# audax or tourer



## blazingsaddles (20 Aug 2008)

Just wanted a bit of advice on the choice of my next bicycle please.

I'm looking at a couple of bikes/designs for my cycling needs which are everyday commuting and also some 40-100 mile day trips and once a year a week long tour in Spain probably carrying camping gear.

I was thinking of a steel framed cycle either a Dawes Audax or Dawes Galaxy. My budget is about £ 700.00. Would the Audax cope with the tour and camping gear? If not is the Galaxy a better option? I was also looking at the Ridgeback Voyage which is £ 550.00 and has a Reynolds 520 steel frame but I think inferior kit elsewhere to the basic Galaxy. I'm open to advice as I'm fairly new to cycling and would like to make a wise decision.

Many thanks​


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## Alves (20 Aug 2008)

For those sort of loads, I'd go with the wider tyres and better carrying capacity of a touring bike. You can Audax on anything but only a purpose built tourer will happily handle camping gear. If you tend to camp very lightly then you might get away with the lighter Audax bike which will be faster and more "fun to ride", if you credit card tour and stay in B&Bs and hostels then the Audax with a saddle bag woudl be an excellent choice.
I had a Dawes Horizon (heavyweight tourer) initially and used it for both touring and Audax and then I got a lightweight Audax bike with narrow wheels and tyres and loved it so much, I wouldn't go back to "proper camping" and I've sold the tourer and only do very lightweight camping or B&Bing out of a saddle bag.
You need to think which is the most important activity to you and get the bike most appropriate for that. The Audax bike can take panniers on the back and a bag on top of these but will not be very happy and will tend to sway at the back and the narrower tyres will not be as comfortable with heavy loads or on dubious tracks. Similarily, you'll enjoy commuting and Audax and day rides more on the lighter bike.
Best of all, get both (..........eventually perhaps).


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## Landslide (20 Aug 2008)

You could get a tourer and a spare pair of lightweight wheels and tyres for the more audaxy days.


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## vernon (20 Aug 2008)

I ride Audaxes nearly other week and for the past three years have done 2-3 week cycle tours plus shorter three day tours all of them carrying camping gear. 

I use a Dawes Galaxy for both types of riding and it's performed faultlessly.

A difference worth knowing about is that a touring bike is generally lower geared to make cycle camping a less challenging task. Cycle camping on an Audax bike is possible but you'll have to keep things light and be prepared to struggle a bit on the hills. The wheels and tyres on an Audax bike tend to be lighter built too.

The spec of the Ridgeback is about the same for the drive train as that on my Galaxy. I use an Alivio rear mech and Deore MTB chainset and front mech I've only had to make one minor adjustment in the past 3 years and 8-9000 miles. I've no complainst about the durability of the components having replaced only the middle chain ring fairly recently.

Out on the road the Galaxy has been propelled past tri-athletes, young fit racing whippets doing LEJOG and I've hung onto the rear wheel of a 'lycra lout' for five or six miles causing him acute embarrassment as I was giving away at least ten stones and 20 years to him.

Having said all that, I am building an Audax/fast tourer around a 520 Dave Yates frame. Reynolds 520 tubing is the modern equivalent to 531 with the added benefit of it being able to be tig welded. The new build will be equipped with a hub dynamo and LED lighting to make night riding in longer Audaxes less stressfull. 

Now I've just got to shed some weight to become a light tourer myself.


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## blazingsaddles (20 Aug 2008)

Thanks for replies. It's definately a case of lighter load or camp and I can see benifits in both. I'm inclined though to look more at the tourer especially the Ridgeback Voyage as it seems to have a similair spec to the basic Galaxy yet its cheaper.


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## urbanfatboy (21 Aug 2008)

check out the EBC bikes as well, Revolutions.


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## hondated (29 Aug 2022)

vernon said:


> I ride Audaxes nearly other week and for the past three years have done 2-3 week cycle tours plus shorter three day tours all of them carrying camping gear.
> 
> I use a Dawes Galaxy for both types of riding and it's performed faultlessly.
> 
> ...



Hope this isn't too mawkish but just seeking advice I found Vernon ( Piemans ) thread and its just great to think that although he is no longer with us we can still all learn from him.


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