension MTB for my Sunday arvo rides up the local trails.
As for comfort, I have ridden a long way on both my road bike and mountain bike, but not loaded up for touring. I'd rather ride 100km on my road bike with drops than my flat bar MTB, any day. I've not done any touring yet, so I am not sure about the trade offs with different geometries and how that plays out on a long loaded ride.
If I am going to spend the money on a really nice Ti bike, it would be good to be able to ride it as much as I possibly can. I want to get into touring, but if I can't ride the bike every week I can't really justify the cost. Any comments on whether this could work and what factors should be considered, would be appreciated.
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby BenGr » Mon Mar 21, 2016 6:32 pm
I currently ride a Specialized Tricross. I've toured, done plenty of road riding and a bit of single track. It may not be the best at everything but I'd say it does more than well enough.
Be wary of a pure CX bike though, as the geometry may not be that great for touring. Big thing is to make sure the chain stays are long enough so heel strike on panniers isn't an issue.
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby RonK » Mon Mar 21, 2016 7:47 pm
That depends on how much compromise you are willing to accept, but ultimately I would say no - it's likely to be less than satisfying.IanC wrote:Bunch rides, road touring, rough gravel roads, green (easy) MTB trails - 1 bike and 2 sets of wheels/tyres. Can it work?
I have two titanium bikes, one of them a road tourer which if stripped down and with lightweight wheels fitted might get me on the back of the bunch, though the touring gearing could be a bit short for fast rides. With careful concentration it's ok on good gravel roads but it won't take wide enough tyres for rough gravel and MTB trails.
The other an expedition tourer - nice fat rubber will see it comfortably handle MTB trails, gravel and highway touring, but even if stripped down and with skinny wheels fitted it would hard work to take on a bunch ride.
That's probably not gonna haul a touring load very well.IanC wrote:I can build a cyclocross bike only a couple of water bottles heavier than my road bike.
I only get to go touring once a year but I find plenty of opportunities to ride my touring bike every week. As it happens since taking up touring I find my riding interests have changed and I prefer to ride my tourers more and more and the others less.IanC wrote:If I am going to spend the money on a really nice Ti bike, it would be good to be able to ride it as much as I possibly can. I want to get into touring, but if I can't ride the bike every week I can't really justify the cost. Any comments on whether this could work and what factors should be considered, would be appreciated.
A new Van Nicholas is going to cost a shipload of money - been there, done that. My thinking is the exact opposite - if I'm going to spend a lot of money on a bike I don't want it to be compromised. That's why I kept my carbon fibre roadie and my MTB.
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby il padrone » Mon Mar 21, 2016 8:14 pm
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby baabaa » Mon Mar 21, 2016 9:02 pm
Forget about racks and panniers and start by looking at frame bags and bike packing and then work back to the type of bike that you consider that you could commute on one day and then ride 200 ks in comfort over both tar and double track for the weekends.
The loaded tour bike is really a different beast as it needs racks and panniers.While they are wonderful beasts for multi week tours this type of touring really is not for everyone and really just for weirdos.
http://tomsbiketrip.com/planning-your-f ... ign=buffer" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The price and ease of modern frame bags means you can get these to fit right with most bikes and then have a multi use bike which works for you right for most functions from the start. Buy the right bags and you can then buy another bike that suits most if not all of your bike frame bags just by looking at the new frames sizes and geo specs
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby koshari » Mon Mar 21, 2016 9:15 pm
http://up.opencycle.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Mind you at close to USD3k just for frame and forkset it might not be everyone cup of tea.
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby il padrone » Mon Mar 21, 2016 9:57 pm
Bejeebus, lay off the libellous labels !!!baabaa wrote:The loaded tour bike is really a different beast as it needs racks and panniers.While they are wonderful beasts for multi week tours this type of touring really is not for everyone and really just for weirdos
Some of us just enjoy riding a bike with few creature comforts and supplies to tide us through a few days/a week or two in the bush.
I shall say nowt about 'the right bags'. Generally unimpressed with the attitude.baabaa wrote:http://tomsbiketrip.com/planning-your-f ... ign=buffer
The price and ease of modern frame bags means you can get these to fit right with most bikes and then have a multi use bike which works for you right for most functions from the start. Buy the right bags and you can then buy another bike that suits most if not all of your bike frame bags just by looking at the new frames sizes and geo specs
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby tmac100 » Tue Mar 22, 2016 2:27 am
Yes, you can have your opinion. But so what?? Maybe you are just looking for a rise from someone.... I will bitebaabaa wrote:Things have changed quite a bit in the past few years.
