who sells touring bikes in ireland.

feck sake lads

who sells touring bikes in ireland .

Alek

What exactly does a "touring bike" mean for you?

rollingscone

AFAIR Penny Farthing (not my favourite people) have some Dawes Touring bikes (Galaxy and/or Dalesman)

feck sake lads

Alek wrote: »

What exactly does a "touring bike" mean for you?

Well let's see,
must carry panniers front and rear without any issues.
must be all day comfort as in long wheel base.
for me have to have drop bars
good range of gears.
strong wheels/quality tyres/mudguards.
dynamo would be good.
(brooks/tubus/xt groupset my last touring bike had all this)
oh yeah must be steel frame.:cool:
there you go thats what i reckon a touring bike would be.

Planet X

All shops will sell you a touring bike but few will stock them. Not a huge demand. You should choose a bike first, do your homework and then ask whichever shop. A shop will help with size/ measurements. Generally they'll have a bike in a week or so.

SomeFool

Why not look into building your own custom tourer, getting a frame and going from there if you can afford to buy new? Really rewarding and specced out to your own needs and taste!

feck sake lads

SomeFool wrote: »

Why not look into building your own custom tourer, getting a frame and going from there if you can afford to buy new? Really rewarding and specced out to your own needs and taste!

yes thats my exact plan i have my eye on three framesets thorn club tour/spa steel tourer/dawes ultra galaxy .all top end frames.
but i was wondering if there was any shops in ireland that could suggest somthing else as good.or even second hand .

i do have my raleigh 753 set up for light touring but its useless for carrying panniers and rack sure it wasnt made for that.

2011abc

And some of those steel frames are a TON weight !!!Unless youre happy to average single figure MPH figures why not go for a lighter 'modern' equivalent ?

I once had a Giant carbon road bike and 753 track bike (no derailleurs/brakes etc )and the latter was FAR heavier .Tech moves on so fast nowadays...

SomeFool

feck sake lads wrote: »

yes thats my exact plan i have my eye on three framesets thorn club tour/spa steel tourer/dawes ultra galaxy .all top end frames.
but i was wondering if there was any shops in ireland that could suggest somthing else as good.or even second hand .

i do have my raleigh 753 set up for light touring but its useless for carrying panniers and rack sure it wasnt made for that.

I have one of these, great fun to ride.

feck sake lads

2011abc wrote: »

And some of those steel frames are a TON weight !!!Unless youre happy to average single figure MPH figures why not go for a lighter 'modern' equivalent ?

I once had a Giant carbon road bike and 753 track bike (no derailleurs/brakes etc )and the latter was FAR heavier .Tech moves on so fast nowadays...

So what makes have you in mind sounds interesting,ive been after a strong light touring bike for years keep getting told theres no such bike.
thanks btw .

feck sake lads

SomeFool wrote: »

I have one of these, great fun to ride.

looks great for sure, but would it take racks,would i need to buy new disc wheels, my plan was to buy frame and swap everything from my raleigh over its all quality gear.

thebouldwhacker

I bought a Dawes for my wife of this chap in Wales before Christmas in his sale, got a great price. He is a small retailer and great to deal with. Don't know about delivery as I had a mate pick it up for me.

http://www.damianharriscycles.co.uk

If your friendly with a lbs ask them first though, I did and my regular guy had nothing of interest and gave me his blessing to leave his parish so I went to another one (in Cork) who was selling one, the dick there talked himself out of a sale.
I mean my wife was sitting on it.
She told him 'I love it, this is the bike I want'
In the preceding two minutes managed to lose the sale. All he had to do was say 'pass the credit card there'... Twat.

For what it's worth I use a specialised tri cross, it ticks every box I want, I know it's not steel but it's a cracking bike for loaded distance touring, and I have the choice of a bit of cross too should I get the chance...

Alek

How about Genesis Croix de Fer? Its on top of my personal list at the moment :-)

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/adventure/multi-sport/croix-de-fer

It seems to tick all of your boxes, plus reliable brakes and ability to take wide tyres...


Afaik ThinkBike sells Genesis.

feck sake lads

Thanks TBW i'm in no big rush to be honest as long as i get a frame before the summer ends:eek: i know the bike your riding buy yeah i was hoping for steel,a friend of mine has the ultra galaxy its a cracking bike and have to say it's light easly the lightest i came across.
i don't use my lbs anymore i usually shop online.

have to say i'm enjoying window shopping i know theres a bike out there that i havent come across yet but someone else has;)

feck sake lads

Alax thanks but disc brakes.
has to be either canti or V-brakes .

