Resilient bike - tourer?

[Tail End Charlie]

Get an old Raleigh MTB, a rigid CrMo Steel one and fit decent wheels and transmission to it then get it mucky and don't clean it, perfect commuter.

I'd agree, in fact any 90s steel non sus MTB would be ideal for what you mention. I have a GT Tequesta which I use for everything.

 

[steveindenmark]

I am surprised you expect to get a half decent bike for no money. Would you expect to get a car, house or mobile phone for the same? You pay peanuts,you get monkeys.

 

[Alan O]

Not sure it's any help, but last year I built up a Raleigh Royal tourer from an eBay frame (tough 531ST) for a total of around £300 (excluding expensive Brooks saddle, but you can obviously use a cheaper one), and it's pretty robust (and really doesn't look very nickable - paintwork is a bit shabby but the frame is good, and I certainly don't do anything rash like polishing it).

There was quite a bit of work in building it, obviously, but now it's done and all set up it's been very low maintenance. It's the bike I use when I need to lock up somewhere.

 

[MarkF]

I bought a shed of a steel Ridgeback for £75 just for the mint frame, I built it up into 700c tourer for about £225, it'll get me anywhere a Surly LHT would.

However, I used a £50 GT MTB for 5 years as a commuter/shopper/trail rider sometimes out all day, then my son used it on his paper round for another 4 during which it was totally neglected, the thing wouldn't die. I think it went on Ebay for about £20 to a guy who wanted the frame! I've had a few old GT's and for 26" HD tourer I'd happily have/make/buy one.

 

[Salar]

As already said above steel is the way to go .
An old Raleigh Pioneer does me well as does a 1988 Specialized Rockhopper Comp.
Fit them with skinny tyres, racks, mudguards and off you go.

 

[MarkF]

As already said above steel is the way to go .
An old Raleigh Pioneer does me well as does a 1988 Specialized Rockhopper Comp.
Fit them with skinny tyres, racks, mudguards and off you go.

Yes, that's all I've done with my old GT's, added bar ends, a rack, guards and I used to use BELL city tyres from Asda which never seemed to wear out.

 

[arch684]

Specialized hardrock

 

[andrew_s]

Ridgeback Voyage, £625?
http://www.freeborn.co.uk/ridgeback-voyage-bike-2016

A steel tourer makes a good do-it-all bike, from supermarket shopping to trying to embarrass the wannabes on a club 10

 

[TTSS]

A second hand touring bike would give you far better value for money if you intend to keep it for a long time.

 

[lazyfatgit]

I had a Dawes Horizon as my only bike for a while. Rode to work sometimes. Towed the kids. Rode around in Europe on holidays. Went to supermarket. When job went south it became my sole transport. Heavier than a Galaxy but far cheaper and the bloke I gave it to when I decided not to return is still using it.

 

[Dirk]

Ridgeback Voyage, £625?
http://www.freeborn.co.uk/ridgeback-voyage-bike-2016

A steel tourer makes a good do-it-all bike, from supermarket shopping to trying to embarrass the wannabes on a club 10

Shop around. I got a 2015 Ridgeback Voyage, list price £799, in 2016, for £500 new.
I use it as a tourer, shopper and winter bike.

 

[DaveReading]

I'm still riding the alloy-framed EBC tourer I bought about five years ago for around £450 new. Not a particuarly high spec, obviously (the provided tyres were rubbish), but I'm very happy with it, in fact just did the RideLondon on it.

The wife rides (occasionally!) a Ridgeback which also struck me as having been well put together.

But I agree that you will obviously get a better spec if you opt for second-hand.

 

[KneesUp]

Another vote for a nice 90s MTB, but not one of the brands which are still currently held in high esteem - I'd avoid a Specialized, Marin, Orange and so on, and get a Raleigh or - my unbreakable tool of choice - a Muddy Fox - these have the extra attraction of having had the brand utterly devalued by Universal Cycles and Mike Ashley since they went bankrupt in the mid 90s. I'd suggest one no later than about 1991. If you get a mid 80s one it will most likely have rack mounts on the forks and at the back, but mine has two lots of eyelets on the bottom of the forks and at the rear wheel as do most of the later ones - you just need P clips or - my choice - a Carradice Bagman support collar to mount the tops. Ideally mine would have nicer wheels as the originals are a bit of-road biased, but they are certainly tough. I'm considering getting drum brakes for it (Sturmey Archer do a rear drum that takes an 8 speed cassette) for total maintenance free braking whatever the weather. This would have the added benefit of allowing me to choose from the lighter 'disc specific' range of modern rims.

 

[KnackeredBike]

Thank you all for your advice.

Any thoughts about this one?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Edinburgh...884257?hash=item283bacfbe1:g:U6MAAOSwJLJZfffj

 

[KnackeredBike]

@KneesUp I was in a bike shop yesterday and they were recommending a MTB on slicks instead of a touring bike on the basis you get more bike for your money. I don't know how much slower a MTB or touring bike will be compared to a road bike.