im sick of making the same mistake

[just4fun]

Hi again,
My repeating mistake is buying bikes that are not fit for the task. This is a result of ignorance and impatience on my part.

Short story:

is there a type of bike which fits this bill?
* suitable for daily to commute on road all year round and all weather.
* can take 35kg in panniers (a full touring load)
* has drop bars
* weighs around 8kg
* Disk breaks preferred
* suitable for use on: road, canal, bridal paths, new forest cycle paths

Detailed:
The 2 bikes i own are:
Giant: yukon (disk) 17kg + Team Quest: custom build racer 7kg
As things stand at present im doing 150m PCM and looking to increase the distance.

The main use of the bike is commuting (along road/cycle path) the semi carbon road bike flys along holding its speed on this journey no problem but cant take a rack for days when i need to carry more than my lunch/backpack and im not so great on hills even though its a 'compact double'

My MTB has been to europe on a 2 week touring journey, its big and heavy and slows down as soon as i stop peddeling but its' reliable and has no problems when i load it up for work or cycling holidays, its does the job but i dont enjoy riding it in the city due to its weight and wide off-road tyres. I had changed the tyres it to slicks but have chaneged back now i have decent road bike. I have to say off road it does its job and i enjoyed riding it around the new forest and the grand union etc but as i live in the city its out of its element 99% of the time.

Is there such a thing is a fast,light,bike thatcan take heavy panniers and can be used on and off road?

Many thanks

 

[just4fun]

I;ve just seen the following on another thread and have to say spot on:

Hi Jason, I know exactly what you mean. Some days I think that, were I able to justify a new bike, something like the Specialised Tricross Sport would be ideal - lots of great reviews, can take a rack and mudguards and wide tyres, great on towpaths and forest tracks as well as the road... That's the one for me! Then I'll go out and have a decent fast (for me) paced ride or I'll be struggling up a slight incline and I'll think nah, I need a proper road bike, something nice and light with skinny tyres... and look there are some amazing bikes out there for around the £700k mark - Specialised and Bianchis and Giants and all sorts... Those ar ethe bikes for me! But another day I'll find myself thinking "wouldn't it be nice, one day, to go on a tour? I really fancy that. I'm slow and steady... surely I should be looking at a nice comfy tourer, not one of these super fast super light things? I'm way too old for that... And all that talk of comfort... surely it's relative? How can those bikes be as comfy as a nice tourer..." No, what I need is a tourer - and look at the deals available. Those are the bikes for me, for sure! But then I'll read a review of a great looking audax bike, something like the Tifosi CK7 (or whatever it is) and I'll think "That's the one! That could do it all..." That's definitely the bike for me...

Sigh. Like you said, it drives you mad.


Del

 

[Fab Foodie]

Hi again,

Is there such a thing is a fast,light, bike thatcan take heavy panniers and can be used on and off road?

Many thanks

No. If there was they'd sell like hot cakes.

 

[Landslide]

is there a type of bike which fits this bill?
* suitable for daily to commute on road all year round and all weather.
* can take 35kg in panniers (a full touring load)
* has drop bars
* weighs around 8kg
* Disk breaks preferred
* suitable for use on: road, canal, bridal paths, new forest cycle paths

Sounds like you want a tourer, apart from the 8kg weight. I have a nasty feeling this puts you into "moon-on-a-stick" territory...

Still, I reckon a tourer would satisfy most of your needs, and if you wanted a blast around the local roads on a lightweight bike, you could always take the Quest.

 

[Sam Kennedy]

It sounds like you need a tourer...

This looks like what you might need: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/kona/sutra-2008-road-bike-ec000821

Only downside is that it sounds like a dirty book

If that's not what you need check out: http://www.evanscycles.com/categories/complete-bikes/touring-bikes

 

[garrilla]

Its unlikely you are going to find anything under 10kg with mudgaurds and will take a rack

you might look at the 'audax' / 'winter' models

 

[Fab Foodie]

Its unlikely you are going to find anything under 10kg with mudgaurds and will take a rack

you might look at the 'audax' / 'winter' models

But they'll not take 35kg of pannier action.

You could go for a sprightly tourer in either Titanium or summat like a Hewitt and put lightweight wheels and tyres on it for the faster days. Would make a difference.

 

[garrilla]

But they'll not take 35kg of pannier action.

You could go for a sprightly tourer in either Titanium or summat like a Hewitt and put lightweight wheels and tyres on it for the faster days. Would make a difference.

quite right, I some how missed the 35kg bit!

 

[Randochap]

An often-heard problem and the subject of many arguments around here.

Agree what you are describing is probably closest to a tourer. However, in my experience this kind of bike fits the bill the closest. The French called them "Porteurs."

Make sure you get the gearing right.

 

[Fab Foodie]

An often-heard problem and the subject of many arguments around here.

Agree what you are describing is probably closest to a tourer. However, in my experience this kind of bike fits the bill the closest. The French called them "Porteurs."

Make sure you get the gearing right.

Mmmm, not unlike one of the Thorn 26" wheeled tourers.

 

[Randochap]

Mmmm, not unlike one of the Thorn 26" wheeled tourers.

Quite similar, except it's 650b and perhaps not quite so robust. It is very fast though.

I'm a Thorn fan, BTW. They do a very good job.

 

[byegad]

It's the familiar n+1 problem. An audax bike will probably ft the bill. Lighter than a tourer but able to carry a load if need be.

 

[peanut]

why on earth would you want to transport 35kgs regularly on a bike ?Thats probably a third of your body weight . maybe you should look at reducing that weight by 15-20kgs

sounds like you need two bikes because any bike that served one purpose satisfactoriliy would be compromised on another.

 

[just4fun]

hi peanut its not regularly (thank god) its just for a few weeks every year to cycle round holland with a tent and all the gear on the bike stopping where takes my fancy.
for my regular commute would most likely be maximum 6kg including a laptop.
thank fully im not 100+ kg not far off though 76 kg rider o
N+1 is right! mayeb i should of just bought a tourer/audux and not the full race frame when i had some money in the bank. damn i was suckered in by a shiny paint job!

 

[RedBike]

is there a type of bike which fits this bill?
* suitable for daily to commute on road all year round and all weather.
* can take 35kg in panniers (a full touring load)
* has drop bars
* weighs around 8kg
* Disk breaks preferred
* suitable for use on: road, canal, bridal paths, new forest cycle paths

There's nothing I can think of that fits the bill. Must be possible, although it's going to really cost you!

For example the Focus Mare is £900 and still just over 10kg
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Focus_Mares_Disc_2009/5360037601/


Perhaps if you started with a cyclo-x frame like the Uncle John, built it up with Dura-ace groupset, American classic wheels, carbon carbon everything you'd get a light enough bike.

Light weight wheels/tyres make a much bigger difference to how heavy a bike 'feels' than a few grams on the frame. The trouble is you can't really go fitting super light wheels to anything you're loading up to tour on / use off-road.

When you've got 35kg in panniers you're probably not going to notice that extra kg or two of bike weight anyway. Perhaps it's worth getting that standard 10kg bike and having a word with a good wheel builder?