replacement bike advice please

Hi.

Sounds like your in the market for a cyclocross bike. You can put
fenders and mud guards on most frames. You can also change your tire
setup from the stock offroad too a beefier road tire.

Check out the bianchi website and look at the 'AXIS' model. That is
there cyclocross bike. They usually have a 36/48 double up front with a
12/34 gear cluster in the back. That is pretty low. If you need lower to
climb steeper stuff you can also get a triple up front.

Good luck!

--

I had a Galaxy in the early eighties, this year I bought myslef another
Dawes, but a bit sportier, a Dawes Audax.

Audax bikes are kind of a halfway house between tourer and racer, "fast
tourers" some peole call them. They are designed for long-distance road
riding at speed, al la Audax events. On the road it's a delight to ride.

It has everything you want (mudguards, drops, luggage bosses, STI) apart
from secondary brake levers (which I miss, as I like riding on the tops), is
incredibly well built and has a great range of gears (triple chainring!). I
paid £700 for mine, they list at £800. I reckon that's a much better deal
than a new Glaxy or the even pricier super- or ultra variants.

Well worth a look, IMHO.

hth,

Tony B

nicoll said:

Can anyone suggest what I should look for/ a particular model/ supplier=

=2E

Quoted message said:

Mail order may be ok as I am in the north of Scotland.

You're looking for an Audax bike - like a light tourer.

I'd heartily recommend Chas Roberts if your budget stretches far enough=20
(like about =A31500) and you don't mind a couple of trips to Croydon.=20
Roberts measure you up and then build the frame to your body size.

http://www.robertscycles.com/products.html

My Roberts Audax (Standard: 725 with Veloce) is the bee's knees: I've=20
had it just over three years, mostly for a daily 12-mile commute, and it =

still feels special every time I ride it.

There are other good Audax bikes at lower price points. Check out Thorn, =

Orbit or Dawes, to name a few.

--=20
Mark.

A lot of people recommend Edinburgh Bicycles stuff -
http://www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk/catalogue/item.cfm?ID=3204

Sounds like you are looking for a light/fast tourer, which are often
called Audax bikes these days. The main downside of these, for me, is
that they are pretty expensive have a look at:-
Dawes Audax - http://www.dawes-cycles.co.uk/audax.asp
Thorn (various) - http://www.sjscycles.com/thornbrochure.asp
Orbit (various) - http://www.orbit-cycles.co.uk

You may have a hard time getting brake lever extensions though. I've
not seen any new bikes with them.

Eric.

nicoll said:

I want drop handlebars and am used to secondary brake levers.

Secondary brake levers have died a death, and quite frankly good
riddance as they were never very good.

Quoted message said:

friends all have a much lower first gear than my bike and at times that
would be an advantage as would shifters on the brakes.

Look for "STI" if you want shifters on the brakes. For low gears a
modern touring bike will have a triple front derailleur and a bigger
spread at the back (8 or 9 cogs) so that should sort out the gears

Quoted message said:

Can anyone suggest what I should look for/ a particular model/ supplier.
Mail order may be ok as I am in the north of Scotland.

I'd take a trip to town and give a few things a try: good bikes cost
serious money and there's no point buying blind (or partially sighted!).
Spend a little extra on a trip and come out knowing you've got what
you want. Edinburgh Bike Co-op have a fair range of tourers and also
have a branch in Aberdeen if that's easier to get to.

Quoted message said:

I have looked at the Dawes Galaxy (in a brochure only) but think this may be
too much a touring bike.

The Dawes Audax (and similar machines) is lighter and sportier, though
OTOH the tourers will have lower gearing, albeit spaced out more.

Or the obligatory plug for something Completely Different which will
still do what you want... How about something like this:
http://kinetics.org.uk/html/grasshopper.shtml
Compared to what you're used to it's got better aerodynamics and is an
order of magnitude more comfortable. Gear shift is on the bars as
requested, and it comes with low gearing for big hills.
It is designed as a touring bike and is ideal for distance hacks on the
road. Only real catch for your list of priorities is it's more
expensive and you need to be at least slightly exhibitionist. If you're
visiting Glasgow then Ben (Mr. Kinetics) has a range of models you can
try out. Having been a confirmed "I like a drop handlebar touring bike
as my bike" chap for a long time, I tried a recumbent and now wouldn't
go back (mine is the Streetmachine,
http://kinetics.org.uk/html/streetmachine.shtml but the grasshopper is
lighter and though it won't take heavy loads so well, that doesn't seem
to be an issue for you).

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"nicoll" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

My bike is approaching 30 years old and parts are hard to come by and I'm
thinking of getting a newer bike.

I cycle all on tarmac normally one/two evenings per week up to 30 miles and
most weekends upto 50 miles. I have what 30 years ago was called a touring
bike.

I would like a bike which can take mudguards and perhaps occasionally
panniers.

I'm happy to buy a good second hand bike or a new bike.

I want drop handlebars and am used to secondary brake levers. My cycling
friends all have a much lower first gear than my bike and at times that
would be an advantage as would shifters on the brakes.

