BluesDave
Formerly known as DavidDecorator
- Location
- The leafy backroads of Surrey.
Top whack £250
The gauntlet has been thrown down.
The gauntlet has been thrown down.
For £200 can you recommend a touring bike.
- Thread starter BluesDave
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
biggs682
Itching to get back on my bike's
- Location
- Northamptonshire
brand new why !!
OP
OP
BluesDave
Formerly known as DavidDecorator
- Location
- The leafy backroads of Surrey.
Because it seems like a good idea.
smokeysmoo
Legendary Member
- Location
- Bolton, not very far from Nob End
In a word NO. With that budget it's 2nd hand all the way.
OT - Did you have a bid on the Peugeot?
OT - Did you have a bid on the Peugeot?
OP
OP
BluesDave
Formerly known as DavidDecorator
- Location
- The leafy backroads of Surrey.
jay clock
Massive member
- Location
- Hampshire UK
2nd hand Subway?
david1701
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Bude, Cornwall
what kinda touring? rigid mtb with a rack could be had fairly cheaply and would do for some touring type things?
OP
OP
BluesDave
Formerly known as DavidDecorator
- Location
- The leafy backroads of Surrey.
I have one of those already. I was specifically looking for a touring bike.
My inspiration for getting back into cycling was a combination of the BBC programme Britain by Bike and the book by Harold Briercliffe. I wish I could have got hold of the original versions though as opposed to the rewrite.
I have to say it's now becoming a bit of an obsession. I keep buying books and accessories.
I suppose I'm looking for a touring bike along the lines of the Dawes Super Galaxy as used by the man himself but knowing that I could not afford such a beast without saving up for quite a while I've set my sites lower.
If theres a thread on here that I can recommend the books I bought let me know.
As for what kind of touring we are talking about weekend tours taking a tent to the South Coast and maybe Gloucestershire to start off with. So Jaywick, Whitstable, Portsmouth, Weymouth, Broadstairs etc.
Cotswolds, Forest of Dean, Sherwood Forest, New Forest.
Naturally I'll be taking a tent.
jay clock
Massive member
- Location
- Hampshire UK
Having had a Galaxy equivalent for a few years and several tours I moved to a Koga Miyata World traveller. MTB style, flat bars and v brakes. All out of your range but I find the braking in particular a massive improvement
If I had to do a tourer for £200 or so it would be based around a cheap 90s mtb off Ebay.
And correction you are not obsessed. You are dedicated.
If I had to do a tourer for £200 or so it would be based around a cheap 90s mtb off Ebay.
And correction you are not obsessed. You are dedicated.
Little yellow Brompton
A dark destroyer of biscuits!
- Location
- Bridgend
Top whack £250
The gauntlet has been thrown down.
No problem! You send me the £200-£250 and I will recommend a touring bike! I would have done it for free , but as you are offering...
OP
OP
BluesDave
Formerly known as DavidDecorator
- Location
- The leafy backroads of Surrey.
Nice try Squire. I have to say that was a good one. Didn't see it coming.
OP
OP
BluesDave
Formerly known as DavidDecorator
- Location
- The leafy backroads of Surrey.
Well firstly thankyou, wish my missus thought the same. Secondly I have a 1999 MTB which I use all the time to which I have fitted mudguards and a pannier rack. I bought it new then.
I am thinking of posting a picture of my bike here as I've only ever seen one other one but they must have been fairly common.
PpPete
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chandler's Ford
I have one of those already. I was specifically looking for a touring bike.
My inspiration for getting back into cycling was a combination of the BBC programme Britain by Bike and the book by Harold Briercliffe.
I have to say it's now becoming a bit of an obsession. I keep buying books and accessories.
I suppose I'm looking for a touring bike along the lines of the Dawes Super Galaxy as used by the man himself but knowing that I could not afford such a beast without saving up for quite a while I've set my sites lower.
If theres a thread on here that I can recommend the books I bought let me know.
As for what kind of touring we are talking about weekend tours taking a tent to the South Coast and maybe Gloucestershire to start off with. So Jaywick, Whitstable, Portsmouth, Weymouth, Broadstairs etc.
Cotswolds, Forest of Dean, Sherwood Forest, New Forest.
Naturally I'll be taking a tent.
Get a second hand bike first - then you can talk obsession !
I have a late 80's Galaxy - which has been "improved" over the last couple of years. I stopped adding up what I'd spent on it, but it went way past the original purchase price of just under £400.
In your position I'd be looking for a steel "10 speed racer" on ebay as a starting point. Most of them have geometry suitable for touring and mudguard eyes (which can be used for racks too with a P clip on seat stay)
If you can find one with cantilever brake studs it would be great, but at least look for braze on mounts for DT shifters on the down tube (rather than band-on DT shifters) - you can buy cable-stop adapters for the braze-on type if you want to put modern gear shifters on it.
Lots of people will tell you to watch out for rear drop-outs that are not wide enough for modern wheels - but on an old steel frame that's easily sorted, whereas finding nice looking band-on cable stops is a BITCH.
smokeysmoo
Legendary Member
- Location
- Bolton, not very far from Nob End
Something like this?, (ok this is alu not steel), but it gives you an idea of what you can achieve with an 70's/80's road bike. This is also converted to 10 speed STi shifters.
You won't achieve all this for £250, (trust me
), but assuming everything original on the bike is functional then you should easily come in under budget even after adding a rack and guards, and with a bit of luck you could even get a set of panniers within your overall budget too.
mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
I wouldn't discount your mountain bike, many round the world tourers use steel mountain bikes as the base for their vehicles..
Has it got any suspension? If not then it could make a good base for a tourer. Butterfly bars or some nice bar ends could be fitted quite easily, and racks can be fitted even if there's no fixing points currently on the frame. You could even turn it into a drop bar tourer with bar end shifters for well within your £200 budget (I'm considering doing this with my hybrid at the moment with dia-compe friction shifters and tektro v-brake levers).
Otherwise look at old steel frame bikes on ebay, there are some pretty good ones out there and most will take a touring load no problem. Carrera Virtuoso's come up around £200 on there sometimes as well and they would be ok for light touring.
Another suggestion is to try the CTC forum, where someone may have something you would like.
Has it got any suspension? If not then it could make a good base for a tourer. Butterfly bars or some nice bar ends could be fitted quite easily, and racks can be fitted even if there's no fixing points currently on the frame. You could even turn it into a drop bar tourer with bar end shifters for well within your £200 budget (I'm considering doing this with my hybrid at the moment with dia-compe friction shifters and tektro v-brake levers).
Otherwise look at old steel frame bikes on ebay, there are some pretty good ones out there and most will take a touring load no problem. Carrera Virtuoso's come up around £200 on there sometimes as well and they would be ok for light touring.
Another suggestion is to try the CTC forum, where someone may have something you would like.
