Tourer or hybrid?

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

Quoted message said:

If all goes well, this is my last year in the fens and my last without a "proper" salary.
Everywhere in the world has more hills than Cambridgeshire, so the Dutch roadster I presently use
for everything from five-minute shopping trips to fifty-mile day-outings is probably going to
prove too heavy. I am thus thinking about getting a second bike.

Left to my own devices, I would probably go for a touring bicycle - a Dawes Galaxy or similar. I'm
never likely to go off-road, and the idea of having a robust road-bike that could carry a set of
panniers seems quite appealing for commuting, day trips, and maybe even cycling holidays.

Is this sensible, or should I be considering a good-quality well-equipped hybrid instead?

IMHO there is only one important difference between a Galaxy and a "good quality hybrid", which is
the shape of the handlebars. There might be minor differences such as wheel diameter (MTB vs 700c),
but when it comes to ride comfort they are secondary to saddle and handlebars. A Galaxy, or "good
quality hybrid" is more than capable of handling hard-packed bridleways and other reasonbly firm
off-road tracks in all but the worst of weather.

That then comes down to personal preference; do you like drops, or do you prefer upright bars ? Only
you can answer that.

FWIW, I suggest keeping the Dutch roadster unless you find it intollerable. Having a robust low
maintenance short-trip cycle is a good idea.

- NC

NC said:

IMHO there is only one important difference between a Galaxy and a "good quality hybrid", which is
the shape of the handlebars. There might be minor differences such as wheel diameter (MTB vs
700c), but when it comes to ride comfort they are secondary to saddle and handlebars. A Galaxy, or
"good quality hybrid" is more than capable of handling hard-packed bridleways and other reasonbly
firm off-road tracks in all but the worst of weather.

That then comes down to personal preference; do you like drops, or do you prefer upright bars ?
Only you can answer that.

Thanks for the advice. That's something I haven't investigated. I'm guessing that most people find
drops more useful once they've got used to them? Are there differences in the frame geometry that
would prevent me switching to another type of handlebar if I didn't like drops?

Quoted message said:

FWIW, I suggest keeping the Dutch roadster unless you find it intollerable. Having a robust low
maintenance short-trip cycle is a good idea.

Thanks for the sensible advice! :-) There's no danger of me parting with
it: you get rather attached to full chainguards, and the element of satisfaction I've had from "you
rode that far on that?!"-type comments will not quickly be forgotten. ;-)

--
Daniel Auger - [email hidden] (Please remove Granta to get a valid address.)

Daniel Auger said:

If all goes well, this is my last year in the fens and my last without a "proper" salary.
Everywhere in the world has more hills than Cambridgeshire, so the Dutch roadster I presently use
for everything from five-minute shopping trips to fifty-mile day-outings is probably going to prove
too heavy. I am thus thinking about getting a second bike.

Left to my own devices, I would probably go for a touring bicycle - a Dawes Galaxy or similar. I'm
never likely to go off-road, and the idea of having a robust road-bike that could carry a set of
panniers seems quite appealing for commuting, day trips, and maybe even cycling holidays.

Is this sensible, or should I be considering a good-quality well-equipped hybrid instead?

Thanks for any advice! :-)

The flat barred 700c wheeled 'Rapide' range by Ridgeback have been my all purpose bikes of choice
for a few years (I've had two)[1]. They are not as 'performance' as the Day range but have a bit
more go than hybrids and a lot more than mtbs. They'll take all the panniers (fore & aft), racks &
mudguards you can through at them. Ridgeback also have a new 'World' range of tourers.

SJS cycles seem to do a big range and would appear to have something to meet most needs but they are
rather pricey. Also, some people in this group (or it may have been elsewhere) have 'issues' with
SJS. Have been OK for all my dealings, though.

If your first pay checks are up to it then Cannondale have just brought out a Rohloff fitted
'street' bike which I cannot wait to get a closer look at. To date most Rohloff hubs have been
retrofitted to mtbs but the Cannondale benefits from an eccentric bb so looks really special without
the usual Rohloff chain tensioner.

[1] The headsets have failed early on both bikes and I can only assume they use some cheap grease.
However, they are still, ime, excellent bikes.

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

Quoted message said:

FWIW, I suggest keeping the Dutch roadster unless you find it

intollerable.

Quoted message said:

Having a robust low maintenance short-trip cycle is a good idea.

I'd heartily recommend that. A big solid German or Dutch bike with 28 wheels and (ideally) a Rohloff
is the biz if you use a bike for day to day transport. I have a road-bike, and offroad bike, and a
Brompton but the bike I ride the most is my monster.

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

Quoted message said:

FWIW, I suggest keeping the Dutch roadster unless you find it

intollerable.

Quoted message said:

Having a robust low maintenance short-trip cycle is a good idea.

I'd heartily recommend that. A big solid German or Dutch bike with 28 wheels and (ideally) a Rohloff
is the biz if you use a bike for day to day transport. I have a road-bike, and offroad bike, and a
Brompton but the bike I ride the most is my monster.

Daniel Auger said:

Thanks for the advice. That's something I haven't investigated. I'm guessing that most people find
drops more useful once they've got used to them? Are there differences in the frame geometry that
would prevent me switching to another type of handlebar if I didn't like drops?

Shouldn't be that much problem changing either. Drops make a difference for longer term comfort
including tiredness: the better aero position being more crouched means less effort over a long day,
but the cost of that is more weight on your hands and arms and more of a crick to the neck. The
drops give you lots of positions to relieve these issues to some extent. They do need getting used
to though. Or if you want better aero without any of the comfort disadvantages, get a recumbent.
Mine is *outrageously* comfortable and also carries luggage better than a "normal" upright tourer
(the lowriders go between the wheels, under the rider, rather than weighing directly on the front
fork, so you can put in big weights and hardly affect the handling at all). They don't come cheap,
but nor do high quality uprights like you're looking at so if you're spending money, might as well
get comfy!

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

Daniel Auger said:

Thanks for the advice. That's something I haven't investigated. I'm guessing that most people find
drops more useful once they've got used to them? Are there differences in the frame geometry that
would prevent me switching to another type of handlebar if I didn't like drops?

Shouldn't be that much problem changing either. Drops make a difference for longer term comfort
including tiredness: the better aero position being more crouched means less effort over a long day,
but the cost of that is more weight on your hands and arms and more of a crick to the neck. The
drops give you lots of positions to relieve these issues to some extent. They do need getting used
to though. Or if you want better aero without any of the comfort disadvantages, get a recumbent.
Mine is *outrageously* comfortable and also carries luggage better than a "normal" upright tourer
(the lowriders go between the wheels, under the rider, rather than weighing directly on the front
fork, so you can put in big weights and hardly affect the handling at all). They don't come cheap,
but nor do high quality uprights like you're looking at so if you're spending money, might as well
get comfy!

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