# Best bike to buy for touring as well as commuting..



## Jane-o (10 May 2009)

Hello!
I'm a huge cycling fan but have very little knowledge of makes / types etc of bikes... (I've been riding a 2nd hand, oversize Claud Butler for the past 3 years)

I'm buying a bike to go on a ~50day cycle tour (on roads), then to use as a commuter bike afterwards. Which would be best?
I've been to the 4 local bike shops and have had 4 different suggestions: a tourer vs a racer vs an audax vs a cyclo-cross. 

Which would be best? and which make? My price range is roughly £750 (with accessories on top of this - max MAX £1000)

I'd really appreciate thoughts and expertiese. 

Thank you!


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## betty swollocks (10 May 2009)

Why would shops recommend the racers or cyclo-cross bikes being that you intend to go on a fairly extended tour???
Surely the choices must narrow down to either a tourer or audax bike and if you plan to take loads of luggage (ie camping stuff), then probably the audax option is out too, as these bikes are not built for it in terms of robustness.
I reckon something like the redoubtable Dawes Galaxy would be your best bet. It's equally capable of trans continental touring, nipping speedily down to the shops, or commuting.
Just make sure that whatever bike you get, it's the right size and you take it out, loaded up on a few shakedown runs before you take off on your adventure.
I believe quite a few posters on this forum own Galaxies (I used to) and can vouch for their reliability, comfort and steadfastness, as I can.
Happy cycling!


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## Sittingduck (10 May 2009)

Tourer or Hybrid perhaps.

The shops that tried to sell you Cyclocross or Road bikes for this shouldn't be trusted IMHO - take your business to somwehere that actually listens to their prospective customers' needs.

Welcome to CC & Good Luck BTW 
SD


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## GrumpyGregry (10 May 2009)

take a long hard look at Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op's Country Traveller and Country Explorer bikes before spending any more money than you need to. Stunning value for money - they include a drinks bottle rack and rack bungees.

Yes it's got an alloy frame rather than steel which will antagonise the steel is real purists. To quote the American Adventure Cyclist Club's Tech Guru "the debate is unresolved and inconclusive and will remain so for the foreseeable future" Lots of europeans and americans, and an increasing number of Brits, tour on Alloy framed bikes without problem.

I bought an Explorer last year with loads of EBC own brand extra's and a stack of endura wet weather gear, and lights, and a brooks saddle and new pedals and got a few pennies change from £1000. Same deal with the traveller would see lots of change from £1000. There is my review on the CTC forum if your interested. Just head over there and search country explorer

As it is the only road bike I own I commute on it (26 mile round trip), I've ridden sportives (get some very funny looks on those) and shorter audaxes on it, done 2 x FNRttC aboard it and done a few long weekend and many day tours on it. It is a good all round workhorse bike. As are the Horizon's, Galaxy's, CB Regent, Ridgeback wotsits and all the other great touring bikes out there; but you will have no shortage of people recommending them.

I've never seen another Revolution brand bike on the road anywhere (I live a long way from Edinburgh and their other shops in the N of England) which gives a certain frison of exclusivity and can be a conversation starter on group rides or tours.


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## pes (10 May 2009)

If you can stand the skits from a lot of people on here then I would go for a Thorn Audax MK3 every time.


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## oxford_guy (11 May 2009)

or how about a Hewitt Cheviot tourer?:
http://www.hewittbikefitting.co.uk/index.php?page=hewitt

I've been really impressed with the Cheviot SE I bought from Paul Hewitt early this year....


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## RedBike (11 May 2009)

> I'm buying a bike to go on a ~50day cycle tour (on roads), then to use as a commuter bike afterwards. Which would be best?
> I've been to the 4 local bike shops and have had 4 different suggestions: a tourer vs a racer vs an audax vs a cyclo-cross.



Tourer: Perhaps overkill? Probably a bit Heavy and slow for the commute but comfortable and capable of carrying a lot of stuff.

Racer: Some 'racers', will take panniers and full length mud-guards. This sort of bike will do fine for credit card touring / your commute; but an out and out racer is a stupid suggestion. 

Audax; This would be my choice. Lighter/quicker than a tourer and should be more than capable of carrying a few 'light' panniers. 

cyclo-cross; Loads of manufactures are now making their CX bikes with braze-ons for everything including panniers / mud-guards. These bikes are more or less touring bikes with the exception that their geometry is more suited to twisty off-road sections than road. Unless your touring involves section of off-road bridleways then forget all about this option.


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## Scoosh (11 May 2009)

Jane-o said:


> Hello!
> I'm a huge cycling fan but have very little knowledge of makes / types etc of bikes... (I've been riding a 2nd hand, oversize Claud Butler for the past 3 years)
> 
> I'm buying a bike to go on a ~50day cycle tour (on roads), then to use as a commuter bike afterwards. Which would be best?
> ...


My ha'porth is to get you to narrow down the type of touring this is going to be.

If you are 'credit card' touring (_ie_ staying at hotel/B&B type accomodation), then the audax type of bike would be good. It'll take a couple of panniers and give you a quick and comfortable ride. Frames can be alloy, steel or titanium (though Ti will be out of budget)  Gearing could be compact or triple, depending on all the usual things like fitness, terrain etc.

