Cheap tourer that's still good?

[Time Waster]

A few years ago she tried a TdF but with drops. It felt good but she wasn't sure about drops having never ridden them. It was a good few years back and there wasn't a flat bar option that year iirc. There's a flat bar in there more recently and it seemed to fit her but she's not had a test ride on it. We were both checking out a few genesis and other brands bikes. CdF, a cannonball gravel/adventure bike that takes full rack set and another I think a spesh. There was a really this deal on a couple of them too. Wheelbase give interest few credit even on discounted bikes unlike most other bike shops who only do it on full price.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

If cost is a priority an 80's/90's rigid MTB frame can be built into an excellent tourer capable of carrying a 4 pannier load and then some.

Alternatively have you considered a trailer for her current MTB?

 

[Time Waster]

Her mtb is dead, not worth fixing. It is if you're a fettler type who enjoys fixing up bikes perhaps with parts to hand. We're not so we're saving the several hundred pounds repair bill and putting it towards a new bike. Especially since a new proper touring bike has been talked about then put off because the mtb worked OK for her. That's been thing on for about 4 years so this fix bill is a push that helps the pull of a nice bike that works better for her.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

It is if you're a fettler type who enjoys fixing up bikes

As someone not remotely mechanically minded I taught myself the basics of bike repair for peace of mind on tours. It is incredibly satisfying.
If that's not your thing, it's not your thing.

Depending on where you see yourselves going on tour it may make some sense to consider compatibility and interchangeability of your bike and hers - it may lead to carrying less spares and easier adjustments.

 

[monkers]

I was looking in my local bike shop the other day. They have a Genesis Day One bike in there in size small; I think it may be one to consider, and it has a £100 reduction at the moment making it £800. I believe you'll get free delivery on that too.



Super-commuter, meets touring, meets gravel bike - the Day One is our triple threat!


Take the heart of our CDA, add a dash of hub-geared practicality and finish it with clearance for 42mm tyres and this is what you get.


We reckon it's the best of all-worlds, giving you our most versatile platform with a healthy dose of dependability.


Of course, we don't need to introduce our best-selling CDA frameset, which features our hybrid double-butted alloy tubing, delivering high levels of stiffness in certain areas and compliance in others.


Adorned with a myriad of mounts for 'guards, racks, bottles, framebags and Anything cages, this bike can go as far as your legs can carry you and your kit.


The hub-gear delivers reliability and range, which is great news whether you're commuting in all weathers, or on your way to a bothy in the Hebrides.


Finished with 37mm tyres and in a glorious forest green colourway, this is an enduring bike and one worthy of the Day One moniker.

https://www.trentsbikeshack.co.uk/

Frame	ALX8 6066/6061-T6 Double-Butted Aluminium
Rear Shock	N/A
Fork	Genesis Chromoly Disc
Headset	PT-1606 Upper EC34 / Lower EC34
Shifters	Microshift BS-N08
Rear Derailleur	N/A
Front Derailleur	N/A
Chainset	Samox AF13, 42t, XS = 165MM, S/M/L/XL = 170MM
Bottom Bracket	CARTRIDGE, 68x127.5MM
Chain	KMC Z1
Cassette / Freewheel	Shimano SM-GEAR 20T
Rims	Shining DB-31 32H
Hubs	Front KT-K88F / Rear Shimano Nexus SG-C6001-8D 8spd
Spokes	Steel 14g
Tyres	WTB All Terrain 700x37c
Brakes	PROMAX DSK-300 Road
Brake levers	PROMAX BL-254
Handlebars	Genesis Alloy 16deg flare, XS = 400MM, SM/MED = 420MM, L-XL = 440MM
Stem	Genesis Alloy - 7 deg, 90MM = XS/S/M, 100MM = L/XL
Saddle	Genesis
Seatpost	Genesis Alloy 27.5mmx350mm
Pedals	NW-303
Drive Unit	N/A
Battery	N/A
charger	N/A

 

[Time Waster]

As someone not remotely mechanically minded I taught myself the basics of bike repair for peace of mind on tours. It is incredibly satisfying.
If that's not your thing, it's not your thing.

Depending on where you see yourselves going on tour it may make some sense to consider compatibility and interchangeability of your bike and hers - it may lead to carrying less spares and easier adjustments.

Only European touring in countries with a good bike shop network. Most likely Belgium, Netherlands, France and one day Germany somewhere. Even in UK touring if Europe is out for a while there's usually a bike shop nearby. Certainly near enough to get to with a broken bike. Mine you 2 weeks is rarely long enough for a recently checked out bike to fail drastically.