Can anyone suggest what I should look for/ a particular model/ supplier.
Mail order may be ok as I am in the north of Scotland.

I have looked at the Dawes Galaxy (in a brochure only) but think this may be
too much a touring bike.

Thanks

Ian

Dawes Audax, last years' models usually good value.

in message <[email hidden]>, nicoll

(') said:

My bike is approaching 30 years old and parts are hard to come by and
I'm thinking of getting a newer bike.

I cycle all on tarmac normally one/two evenings per week up to 30
miles and most weekends upto 50 miles. I have what 30 years ago was
called a touring bike.

I would like a bike which can take mudguards and perhaps occasionally
panniers.

I'm happy to buy a good second hand bike or a new bike.

I want drop handlebars and am used to secondary brake levers. My
cycling friends all have a much lower first gear than my bike and at
times that would be an advantage as would shifters on the brakes.

Can anyone suggest what I should look for/ a particular model/
supplier. Mail order may be ok as I am in the north of Scotland.

I have looked at the Dawes Galaxy (in a brochure only) but think this
may be too much a touring bike.

If the Galaxy (which is what I would have recommended based on what
you've written above) is 'too touring' you might consider an Audax.
Dawes make audax bikes but so do a number of other makers. Other things
to look at Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op's Revolution Cosmos (which comes
with rack and mudguards), or slightly higher up the price range the
Cannondale R500 Sport (which doesn't but has clearance and eyelets for
when you want to fit them).

Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op have a shop in Aberdeen as well as (naturally)
one in Edinburgh. <URL:http://www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk/>

The other people to talk to might be Kinetics in Glasgow. Their
specialism is really recumbents rather than touring bikes, but they
have built some extremely nice and innovative fast touring and utility
bikes in their time. <URL:http://www.kinetics-online.co.uk/>

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

... a mild, inoffensive sadist...

"Peter Clinch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

nicoll said:

I want drop handlebars and am used to secondary brake levers.

Secondary brake levers have died a death, and quite frankly good
riddance as they were never very good.

I won't hold back. They were damnable [censored].

The modern world has spawned these:

From http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/brakes.html#leversdrop
"Auxiliary ("Cross"😉 Levers for Drop Bars
Initially marketed primarily for cyclocross, these are also an excellent choice
for the touring or long distance cyclist, permitting you to brake from the top
part of the handlebar.
Unlike the 1970s extension levers, these don't interfere with the main brake
levers. They install in the middle of the cable run.

These can also be used as primary levers without the normal drop bar levers.

Tektro RX 2.0 $24.95 "

Or ask someone who's into cyclocross.
--
"Since you must keep improving, a $5 bike offers a lot more opportunities
to improve it, and can be improved cheaper. It's expensive to improve on
a $2000 bike." - Rick Onanian in rec.bicycles.tech

Ian said:

I want drop handlebars and am used to secondary brake levers.

I used to use them too and thought I could never tolerate drop bars
without them. I was wrong. Modern brakes and brake levers are so
efficient and comfortable to use from the hoods (from top position) that
you don't miss the extension levers, even if you prefer to hold the bars
near the stem much of the time.

~PB

On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 11:12:15 +0200, Mark South <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

The modern world has spawned these:

From http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/brakes.html#leversdrop
"Auxiliary ("Cross"😉 Levers for Drop Bars
Initially marketed primarily for cyclocross, these are also an excellent
choice
for the touring or long distance cyclist, permitting you to brake from
the top
part of the handlebar.
Unlike the 1970s extension levers, these don't interfere with the main
brake
levers. They install in the middle of the cable run.

These can also be used as primary levers without the normal drop bar
levers.

Tektro RX 2.0 $24.95 "

Or ask someone who's into cyclocross.

I fitted these to my tourer. Rather than pull cable they push outer and so
they can be fitted without cutting the cable. They are thus completely
separate to the drop levers and provide full leverage on their own. They
are useful, though not exactly necessary.

Colin

Peter Clinch said:

nicoll said:

I want drop handlebars and am used to secondary brake levers.

Secondary brake levers have died a death, and quite frankly good
riddance as they were never very good.

They're back, though now work a lot better.
A second lever fitted into the cable run along the top of the handlebars.
Works by effectively lengthening the gap between two pieces of outer cable.

A Specialized Sequoia which I test rode yesterday(*) has them, and they
work. However, as one used to braking from over the hoods, I found them an
unnecessary extra component.

(* Cycle to work week, and an attempt to get the management to introduce the
bike-from-employer tax break brought a selection of medium to swish bikes to
work from a few major importers for us to try. I also had a go on a Trek
carbon fibred race bike.).

- Nigel
--
NC - Webmaster for http://www.2mm.org.uk/
Replies to newsgroup postings to the newsgroup please.