If you are going to be camping and carrying your tent, sleeping bag, cooking gear etc etc, then you will need a 'heavy' tourer. These bikes can take front and rear racks for panniers but obviously, the pay-off is in a heavier, slower bike - but a good one will take you round the world on your next adventure  Once again, frames can be different materials, though steel would be favoured here. Gearing would normally be triple, given that touring is not about getting places quickly, just getting there on your bike - not pushing uphills 

Either type of bike will be fine for commuting, with the same speed 'restrictions'.

So, what kind of touring will it be, currently and in the years to come ?

Then you pays your money ..... 

HTH


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## jimboalee (11 May 2009)

There's a young lady here at JagLandRover who commutes on a Dawes SuperGal.
I've seen folks on the End-to-End riding road-conversion MTBs.

So anywhere between these two.


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## jimboalee (11 May 2009)

All I have to do is send a route proposal via e-mail to the Midland area Audax DIY administrator and wait for his response.
When I get the OK, I grab a Brevet card and jump on my Dawes Giro 500 fitted with full mudguards and whizz off a 100 km Populaire. More like 70 miles to guarantee the distance.
These are now a once, maybe twice a week thing. 

I commute to work on my Dawes Giro 500 fitted with full mudguards.


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## oxford_guy (11 May 2009)

RedBike said:


> Tourer: Perhaps overkill? Probably a bit Heavy and slow for the commute but comfortable and capable of carrying a lot of stuff.



I don't find my Hewitt Cheviot SE tourer slow for my daily commute, its a damn sight faster than my old Ridgeback hybrid!


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## RedBike (11 May 2009)

oxford_guy said:


> I don't find my Hewitt Cheviot SE tourer slow for my daily commute, its a damn sight faster than my old Ridgeback hybrid!



Perhaps slow was the wrong word. 
However, it stands to reason that a tourer should be slower than an audax bike. There's the additional strength demands (aka heavier frame), longer seat stays / bigger clearances for panniers and tyres and a softer all day ride instead of a stiff racing (less efficient).


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## Big T (11 May 2009)

I don't agree that a tourer is slower. I have an audax bike and have recently bought a Ridegeback Panorama tourer. It's just as quck as the audax over a commute. Perhaps a tad slower in acceleration but once you get those 35mm tyres rolling, it goes just as well as the audax. It's more comfortbale to ride over potholed roads as well. My audax has lain unused since I got the tourer.

I paid £880 for my Panorama but they £1100 new now. My wife has a Dawes Horizon (£460) which is great and has STI gears. It's a bit on the heavy side, but you don't notice it when you're riding it. Again, she hasn't used her audax bike since getting the Horizon.

In reply to the OP, if you're doing a long tour, get the bike that's designed for the job. It'll be good for commuting as well.


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## jimboalee (11 May 2009)

This is what Audax UK say :-

"
5.3 Machines:
(i) Any kind of cycle may be ridden provided that it is propelled solely by human muscular effort.
(ii) The responsibility for ensuring that a machine complies with the Road Traffic Regulations rests solely with its rider.
(iii) An event organiser may require full mudguards to be fitted to bicycles and to the single front wheel of tricycles. The requirement for mudguards on an event must be indicated in the AUK Calendar and in the event literature.
"

So what's an 'Audax' bike?


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## jimboalee (11 May 2009)

Audax UK's Midlands Mesh allows the participant to start and finish at a 'proof' venue near their home.
Mine is the Tesco Metro in Solihull. The distance to Stratford upon Avon, as agreed by the organiser is 28 km. A return trip from Tesco in Solihull to Stratford is 56 km.
There is a Brevet Populaire medal and a Cloth patch for 50 km.

Last summer, my son and I rode this trip within Brevet Populaire speed – 10 to 20 kmh. He was riding a Road-converted MTB and I was riding a BSA 20" Shopping bike.
After we returned, it occurred to me I could have taken a Brevet card, collected proofs and claimed a 50 km medal or cloth patch.

Maybe I will do this trip one evening to make my BSA 20" shopping bike OFFICIALLY an 'Audax' bike.


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## Big T (12 May 2009)

An audax bike is basically a race bike with mudguards and a rack, or at least the fittings for them. Generally fairly narrow tyres, 23 to 25 mm. They might have a slightly more relaxed position than a pure race bike. An audax bike is built for comfort and speed. Not really designed for full-on touring, but can be used for lightweight tours and ideally suited to day rides.

A tourer is built more for comfort than speed, with a better luggage carrying capacity than an audax bike, wider tyres, usually 32 to 37 mm. Unladen, they are surprisingly nippy, perhaps not as quick as an audax bike, but not far off.


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## jimboalee (12 May 2009)

Big T said:


> An audax bike is basically a race bike with mudguards and a rack, or at least the fittings for them. Generally fairly narrow tyres, 23 to 25 mm. They might have a slightly more relaxed position than a pure race bike. An audax bike is built for comfort and speed. Not really designed for full-on touring, but can be used for lightweight tours and ideally suited to day rides.
> 
> A tourer is built more for comfort than speed, with a better luggage carrying capacity than an audax bike, wider tyres, usually 32 to 37 mm. Unladen, they are surprisingly nippy, perhaps not as quick as an audax bike, but not far off.