Alek

Second on my list is Thorn Audax mk III, but that's rather for light touring - max 15kg on the back. Its a fast beautiful machine though :-)

http://www.sjscycles.com/thornpdf/Thorn_Audax_Mk3.pdf

25sean

I bought a Dawes galaxy from penny farthing in 2000, cycled all over europe, n. africa, the middle east and the Indian Himalayas on it.. I now cycle it to work every day, do the shopping on it, carry my kid on it, take it to the pub and was down in Wicklow on it today for 3 hrs...

Touring bikes are heavy, but when youre loaded it doesnt matter what they weigh.. its the geometry of the frame that matters, they come into their own when loaded, when you get them up and running and the momentum gets going!

SPa cycles looks good. I was in Hollingsworth a couple of years ago and they have reynolds tourers, non branded for around 500 yoyo.. all the lugs you need.

feck sake lads

25sean wrote: »

I bought a Dawes galaxy from penny farthing in 2000, cycled all over europe, n. africa, the middle east and the Indian Himalayas on it.. I now cycle it to work every day, do the shopping on it, carry my kid on it, take it to the pub and was down in Wicklow on it today for 3 hrs...

Touring bikes are heavy, but when youre loaded it doesnt matter what they weigh.. its the geometry of the frame that matters, they come into their own when loaded, when you get them up and running and the momentum gets going!

SPa cycles looks good. I was in Hollingsworth a couple of years ago and they have reynolds tourers, non branded for around 500 yoyo.. all the lugs you need.

Thanks can't get a better recommendation than that.

feck sake lads

Alek wrote: »

Second on my list is Thorn Audax mk III, but that's rather for light touring - max 15kg on the back. Its a fast beautiful machine though :-)

http://www.sjscycles.com/thornpdf/Thorn_Audax_Mk3.pdf

Alak i did have a really good look at the thorn audax it might just suit me fine,only thing i'm afraid i would overload it,although having said that i intend only using rear ortlieb classis panniers and barbag no front panniers and all my gear is new lightweight gear.
mind you spa does a lovely steel audax as well that gets great reviews.
what to do what to do.
thanks alak much appreciated.

cdaly_

I wonder does a barbag* count as the same balancing weight as low-loader front panniers?

To avoid overloading, throw away the big panniers and get something smaller. I use a 10-litre rack bag and only hang a pannier for trucking clothes to work. Mind you, I haven't yet tried carrying a tent and sleeping bag. One day, one day...


*My 'barbag' is really a set of aero bars, cross brake levers, lights, glasses and battery bag. There's gotta be enough extra weight there to counteract a rear load.

feck sake lads

ah i need a rack to hold my big tent.
at the moment i use the carradice camper great bag but once its full with cooking gear/cloths and other bits of gear theres not much room left for tent so yeah i basically need a new frame thats designed for touring.

OldBean

Recently played around with some Velo Orange frames before purchasing a Pass Hunter, but was very impressed with the Campeur - http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/frames/campeur/campeur-build-kit.html

Nearest stockist would be FreshTripe in the UK - http://freshtripe.co.uk/Freshtripe/Frames.html

Quick review on fully loaded touring with it here - http://www.adventurecycling.org/default/assets/resources/20130701_RoadTest_Pelkey.pdf

MB Lacey

Fitzcycles in Stillorgan had a lovely selection of Kona bikes, the Honky Tonk was there looking splendid in dark olive green.
Small shop, but they do have touring bikes.


http://www.fitzcycles.ie/c/20/touring-bikes

feck sake lads

that velo orange looks good might look more at that frame.
whats this Pass Hunter?

thanks btw.

OldBean

The Pass Hunter is a lighter credit card tourer/Audax style road bike. I'm loving mine, but I'm not sure she'll hold all you're after - The Campeur will, and more. There's some photos of it built up and loaded up here too - http://velo-orange.blogspot.ie/2012/09/packing-campeur-bikepacking-style-part-1.html And the last gallery photo here is of it loaded up - http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/frames/campeur/vo-campeur-frame.html

slap/dash

theres always surly, buildabike in marys abbey d1 sells them.

or perhaps you could try some version of a cyclocross bike if you wanted to lose some weight

Ryath

Was just about to suggest surly myself this looks good value to me

http://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;navigation=1;product=62475;page=1;menu=1000,4,34;mid=181;pgc=0

feck sake lads

i think in my size 51or52cm only come with 600 size wheels i want 700c.