So far or only tour with issues was our first. We hadn't got our bike checked out, we didn't carry quicklinks or a chain splitter and our bikes really needed work doing on them. My front derailleur got stuck on the big chainring, a 50t one with a 11 to 25t cassette. Was fun riding steep hills in Scotland towing a single wheel trailer on a 2 to 1 gear as your granny gear! However it was my partner's broken chain that stopped us and led to a taxi ride to the ferry for her and our 3.5 yo son. Meanwhile I had to keep a nearly 15mph average in big chainring with trailer to make the last ferry to the mainland and our car. Quick links for all bikes and chain splitter plus more tools but above all a trip to a guide bike shop before the trip from then on. No issues since.

 

[simongt]

Maybe the important thing to remember is that if it works for you as an individual, then go for it. Price of a bike is relative to your income and perspective. Some will blanche at the idea of spending more than £200 on a bike, new or second hand, but others won't bat an eyelid at forking out £5000.

 

[Elybazza61]

Will potentially have a US made Trek Multi track for sale soon; fitted with Sora 9-speed,cantis,rack, dynamo lights etc.

Looks like this(apologies for poor pic);

 

[Pale Rider]

Will potentially have a US made Trek Multi track for sale soon; fitted with Sora 9-speed,cantis,rack, dynamo lights etc.

Looks like this(apologies for poor pic);

View attachment 623641

I think you should also apologise for that saddle angle.

 

[mickle]

You can cobble a very decent tourer from an old steel 'hybrid'. A made one from a mud 90s chromoly Marin Kentfield I bought for £35. Pre '96 bikes will have cantilevers. Fit a shallow drop bar, with cross top levers and bar end shifters and have plenty of budget left over for a top notch saddle.

 

[All uphill]

Will potentially have a US made Trek Multi track for sale soon; fitted with Sora 9-speed,cantis,rack, dynamo lights etc.

Looks like this(apologies for poor pic);

View attachment 623641

That's my kind of bike!

 

[simongt]

I think you should also apologise for that saddle angle.

Once worked with a lass whose cheapo dual susser had the saddle angled down at about twice that. Beat us how she stayed on the bike - !

 

[Vantage]

If you want an off the shelf built tourer that's ready to go, the Spa Tourer is the one to go for. I had one myself. Spa build the bikes up in the store and so can easily swap the gearing for lower ranges, fit etc. You don't get that with the majority of other manufacturers. She can also take it for a good test ride before deciding. And I do mean a proper ride, not a once round the block sort of test ride.
Mine was the 26" wheeled version and the only real issue I had with it was a lack of tyre choice. It will only just take a 1.9" tyre. As I enjoyed taking mine off road, the choice of knobbly tyres under 2" was extreeeeeeeeamly limited, although the city jets I used were OK in the dry.
Other than that, the bike was perfect. I upgraded to a wayfarer for the sole reasons that tyre choice was bigger (runs on 700c in its smallest size) and disc brakes.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

What's the least you need to spend to get a touring bike that is still good? ............. Any hybrid bikes suit as a tourer too? Bike would be a bike for loaded and unloaded riding.

In my case, pre-corona, I've picked up a Raleigh Royal tourer with a Reynolds 531 frame for £30, a Raleigh Gemini hybrid also with a 531 frame for £20, and a Raleigh Pioneer hybrid with a 501 frame for a tenner. The above hybrids are essentially touring geometry frames anyway - so the choice comes down to whether you want flat bars or drops. Flat bar bikes are more plentiful on the secondhand market, by quite a large margin, as many riders shy away from drops. That means it's easier to pick up a bargain flat bar bike used, and there's more choice.
All of mine were just about rideable as they were once some air was pumped into the tyres, although I ended up fitting new Schwalbes to both the hybrids and replacing one brake lever on the Pioneer. If I had wanted to use the Royal for touring or commuting, I would have needed to replace the tyres on that too, for more reliability, but since I only use it as a fair weather road bike I kept the Michelin Club Tours it came with on and decided to ride them until worn out.
So, really, the answer is if you can buy the bike itself cheaply enough, and then only have to replace a couple of tyres, maybe a new chain, and give it a lubrication service, you can realistically get a reliable machine for about £100 all-in, so long as you don't overpay for the bike and you do any work needed yourself.

 

[Blue Hills]

Lot of sense in your post skipdiver but I'd just add that better wheels might be an idea if planning to use for loaded touring.
Do you think those sorts of steel bikes will return to those sorts of prices post COVID?