Please read Audax UK Regulation 5.3 again.

An Audax bike is "ANY BIKE".


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## Andy in Sig (12 May 2009)

I still reckon that tourers are the best all round bikes there are: fast enough, practical enough, tough enough and comfortable enough.


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## Scoosh (12 May 2009)

jimboalee said:


> Please read Audax UK Regulation 5.3 again.
> 
> An Audax bike is "ANY BIKE".


We are in the 'Beginners' section. Going on about the finer points of what bike may or may not be acceptable to ride an Audax is not being helpful to the OP.

If you go into a LBS, there are certain definitons/groupings of bikes to which they will refer. These would include racer; audax; hybrid; mtb; tourer; bmx; recumbent bike; trike; penny farthing etc etc. We are here to assist the OP to reach a decision on what we reckon would be the best type of bike for her specified type of riding. You _could_ commute or tour on a bmx but I am not going to recommend it. 

Two of those being recommended are an audax-type bike and a tourer-type bike.

I am going to suggest to the poster that she asks to see these types and test rides those which are recommended by the LBS and takes it from there and, if required, comes back here to ask more questions.

jimboalee, if you wish to continue your pedantic posts, I suggest you take them to the similar-titled post in the Road Rides, Audax and Sportives section. 

Here endeth the lesson


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## GrumpyGregry (13 May 2009)

Andy in Sig said:


> I still reckon that tourers are the best all round bikes there are: fast enough, practical enough, tough enough and comfortable enough.



+1 good on road, good enough off road, comfy and can carry stuff.


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## jimboalee (13 May 2009)

scoosh said:


> We are in the 'Beginners' section. Going on about the finer points of what bike may or may not be acceptable to ride an Audax is not being helpful to the OP.
> 
> If you go into a LBS, there are certain definitons/groupings of bikes to which they will refer. These would include racer; audax; hybrid; mtb; tourer; bmx; recumbent bike; trike; penny farthing etc etc. We are here to assist the OP to reach a decision on what we reckon would be the best type of bike for her specified type of riding. You _could_ commute or tour on a bmx but I am not going to recommend it.
> 
> ...



What I'm trying to say is:-

Calling a commercially built bike an 'Audax' bike is a lot of 'Sales hype'.
The marketing oiks at the bike manufacturers saw that participation in Audax UK events boomed, so they went along to see what these people were riding. Winter trainers and adapted roadrace bikes.
They recreated what AUK membership had been riding for decades and created a 'Label' for the type of bike Big T described, pointing out features which puts the bike apart from Roadrace and touring bikes.

It really makes me laugh.

As for the OP's question. Any bike that will take full mudguards.


Hardened AUK people


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## Big T (13 May 2009)

Audax bike could just as easily be called something else, such as winter bike or training bike. However, if you go into a decent bike shop and ask for an audax bike, they'll know what you mean, and it will be more or less what I described.


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## jimboalee (13 May 2009)

Big T said:


> Audax bike could just as easily be called something else, such as winter bike or training bike. However, if you go into a decent bike shop and ask for an audax bike, they'll know what you mean, and it will be more or less what I described.



No.

Go into a shop and ask for "a bike for riding an Audax".

Same as asking for "a bike to enter a Cat 4 roadrace".


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## Scoosh (13 May 2009)

jimboalee said:


> No.
> 
> Go into a shop and ask for "a bike for riding an Audax".
> 
> Same as asking for "a bike to enter a Cat 4 roadrace".



Jane-o, please try to understand that we are aiming to help you here. Some people  must be running short of hair, so they wish to split it at every opportunity.

Bikes come in so many shapes, sizes, styles etc and for so many different purposes, that there is a miriad of names used to describe them.



> Audax bike could just as easily be called something else, such as winter bike or training bike. However, if you go into a decent bike shop and ask for an audax bike, they'll know what you mean, and it will be more or less what I described.


+1


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## jimboalee (13 May 2009)

OK, serious now.

Jane-O, when you say a ~50day tour, is that 50 km per day, 50 miles per day or 50 days of touring?

You must have your tour planned already. What are the hills like? How much luggage are you carrying in weight terms. This all counts to bike selection.

A serious bike tour warrants a serious touring bike. If it is 50 consecutive days of touring, a ‘laid back’ shallow angle tourer is my recommendation. It will have a low set of gears – Check out the Dawes Horizon at Spa Cycles for £750 notes.

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b1s21p1366


It has a 24” ( 28 x 32 ) lowest, so you could load that bike up to over 30 lb total weight and get up some steep gradients.

When you’ve finished your expedition, you’ll prob’ need a new chain and cassette, so renew the cassette with something that doesn’t have the enormous 32 sprocket, unless you fancy doing some Audax on it.

There is nothing stopping you commuting on a Dawes Horizon, except maybe the likely thief.


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