CB Regent or Dawes Vantage ?

[simonsimon]

Evenin' all.

I will shortly be getting my £500 cycle to work voucher (capped at 500 by Royal Mail through the Halfords scheme) and have been um-ing and ah-ing over what to spend it on. After spending ages deciding on whether to go for a road bike or flat bar hybrid it occurred to me that a tourer might well suit me (46yrs old, far too fat and not exactly what you'd call fit) as a kind of "everybike".

Handicapped as I am by the amount I have to spend and who I have to spend it with, it seems my choices are between the Claud Butler Regent and the Dawes Vantage.

Do any of you have experience with/preference of either or these ?

Thank you kindly,

Simon

p.s. I've just realised how out of date my avatar pic is. I was young, slim and fit back then (well, comparatively)

 

[Bandini]

Touring bikes are lots of fun. I have got the bug with mine, and did my first mini-tour (4 days)through the moors a few weeks ago - brilliant! Whatever you get, get a tourer IMO.

Can you use Edinburgh Cycle Co-op? This bike gets very good reviews and is in budget:

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebw...QRY=C440&f_SortOrderID=1&f_bct=c003155c018343

Sorry if that is not much help - somebody else might be more useful!

 

[simonsimon]

T'is a lovely looking machine and no doubt about it. Unfortunately, the scheme doesn't include "own brand" bikes

 

[simonsimon]

No more opinions ?

 

[simonsimon]

Actually, the Country Traveller seems to be a direct copy of the Dawes Vantage. Or is it vice versa ?