Ryath

feck sake lads wrote: »

i think in my size 51or52cm only come with 600 size wheels i want 700c.

That's the long haul trucker the cross check is 700c in all sizes
http://surlybikes.com/bikes/cross_check

Vélo

MB Lacey wrote: »

Fitzcycles in Stillorgan had a lovely selection of Kona bikes, the Honky Tonk was there looking splendid in dark olive green.
Small shop, but they do have touring bikes.


http://www.fitzcycles.ie/c/20/touring-bikes

I have a Honky Tonk for commuting but would only use it for light touring. It doesn't take a front rack and with mudguards fitted the biggest tyres you can fit are 28mm.

I have a Ultra Galaxy for touring and it's brilliant. I changed it from the drops to butterfly handlebars as I find it better for touring.

feck sake lads

thanks lads a great insight to touring audax bikes.
the surly cross check looks a dinger but so to does the thorn audax more expensive i know but a cracking bike,
thing is this new bike will be used all the time so i dont want to buy a donky:eek: i want a fast ish /ligh bike.
anyway lads thanks for the input much appreciated hopefull i'll be on the touring buzz by the summer.
i got a invite to welsh cycling rally in july so something to aim for.a week in scotland might be on the cards as well.

coastwatch

It would be worth paying a visit to Hollingsworth Bikes in Stillorgan. They've a huge range and if it's not in stock, they're very happy to order in for viewing.

smacl

feck sake lads wrote: »

thanks lads a great insight to touring audax bikes.
the surly cross check looks a dinger but so to does the thorn audax more expensive i know but a cracking bike,
thing is this new bike will be used all the time so i dont want to buy a donky:eek: i want a fast ish /ligh bike.
anyway lads thanks for the input much appreciated hopefull i'll be on the touring buzz by the summer.
i got a invite to welsh cycling rally in july so something to aim for.a week in scotland might be on the cards as well.

Looking forward to seeing what you end up with FSL, am planning on a new bike myself this year with very similar requirements. Long solo spins, light touring, built for comfort, reliability and durability. Was leaning towards a SPA Ti audax, possibly built up with athena, given funds. Thorn audax is also in contention. Current bike is an old Ridley that is actually comfy and has proven reliable, which has led me to procrastinate, but I don't think it would take 28mm tyres or a rack.

feck sake lads

smacl wrote: »

Looking forward to seeing what you end up with FSL, am planning on a new bike myself this year with very similar requirements. Long solo spins, light touring, built for comfort, reliability and durability. Was leaning towards a SPA Ti audax, possibly built up with athena, given funds. Thorn audax is also in contention. Current bike is an old Ridley that is actually comfy and has proven reliable, which has led me to procrastinate, but I don't think it would take 28mm tyres or a rack.

nearly sure i'm gonna go for the Thorn club tour great reviews on this bike ticks all the boxes for me,my thorn sherpa was excellent bike but overkill for the type of cycling touring i do so i reckon the club tour should suit me fine.i just need the money now to buy the fecking thing.

Joff

Presume you looked at Spa Cycles Ti and Steel Tourer, interested to know why you prefer Thorn to Spa......I've dealt with both and found Spa a pleasure to deal with but SJC anything but......this alone would bias me to Spa.

feck sake lads

Joff wrote: »

Presume you looked at Spa Cycles Ti and Steel Tourer, interested to know why you prefer Thorn to Spa......I've dealt with both and found Spa a pleasure to deal with but SJC anything but......this alone would bias me to Spa.

Joff going on my experience with SJS i never had any bother with them ecept there postage costs :eek: but they have always been good to deal with.
the club tour give give better choice in frame sizes top tube as far as i know.nothing wrong with spa far from it but i think thorn are way ahead when it comes to bike design Andy Blance knows his stuff.

mind you i still fancy the spa tourer or even the audax sorry for all the confusion but no harm drooling over these lovely bikes.

SomeFool

feck sake lads wrote: »

looks great for sure, but would it take racks,would i need to buy new disc wheels, my plan was to buy frame and swap everything from my raleigh over its all quality gear.

Yeah it takes front and rear panniers, full mudguards, you're right though - it's disc brake only - I find my 29er mtb wheels are bomb proof though. This forum is a great touring resource btw!