Commuting and touring bike choice.....

matthewo_brien
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Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2017 8:22 pm

Commuting and touring bike choice.....

Postby matthewo_brien » Mon Mar 05, 2018 4:40 pm

So I’m in the market for a new bike. I’ve got a Giant Anthem 29er that isn’t going anywhere, but since I’ve started commuting 20km a day, I realise I need a bike that I can put panniers on - the backpack isn’t working for me from a sweat and skin issues perspective.

I’m also getting setup for bike touring, so figure it should do both jobs if I’m smart.

Definitely want rigid frame and front/rear rack mounts. Part of me thinks I want plus tyres (75-3”) given the sand on the tracks and areas that I ride. That and I’m used to a cushy ride :D but part of me wonders about the cleverness of that for a commuting perspective.

I keep coming back to either a Surly ECR 29, or a Giant ToughRoad (flat bar variety).

These are two very distinct and different bikes, with a very different price point. I could buy the Giant tomorrow (figuratively speaking - I’d need to drive a couple of hundred km to even test ride it!) but the ECR would require a bit more saving. On the plus side, there are two at the much more local bike shop - but in black, not the aw some new tan colour. And at that price, colour could be important :)

I can’t see myself going internally geared hub in the future, so that’s not really a consideration. That saId, I thought a year ago I’d never get another bike let alone have two bikes. That’d be rediculous right?!

So any comments to confuse me further??

Thanks

Matthew

Rodgerbiltit
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Location: The best place in Australia and the world for bicycle touring!

Re: Commuting and touring bike choice.....

Postby Rodgerbiltit » Mon Mar 05, 2018 6:02 pm

Matthew,
I think that you should consider the Vivente bikes:
https://viventebikes.com/
- they currently are able to take up to at least 1.75" tyres and who knows maybe wider?
Rodger

Trevtassie
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Re: Commuting and touring bike choice.....

Postby Trevtassie » Mon Mar 05, 2018 6:28 pm

Surly extra terrestrials: 2.5" of sand goodness....

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Thoglette
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Re: Commuting and touring bike choice.....

Postby Thoglette » Mon Mar 05, 2018 6:35 pm

matthewo_brien wrote: Part of me thinks I want plus tyres (75-3”) given the sand on the tracks and areas that I ride. That and I’m used to a cushy ride :D but part of me wonders about the cleverness of that for a commuting perspective.
The worm has long since turned and good, fast 2"+ road tyres are no longer weird (unusual perhaps), particularly in 26 and 27.5/650b sizes.

Anyway, for commuting you probably want to give up some tyre size to fit some mudguards. Multo importanto! Perhaps a second set of wheels might be a good idea?

From where I sit, both the bikes you've listed are more similar than they are different. Big 29er bikepackers. :D
Stop handing them the stick! - Dave Moulton
"People are worthy of respect, ideas are not." Peter Ellerton, UQ

brumby33
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Location: Albury NSW on the mighty Murray River

Re: Commuting and touring bike choice.....

Postby brumby33 » Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:08 pm

As far as i know...with Vivente bikes you can comfortably fit 700 x 38 with guards and 700 x 50 without but gaurds are a must have imo.
They are an awesome commuter but not cheap but they are built as a world tourer with lots of good gear.
"ya gotta hold ya mouth right"

VWR Patagonia 2017
2003 Diamondback Sorrento Sport MTB

matthewo_brien
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Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2017 8:22 pm

Re: Commuting and touring bike choice.....

Postby matthewo_brien » Sun Mar 18, 2018 4:05 pm

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

I’ve read and looked and drooled and thought and calculated. With the current price drop on the Toughroad, it was all too compelling (and fiscally responsible for this family!) - so I’ve bitten the bullet and will pick up my first ever brand new for me bike on Thursday!

Now I’ve just got to decide on what pedal (flats) to put on it :) currently run giant platforms in my Anthem, but am wondering about giving DMR Vaults a go, given all the positive reviews around.

Seat will be a two week old 200km broken in Brooks B17.

I’m a little excited :)

Matthew

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rifraf
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Re: Commuting and touring bike choice.....

Postby rifraf » Mon Mar 19, 2018 7:03 pm

Last I checked, WarrenH covers places many tourers could only dream of on his Giant Anthem with Extrawheel trailer and rear seat post rack.
Surly Ogre, Extrawheel trailer.

matthewo_brien
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2017 8:22 pm

Re: Commuting and touring bike choice.....

Postby matthewo_brien » Mon Mar 19, 2018 9:24 pm

I actually started off thinking the Anthem was going to be fine be, but I found that towing a kid, and carrying gear/water for two kids, it just isn’t enough as I can’t get a rack on the back. Solo, the Anthem could well be what I take, but I need something for family and commuting.

Besides, if I’m honest, I also want a new and different bike :D

Regards

Matthew

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rifraf
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Re: Commuting and touring bike choice.....

Postby rifraf » Tue Mar 20, 2018 3:27 pm

matthewo_brien wrote:
Besides, if I’m honest, I also want a new and different bike :D

Regards

Matthew
My personal favourite logic :D
Surly Ogre, Extrawheel trailer.

berts
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Re: Commuting and touring bike choice.....

Postby berts » Sun May 06, 2018 10:32 am

how is the toughroad going

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V2rocketeer
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Re: Commuting and touring bike choice.....

Postby V2rocketeer » Sun May 06, 2018 1:59 pm

Rodgerbiltit wrote:Matthew,
I think that you should consider the Vivente bikes:
https://viventebikes.com/
- they currently are able to take up to at least 1.75" tyres and who knows maybe wider?
Rodger

For sure these are the bees knees

Bear (and I know bees :lol: )

mlavis
Posts: 26
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:58 pm

Re: Commuting and touring bike choice.....

Postby mlavis » Sat May 12, 2018 4:12 pm

If I was looking at buying a new, no fuss, budget focussed touring bike today I would find it really hard to go past the new Marin four corners. It is a lot of bike for a grand- Cromo frame, cable disk brakes, good clearance, lots of bosses, heaps of gears (runs a triple).

https://www.bicyclesonline.com.au/2018- ... -road-bike

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Thoglette
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Re: Commuting and touring bike choice.....

Postby Thoglette » Sat May 12, 2018 11:48 pm

mlavis wrote:If I was looking at buying a new, no fuss, budget focussed touring bike today I would find it really hard to go past the new Marin four corners. It is a lot of bike for a grand- Cromo frame, cable disk brakes, good clearance, lots of bosses, heaps of gears (runs a triple).

https://www.bicyclesonline.com.au/2018- ... -road-bike
Interesting how we all vary. I'd find those bars too high (give me a decade :mrgreen: )

Also consider Malvern Star Oppy S1/S2, Gios Spazio Tourer or even Cell Granites (I know, AL not steel)
Stop handing them the stick! - Dave Moulton
"People are worthy of respect, ideas are not." Peter Ellerton, UQ

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