Touring Bike!

[elwbikes]

I’m in the market for a touring bike, and I’m test riding bikes currently. So far, I’m looking at the Soma Saga, Soma Grand Randonneur, the LHT from Surly, All-City Space Horse, and Velo Orange Campeur. The Jamis Aurora is also on the list. Does anyone have any advice? More importantly, does anyone have a Soma Saga or Grand Randonneur? Or, if any shops have built up frames to test ride? I’m 5’6″ and have been looking at size 52s, but my road bike is size 54. My budget is preferably $1000 (I’m trying to convince myself away from the Space Horse, haha). Any advice is greatly appreciated, thank you!

Edited to add: I might just buy a frame and part out my meh-frame, nice-component road bike (I want a tourer more than a road bike, or even something that could do double-duty).

Topic

[DismalScientist]

Good luck finding any brand name touring bike for less than $1500 or so. If you were shorter, I would recommend this http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/bik/4917008219.html, which is a Miyata 615 that was bastardized. All it needs is a new stem, bars, levers, and bar end shifters to make it reasonable.

[Greenbelt]

The aurora is pretty cheap on the base model, but it doesn’t have disk brakes and it has bar end shifters though.

Another bike you might want to look at is the Kona Big Rove (flat handlebar, hydro disk brakes). Pretty amazing bike, definitely next on my list when my commuter bike finally gives out.

I took this glamour shot while riding the Rove pretty much all over the state of Washington last summer. -Jeff

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[jabberwocky]

I’m also 5′-6″ and have a 50cm Soma Saga built up as a touring bike. You’re welcome to give it a whirl if you want.

[Phatboing]

Obligatory plug for the Salsa Fargo, which is frabjous:

Alternatively, the Vaya.

Also, if you’re interested, you can try my Fargo for size (I’m 5’5″; it’s not easy to find a Fargo on shop floors, for fear that it’s sheer awesomeness would render all other bikes worthless).

[dasgeh]

I tried some of these at Bikenetic and BicycleSpace around this time last year. i was lusting after a Salsa Fargo. Then I realized the smarter answer for my family was another bike that could carry kids, so I ended up with something totally different.

[dasgeh]

@Phatboing 111199 wrote:

Obligatory plug for the Salsa Fargo, which is frabjous:

jinx ;-

[elwbikes]

@jabberwocky 111197 wrote:

I’m also 5′-6″ and have a 50cm Soma Saga built up as a touring bike. You’re welcome to give it a whirl if you want.

That would be great! I’m DC based (work in NW, live in NE) but can go about anywhere a bike can go. I’ll PM you.

[elwbikes]

@Phatboing 111199 wrote:

Obligatory plug for the Salsa Fargo, which is frabjous:

Alternatively, the Vaya.

Also, if you’re interested, you can try my Fargo for size (I’m 5’5″; it’s not easy to find a Fargo on shop floors, for fear that it’s sheer awesomeness would render all other bikes worthless).

That would be great! I have a friend who just bought a Vaya and she is very happy with it, I just know Salsas are hard to find around here! I’ll PM you.

[jabberwocky]

@elwbikes 111204 wrote:

That would be great! I’m DC based (work in NW, live in NE) but can go about anywhere a bike can go. I’ll PM you.

Yup! I’m out in Reston, not far off the W&OD. Here is my bike:

[ejwillis62]

I of course will be on my BRAND SPANKING NEW Surly Troll this weekend. It is a small as I am only about 5’4. But I am sure it is pure beauty…..

I will post pictures as soon as I pick her/him up. Haven’t decided on the gender yet I will have to meet him/her and then decide. I am currently thinking she is a beast.

LIZ W

[Raymo853]

You may also have to narrow your definition of a touring bike. Do you want to run panniers front and rear, in the main triangle only, on the bars, …. What kind of loads do you expect to carry? 35 pounds, 100 pounds, 200 pounds,…

Regardless, unless you want to carry over 50 pounds, I like the Jamis Bosonova.
http://www.myjamis.com/SSP%20Applications/JamisBikes/MyJamis/consumer/bike.html?year=2015&model=Bosa%20Nova&cat_grp=road_9

[Phatboing]

@ejwillis62 111208 wrote:

I of course will be on my BRAND SPANKING NEW Surly Troll this weekend. It is a small as I am only about 5’4. But I am sure it is pure beauty…..

I will post pictures as soon as I pick her/him up. Haven’t decided on the gender yet I will have to meet him/her and then decide. I am currently thinking she is a beast.

LIZ W

Hooray for purple trolls!

(yours is purple, right?)

[ejwillis62]

nope I went with the black, I think I look scarier on the black. Didn’t want my specialized to be jealous, I have gotten used to her black color. Need to look tough while I am out touring.
LIZ W.

[vvill]

I don’t have any advice, but I’ve always liked the look/style of Soma bikes. I considered the Double Cross Disc when I got my CX bike but as you note, it’s hard to find one to test ride. I generally like All-City bikes but for a touring bike I think I would want disc brakes.

Jamis and Kona tend to have good value options and can usually be found in stock.

@dasgeh 111200 wrote:

smarter answer for my family was another bike that could carry kids, so I ended up with something totally different.

Shhhh… I can’t hear you!

[mstone]

@Greenbelt 111193 wrote:

The aurora is pretty cheap on the base model, but it doesn’t have disk brakes and it has bar end shifters though.

It’s just about impossible to find an off the shelf loaded touring bike with anything other than bar end shifters not to be cheap but because shimano doesn’t have an approved brifter combination with low gearing. You can do it yourself or get it built custom, but the big manufacturers won’t build something that’s not approved. That said, such a configuration should be cheaper than an equivalent configuration with brifters because the bar end shifters are a heck of a lot cheaper.

As far as the original question, I agree that there needs to be more of a definition of “touring” because the listed bikes are very different.

[Author]

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