...
The loaded tour bike is really a different beast as it needs racks and panniers.While they are wonderful beasts for multi week tours this type of touring really is not for everyone and really just for weirdos.
...
Bicycled the Savannah Way and across from Perth to Sydney in 2 different trips. Pretty indestructible bike I had made up in Canada for less than $3000 (2005 Canadian). It has S &S connectors but have never used them... Classic touring bicycle built to fit ME.
Still lots to travel on OZ. Specifically cape York, The Outback Way and ...A pic of the 10 y.o. Arvon1 which has 2 racks not just the one shown in the pic...
http://www.sandsmachine.com/a_arv_001.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby baabaa » Tue Mar 22, 2016 9:04 am
Some of my bike touring kit is from the mid 1980s and includes two sets of made in oz bike panniers by wilderness equipment and summit gear. Still use them and racks from blackburn and nitto. I have had good kit and spent what was big $$ at the time to get the right bike and touring kit combo.
SO....
if I was starting again I would look out for what is available now not what was in use 5, 10 or 20 years ago. You just do not need to spend the big bucks now to get out on a bike and with the issues of modern living and demands for space, having one do it all bike is a bloody good option. Bikepacking just works for this and now for me and plenty of others.
and btw read the link, makes a lot of sense if you have done any long tours.
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby Uncle Just » Tue Mar 22, 2016 12:38 pm
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby RonK » Tue Mar 22, 2016 1:49 pm
This guy is not a weirdo - he's a w*nker. He needs professional help to deal with depression like that.baabaa wrote:While they are wonderful beasts for multi week tours this type of touring really is not for everyone and really just for weirdos.
http://tomsbiketrip.com/planning-your-f ... ign=buffer" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby Chris249 » Tue Mar 22, 2016 7:46 pm
???????????? Surely it all depends on how one defines "good touring bike". I'm only doing tours about 8 days long at the max and sometimes take a hotel, but the race-geometry CX bike has no problems handling that, and yet even with the front rack on I would be very surprised if anyone made an adverse comment on a club or shop ride.il padrone wrote:Good touring bikes make perfectly fine commuters, so your goal of riding it lots will be easy to achieve. But it is a gravely misguided proposition to think that a good touring bike might be acceptable in the roadie peleton - Mr Bean/Jacques Tati notwithstanding
I'd have absolutely no issues wandering into a typical roadie peleton with the CX bike. The only issue is that the gearing that works for dragging camping kit over climbs like the Stelvio may leave one a little bit close to spinning out on the sprints, but something like a 105 level alloy CX bike running skinny tyres could live fairly happily in B Grade club races, which means living happily in the typical "fast" roadie peleton.
Would the CX bike be ideal for a year-long heavily laden tour? Probably not, but there are people who have ridden around the world with less "touring friendly" bikes, and I wouldn't want to do some of the tours I've enjoyed on a 15kg tourer either.
Como Vivente road 2009
Principia track track 2014
Cervelo P2K TT 2003
Merida CX4 2010
Concaeio road
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby Chris249 » Tue Mar 22, 2016 7:54 pm
Your dream bike sounds pretty damn awesome to me. Heel strike on the Merida CX bikes my wife and I have is only an issue with big panniers that are allowed to sit at the front of the rack - otherwise it's no issue. From my limited experience of a few days playing at the Canberra CX areas and doing things like the Half Fling race, I'd agree that you can do lots of MTB trails on a CX bike, although the World Cup downhill course at Mt Stromlo is quite slow and tough on a CX bike!IanC wrote:Bunch rides, road touring, rough gravel roads, green (easy) MTB trails - 1 bike and 2 sets of wheels/tyres. Can it work?
Say I buy a Ti Van Nicholas Cyclocross Amazon (or similar) with a dynamo hub, drops and lugs for paniers etc. With skinny tyres on road bike rims I'd hope not to be dropped too often in my fairly easy going weekend bunch rides (if they are sprinting form the lights - that's not my group!)
Then swap to the sturdy rims and touring tyres, bolt on the paniers, pack some knobbly tyres and jump on a plane. When we get to the destination we tour for a while, find a base in an area with MTB trails, take off the paniers, slip on the nobblies and ride the easy trails.
My first bike was a hybrid and did neither the road nor MTB tracks well. However, looking at the Van Nick site, I can build a cyclocross bike only a couple of water bottles heavier than my road bike. People seem to ride those bikes on country I'd think twice about on my full suspension MTB. Mind you, I'll keep my full suspension MTB for my Sunday arvo rides up the local trails.
