# Touche Spotting



## fossyant (17 Oct 2008)

I really fancy a Touche if the bike to work comes in where I work......

Means I can retire the commuting MTB to MTB/kid duties - fit the fat tyres..whoo....., as at the moment it's worse than the road bikes for riding with kids (won't go on the car rack with guards) and I got loads of funny looks at Fairholmes on the Roadie with the kids........

I did spot a Pearson Touche last night - the so called 'graphite' one - looked metallic black in the skin - very nice..... 

Now someone tell me, is it metallic black, or an urban dark grey ????

If grey, I don't want - the web pics aren't too good, as in life this was a black frame, and black carbon forks.....

The fella wasn't too happy with an MTB sat next to him matching speed and chatting..... I did mention 2 road bikes... he was a bit taken back when I said "Nice bikes those Touches"......... as I kept up with him...me asking questions......etc.....

I really like the blue one, looking at Halo wheel upgrade.... but white would match the graphics, tarty, BUT this thing would have guards fitted, in black...so looks like either a blue or 'graphite' frame with Halo wheels in black and black guards....

Can just about justify it to the missus........ about £35 a month if the scheme comes in............. 

Views folks - only ever ridden a fixie on the track, but fancy one for work - have a few hills, but nothing I can't tackle on one gear.....


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## Twenty Inch (17 Oct 2008)

I've seen a couple - their riders have said good things about them. Go for it.


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## fossyant (17 Oct 2008)

I do like them - Wanted one for months now..... anyone seen the graphite - black or grey ?


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## Tharg2007 (18 Oct 2008)

i think you should get an old ladies shopper and get some thin slicks on it, THEN ride side by side with people asking them about their nice bike before speeding off


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## pjm (20 Oct 2008)

fossyant said:


> I do like them - Wanted one for months now..... anyone seen the graphite - black or grey ?



I'm pretty sure it was grey, I have a 'Hanzo' which is their steel-framed version, and that is definitely all black and looks great. I found it a much nicer ride than the aluminium one, and its £100 less as well.


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## pjm (20 Oct 2008)

pjm said:


> I'm pretty sure it was grey, I have a 'Hanzo' which is their steel-framed version, and that is definitely all black and looks great. I found it a much nicer ride than the aluminium one, and its £100 less as well.



Pic attached


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## Hugo15 (20 Oct 2008)

PJM - I fancy a Hanzo on the C2W scheme. One small issue is that I won't be able to get to Pearsons to get a proper fitting. Can you let me know how tall you are and what size Hanzo you went for. Is the bike a good fit for you?


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## Madcyclist (20 Oct 2008)

I opted for the blue Touche but can confirm the other option is grey with the steel Hanzo in black. I'm 5ft 7in and ride the 52cm frame. The Touche is no lightweight when fitted with rack and guards.

Excellent bike comfortable on long rides but nice and stiff where it matters rapid acceleration and excellent uphills.


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## pjm (21 Oct 2008)

Hugo15 said:


> PJM - I fancy a Hanzo on the C2W scheme. One small issue is that I won't be able to get to Pearsons to get a proper fitting. Can you let me know how tall you are and what size Hanzo you went for. Is the bike a good fit for you?


It's the large / 21". I'm 5'11" but i'm a weird shape with long legs, a short body and baboon-length arms, so I normally need to move the bars around to get a good fit but I found it easy to get it just right for me. In case you have any experience of either of these, the riding position feels about the same as my 55cm Bianchi and less stretched out and aggressive than the same size Specialized Allez.


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## pjm (21 Oct 2008)

Madcyclist said:


> I opted for the blue Touche but can confirm the other option is grey with the steel Hanzo in black. I'm 5ft 7in and ride the 52cm frame. The Touche is no lightweight when fitted with rack and guards.
> 
> Excellent bike comfortable on long rides but nice and stiff where it matters rapid acceleration and excellent uphills.



And yes, having had a decent test-ride on both, I'd second this, the Touche was stiffer and felt quicker than the Hanzo. I'd say the ride was a bit more brittle than other aluminium bikes with carbon forks that I've ridden, but it wasn't brutal. If it had been my only bike, I'd have probably chosen the Touche, but I've got stiff and fast bikes already and the steel bike had a wonderful ride in comparison.


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## fossyant (21 Oct 2008)

This Touche was metallic black - so might have been an older or resprayed model - deffo a Touche because of the large down tube..... looks like the blue for me !

I'm not going to be able to get a fitting, so it might be out with tape measures on my bikes and pick a smaller Touche frame (because of the headset stack height on the Touche) and then specify stem length. Pearson do have measurements of the frame on site.


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## Hugo15 (21 Oct 2008)

pjm said:


> It's the large / 21". I'm 5'11" but i'm a weird shape with long legs, a short body and baboon-length arms, so I normally need to move the bars around to get a good fit but I found it easy to get it just right for me. In case you have any experience of either of these, the riding position feels about the same as my 55cm Bianchi and less stretched out and aggressive than the same size Specialized Allez.



Thanks. I am 5'11'' too and ride a 56cm Airbourne so a large sounds like it would be the right size.


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## alicat (29 Oct 2008)

I love my touche - it's my favourite bike. The bike is a very dark metallic grey and the colour goes very well with the carbon forks supplied. Just wish the engine was of equivalent quality!


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## ShannonBall (21 Nov 2008)

Madcyclist said:


> The Touche is no lightweight when fitted with rack and guards.



Disgree. When I last spoke to Pearsons (and I have no reason to doubt them) about the Touche they said it weighed about 18lbs with pedals and mudguards. That is pretty darn light, Madcyclist.


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## MrGrumpy (21 Nov 2008)

and what sized frame ?


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## ShannonBall (21 Nov 2008)

Don't know, Grumpy. You'll have to call/email Pearsons for details. Just pointing out the the Touche is at the lighter end of things.


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## ed_o_brain (9 Dec 2008)

I know my hanzo weighs in at about 21 lbs with full mudguards fitted and miche/open pro wheels. That's not bad for a bike with a steel fork.

It's a medium (19"). I'm just under 5'10.

I haven't ridden the Touché. I chose the Hanzo because I've always preferred steel bikes. It's adequately stiff - I don't notice any frame flex when accelerating hard away from the lights.


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## fossyant (13 Dec 2008)

Ed - did you spec those wheels, are are they standard ? Still waiting for our cycle to work scheme, but shortlist a Touche or Dolan FXE - looking at Mich X-Press wheels - seem loads better than the HALO's - read some reviews that say the sprocket threads are rubbish.

Great rims those Open Pro's


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## cadseen (4 Jan 2009)

Touches are great, you can see mine here :
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/martin.hulbert/Cycling/my_bikes.htm

only minor problem i have had in 2 years is the track nuts rust quickly.


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## ed_o_brain (9 Jan 2009)

fossyant said:


> Ed - did you spec those wheels, are are they standard ? Still waiting for our cycle to work scheme, but shortlist a Touche or Dolan FXE - looking at Mich X-Press wheels - seem loads better than the HALO's - read some reviews that say the sprocket threads are rubbish.
> 
> Great rims those Open Pro's




No, though if you asked Pearson's they might price you up a set?

I took a chance and ordered them online - always a risk with handbuilt wheels - but they look like a good build and thus far they've stayed good and true on Manchester's potholed roads.

And then after I sold the original set on ebay, they didn't set me back too much at all.


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