A Hypothetical Tourer

[Basil]

If you're looking for something bombproof, check ebay for Sardars.  The older version with drops and STI

[Andrew Br]

Ooh, that CdF is a bit tasty. 

Not a triple.
Could be an issue for touring ?

Other than that it's a lovely, lovely bike.
Did I say that I think that it's lovely ?

[David Martin]

Ooh, that CdF is a bit tasty. 

Try fitting it with racks. CdF with all the proper mounting points would be very nice. A fast tourer. As itis, it looks like a fun, go anywhere day bike but not a tourer.

..d

[redshift]

...And we're back to custom again, since everything off the shelf isn't quite right!

[andygates]

If you're looking for something bombproof, check ebay for Sardars.  The older version with drops and STI

Cyclescheme fail.   

[andygates]

Ooh, that CdF is a bit tasty. 

Try fitting it with racks. CdF with all the proper mounting points would be very nice. A fast tourer. As itis, it looks like a fun, go anywhere day bike but not a tourer.

..d

Blast, you're right, no front rack gubbins.  Mind you, if it did have them, it'd be so loaded as to want a triple to grovelwinch the load uphill...

[RJ]

...and is all well and good, but pops the Cyclescheme budget. 

Hm.  Lighting could be an issue as this may be deployed on the birthday ride.

My LBS reckoned they could include some dynamo lighting (in my case probably building my dynohub into a 700c wheel) in the overall cost of a Cyclescheme bike (in their case the Voyage).  So, as I understand it, the bike doesn't have to be off-the-peg, just "complete" and within budget (though you're free to top up up front out of your own pocket if the cost is over a grand).

Unfortunately, EBC don't seem to sell dynohubs 

[Chris N]

I'd ask Cotic if they could do a custom Roadrat: drop bars on a short frame, cable disc brakes, Alfine hub and a bar-end shifter.  I think that they do cyclescheme or similar.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Ooh, that CdF is a bit tasty. 

Try fitting it with racks. CdF with all the proper mounting points would be very nice. A fast tourer. As itis, it looks like a fun, go anywhere day bike but not a tourer.

..d

Blast, you're right, no front rack gubbins.  Mind you, if it did have them, it'd be so loaded as to want a triple to grovelwinch the load uphill...

You want an extrawheel. Go on, you know you do.

http://www.extrawheel.eu/index.php?sess_id=5cc4442f97cf4602d0cfa76eb9d784bc

[RJ]

I have one of the new Dawes Sardars and use it for commuting and shopping. It's bomb-proof and a comfortable and stable (but slow) ride, even when very heavily laden. And I can keep up with the mountain bikes on the bridleway bit of my commute too.

I thought Dawes had discontinued the Sardar?
Dawes Cycles - Touring Bikes

[andygates]

Seems that my natural taste runs to £1200 bikes! 

The workaday solution is to take my Dunwich hauler - the Cannondale slick MTB - and tweak it by adding comfort tyres and a front rack.  That's not a tyre class I'm very familiar with: how much of a difference does it make, really?

[RJ]

Seems that my natural taste runs to £1200 bikes! 

The workaday solution is to take my Dunwich hauler - the Cannondale slick MTB - and tweak it by adding comfort tyres and a front rack.  That's not a tyre class I'm very familiar with: how much of a difference does it make, really?

About 1mph (based on swapping Marathon Slick 1.3"s for M+ 1.75" on my old rigid Marin - others' experience may vary, obviously). 

[Polar Bear]

We run our 26 inch wheeled tourers on Marathon 26/1.5's.   They run just nicely and cope well with heavy camping loads.   As you can pump them up to 80psi they don't run too bad either.   Mind you, they are the now rare HS308's which had a continuous smooth strip round the circumference which I believe the current model HS368's do not.   

[Tim]

Surely the answer is to wait until the end of season knock downs (2011 bikes will start to become available soonish) and grab a £1200 bike as it comes under a grand for being last season's colours. Just a matter of watching a lot of retailers for the right moment.