Yes Dawes Galaxy or Audax. I just did e2e on Dawes Galaxy Tour and the
bike was perfect except for one broken spoke which I blame on carrying
full camping gear and too rapid descent of potholy hills.
Mine was £500 in sale plus free Ortleib bag. They seem to be available
all year round at "sale" prices -see CTC mag etc. and are very good
value.

cheers

Jacob
ps I'm new here - I was getting used to the CTC web site message board
and the [censored] have closed it without comment or explanation.

jacob said:

ps I'm new here - I was getting used to the CTC web site message board
and the [censored] have closed it without comment or explanation.

Probably came to the inevitable realisation that almost all of the web
based forums to date are congenitally [censored] compared to Usenet feeds...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

in message <[email hidden]>, jacob

(') said:

Yes Dawes Galaxy or Audax. I just did e2e on Dawes Galaxy Tour and the
bike was perfect except for one broken spoke which I blame on carrying
full camping gear and too rapid descent of potholy hills.
Mine was £500 in sale plus free Ortleib bag. They seem to be available
all year round at "sale" prices -see CTC mag etc. and are very good
value.

ps I'm new here - I was getting used to the CTC web site message board
and the [censored] have closed it without comment or explanation.

That's the problem with web-based 'fora'. Usenet may be archaic and
anarchic, but it works.

Oh, and welcome, by the way.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; making jokes about dyslexia isn't big, it isn't clever and
;; it isn't furry.

"nicoll" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My bike is approaching 30 years old and parts are hard to come by and I'm
thinking of getting a newer bike.

I cycle all on tarmac normally one/two evenings per week up to 30 miles

and

Quoted message said:

most weekends upto 50 miles. I have what 30 years ago was called a touring
bike.

I would like a bike which can take mudguards and perhaps occasionally
panniers.

I'm happy to buy a good second hand bike or a new bike.

I want drop handlebars and am used to secondary brake levers. My cycling

Presumably those evil devices known as 'Suicide Levers' among other things.
See Sheldon for alternative names and description.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_st-z.html. The braking effect of the
extension levers on the bike I used to have was about the same as I got by
sitting up straight and using the wind resistance.

Quoted message said:

friends all have a much lower first gear than my bike and at times that
would be an advantage as would shifters on the brakes.

Can anyone suggest what I should look for/ a particular model/ supplier.
Mail order may be ok as I am in the north of Scotland.

I have looked at the Dawes Galaxy (in a brochure only) but think this may

be

Quoted message said:

too much a touring bike.

Thanks

Ian

I can endorse the general Audax Bike advice. I am now on my second. The
first was a Dawes Audax, but since it started as just a frame I built it up
myself using mostly Campagnolo bits (because I had always wanted a bike with
a double-clanger and Campags) and the second, a Tifosi CK7, I bought ready
made. This bike also has mostly Campagnolo bits.

I can thoroughly recommend the buy-a-frame-and-build-it-yourself route as a
way of becoming familiar with the modern components such as Ergo Levers (STI
if you use Sh*m*no stuff). The Tifosi CK7 alloy frame sells for just over
200 quid and the Fort Audax steel frame (identical to the Dawes Audax frame)
sells for just under 200 quid. You then need to budget for either Campagnolo
or shimano running gear, some wheels and a few other bits. The beauty of
this approach is that you don't have to buy everything at once. A good bike
maintenance book will also be required if you are not familiar with the
latest bits and pieces. What you end up with is a bike that you understand
and can fix if it goes wrong.

Terry Duckmanton

"Mark South" <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

The modern world has spawned these:

Ummm ITYM 'spurned'...

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.

jacob said:

one broken spoke which I blame on carrying
full camping gear and too rapid descent of potholy hills.

Nope. The spoke broke because (like almost all manufacturers these
days) Dawes ship machine-built wheels with spoke tension way too low
and no stress-relief. You should have someone who knows how (sadly,
not all LBS's do) fix those wheels for you if you don't want to keep
on breaking spokes/having to re-true all the time.

--
Peter Headland

"jacob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Yes Dawes Galaxy or Audax. I just did e2e on Dawes Galaxy Tour and the
bike was perfect except for one broken spoke which I blame on carrying
full camping gear and too rapid descent of potholy hills.

But might just as easily be caused by the broken spoke fairy.

....

Quoted message said:

Jacob
ps I'm new here - I was getting used to the CTC web site message board
and the [censored] have closed it without comment or explanation.

Welcome, Jacob. Let's hope you don't hate it here much. You are allowed an
extra name here, BTW. And please watch your language, URC people don't like
obscenity or lewd overtones.
--
"[censored]! [censored]! [censored]-[censored]-[censored] [censored]-[censored]! [censored] [censored] [censored] and
[censored], thrice [censored]! Thank you for doing this to me, God! [censored]!"
- John D. Salt in alt.religion.kibology

"Helen Deborah Vecht" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Mark South" <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

The modern world has spawned these:

Ummm ITYM 'spurned'...

No, despite the fact it makes a witty comment, the new outer-pushing inline
brake levers are catching on, with more people using them and more manufacturers
making them.

Follow the link I gave and read about them. They are nothing like the old 70s
lever extensions.
--
Mark South: World Citizen, Net Denizen