As for comfort, I have ridden a long way on both my road bike and mountain bike, but not loaded up for touring. I'd rather ride 100km on my road bike with drops than my flat bar MTB, any day. I've not done any touring yet, so I am not sure about the trade offs with different geometries and how that plays out on a long loaded ride.
If I am going to spend the money on a really nice Ti bike, it would be good to be able to ride it as much as I possibly can. I want to get into touring, but if I can't ride the bike every week I can't really justify the cost. Any comments on whether this could work and what factors should be considered, would be appreciated.
My touring is restricted to a few trips of a few days doing European alpine climbs (often carrying kit from place to place with an all-up weight of about 27kg of bike and gear) and then joining my wife and her sister for gentle cruises of a few days. The 'cross bike is fantastic for that, as well as for commuting, shopping and CX racing. One thing I would definitely do is put CX type cross-top brake levers on it; they are great for off-road descents and when you want to sit high for touring or commuting.
Como Vivente road 2009
Principia track track 2014
Cervelo P2K TT 2003
Merida CX4 2010
Concaeio road
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby avolve » Tue Mar 22, 2016 7:56 pm
There are many things a touring set can achieve whereas bike packing can not. Apple and Oranges. Not everyone is a minimalist.
The first question would be to gather further detail on what the OP wants to do re: touring.
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby Chris249 » Tue Mar 22, 2016 8:40 pm
Como Vivente road 2009
Principia track track 2014
Cervelo P2K TT 2003
Merida CX4 2010
Concaeio road
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby silentbutdeadly » Tue Mar 22, 2016 10:17 pm
Yep. Niner RLT 9. Especially the latest version.IanC wrote:Bunch rides, road touring, rough gravel roads, green (easy) MTB trails - 1 bike and 2 sets of wheels/tyres. Can it work?
If you have the coin then a Flying Machine from Perth would be my titanium bling choice...
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby IanC » Tue Mar 22, 2016 10:56 pm
Thanks for all the feedback! There seem to be two camps - the CXrs who do a bit of touring and the serious tourers. The views of both are interesting and informative. I'd forgotten about the flying machine -will check that out next.
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby tmac100 » Wed Mar 23, 2016 12:24 am
Yup! We all ride in our own ways. No point in passing judgement on a bicyclist's idiosyncrasy or circumstances - is there? Yee Hawbaabaa wrote:Hey tmac read the topic question........
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby Thoglette » Wed Mar 23, 2016 12:29 am
Specialised Diverge plus extras. Yes I know it's not CroMo but it's so pretty
(Jan Heine again)
"People are worthy of respect, ideas are not." Peter Ellerton, UQ
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby RonK » Wed Mar 23, 2016 7:34 am
I don't think the Jan Heine treatment does anything for it at all.
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby baabaa » Wed Mar 23, 2016 10:25 pm
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/8b ... -road-bike" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby tmac100 » Thu Mar 24, 2016 5:39 am
Oh yawn! Anythng to make money and entertain themselves! Reversible plastic surgery - on a bicycle!baabaa wrote:Stefan and Max are on to it....
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/8b ... -road-bike" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Pardon my traditional way of thinking, but I DO LIKE the way individual things are: I like to ride an Indian-made "old" bicycle based on the Raleighs/Rudges from the 1930s. I like riding my Arvon1 tourer while touring Australia. I like my "city" bike (actually a Chinese 18 speed). I like them for what they are and do not want to switch them in any way for a different "purpose"
Similarly, I like my custom made cotton shirts. I like my t-shirts from Lands End. They all have their places and I do not want to think of using one of them in place of the other.
Nah! waste of money in my opinion. However others will be "captivated" with the novel (?) idea of one bike having many uses. Now how could these guys "make" a Rolls (or even a Camry ) do the same "thing" as my Pajero when I go out camping in the Qatari or UAE desert? Nope- won't work. But that is just my opinion.
Onions are onions and potatoes are potatoes - even though both grow underground.
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby baabaa » Thu Mar 24, 2016 12:59 pm
I just don’t do that and really don’t know anyone here in Oz that does or wants to. The factory is fantastic, the wheel building room being my favourite. Anyway a hero bike would be nice to have but I doubt I would ever ride it so that would be just wasteful consumption.
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby il padrone » Thu Mar 24, 2016 1:18 pm
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
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Re: One bike to ride them all
Postby Calvin27 » Thu Mar 24, 2016 3:32 pm
I think for you uses (mostly road and touring) it should be ok.
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