[RJ]

... provided they'll include the discount in Cyclescheme.  Most won't.

[microphonie]

I'd ask Cotic if they could do a custom Roadrat: drop bars on a short frame, cable disc brakes, Alfine hub and a bar-end shifter.  I think that they do cyclescheme or similar.

18 Bikes will do you a Cotic Roadrat drop-bar Alfine disc braked custom build and offer Bike to Work scheme too.

Pomp with ze alfine hub?

When On-One were announcing the Pompetamine someone requested a drop bar option, to which they replied:

"the Versa VRS-8 looks excellent. I have emailed the manufacturers Sussex Enterprises with a view to us stocking their shifters . Drop bar Alfine builds would be pretty cool... We'll see. "

On-One also do the BTW scheme.

[andygates]

Microphonie, those are evil, evil temptations.

Just had a play with the (non-tourer) Alfine/belt Trek Soho, and it's spookily silent.

The question with the Alfine is: how low does it go?  Hauling on my (seemingly persistent) gammy knee is best with some real groveller gears. 

[microphonie]

Microphonie, those are evil, evil temptations.

Just had a play with the (non-tourer) Alfine/belt Trek Soho, and it's spookily silent.

The question with the Alfine is: how low does it go?  Hauling on my (seemingly persistent) gammy knee is best with some real groveller gears. 

 
 
You could wait for the 11-speed to become available later in the year - the link gives the gear range & cassette equivalents. Hopefully knee-friendly enough. Not sure if there are plans for drop-bar shifters for the 11-speed yet, however.

My employer won't join the B2W scheme so I can merrily spread temptation but won't be buying for myself 

Mind you, I'm venturing oop north next week and will probably be taking the opportunity to visit the new Planet X/On-One showroom in Rotherham so who knows...

If you're talking belt drive - you could import a Civia Bryant Alfine  

[MacB]

The Alfine 11 with a direct drive, gear 5 I believe, of 45 inches would give a range from 23.7 to 96.9 gear inches, fairly well spaced as well:-

23.7, 30.6, 34.7, 39.5, 45, 51, 58.1, 65.8, 75, 85 & 96.9

It looks like a pretty impressive bit of kit, hopefully Versa will come out with an STI shifter.

[matthew]

having just done a 105 mile day on my cheviot SE with a weeks worth of camping gear I can highly recommend it.

It coped with four panniers, saddlebag and ortlieb hold all across the rack with aplomb.

Matthew

[microphonie]

On-One now have photos of their drop bar Pompetamine - didn't notice these yesterday.

Looks rather nice 

[redshift]

Looking at the Cotic Roadrat, if the front brake mounting on the Road Hog fork is on the right hand side (to prevent axle movement under braking), how does that square with a dynohub like the Shimano which is arrow marked for one direction only?  The hub would be in backwards, wouldn't it?  Since the hub's AC it shouldn't matter which way round it runs, but then you have to ask why is it marked as a unidirectional hub?   

[andygates]

On-One now have photos of their drop bar Pompetamine - didn't notice these yesterday.

Looks rather nice 

*dirty grunt*

Anyone got the Alfine 8 ratios handy? 

[Chris N]

Anyone got the Alfine 8 ratios handy? 

Product

about the same as a wide ratio (11-34?) cassette.

[Chris N]

Looking at the Cotic Roadrat, if the front brake mounting on the Road Hog fork is on the right hand side (to prevent axle movement under braking), how does that square with a dynohub like the Shimano which is arrow marked for one direction only?  The hub would be in backwards, wouldn't it?  Since the hub's AC it shouldn't matter which way round it runs, but then you have to ask why is it marked as a unidirectional hub?   

Officially both Shimano and Schmidt dynohubs should be run with the contacts on the right hand side only because the hub shell could unscrew if used 'backwards'. In practice, you might get away with it if the shell is done up tight enough.